Opening illustration: Play the video “Daddy’s Love.”
Introduction: On this ''Father's Day'' we will take an in-depth look at the genuine love of God, which is depicted in the love of the prodigal's earthly father. The sinfulness of the son was great, but the graciousness of the father was much greater, and his forgiveness was swifter than the son's failures.
How deep is the father’s love?
1. The Father's Gripping Willingness (vs. 11-12)
The father gives the son half of the estate. This would have caused the people to think that this father is a pushover and about as irresponsible as the son. In their minds and in ours the father should have refused the son and in those days possibly even disowned him. In the minds of the listeners the father’s wisdom perhaps was questioned from the very beginning.
The father knew his son and had been watching him. Every day on the farm seemed more and more miserable and the relationship between the father and the son was very strained to say the least. Even though the son was close by, his heart was far from the Father. The father knew that if his son would ever be turned, he had to suffer first and then come back.
2. The Father's Grievous Wait (vs. 13-19)
Have you ever considered that the father saw his son while he was still a long way off? This father didn’t just happen to be up on his roof patching the gutter and look up and saw his son. He had spent most evenings and morning gazing over the horizon and praying for the return of his son. Here, the father is filled with compassion, not anger, not hostility but empathy. Not only did the Father see his son from far away but also, had compassion.
The father is so happy that his son is alive that he does something that dignified elderly rich men simply did not do in ancient times. He rolls up his robe and runs down the steps and across the field to embrace and kiss his son. This is the picture of how ready our Heavenly Father is to forgive us. When we repent, He feels compassion toward us.
3. The Father's Giddy Watchfulness (v. 20)
a) The Father is waiting for us to come home.
b) He is looking for us to return, will it be today?
• (John 14:6) "Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."
• For life, go to the One who defeated death! Jesus Christ is the only One who died for our sin. If you receive Him you will be welcomed at the Father's house.
• (John 1:12) "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:"
• The lesson is clear, Heaven rejoices when the lost come to Christ and backsliders return. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you (James 4:8).
• God wants to welcome you home.
• (Isaiah 30:18A) "Therefore the LORD will wait, that He may be gracious to you; And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you ..."
4. The Father's Gracious Welcome (vs. 21-24)
The Father’s grace gives us what we do not deserve.
A. The Father saves!
• He saves through Jesus.
• He came "to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10).
• "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved" (Acts 16:31).
B. The Father satisfies!
(i) He offers a "robe"!
• He did not say, "Clean up first!"
• The Father replaces our filthy rags with His garment of salvation.
• Reconciliation is complete as He removes all the reminders of the past.
(ii) He offers a "ring"!
• The ring identifies the son with the father once again.
• It speaks of identity and authority.
• God's children have authority because the Father has granted it.
(iii) He offers "shoes"!
• God never disowned one of His children for disobedience.
• In that culture, sons wore shoes, servants went without.
(iv) He offers the "calf"!
• What a day when a prodigal returns!
• The Father calls, not for a little goat, but for "the fatted calf" reserved for a celebration!
• The prodigal's hollow parties never had the joy of this festival.
• Now the fires of hope spring from the embers of a wasted life.
Application (vs. 30-32): Jesus has presented a dilemma to the Pharisees and all would be earners of righteousness: What happens when the moral outcasts repent? Are those that are distanced from God, say in a far country, destined to always be far from God? Does God have the right to do with His creation as He pleases?
It is Jesus Christ who speaks the Father’s love. He is the One who has opened the door to the Father’s house. He is the one who invites sinners’ home. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ sat down with the moral and social outcasts and ate with them and through repentance and faith brought them home.
As we retrospect our own hearts today, we must ask ourselves, Do I come to God with an attitude that He owes me something? OR Do I come as a lowly despised sinner and fall at the feet of Christ pleading for mercy … ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am not worthy to be called your son.’
In this story, Jesus leaves the ending open. There was still time for the self-righteous to repent as well. There is still time for you. Have you drifted far from God?
