"ABOUT OUR FATHER"
TEXT: LUKE 15
TODAY IS FATHER’S DAY, HAPPY FATHER’S DAY TO ALL THE DADS OUT THERE.
LET’S BE HONEST THOUGH FATHER’S DAY IS JUST NOT AS BIG AS MOTHER’S DAY. THAT’S NOT SOUR GRAPES, THAT’S THE TRUTH. ON MOTHER’S DAY THERE IS A HIGHER ATTENDANCE AT CHURCH, MOTHER’S HAVE CORSAGES ON, EMOTIONS RUN HIGH, PEOPLE GATHER AT MOM’S HOUSE, TO PAY TRIBUTE TO THE HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE. BUT ON FATHER’S DAY, THE CHURCH IS NOT FULL, EMOTIONS ARE NOT AS HIGH AND BUSINESSES DO NOT PROFIT AS MUCH.
BUT THAT’S UNDERSTANDABLE BECAUSE MOST FATHERS ARE NOT AS SENSITIVE TO CHILDREN’S NEEDS AND AS ALERT TO SENTIMENT AS MOTHERS.
I HEARD OF YOUNG MOTHER WHO WENT DOWN TO THE NURSERY AT A HOSPITAL AND FOUND HER YOUNG HUSBAND PEERING DOWN AT HIS NEWBORN BABY WHO WAS ASLEEP. THE MOTHER COULD TELL HE WAS CAPTIVATED BY THE SCENE AS HE STOOD THERE LOOKING AT THE SLEEPING INFANT. SHE WAS SO TOUCHED THAT FINALLY SHE TIPTOED UP BEHIND HIM AND SLIPPED HER ARM THROUGH HIS AND SAID, "HONEY, WHAT ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT?" HE SAID, "I JUST CAN’T UNDERSTAND HOW THEY’RE ABLE TO MAKE A CRIB LIKE THIS FOR $89.95." FOR THE MOST PART FATHER’S ARE NOT AS SENTIMENTAL.
ERMA BOMBECK IN HER USUAL HUMOROUS WAY WROTE THE FOLLOWING ABOUT FATHERS, "WHEN I WAS KID A FATHER WAS LIKE A LIGHT IN THE REFRIGERATOR. EVERY BODY’S HOUSE HAD ONE BUT NO ONE REALLY KNEW WHAT EITHER DID WHEN THE DOOR WAS SHUT."
I REALLY STRUGGLED PUTTING A FATHER’S DAY MESSAGE TOGETHER - I HAD 3 DIFFERENT ONES WORKING AND ON FRIDAY MORNING I WENT BACK TO MY FIRST IDEA, AFTER SPENDING HOURS THURSDAY AFTERNOON ON MY THIRD IDEA - AND AT 10:30 AM I ALMOST WENT BACK TO MY SECOND IDEA BUT I TOLD MYSELF TO STOP THIS NONSENSE, I WAS GETTING DIZZY.
TODAY RATHER THAN TALK ABOUT EARTHLY FATHERS I want to in the brief time that we’ll spend together talk about OUR FATHER..... Recently I was once again reminded of just how great our Father really is and I want to talk about Him today.
We’ll be reading from the fifteenth chapter of the book of Luke -- and I am sure that those 3 stories are very familiar to you (we’ve talked about them several times), THE LOST SHEEP, THE LOST COIN AND THE LOST SON.... We have heard these POWERFUL stories of Jesus 100’s of times... But do you know what? They are not really stories about a sheep, a coin or a son -- Yes, those things are part of the story, BUT what these stories of Jesus are really intended to do, is to tell us is what OUR FATHER IS LIKE. And to show us how he feels about His children. So today let’s look at this stories and talk about OUR FATHER...
But before we begin, let’s briefly describe the audience that was present, when Jesus first unveiled these sparkling gems of God’s truth.
There were sinners and tax collectors present. They were the outcasts of society... Not many friends, and not much hope.. They were the ones who never seemed to able to measure up. No matter how hard they tried they always feel short. They knew something was wrong and missing in their life. They felt abandoned and no one really seemed to care that they were missing.
The disciples were there as well, they were men who had given up much to follow Jesus and they were well on the road... But they had been with Jesus long enough to know that they still had far to go. Therefore they were always eager to partake of the masters food. Theirs were hearts that were always open to the words of life.
And let’s not forget that the Scribes and Pharisees were there too. They were proud, confident, they needed no one, they had all the answers to life, they (or so they thought) knew who they were and where they were going....They were self righteous, judgmental and critical.
You know, as I look at the people here today, I don’t imagine that the crowd has really changed little over the last 2,000 years.
WHO ARE YOU MORE LIKE TODAY?
