FATHER’S DAY 2024
THE FATHER WHO FINDS NEMO
LUKE 15:11-32 #FathersDay
STORY SEGMENT 1
Clownfish Marlin and his wife, Coral, live happily in an anemone in the Great Barrier Reef near Australia. They are about to become parents, waiting for their many eggs to hatch. It is a happy time full of anticipation. An ooooh-barracuda, which is a large predatory fish known for its fearsome appearance and ferocious disposition, is out for a meal. It approaches the anemone and knocks Marlin unconscious. Upon awakening, Marlin discovers that Coral and all but one of the eggs have been eaten by the nasty barracuda. The last remaining egg has all of his attention. Marlin vows to keep his only surviving child safe.
TRANSITION - FATHERHOOD
Yes! Today is Father’s Day. Father’s Day is a secular holiday that we also loosely observe in the church because it is not a bad thing to focus on fatherhood, encourage thankfulness of fathers and men who have influenced us, and even challenge fathers in their important task. We all know that Mother’s Day is far more important than Father’s Day in the scheme of things, but our attention to fathers is important.
ILLUSTRATION… barnadev.wpengine.com/research/friendship-and-fatherhood/
Social scientists tell us that fathers and men who fill father-rolls in life are important. Research tells us that men in general are having children later than past generations and perceptions of gender roles within fatherhood are shifting; in fact, 78 percent of practicing Christian men tell Barna Research they think it’s okay for fathers to be stay-at-home parents. The role of father is very important for children and to us.
Christian men who report a positive relationship with their father growing up are considerably more likely to say they are very satisfied in their relationship to their own children (53%, compared to 42%).
And men, don’t think just because you are not a father that being a mentor or an influence is not important. Strong supportive connections outside the home matter as data shows that especially intergenerational friendships tend to correlate with greater overall relationship satisfaction. Practicing Christian men who report having intergenerational friendships with both older and younger men are nearly twice as likely to be very satisfied in their relationship with their children (54% vs. 30%) and in their marriages (63% vs. 54%).
What does research tell us? It tells us that fathers are important influences in our lives and having a good relationship with a father or a father-figure is a great indicator of marriage health, health with relationships with children, and general satisfaction with life.
STORY SEGMENT 2
Clownfish Marlin immediately and over time becomes overprotective of his son, Nemo. On Nemo's first day at school, the two have a heated argument regarding Marlin's parenting approach. Through a series of unfortunate events on a school fieldtrip, Nemo defiantly swims to a speedboat and is captured by scuba divers. It is Marlin’s worst fears realized and his son is lost and gone out of reach.
Marlin frantically pursues the fast boat in vain. In the course of time, Marlin meets Dory, a blue tang with acute short-term memory loss, who offers to help him. The two encounter Bruce, Anchor, and Chum, three sharks who have sworn to abstain from eating fish and through another set of events, blood sends Bruce into a frenzy and he accidentally sets off old naval mines. The journey to finding Nemo is dangerous.
Nemo is placed in a fish tank in the office of dentist Philip Sherman in Sydney, Australia who is the scuba diver who caught him. Nemo meets the "Tank Gang", led by Gill. The gang finds out that Dentist Philip Sherman plans to give Nemo to his niece, Darla, who killed all of her previous pet fish. Gill, who also wishes to return to the ocean, devises an escape plan: Nemo, the smallest fish in the tank, will block the aquarium's filter tube with a pebble, obliging Sherman to put the fish into bags while he cleans the tank. This will allow them to roll out the window and into the harbor. Nemo attempts to block the filter but fails and is almost killed by the filter's machinery, causing Gill to feel deeply regretful.
Meanwhile, Marlin and Dory have many perilous adventures along their way searching for Nemo. Everyfish in the ocean hears that Marlin is searching for Nemo. The story of Marlin's quest is relayed by the turtles all across the ocean to Sydney, where it reaches Nigel, a pelican who regularly converses with the “Tank Gang.” Nigel tells the “Tank Gang” of Marlin's journey, motivating Nemo to try blocking the filter again.
Watch this clip:
VIDEO CLIP… youtube.com/watch?v=kUsC5fR_EMY
NEMO THE FATHER
In the clip I just showed you that happens in the middle of the story about Nemo, the pelican tells Nemo that his dad Marlin has been swimming the entire ocean looking for him. He tells him he has travelled hundreds of miles battling sharks and jellyfish. Nemo reflects and knows his dad is very timid and safety conscious and would never do such things. He’s a great dad, but not bold and daring like that.
Nemo is ecstatic when he finds out the clownfish from the reef is his dad. He exclaims, “My dad took on a shark!” The pelican tells him it was actually three! That’s 4800 teeth! The pelican tells him that “after you were taken your dad followed the boat like a maniac swimming and swimming and giving it all he’s got and blows up three gigantic sharks” and retells all that Marlin has endured when trying to find Nemo.
