The Father’s Love
Edited, April 29, 2011
As we consider the 15th Chapter of Luke this evening,
I will ask you to consider how the attitude of our heart directs our behavior.
First, we will notice:
The Father released the younger son
Secondly, we will focus on how:
The Father eagerly waits for the wayward son’s return
Third, we will consider how:
The Father loves the older son in spite of his attitude
Last, our attention will be drawn to how:
The Father rewards both sons
We will see:
God loves us unconditionally because we are His
I must tell you:
The greatest burden of my heart is for us to understand the difference between relationship and fellowship with God.
Understanding RELATIONSHIP brings assurance of salvation, as we realize whose we are.
Understanding FELLOWSHIP brings peace and rest as we realize we can approach our Father without fear of condemnation.
TURN WITH ME NOW AND FOLLOW ALONG AS I READ:
Then He said: "A certain man had two sons.
12And the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.' So he divided to them his livelihood.
13And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.
14But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want.
15Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
16And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.
17But when he came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
18I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you,
19and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants." '
20And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.
21And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.'
22But the father said to his servants, 'Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.
23And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry;
24for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' And they began to be merry.
25Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.
26So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant.
27And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.'
28But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him.
29So he answered and said to his father, 'Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends.
30But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.'
31And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.
32It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.' "
I. THE FATHER RELEASED THE YOUNGER SON V. 13
As we consider the behavior of the younger son, I envision his attitude was one that said, “it is My life”.
In verse 13 we see that he left the immediate presence of the Father and the family.
Picture with me the loss of intimacy and affection brought on by this decision.
Today, we can imagine the phone that does not ring
The messages sent that are not acknowledged
The sleepless nights of the Father
As the younger son wasted or squandered his possessions, undoubtedly he was drawn away from the family in pursuit of “who he was”.
In the 70’s we said, “They have to go find themselves.”
The thought has occurred to me, ”What do they do when they find themselves and they don’t like what they find?”
Perhaps, this is where we find the younger son in verse 14
But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want.
Not only had a famine affected the younger son but as we read verses 15 and 16 we realize his resources were limited.
“No one gave him anything…….”
Today, we might say he was experiencing God’s tough love.
In verse 17 we see the results of this situation:
But when he came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
Some translations say, “He came to his senses”.
Personally, …….As one who moved away from home, shortly after completing high school, I have had the feelings of being Homesick.
However, in my opinion, Homesick is not about a particular place but rather it is about a sense of belonging, a certain level of sensitive interaction and intimacy with family or friends.
The younger son lost this intimacy when his attitude carried him away to a far country.
Notice:
The younger son REMEMBERED HOME
He remembered how good it was
He realized it was his decision that took him away
But, he knew he could go back home.
THIS IS A PICTURE OF RESTORATION OF FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD.
NO MATTER HOW FAR AWAY WE HAVE WONDERED
WE CAN COME BACK HOME.
HOME IS NOT A PLACE ……BUT HOME IS AN ATTITUDE
IT IS ABOUT FELLOWSHIP….BECAUSE OF OUR RELATIONSHIP
If you have wondered away from the Father
Just like the younger son ……you can say:
I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you,
The younger son repented and purposed to confess his sin
SIN? You may ask?............
Yes, sin, because he had failed to honor the Father.
He had been focused on himself and his personal gratification
At the expense of his inheritance, I might add.
All the while:
II. The Father Eagerly waited for the wayward son’s return v. 20
While the younger son squandered his inheritance the father waited.
What parent has not waited?
Waited in anxious expectation to be a parent.
Waited for your teenager to come through the door, late at night.
Waited to see your young adult child realize their full potential.
Who among us had not desired more for our child than we had ourselves?
Can you imagine the feelings of the father as he waited?
THE DAY CAME…..as the Father watched and waited another day….
And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.
The Father’s Love demonstrates the love of our Heavenly Father as he restores FELLOWSHIP to the younger son.
But the father said to his servants, 'Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.
The younger son was given a:
Robe…symbolizing Righteousness
A Ring… indicating authority
I suspect the ring bore the family crest
Surely, since he had squandered his inheritance, he had many needs.
According to Holeman,
Bare feet were a sign of poverty and reproach.
Sandals demonstrated reconciliation.
We are not unlike the younger son when we live out of fellowship with our Heavenly Father.
God’s Kingdom is symbolized in the banquet, feast and celebration around the table.
The pain of the younger sons’s rebellion was as if he were dead.
for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' And they began to be merry.
Can you imagine how you would feel if someone you loved, that has died, suddenly walked into this room?