WHAT DOES THE LOST SHEEP TECAH US ABOUT OUR FATHER
LUKE 15:1-7
(CARRIED? BROKE LEG TEACH THEM TO BE DEPENDANT ON SHEPHERD AND STAY IN THE FLOCK)
Have you ever felt insignificant, like you didn’t matter, like you don’t count? Do you ever feel alone in a crowd, like no one really cares for you or about you? Have you ever tried really hard to matter to someone, to be valuable in their eyes, Have you ever wanted someone to really care about you -- but despite your best efforts they wouldn’t.
Our Father cares about you.... Yes, He cares about even one. God didn’t say, "well I still have 99, so really losing just one doesn’t really matter, it’s not that big of a big deal...."
Let me tell you about our Father.... You, matter to Him. You really do.... That is what Jesus is trying to get us to understand.... Isn’t that why Jesus came to the earth in the first place -- because we matter to God.
Our shepherd loves his sheep -- He cares for them, He wants to protect them... to keep them save,, He wants to lead them to quiet waters, He wants to restore their souls.... But He can’t do that if we like sheep have wandered away and have strayed from HIM.
And Our Father knows when we are missing... No one has to tell Him ((HEY GOD DID YOU KNOW SO AND SO ISN’T HERE), GOD knows all His sheep by name.... And He when he looks and sees one of His sheep missing it matters to Him, sure he still may have 99 sheep left, and I guess that really is a good percentage by the world’s standards -- But God’s standards are different and Our Father wants everyone.... He is not satisfied with less than 100 %.
And do you know what else God isn’t satisfied with less than 100% of our lives either...... You see, too many try to keep part of themselves in the sheep pen (hang on to a little of The Father just in case they ever need Him) while they keep other parties of their lives wandering about in the world. (doing what they want to do -- but God wants all of you, 100%) He is not satisfied with just a part of our lives, GOD wants it all. (and sometimes like a shepherd he disciplines us when we go astray - breaking our legs for our own good,
"Our father disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." Heb 12:10,11
WHY DOES GOD WANT 100% FROM US AND WHY DOES HE DISCIPLINE US? IS IT BECAUSE HE IS MEAN AND CONTROLLING, NO! IT IS BECAUSE HE LOVES US.. AND BECAUSE WE MATTER TO HIM... OUR FATHER KNOWS WHAT’S BEST FOR US...
WHEN YOU TELL YOUR 3 YEAR OLD NOT TO RIDE THEIR TRICYCLE IN THE MIDDLE OF I 75, IS IT BECAUSE YOU ARE MEAN AND CONTROLLING -- NO IT IS BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT IT BEST FOR THEM EVEN WHEN THEY CAN NOT UNDERSTAND IT....
IN THE SAME WAY GOD DISCIPLINES AND WANTS 100% OF US BECAUSE HE KNOWS THAT’S WHAT’S BEST FOR US... AND IT BREAKS OUR FATHER’S HEART FOR US TO GIVE HIM ANY LESS BECAUSE WE WILL SUFFER AND MISS OUT ON THE GOOD THINGS THAT HE HAS FOR US.
WHAT DOES THE LOST COIN TEACH US ABOUT OUR FATHER
LUKE 15:8-10
WHY DID THE WOMEN LOOK FOR HER LOST COIN? BECAUSE IT WAS VALUABLE TO HER, RIGHT?
BUT HOW CAN A LOST COIN BE VALUABLE? I MEAN WHAT CAN YOU BUY WITH A LOST COIN? TRY GOING INTO STORE AND BUY SOMETHING WITH A LOST COIN... "YES I’LL TAKE 2 OF THOSE OVER THERE" AND THE SALESMAN ASKS, "WILL THAT BE CASH OR CHARGE" AND YOU SAY "NEITHER, I’LL BE MAKING MY PURCHASES TODAY WITH A LOST COIN." YEAH, I AM SURE THAT WOULD FLY.
SO WHERE IS THE VALUE IN A LOST COIN? HEAR THIS!, THE VALUE OF THE COIN IS DETERMINED NOT BY IT’S LOST CONDITION, BUT BY WHAT IT CAN DO WHEN IT IS FOUND..... YOU SEE, THE WOMEN KNEW THAT WHEN SHE FOUND THAT COIN -- WHEN IT WAS ONCE AGAIN IN HER POSSESSION, SHE KNEW SHE WAS GOING TO HAVE SOMETHING VALUABLE IN HER HANDS....
AND JUST LIKE THAT COIN, SOMETIMES WE MAY NOT FEEL VERY VALUABLE, WE MAY LOOK AT OUR LIVES AND SAY "NOPE SURE CAN’T BUY MUCH WITH THIS..."
