THE PRODIGAL FATHER
Luke 15:11-24 11 Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them. 13 Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. 17 When he came to his senses, he said, “How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.” 20 So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. 21 The son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired men.” 22 But the father said to his servants, “Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” So they began to celebrate.
-Maybe you’ve heard another version of this story:
The Prodigal Son in "F"
Feeling footloose and frisky, a featherbrained fellow forced his fond father to fork over the farthings, and flew far to foreign fields and frittered his fortune, feasting fabulously with faithless friends. Fleeced by his fellows in folly, and facing famine, he found himself in a filthy farmyard. Fairly famishing he fain would have filled his frame with foraged food from fodder fragments.
"Phooey, my father's flunkies fare far finer." The frazzled fugitive frankly faced facts. Feeling frustrated by failure and filled with foreboding, he fled forthwith to his family. Falling at his father's feet, he forlornly fumbled, "Father, I've flunked. I've fruitlessly forfeited family favor."
The farsighted father, forestalling further flinching, frantically flagged the flunkies to fetch a fatling from the flock and fix a feast.
The fugitive's faultfinding brother frowned on fickle forgiveness of former folderol, but the faithful father figured: "Filial fidelity is fine but the fugitive is found. What forbids fervent festivity? Let flags be unfurled, let fanfares flare." So father's forgiveness formed the foundation for the former fugitive's future fortitude.
Intro.: Putting the silliness aside, let’s talk about one of the greatest needs in our world today. Listen to what one author wrote about it: “It is being recognized more and more. Its effects are being felt over several generations. It is repairable only by the men in our society. It is within the true domain of 'home improvement.' It is known as 'Father Hunger.' Father Hunger is painfully felt by several generations. Grown men, some of them fathers themselves, feel a longing and emptiness created by the absence of fathering.” By Kate McGoey-Smith Home Fires
On this Father’s Day I thought it would be an appropriate occasion to take a look at the heart of a father. Fathers are a gift from the heavenly Father. Of course, everybody knows how sweet and wonderful Mothers are, but today I’d like to look at the story Jesus told about a special father. The reason this father was special is because Jesus was using Him to describe what the heavenly Father is really like. I’m afraid that we often get wrong ideas in our head about what our heavenly Father is really like. It is normal for us to see Him as distant and either aloof or angry. Many people view God the Father the same way they see their earthly father, and even to relate to Him in the same way. Sometimes this is good, other times it is not. Maybe we don’t think we can ever really gain His approval because we could never gain the approval of our earthly father. Well, Jesus told this story to show that God the Father is not distant or unkind or unconcerned about us. Jesus really shattered their image of who God is. Many have called this parable “The Prodigal Son.” However, I have entitled this message “The Prodigal Father.” Prodigal means “recklessly extravagant.”
Prop: The love that our heavenly Father has for us is recklessly extravagant, and is able to fill the Father hunger within us.
Interr: How can God’s extravagant love fulfill the Father Hunger within us?
Tran: Let’s look at several characteristics of the Prodigal Father to see how our heavenly Father showers us with His extravagant, prodigal love for which we were created.
I. The Prodigal Father Gives (v.12)
12 The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them.
-For a son to ask this of his Father went against Jewish values and their culture. Sons were to honor their fathers, giving them honor, respect, submission, and obedience. This son clearly did not honor his Father. In fact, some believe that demanding his inheritance was the equivalent of saying, “Father, I wish you were already dead.” Deut. 21:18-21 tells that the OT consequence for a son who did not honor his father or mother was death. That same chapter also explains that the firstborn received two shares of the inheritance. Therefore, this 2nd born son would have received 1/3 of the estate. That could be the equivalent of a few hundred thousand dollars in today’s economy.
-Most people, including many who were listening to Jesus that day, would consider this son to be a waster. Most would consider him to be a good-for-nothing, lazy, worthless young man. Furthermore, they would have also viewed the father as foolish, because he was willing to give so much wealth to a foolish young man. This son was very undeserving, yet the father gave him what he asked for. Does this mean that every father should give his kids whatever they ask for? I don’t think so. However, there are situations when fathers have to let go and release their kids into God’s hands completely, praying that they will come to themselves and commit their lives to the Lord.
-So this father gives the wasteful son the freedom to collect his liquidated inheritance because he is willing to endure the agony of rejected love. And this is the most painful of any personal agony, the agony of rejected love. The greater the love, the greater the pain when that love is rejected. This is God. This is God giving the sinner his freedom. There’s no law in the customs of Israel that would forbid a father to do this. He’s not doing this because…because he thinks this is best. He’s giving the sinner his freedom. And the sinner in this case is not really breaking the law but he is demonstrating the absence of a relationship.
(Adapted from http://truth4freedom.wordpress.com/gods-plan-of-salvation/recommitting-your-life-to-christ/a-tale-of-two-sons-updated-and-expanded-sermon-transcript-version/)
-Our heavenly Father is so much more generous with us than we deserve. He makes His rain fall on the just and the unjust. He blesses all people in some way. He gives them the freedom to ignore Him, curse Him, and reject Him – all the while accepting the undeserved good provision from His hand.