The picture we get is a father who would do anything and everything to reach his son. Marlin braves the ocean and gets out of all comfort zones in order to try and find Nemo and save him.
TRANSITION
The Scripture we are going to look at today, because yes this is a sermon, can be found in Luke 15. Luke 15 contains three parables and we are going to look at the last one presented in the chapter. We often call it the “Parable of the Prodigal Son,” but to be honest, that is a name given to it in the heading of most Bibles and not a title given to it by Jesus. The parable has many titles actually: “The Parable of the Two Brothers,” “The Parable of the Lost Son,” “The Parable of the Loving Father,” and “The Parable of the Forgiving Father.” I think we could add perhaps: “Parable of the Pig Boy Who Goes Home” or “Parable of the Older Brother with an Attitude Problem” or “Parable of Why You Should Not Want to Be a Fattened Calf.” Any of those will do.
Let’s read from Luke 15.
READ LUKE 15:11-32 (ESV)
And He said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. 14 And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.
17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ 20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.
25 “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 29 but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ 31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”
This parable of Jesus has three main people. The first person is the younger son who asks for his inheritance early and moves away to live the way he wants. The second person is the older son who dutifully stays home and works the farm obediently and does what is expected. The third person in the parable is the father of both boys. Depending on who you are or what is going on in your life, we are usually drawn to one of them more than the other two.
This parable of Jesus has two main actions or events. The first action is the younger son requesting his inheritance early and packing up and wasting all his money on wild living. The second action that is important to the story is the response of the father once that young wild son comes home after utter failure.
Sometimes when we read and meditate on this parable, we are drawn to the younger son of the man because he is rude and unwise and misuses his inheritance. If we are honest, some days we are rude and unwise. He acts like a punk and we think he gets what he deserves for treating his father so poorly and misusing the blessing of an early inheritance. We see truths in this young man’s life that chasing after pleasure or wealth or not having a moral center all lead to disaster. He reaps what he sows and that seems fair. We see an unwise person wise up after hitting bottom and we understand him. We also find him more than brave as he leaves the pig pen and heads home to deal with his father and the consequences of his actions. We understand this young man:
* We understand not being content with the life given to us and feeling restless.
* We understand misusing the blessings we have been given.
* We understand wising up only after hitting rock bottom and having to live and learn.
Some of the times when we look at this parable we are drawn to the older brother because he seems better and more moral than the younger brother, he is definitely more responsible, and also makes really good points to his father with which we identify. The unfairness of the situation and the grace-filled treatment of the wayward younger son by the father sometimes rubs us the wrong way because it feels like justice is not done. Grace and compassion both rub us the wrong way if we are honest. Anyone who is an older sibling and feels like their younger sibling gets away with much identifies with the older brother. While we notice that this older brother has an attitude problem, we see him in the right and so we aren’t sure what to make of his attitude issues because then we’d have to look at our own attitude problems. He’s a complicated guy in that he is obedient to his father and yet we don’t like him very much which sometimes makes us not like ourselves when we see ourselves in him. We understand the older brother:
* We understand the feeling that people should always reap what they sow.
* We understand the morally superior feeling to other people who make obvious bad choices.
* We understand the deep human need to say “I told you so.”
Every single time we read and pray on this parable we are drawn to the father. He is a great example of fatherhood and ultimately gives us a glimpse into the character of God and this intrigues us. We see the father on the porch almost like he is on the lookout for his lost son because he sees him when he is a long way off. We see the father run to his son which is not something respectable men did in that day, but he does it anyway. We see the father embrace his son in compassion. We see him celebrate his son returning home which is good and right, but also amazing. The father is someone in this parable we do not always understand. Actually, we think we understand him, but when we really think and ponder and pray, we are more shocked and in awe than anything else. This father is grace. This father is compassion. To give away a little of the story… this father is a mirror for God!
* We are shocked that the father liquidates assets and hands them over to his son.
* We are gladdened to see that the father runs to his son and embraces him showing forgiveness.
* We understand loving a child no matter what and wanting the best for them.
STORY SEGMENT 3
Nemo is successful, and the aquarium quickly becomes covered in green algae.
Marlin and Dory get lost and are consumed by a blue whale. The whale expels them through its blowhole into Sydney Harbor which is right where they need to be to find Nemo. Nigel takes Marlin and Dory to Sherman's office, where Nemo is playing dead to avoid being given to Darla… because that would be terrible. This causes Marlin to believe Nemo is really dead. The dentist forces Nigel out of his office, and Gill helps Nemo escape through the sink drain that leads to the ocean.
