Series: Playing A New Game [#6]
SUPER DAD: BEING A GOOD FATHER
Luke 15:11-32
Introduction:
Yesterday was a day full of mixed emotions. I preached Dan’s Memorial Service, which was difficult; and then later Karen and I went to David and D’Linda’s 50th Wedding Anniversary Celebration. There was a common theme at both services- Love for the honorees. At both events, the dads were honored for their faithfulness to their family and to God. I believe, when most men have children that they plan on being the best dad ever; but you discover quickly that it is not an easy thing to do.
“The Father’s Day Top 10 List of Things They Have Wanted To Say”
• Whenever possible, please say whatever you have to say during commercials.
• Shopping is NOT a sport, and no, we are never going to think of it that way.
• Sunday = sports. It’s like the full moon or the changing of the tides. Let it be.
• “Yes” and “No” are perfectly acceptable answers to almost every question.
• Check your oil! Please, check your oil!
• Anything we said 6 months ago is inadmissible in an argument. In fact, all past comments become null and void after 7 days.
• If something we said can be interpreted two ways, and one of the ways makes you sad or angry, we meant the other one.
• If we ask what is wrong and you say "nothing," we will act like nothing’s wrong. We know you are lying, but it is just not worth the hassle.
• ALL men see in only 16 colors, like Windows default settings. Peach, for example, is a fruit, not a color. Pumpkin is also a fruit. We have no idea what mauve is.
• Christopher Columbus did not need directions, and neither do we!
Although none of us are perfect, on this Father’s Day, I want to look at the example of a perfect father by looking at our Heavenly Father.
Luke 15:11-32 (NIV)
“Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, `Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them. "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. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. "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! I will set out and go back to my father and say 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.' 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. "The son said to him, `Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' "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. 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. "Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. `Your brother has come,' he replied, `and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.' "The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, `Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!' "`My son,' the father said, `you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'"
Here in our text we find 3 types of love shown by the Father that should be seen in our love for our children.
1. Tough love.
This father was a good provider for his family. He was the Master of the house. Men understand that to be the master of the house doesn’t mean that you “crack the whip”; but means that you are the one who leads the family; and most the time that is more by example than the words you speak.
In our text, this lazy younger son decides he wants what is his and he wants it now. I know a lot of young people today that are the same way. They want everything given to them. They don’t want to work for it, they don’t want to wait for it; they just want it now. Notice that the father let him have his inheritance, although the father knew what was going to happen.
Parents sometimes we got to allow our grown children to learn the hard way. I’ll assure you that this is one of the hardest things a parent will ever do; but sometimes it is the only way they will learn. The worst thing you can do for your kid is keep “bailing them out” and blaming everyone else for your kid’s mistakes.
God allows us to make decisions and sometimes those decisions place us in the “pig pen” of life.
2. Tender love.
The prodigal son realized that he had messed up really bad. Now he had to decide what to do. He remembered how good even the servants had it compared to him. He decided that he was going to go back home and just ask to be a servant. Wayward children need to know that they can go home. When he got home, what did the father do? He ran out to meet his son. The son had a speech all ready to go, but the father never let him give it. See, the father knew that the son realized his mistakes and the father wasn’t there to “rub his nose” in it. Instead, the father was there with open arms.
3. Teaching love.
Now that the prodigal son had returned, there was going to be a great celebration and the older son was not happy about it. The older son had been working very hard and had not wasted his inheritance. The father had not thrown a party for the older son and the older son let him know about it. Notice that the father did not “jump down his throat”, but simply explained to him why he handled it the way he did. This father loved both of his sons equally. He wanted both of them to prosper and do well. The father taught this older son about loving others even when they are not very loveable.
Conclusion:
I know that it is easier to turn purple in the face and scream at your kids when they do “goofy” things, but what they need is love. Sometimes that love is “tough”, sometimes that love is “tender”, and sometimes that love is “teaching” them how to love.
Happy Father’s Day! I pray we will strive to be more like our Heavenly Father.
