Father Knows Best!
Today we celebrate the day that comes but once a year, while many things are only celebrated once a year, only this day honors fathers.
Idnt odd though, statistics show that, most fathers get stuck grilling out on their day of being honored, while mothers are never asked to cook on their special day.
And why is it, I saw on TV $5 Billion more, that’s billion with a capital B, gets spent on mothers day gifts than fathers day,
Just one of those things that makes you go hmm?
Fathers are very important to a family, while many men may have children, it takes a special, dedicated individual to be a father.
And with that comes a great responsibility.
Not only providing for, but being a good role model and also offering a safe, stable environment to grow up in.
But the most important role a father plays, is that of the spiritual leader of his household.
That role, while it has many facets and causes one to wear many hats over the period of a lifetime, never changes.
All fathers are not created equal, just ask any little Kid and they will tell you that their daddy is the best.
With a ringing endorsement like that, you would think all little boys daddy would be the perfection of fatherhood.
But does that mean that a father will ALWAYS do what is right?
We’d like to think so wouldn’t we, try as we may, we all know that’s not true.
Many fathers should find comfort in the words of Bill Cosby,
who advised new fathers that when they feel bewildered and even defeated,
That they should take comfort from the fact that - whatever they do in any fathering situation - they have a 50% chance of being right every time.
Some fathers will fail, more often than they would care to admit.
Every father should try to raise their children in the fear and admonition of the Lord,
while it most certainatley increases the chance of success, it doesn’t guarantee it.
The bible has many examples of men of strong faith that had kids that really put them thru a lot.
Although I’m not going to go there, King David, a man after Gods own heart, had a real problem child.
We all make mistakes, there’s probably not one father, who hasn’t wondered if something that he’s done, has harmed his family in some way.
The father, were going to talk about today, was a father who did everything right
TBS. in Luke 15:11- 24 NKJ
11. Then He said: A certain man had two sons.
12. And 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.
13. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.
14. But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want.
15. Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
16. And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.
17. But when he came to himself, he said, How many of my fathers hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
18. I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you,
19. and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.
20. 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.
21. And 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.
22. 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.
23. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry;
24. for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. And they began to be merry.
We have before us, the story of the best possible father you could ever read about, a faithful father who did everything right.
The father in the story of the Prodigal Son, is God Himself.
This father was faultless, this was the perfection of fatherhood!
But yet, his son couldn’t stand to be in the same room, let alone the same zip code.
In fact, his son was so rude, immature, arrogant and self-centered,
he couldn’t wait to earn his money the old fashion way, when his father passed on.
He wanted it now, so that he could get busy, doing his own thing.
It kind of reminds me of the story of a married couple had a boy that was difficult to raise.
He caused all types of trouble in school, in the neighborhood and at home,
One time, his mom and dad went on a trip to Europe while the boy stayed with relatives back home.
While they were in Greece, they sent back a postcard to their son with this message:
Today on our tour we came to a cliff over which Greek women were said to have once thrown their defective children. Miss ya, Wish you were here!
The Story of the Prodigal Son, as much as it is about the boy coming to his senses,
Its also the story, of a faithful father, who never gave up on his son.
TBS. If you are faithful to God, He will be faithful to you and your family!
The father in our story, was a righteous man, he was also a good man!
A good father is willing to lead by example, He set a good example for his boys.
In Luke 15:17 were told: "When (the Prodigal Son) came to his senses, he said, How many of my fathers hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!
The fathers servants had food to spare. He treated his workers good by anyone’s standards.
He was a decent man, respected around the area, who looked out for others.
And that’s why, when he finally came to senses, he began to reason within himself,
· His Dad was a fair man
· His Dad was a decent man
· His Dad had a good reputation in the community and with others
the boy thought to himself, even a bum off the street, my dad would treat better than this.
He knew his dad wouldn’t turn him away even though he deserved, a big fat “I told you so”.
The example a father sets and has on his children can make all the difference in his children’s lives.
It seems, so many, and Ill say parents and not just fathers or mothers, want to be their children’s friend nowadays,
Rather than to be their parents
A faithful father, sets a good example for his children.