Deeply shaken, Marlin mournfully says goodbye to Dory and begins heading home having not found Nemo in time. Nemo later meets Dory as he is frantically trying to get home. She helps him reunite with Marlin. Sometime later, Marlin, who has become more confident and outgoing, drops Nemo off at school. Dory joins Marlin, and together, they wave goodbye to Nemo as he leaves with his class for a day of school.
GOD THE FATHER
Marlin reminds us of the father in the parable who reminds us of God.
As we reflect on the story of Nemo, we see that he has a father that would do anything and everything to reach his son. Marlin braves the ocean and gets out of all comfort zones in order to try and find Nemo and save him.
We have a father expressed in this parable by Jesus Christ that shares some similar qualities in that he has such compassion and grace to reach out to his lost son. The father welcomes his wayward son home and restoration happens. This father is a good example for all fathers.
The father in the parable should make us think about our Heavenly Father.
* We are shocked that the father liquidates assets and hands them over to his son.
READ ROMANS 5:1-5 (ESV)
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through Him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us.
Make no mistake, God has given us everything we need. He gave us His Son. He gave us His Spirit. His Son justifies us by faith and His Spirit marks us as His adopted children that are part of His Kingdom. God liquidated Heaven for our salvation and gave everything that we might be saved.
* We are gladdened to see that the father runs to his son and embraces him showing forgiveness.
READ ROMANS 5:6 (ESV)
“For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.”
If God had a porch, He’d sit on it waiting for you. God is waiting and watching for us to hit rock bottom and come to our senses and have faith enough to trudge home. When we do, we find grace and mercy and compassion and a Father willing to run to us and embrace us. Forget any preconceptions you have about the Gospel… this is the Gospel! God runs to us and embraces us even though we turned our backs on Him in many ways. Christ died for the ungodly!
* We understand loving a child no matter what and wanting the best for them.
READ ROMANS 5:10-11
“For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by His life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom we have now received reconciliation.”
Three times in two verses we see God’s best for us… and that word is “reconciliation.” God does not want to be separated from us, but instead sent Jesus to die to make a way for what was broken to be made whole. Our Heavenly Father has compassion and mercy. That is the Gospel! Be reminded that God has love for us that has no bounds.
WE THE FATHERS
Yes! Today is Father’s Day. Father’s Day is a secular holiday that we also loosely observe in the church because it is not a bad thing to focus on fatherhood, encourage thankfulness of fathers and men who have influenced us, and even challenge fathers in their important task.
* We fathers, may we fight tooth and fin for our children and never give up on our kids.
* We fathers, may we get out of our comfort zones to provide and strengthen our families.
* We fathers, may we give and give to our children in prayerful hope of their success.
* We fathers, may we always be one who shows forgiveness and leads the way with grace.
* We fathers, may we be motivated by love for anyone in our lives who is under our influence.
ILLUSTRATION… nofilmschool.com/production-design [adapted]
“Marlin is by no means a perfect parent, but I think that's what makes him the perfect role model. He's so frustratingly flawed in the beginning, constantly hovering over Nemo because he thinks bad things don't happen as long as he's there to supervise, which, as we know from his past, isn't true. He's fearful, anxious, and even condescending to those who challenge his irrational beliefs, but he loves—he loves so, so deeply. His great love for Nemo allowed him to not only overcome his greatest fears but to also put his son in his rightful place: before his worries and doubts and anxieties.”
CLOSING
Men, fathers, grandpas, uncles, brothers… please be men of character and compassion and grace for those who look to you as an example and a guide. Commit to follow Christ more and more and just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. Keep us headed in the direction Christ would have us go. Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming.
INVITATION
At the end of every sermon, there is an invitation time where we sing a song and give the opportunity for people to make decisions or come up front to pray. I’d like to go over this part of the service so you know what is going on.
First, if you are here today and you would like to be immersed into Christ and accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, this is the time to come forward. This is the time you can decide to follow Jesus. We will chat and if you are ready we can baptize you. We will chat and if we need to talk more and pray some we will do that.
Second, if you are here today and you are already an immersed believer in Jesus and you would like to join our church, this is the time to come forward. Church membership means you want to invest your spiritual life among these people, you will serve and give tithes here, and that you fully support the mission and vision of this church.
Third, if you are here today and you need someone to pray with you or you would like to come up front and pray over something specific, this is the time to come forward. You can pray by yourself or I can pray with you or we also have volunteers that watch and are ready to pray with you when you come up front.
Fourth, if you are here today, it may be that this time is for you to sing and ponder what has happened in the service. Think and pray over the songs sung. Reflect on the communion time. Cement something said in the sermon into your heart. Pray about the coming week.
All of those are what this invitation time is about.
PRAYER