Jesus used the word AGAIN indicating that what had died was now ALIVE.
Is that not what happens to us when we come by faith to Christ?
Ephes. 2:1-3
And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,
2in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,
3among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
The father had ……ANOTHER SON.
He was older and some wiser……but he too demonstrated a wrong attitude
In verse 31 we see:
III. The Father loved the older son in spite of his attitude
Perhaps….no more appreciative
than his younger brother
The older son was obedient in his choices and behavior
Nevertheless, the older son demonstrated the attitude of his heart in his reaction to his younger brother’s homecoming.
Imagine with me
How the resentment had accumulated over time concerning the younger brother
Perhaps:
He saw the pain inflicted on his father when the younger brother left.
He stayed and worked while hearing reports of his brother’s loose living.
Just like the younger son, the older son demonstrated the attitude of his heart……..
As he pouted and would not go into the feast and celebration.
Again we see the humility of the Father as he pleaded with his older son:
But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him.
The older son’s rebellion and disrespect was demonstrated as he challenges the Father’s actions:
So he answered and said to his father, 'Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends.
No doubt the older son feels justified in his feelings of anger.
Lastly,
IV. The Father rewards both sons
The father validates the older son’s feelings in verse 31
And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.
He reminds the son, “all that I have is yours.”
I don’t know about you but where I come from …ALL.. MEANS.. ALL
It is my understanding; the custom was for the older son to receive 2/3rds of the inheritance.
The absence of the younger son and his portion left all of the inheritance to the older son.
In verse 32 ……….. We see the gentleness of the father as he justifies his response to the younger son coming home.
It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.' "
He reminds the older son, “your brother was dead and is alive AGAIN”
He further exclaims, “was lost and is found”
Earlier in this same chapter, the writer expresses it this way:
I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.
Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."
CONCLUSION:
We have seen:
The younger son’s attitude cost him his inheritance
The older son’s attitude was revealed in spite of his obedience
The father loved his sons because they were his
Who among us can not relate to the attitude of one of the sons?
Please notice neither son’s attitude affected his RELATIONSHIP with the Father
Both son’s FELLOWSHIP was affected by their attitude
Whether it is the younger son or the older son….we see
THE FATHER’S LOVE.
Our heavenly Father receives the sinner and the wayward child alike.
He welcomes the repentant sinner into His family.
He restores the repentant wayward child to a position of honor and intimate fellowship.
APPLICATION
What benefit is our study of the scripture if we fail to make application to our lives?
I have asked myself,
“Could I mirror the Father’s Love?”
I quickly conclude, “Probably not.”
But, Thanks be to God, it is not about My ability now…any more than it has ever been.
I have been saved by faith through grace and ….beloved I live by faith through grace, amen?
By this I mean to say:
IT IS ONLY BY ALLOWING GOD TO LOVE THROUGH ME
That I could ever mirror the Father’s Love.
How can this be accomplished?
Only by intimate FELLOWSHIP, communing with the Father on a regular bases.
That is what obedience is all about.
It is about spending time together
It is about my will melding with His will
Our Christian walk and life is a paradox to the world…… because
We are saved and we live by faith through grace
Ephes. 2:9-10
not of works, lest anyone should boast.
10For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Notice, we are His workmanship.
Conversely, the world operates on a merit system.
The world’s merit system is about self –righteousness.
Isaiah calls our righteousness ….”filthy rags” …..Isaiah 64:6
INVI TATION
We must exchange our “filthy rags” for the robe of righteousness
We do this by:
Realizing we are a sinner:
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Realize the consequences of sin:
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Realize God’s remedy for sin:
But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach):
that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
The greatest burden of my heart is for us to understand the difference between relationship and fellowship with God.
Understanding RELATIONSHIP brings assurance of salvation, as we realize whose we are.
Understanding FELLOWSHIP brings peace and rest as we realize we can approach our Father without fear of condemnation.
OPEN ALTER
As is our tradition, the alter is open for you to publicly declare your faith in Christ Jesus, Our Lord and Savior……remembering the words of Matthew -33
"Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.
Someone will be here to meet with you…..
To pray with you and share your concerns….
Perhaps, you have never established a RELATIONSHIP with God by placing your faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross of Calvary ….won’t you come
Others, have lived too long like the younger son….won’t you come
Still another, has lived in rebellion like the older son… won’t you come
Whatever your need….Obey the nudging of the Holy Spirit
It is not the craftiness of this preacher that compels you……
It is the Holy Spirit of God…
Obey Him and know His Blessing
While we sing…..