A faithful father, lays down rules that he expected to have kept.
Most kids, rebel against rules and discipline, but few take it to the extreme the prodigal son did,
He was probably, the first one to coin the phrase, "I’m outta here"
I’m not sure how old he was, but he was ready test his wings, he was ready to fly.
So the boy demanded his inheritance and announced he was leaving home.
He had places to go, people to see, things to do, it was going to be the social event of the year.
He was finally going to be free at last to do as he pleased 24/7.
No one was going to tell him what to do any longer, he had had enough,
there was not gonna be any more rules and if there was, he was going to be making new ones up as he went along!
He forget something very important, on the road to “get my own wayville,” like a lot of kids nowadays fail to do!
Exodus 20:12 NKJ says we should;
Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you.
He didn’t realize it, but he was doomed from the start.
The prodigals father set a good example for his sons and this father was willing to set rules and stand by them.
That’s why I’m sure it had to be hard to give him his inheritance and watch him leave.
He had tried to do everything right raising the boy,
and now everything right was going down the road to everything wrong.
It doesn’t say that he tried to stop him.
Why didn’t he try to stop him?
Because this father put his faith in God over the whole situation.
TBS. in Proverbs 22:6 NKJ
6. Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.
The bible says that the father was a rich man, he could have had someone follow the boy,
and keep an eye on him and report back to him on his condition from time to time, but he chose not to.
So, what does this father do?
Well, he waited and kept waiting, he knew there was nothing he could do,
So he laid the burden on the lord and left it there
I believe he said, one day, I’m going to look down the road and I’m gonna see my boy coming back home
God, is working a miracle in that boys life and is going to be faithful, because He said He would and I believe it!
I believe he knew, how powerful his words were, and from the moment the boy left,
He started professing the boys safe return and stood on the word of God until it happened.
And I would encourage someone this morning to do the same, keep professing over your children,
Keep confessing the positive things over their lives, don’t dwell on the negative,
the miracle you’ve been seeking, praying and asking God for, is closer than you think!
Keep the expectancy like the prodigals father did.
He was continually looking down the road, in hopeful expectation of his sons return.
He rose up early every morning saying, this may be the day, God brings my boy home safe and sound
TBS. in Luke 15:20
…when (the Prodigal son) was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
Human nature and the rest of the world would have probably said something like;
I told you not to run off like that, but you didn’t listen, you never listen,
if you think you can just waltz right back in here, well you got another thing coming!
But that’s not what the father said. He said, "Wait a minute! I think I see
my son! He’s coming home!
I know he made some mistakes, but he’s still my child, my flesh and blood!
I love him with all my heart! Its like he’s back from the dead!
I’m so glad to have him back home again!"
And you know what? That’s exactly how God feels about us.
When we have made some bad choices and did things we know we shouldnt have done,
And like the prodigal son, we too are a long way off from being what we ought to be.
But TBS. every time someone comes back to God, he says, Welcome, with wide open arms my child!
I love you with all my heart! And I’m so glad to have you back home where you belong again!"
Luke 15:4-7 MSG. says;
4-7"Suppose one of you had a hundred sheep and lost one. Wouldn’t you leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the lost one until you found it? When found, you can be sure you would put it across your shoulders, rejoicing, and when you got home call in your friends and neighbors, saying, ’Celebrate with me! I’ve found my lost sheep!’ Count on it there’s more joy in heaven over one sinner’s rescued life than over ninety-nine good people in no need of rescue.
Haddon Robinson says it best, "With Him the calf is always the fatted calf; the robe is always the best robe; the joy is always unspeakable; and the peace passes understanding. There is no grudging in God’s goodness. He does not measure His goodness by drops like a druggist filling a prescription. It comes upon in floods. If only we recognize the lavish abundance of His gifts, what a difference it would make in our lives!"
If you’ve been away from the Lord, wont you come back to Him today, He’s waiting with wide open arms, to welcome you home.
No questions asked, no explanations needed, just grace, forgiveness and understanding from all you’ve done and ever will do.
Amen, lets pray.