-James 1:17 “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”
-God so loved that He gave. His nature is to give, even though we deserve nothing good. God’s Son, Jesus, is just like His Father. Ephesians 5:25 says that “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.”
-Our Father in heaven is a giving Father. That shows us what kind of fathers we should be. It shows us what kind of people we all should be. We need to be like our Father- recklessly extravagant in our giving.
II. The Prodigal Father Waits (13-19)
-For the next several verses, we don’t hear much about the father. But guess what he is at home doing? I believe he is home praying, believing, and trusting that his son will come to his senses and return home. He is eagerly waiting for his son to come back.
-As the story progresses, this foolish son goes to a far country. Those listening to Jesus would have thought of places like Italy, North Africa, Egypt, or Babylonia as far countries. While there, he blew everything and found himself feeding pigs for a living.
-There is a similar Jewish story about a foolish son who wasted all he had and ended up feeding pigs. Those listening to Jesus expected his story to end here. The moral would be, “Don’t disrespect your father nor squander what God has given you. Otherwise, you may end up like the foolish son, feeding pigs for a living.” Understand that to Jews, having anything to do with pigs was the most despicable thing that could happen to you. The listeners were ready to agree with this moral message and move on to something else. However, Jesus surprised them by continuing on with his story.
-In his sorry state, the son was tempted to eat pig food. However, he got to thinking, “Even my father’s servants eat better than this. I think I’ll go back and apologize, and see if I can at least get a decent meal. He planned to say, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and you.” Jews often used the word “heaven” in place of God’s name, because they believed God’s name was very sacred. So, he was saying, “Father, I have sinned against God and against you. I’m no longer worthy to be your son, but could I be like a servant?”
-Now, we do not really know if the son was initially sincere in his repentance or just hungry. Nevertheless, his return home is not what he expected at all.
TS: That leads us to the 3rd point about the Father’s extravagant love for us. The Father gives and waits, but also
III. The Prodigal Father Sees (v.20)
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him”
-He was waiting, hoping, believing that his son would come home.
-The Father’s heart seeks and saves the lost- that is why He sent Jesus to do just that.
-I believe the father had already seen his son return in his dreams. He had prayed for it and envisioned it. Now he was just waiting for the day.
-Can you see the lost being found and coming to know Christ? Do you have a vision and hope for the salvation of unsaved family members, loved ones, friends to turn away from an undesirable life w/o Christ?
-Your Father has that kind of a heart! He sees the lost sheep being found. He knows the lost coin can be found. He also sees the lost soul returning home to make things right with Him. Next…
IV. The Prodigal Father Feels (v.20)
“…his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him…”.
splanknadzomai, to feel compassion, mercy - to be moved in the inward parts
-Our heavenly Father feels compassion for us. How often was Jesus moved to compassion? He is a picture of the Father to us. He said if you’ve seen Me, you’ve seen the Father.
-Our heavenly Father feels compassion for those who suffer and are beaten down by life. He feels compassion even for those who squander their lives away and waste what He has given them. God cares, and He hurts with those who hurt. As we’ll see in a moment, the Father may have been running to meet the son before he had to face the scorn and rejection of the townspeople for his shameful treatment of his father.
-There is a pretty good chance that the son looked like a sorry sight. If he had no money, then he probably only had one set of clothes – clothes in which he had fed the pigs. Also, he may not even have had shoes by this time, or else they were in tatters, because the father calls for his best sandals to be brought for him.
-God feels your pain. Whatever you may have gone through or are going through, He loves you and has compassion for you – whether your problems are your fault or not – God cares. Next…
V. The Prodigal Father Runs (v.20)
“…he ran to his son…”.
treko- to make rapid linear movement, run, rush, advance (the father’s rapid movement is contrary to the slow dignified pace one would expect of a person in his position). In their culture, older men were esteemed for their wisdom and austerity. However, we find this father casting all dignity aside and doing a 100-yard dash toward his lost son. On top of that, based on what they wore in those days, he probably had to pull up the skirt of his garment to run. How undignified! Older men were never to show their bare legs.
-Listen to what one writer observes about this scene: “Why is he running? Cause he knows when the son reaches the town, he knows what the town is going to do. They’re going to heap scorn on him, they’re going to mock him. They’re going to ridicule him. They’re going to taunt him. And they would be expected to do that, it’s just and it’s fair. And he’s got to sit there for days and take it. But instead, the father wants to protect him from ever being taunted, ever being mocked, ever being rebuked, he runs through, takes the shame that they would heap on him for doing that so that he can catch the son before he ever reaches the gate and embrace him in his arms and reconcile with him and walk into town, having reconciled the son. The father then condescends to take the shame the son deserves. He bears in his own body the shame of the son.
