Of all the fathers in the Bible, the father in our text is probably spoken
of more than the others combined. We know very little of him or the names
of his sons. The wife and mother is not mentioned at all. It would seem that
perhaps she had passed away and the father is left alone to rear his two
sons.
All too often we gather truth from the far land and we fail to gather
treasure from the father’s lodging. We have no problem imaging what
happened in the far country.
The convictions which swayed him (12-13)
authority he was determined to discard
ability he was determined to display
The confusion which swamped him (14-16)
unexpected failure which shattered him
unexplored future which frightened him
The conversion which saved him (17–19)
truth he faced
failure he was
father he had
path he found
However, this morning I want us to contemplate the father’s house
instead of the far country. What was going on in the father’s house while
the son was in the far country?. What was the father doing while the son
was away? Encourage fathers today.
I. He continued working on the farm
You never gain ground with your prodigal if you sell the farm before
they have a chance to come home. The father did not sell out, give in, give
up – he just stayed with the farm. Children are counting on you and I to be
faithful.
A. Father did not change to accommodate the son.
He just stayed with the stuff.
Parents we need to stay with the stuff even when the kids leave
home. Don’t relax your standards them. It is always too soon to quit.
When children leave the nest to go to college or get married,
don’t you change.
Stayed with the farm
1. Labour did not change.
2. Love did not change
B. Father did care . (20)
Father saw him long before the son saw him. Father was looking
for him. He love him.
No anger was in his heart towards the son; he had nothing but
pity for his poor boy who had got into such a pitiable condition. It was true
that it was the son’s own fault, but that did not come into the father’s mind.
He cared for and loved his son deeply.
C. Father was consistent.
He stayed at the farm and kept working for the day. What day
was that? The day his son would come home.
1. Stalled calf
Was fed daily in anticipation of the son’s return
2. Special robe
Was prepared for the day of the son’s welcome
3. Signet ring
Was cleaned and made ready for the day the son would
wear it
If the father had not been faithful, there would have been no fatted
calf, nor robe, and nor ring for the days of festivity when the son came
home.
"Be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding."
II. He commenced waiting at the farm
Doing all he knew to do at the farm, he waited and watched. When
the son topped the last, he father spotted him. Spotted him because he was
waiting and watching for his son.
The hardest part of the Christian life is waiting. Love suffereth long.
Love endureth all things. Love holds on and holds out. Love cannot be
conquered. Love never gives in.
Isaiah 40:31
Ps 27:14 "Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall
strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD."
La 3:25 "The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul
that seeketh him."
Mic 7:7 "Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of
my salvation: my God will hear me."
Isa 30:18 "......blessed are all they that wait for him."
A. Waiting in prayer
B. Waiting in precepts
C. Waiting in prospect
III. He concluded with weeping at the farm
Finally there came a day when all the working, watching and waiting
became rich and real.
"Saw him....and ran." May have reached his son out of breath, but he
was not out of love. Kissed him much. Oh, the tears of joy that must have
flowed from his eyes. The prodigal son may have had to limp towards his
father, but his father ran toward him.
Dad, you stay on the farm. Don’t change, give up, give in, or give
over. In due season, you shall reap if you faint not. Father wept for joy
because he stayed by the stuff.
It was not the father’s house which drew the son back; it was the
father’s heart.
Conclusion:
There would have been no celebration at the father’s house if the
father had not remained consistent , caring , and changeless . Fathers,
don’t leave the farm, don’t sell the farm, and don’t give up the ring. One day
it will be worth it if you stay with it.
