You’re Not Who You Think You Are | Easter - Jeremy Duncan
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In this Easter Sunday sermon from the Commons Church Podcast, Jeremy Duncan explores the parable of the prodigal son not as a story about a wayward child returning home, but as a profound revelation about human identity and divine grace. He unpacks the threefold parable structure in Luke 15—lost sheep, lost coin, lost son—as a cumulative build-up to a radical theological insight: the real 'lost' ones aren’t the younger sons, but the older brothers who believe they’ve earned their place. The sermon reframes Easter not as a celebration of personal achievement, but as the moment when God, in relentless grace, runs toward those who are lost—even those who stand in the field refusing to enter the party. Duncan emphasizes that our deepest identity is not defined by our failures or our righteousness, but by being found in God’s love, which persists even when we resist. The message is both humbling and liberating: we are all, at some point, the younger son in need of grace, and the older son in need of mercy—yet God still comes for us all.
Grace is not earned; it’s offered even to those who think they don’t need it.
The older brother in the parable represents the danger of self-righteousness and the illusion of moral superiority.
True identity is restored not through performance, but through being found by God.
Easter is not about us arriving at grace—it’s about grace arriving at us.
God’s love is so relentless that it leaves the party to find us, even when we’re unwilling to come in.
The Easter Moment: Grace Interrupts
“This is the moment where we stare directly into the center of the Christian tradition.”
The Parable Trio: Building Toward a Surprise
Duncan traces the progression of the three parables in Luke 15—the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son—showing how each story builds toward a surprising twist. He highlights how the stories are not about the lost, but about the surprising nature of God’s grace, which is so extravagant it defies logic and expectation.
The Prodigal Son: Identity at Rock Bottom
“At our worst, we're not ourselves. At our worst, that's not our core identity.”
The Older Brother: The Hidden Lost One
“The nine coins that thought they were safe at home, that was. The son who asks for his inheritance before his father is dead, that's not the offense that catches God off guard. That's what we all do.”
Easter as the Story of God Running Toward Us
“Easter is where our own determined march toward death is arrested. Easter is where our new life has begun.”
“The son who asks for his inheritance before his father is dead, that's not the offense that catches God off guard. That's what we all do.”
“Easter is where our own determined march toward death is arrested. Easter is where our new life has begun.”
“You could attempt to contain God or constrain God. You can even do your worst to God. In fact, we could kill God and bury God but still God would be good to us because that's...”
Host
God
person
Jesus
person
Prodigal Son
person
Jeremy Duncan
person
Luke 15
book
Older Brother
person
Commons Church
organization
Mary Magdalene
person
John 20
book
The Lion King
media
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