Wow. That’s exactly what the gospel is. The sinner comes back, he’s got a plan…I’ll work it off…I’ll work it off…I’ll work it off. He’s ready to face the shame. He’s ready to face the older brother. He’s ready to face the father. He’s ready to face the village and all the scorn and the rebuke. And God comes rushing down, God in Christ, reconciling the sinner, runs the gauntlet, takes the shame, takes the rebuke, takes the taunt, take the mockery. They spit on Him. They abused Him. They beat Him. They crucified Him. He goes through, as it were, the dusty world in order to embrace that son and save him from the shame he really deserves. That’s the gospel.” (http://truth4freedom.wordpress.com/gods-plan-of-salvation/recommitting-your-life-to-christ/a-tale-of-two-sons-updated-and-expanded-sermon-transcript-version/)
-What an amazing picture of our heavenly Father! He loves us so much and for some reason delights in us so much that if you could actually see His reaction to your salvation, you would probably see Him running and shouting and being very undignified according to our standards.
He is very extravagant when it comes to His children.
I’m sure some of you were a sight to see when you had your first child. And then, when you first became a grandparent, boy did you look silly as you cooed and talked baby talk to your new little grandbaby. So, just imagine how you feel toward your children or grandchildren and then realize that God feels the same way about you, only infinitely more. He really loves you! And one day when you go home to meet Him, I wouldn’t be surprised if He came running to meet you. Yes, your Father gets very excited about you and about all of His children. Love can make old legs run!
VI. The Prodigal Father Shows Loving Acceptance (v.20-21)
“he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.”
-Embrace- literally fall on the neck, i.e. embrace, hug affectionately
Kiss- to kiss fervently – not a mere formality, but showing true affection. In their culture, kissing (usually on the cheek) was common and appropriate between family members or intimate friends.
-Please notice that the son doesn’t finish his prepared speech. He leaves off the part about becoming like a hired servant. Why did he leave that out? I believe that the father’s loving acceptance of him shows him he doesn’t have to work off his debt. It’s all been taken care of by grace. It would be an insult to his father for this son to minimize his own failure and disgrace. He now realizes it’s not about the money, nor about the estate, it’s about the relationship. It wasn’t the money that broke his father’s heart, it was the rejection. And a broken relationship can’t be fixed with money. A broken relationship can only be fixed when the offended person is willing to be reconciled. And God, the offended person, who is continually offended by the sinner, is willing to be reconciled. And if the sinner will come and trust Him and ask for mercy, and come with a repentant heart, God will reconcile the sinner with Himself apart from works. The son is stunned by the suffering love of the Father. The son has to be stunned by the fact that the father has come down and borne his shame in his place. He is stunned by the immediate forgiveness and the mercy of his father.
(Adapted from http://truth4freedom.wordpress.com/gods-plan-of-salvation/recommitting-your-life-to-christ/a-tale-of-two-sons-updated-and-expanded-sermon-transcript-version/)
-Total acceptance, total forgiveness, total extravagance!
VII. The Prodigal Father Restores Sonship (v.22)
“But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.” (Robe, ring, sandals)
-Again, we see the Father giving what is totally undeserved. What an awesome picture of the grace of God. The best robe in the house would likely belong to the father himself. The ring was probably a family signet ring, showing that the son had been reinstated to sonship as part of the family. The sandals are significant as well. Slaves normally did not wear sandals, although they carried and tied their master’s sandals. By giving sandals to the son, the father was saying, “I refuse to receive you as a servant. You are my son and you have been fully restored.” Finally…
VIII. The Prodigal Father Celebrates (v.23-24)
“Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.”
-Scripture speaks of our heavenly Father rejoicing over us. KJV Zephaniah 3:17 The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.” He thinks you are really something! What a Father!
Conclusion: I hope that today you have seen in some new way how great our Father’s love is for us. John said it so well in 1 John 3:1 “Behold, what manner of love the Father has given unto us that we should be called the children of God”! John is exclaiming as if seeing it for the first time. “Wow! Look! This is incredible! We can actually be called sons and daughters of the living God! Not slaves. Not hired help. But God is actually our Father. He claims us as His own. What a love!”
Almost every boy grows up wanting to be like his Dad in some way. Well, I want to be like my heavenly Father. I want to have a heart like He has – one that loves and gives and waits and sees and feels compassion and runs and embraces and accepts and blesses and celebrates lost people who are coming home. My prayer for each of you is that you would have that heart condition too. I want to give you opportunity to take a step in that direction. If you do not have a loving relationship with your heavenly father, you can start one today by saying a prayer from your heart. The prayer you need to pray is not much different than what the lost son told his father, “Father, I have sinned against You, please forgive me and be the leader of my life.” He wants us to be His sons and daughters. If you want to pray that prayer this morning, please lift your hand. You can know the wonderful love of your heavenly Father and be sure of spending eternity with Him.
The Father’s heart overflows with love and generosity. He is a prodigal Father in the way He loves His children. Be encouraged today that He knows your every need and concern, and He will come running to embrace you and help you when you need Him. As you have opportunity, be extravagant in your love to others around you. As Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” Happy Father’s Day! Let’s pray.
