I. The History of Father’s Day
A. Mrs. Sonora Louise Smart Dodd of Spokane, Washington first proposed the idea of observing a day for fathers. Her idea was that the holiday be centered on special church services. Her reason for the holiday was to honor her father, William Jackson Smart, a widowed Civil War veteran, who, for 21 years, was a father and a mother to his six children. Mrs. Dodd wanted the holiday to be celebrated on the first Sunday in June, which was her father’s birthday. However, the Spokane council couldn’t get the first reading until the 3rd Sunday in June. In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge supported the idea of a National Father’s Day. However, it wasn’t until 1966 that President Lyndon Johnson signed a presidential proclamation declaring the 3rd Sunday of June as Father’s Day. Then, in 1972, almost 60 years after Mother’s Day had been proclaimed an official holiday, President Richard Nixon established a permanent national observance of Father’s Day.
II. The Prodigal and His Provider
A. Text: Luke 11:15-24
1. What does this story have to do with Father’s Day?
B. Jesus gives us a beautiful portrait within this parable of God the Father’s love toward His wayward children.
C. Let’s look at some of the traits of a loving, caring based on this story.
III. Traits of a Loving Father
A. Faithful Provider
1. First of all, according to our text, when the son asked for his inheritance, and the text referred to the father having servants, it implied the father’s resources.
2. God has an endless supply of resources for His children! In fact, we’ve just recently studied what our inheritance is that has been given to us!
B. What does God provide for us?
C. Genesis 22:14 says that He is our Jehovah-jireh, God our Provider.
1. He Offers Divine Preparation for the Needs of His Children
(a) Overflowing Blessings – Psalm 23:5 “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies, You anoint my heard with oil; my cup runs over.”
(b) Treasures of Goodness – Psalm 31:19 “Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have prepared for those who trust in You…”
(c) A Spiritual Feast – Matthew 22:4 “Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, ‘see, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.’”
(d) A Glorious Inheritance – Matthew 25:34 “Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world…”
(e) A Heavenly Home – John 14:2 “In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.”
D. God is a Father that Gives, and Gives, and Gives…
A. He Gives in Superabundance. (Read Joel 2:24; Malachi 3:10; Matthew 14:20; Luke 6:38)
B. He Overshadows Us With His Love. (Read Exodus 33:22; Psalm 57:1; Isaiah 25:4; Isaiah 51:16; Matthew 23:37)
C. He is a Keeper of His Children (Read Genesis 28:15; Psalm 121:4; John 17:11; II Timothy 1:12)
D. He Supports the Weak. (Read Exodus 19:4; Deuteronomy 33:27; Psalm 18:35; Psalm 91:12; Isaiah 41:10; Isaiah 46:4)
E. He Preserves the Faithful. (Read Deuteronomy 6:24; Psalm 31:23; Psalm 37:39; Proverbs 2:8; II Timothy 4:18)
E. So, a Loving Father will be a Providing Father. What are some other traits?
IV. A Loving Father Will Have A Generous Spirit
A. The Prodigal’s Father had a generous spirit in that he gave his son his inheritance before it was his time.
B. Usually, one doesn’t get an inheritance until someone else dies.
C. As I’ve said many times before, Jesus has already died, and even rose again. Therefore, God has the right to give His children their inheritance of redemption!
D. A godly father will have a heart of generosity at all times. He will always be looking at ways to bless his own.
E. In Matthew 7:11, Jesus tells us, “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!”
V. A Loving Father Will Have Deep Concern For the Welfare of His Children
A. Even if that means his children are going to make decisions that he doesn’t approve of!
B. The Prodigal’s father had deep concern for the welfare of his son, who chose to take his wealth and leave home for places unknown.
C. Sounds just like God doesn’t it?
D. A loving father will continue in prayer for his wayward children. He will continue looking out for them as best he can while they go their own way.
VI. A Loving Father Will Be a Forgiving Father
A. The Prodigal’s father accepted his son, now in his broken and repentant state.
B. He lovingly accepted him back into the family.
C. As typical with some Christian brothers and sisters, when a person has turned away from God and returns, when the Father pours His blessings out on them because of their pure heart, sometimes others get a little spiritually “jealous and angered.”
D. God is a forgiving God!
VII. A Loving Father Will Run to a Repentant Child!
A. Kissing them with His presence.
B. Celebrating their return. (The angels rejoice).
VIII. The Prodigal’s Ring of Reconciliation
A. Verse 22 of our text says that the Father placed a ring on his son’s finger. A ring in the Bible represents power and authority and strength.
B. According to Romans 5:1-5, (please turn there), there are 8 jewels in the Ring of Reconciliation.
“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”
C. The Eight Jewels Are:
1. Peace
2. Access
3. Joy
4. Glory in Trials
5. Patience
6. Experience
7. Hope
8. Love
IX. The Prodigal’s Story of Ruin to Reconciliation
A. The Seven Steps of Ruin
1. Self-Will
2. Selfishness
3. Separation
4. Sensuality
5. Spiritual Destitution
6. Self Abasement
7. Starvation
B. The Seven Steps of Reconciliation
1. Realization
2. Resolution
3. Repentance
4. Return
5. Reconciliation
6. Re-clothing
7. Rejoicing