BUT WE MUST REALIZE THAT WHILE IN OUR LOST STATE WE ARE NOT THE BEST JUDGE OF OUR VALUE.... YOU RIGHT NOW GOD IS LOOKING AT YOU AND THOUGH YOU MAY NOT FEEL VALUABLE -- HE IS SAYING "MAN IS SHE/HE VALUABLE TO ME.."
REMEMBER OUR VALUE IS NOT DETERMINE BY WHAT WE ARE WHEN WE ARE AWAY FROM GOD, BUT BY WHAT WE WILL BECOME WHEN WE ARE WITH GOD.
YOU SEE, HUMAN EYES AND HUMAN STANDARDS ARE A POOR JUDGE OF VALUE....
AFTER ALL, HOW VALUABLE DID MOSES LOOK AFTER KILLING AN EGYPTIAN AND FLEEING INTO THE DESERT FOR 40 YEARS... I DON’T THINK WHILE THERE THAT HE RECEIVED MANY OFFERS TO LEAD A NATIONS ARMY... BUT GOD SAW MOSES, AND SAID HE WILL BE THE DELIVER OF MY PEOPLE.
HOW ABOUT DAVID, EVEN HIS OWN FATHER DIDN’T THINK HE COULD POSSIBLY BE A KING... WHEN SAMUEL CAME TO LOOK AT JESSE’S SONS JESSE DIDN’T EVEN BOTHER TO CALL HIM... HE THOUGHT SURELY DAVID WOULD NEVER WHERE A CROWN... BUT WHEN OTHERS SAW A SHEPHERD BOY GOD SAW A KING.... AND THE GIANT FELL AND NATIONS CRUMBLED WHEN THEY STOOD IN HIS WAY.
WHAT ABOUT GIDEON? HIDING IN A WINEPRESS GRINDING OUT WHEAT, AFRAID THE MIDIANITES WOULD COME AND TAKE IT FROM HIM, AND GOD SEES HIM AND CALLS HIM, "MY MIGHTY WARRIOR.." AND GIDEON WITH THE POWER OF GOD BECAME THAT MIGHTY WARRIOR DEFEATING 135,000 WITH ONLY 300 MEN...
WHAT ABOUT PETER ON HIS KNEES BROKEN, WEEPING AT HIS FAILURE. THE ODDS AT THIS TIME WERE NOT TO GOOD FOR HIM MAKING A COMEBACK. BUT IN LESS THAN 50 DAYS HE WOULD BE STANDING IN JERUSALEM BOLDLY PROCLAIMING JESUS.
HEAR WHAT GOD SAYS IN I SAMUEL 16:7, WE’VE HEARD IT SO MANY TIMES BUT WE NEED TO HEAR IT AGAIN AND AGAIN UNTIL WE TRULY EMBRACE IT’S TRUTH, GOD SAYS,
"I DO NOT LOOK AT THE THINGS MAN LOOKS AT. MAN LOOKS AT THE OUTWARD APPEARANCE, BUT I LOOK AT THE HEART!"
"WE DON’T EVALUATE PEOPLE BY WHAT THEY HAVE OR HOW THEY LOOK. WE LOOKED AT THE MESSIAH THAT WAY ONCE AND GOT IT ALL WRONG, AS YOU KNOW. NOW E LOOK INSIDE, AND WHAT WE SEE IS THAT ANYONE UNITED WITH CHRIST GETS A FRESH START, IS CREATED NEW, THE OLD LIFE IS GONE; A NEW LIFE BURGEONS!" 2 COR 5:16,17
HEAR ME! YOU ARE VALUABLE TO GOD -- THE BIBLE SAYS YOU ARE!!.... THEREFORE YOU ARE VALUABLE... AND DON’T LET YOUR FRIENDS, YOUR ENEMIES, YOUR PARENTS, YOUR SPOUSE, YOUR BOSS, YOUR PAST, AND DON’T EVEN LET YOURSELF TELL YOU OTHERWISE. OUR VALUE IS NOT DETERMINED BY WHO WE ARE... BUT WHAT GOD CAN DO THROUGH AND IN US, WHEN WE FULLY GIVE OUR LIVES TO HIM.... YOU SEE, GOD IS A REAL FUTURES INVESTOR!!
GOD IS LOOKING AT EACH ONE THAT IS HERE TODAY (ARE YOU HERE?) AND HE IS SAYING "SHE/HE IS VALUABLE TO ME -- AND OH WHAT I COULD DO WITH HIM/HER IF THEY’D REALLY SURRENDERED LIFE THEIR LIFE TO ME...." (YOU KNOW IT BREAKS GOD’S HEART TO SEE WHAT WE COULD BE FOR HIM? QUIT PLAYING GAMES AND GIVE HIM OUR LIVES COMPLETELY)
FRIENDS YOU ARE VALUABLE TO GOD.... AND GOD WILL LIGHT THE LAMP AND SWEEP THE FLOOR UNTIL HE FINDS YOU.... DO YOU WANT TO BE FOUND? SOME OF YOU KEEP HIDING BACK UNDER THE RUG.
LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT OUR FATHER:
YOU, YES YOU, REALLY MATTER TO HIM
AND YOU, YES YOU, ARE EXTREMELY VALUABLE IN HIS EYES....
NOW, HOW DO YOU THINK THE SINNERS, THE TAX COLLECTORS AND THE OUTCASTS FELT WHEN JESUS TOLD THEM THAT THEY MATTERED TO GOD -- AND WERE VALUABLE TO HIM? IT GAVE THEM HOPE AND IT BROUGHT RAYS OF LIGHT INTO THEIR DARKNESS....
THESE 2 TRUTHS ALSO GAVE THE DISCIPLES HOPE... BUT THE PHARISEES AND SCRIBES THOUGHT, "HEY WE KNEW WERE VALUABLE TO GOD JESUS, AND SURELY YOU ARE NOT SUGGESTING THAT IN GOD’S EYES THESE PEOPLE ARE AS VALUABLE AS WE ARE... (THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT JESUS IS SAYING).
WHAT DOES THE STORY OF THE LOST SON TEACH US ABOUT OUR FATHER
When the sinner and tax collectors and the disciples heard this story they said, "That was me.." But the Pharisees never for a second thought that this story could apply to them...They thought that they had always been with God after all they had made it by themselves.
The story of the prodigal son applies to everyone here, we all have been the prodigal and some are the prodigal right now -- (you know who you are and God knows who you are), and many others are going to become the prodigal.... So we all need to listen to these words of God don’t we? It’s our story
LUKE 15:11-16
THE FATHER HAD DONE EVERYTHING HE COULD FOR HIS SON, BUT IT WASN’T ENOUGH... AND ONE DAY HE COMES TO HIS FATHER (AND REMEMBER JESUS IS NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT ONE FATHER AND ONE SON, BUT HE IS TALKING ABOUT EVERYBODY AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO GOD).
AND THE SON TELLS THE FATHER, "FATHER I DON’T WANT TO BE HERE ANYMORE -- I DON’T WANT TO LIVE IN YOUR HOUSE ANYMORE -- I’M SICK OF LEAVING HERE -- I GOTTA GET OUT OF HERE. AND I DON’T WANT TO WAIT FOR MY INHERITANCE EITHER, I WANT YOU TO GIVE IT TO ME - I WANT WHAT’S MINE AND I WANT IT NOW...
NOW THE FATHER COULD HAVE REFUSED HIS SONS REQUEST AND MADE HIM STAY, ND MADE HIM STAY BUT HE KNEW IT WOULDN’T REALLY SOLVE ANYTHING....
AND NOT LONG AFTER THIS THE GATHERED UP ALL HE HAD AND LEFT HOME... AND NOT ONLY DID HE LEAVE HOME, HE LEFT THE COUNTRY -- HE WENT AS FAR AWAY AS HE POSSIBLY COULD FROM HIS FATHER’S PRESENCE....
HOW DO YOU THINK THE FATHER FELT AS HE WATCHED HIS SON WALK AWAY DOWN THE ROAD....? HOW DO YOU THINK GOD FEELS WHEN YOU WALK AWAY FROM HIM, AFTER ALL HE HAS DONE FOR YOU? AND YOU TELL GOD, I DON’T WANT TO BE AROUND YOU ANY MORE GOD... I GOTTA GET OUT OF HERE, DO MY OWN THING, GO MY OWN WAY?.
AND THE SON WENT TO A FAR OFF COUNTRY... HE FORGOT ALL ABOUT HIS FATHER, HE DIDN’T CALL, HE DIDN’T WRITE, HE DIDN’T COME HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS... HE JUST STAYED IN THAT FAR OFF LAND....
HAVE YOU EVER ASK YOURSELF WHY HE WENT TO A DISTANT LAND? WHY DID HE SETTLED IN A FAR OFF COUNTRY? HE DID IT BECAUSE HE WANTED TO GET AS FAR AWAY FROM HIS FATHER AS POSSIBLE -- HE WANTED TO GO WHERE NOBODY KNEW HIM.....
AND ARE WE REALLY ANY DIFFERENT? NO WERE NOT, WHEN WE SIN WE LIKE TO DO IT IN A DISTANT LAND TOO, DON’T WE? WE DON’T WANT GOD’S PEOPLE TO KNOW HOW WE ACT,
SO WHEN WE REALLY WANT TO CUT LOOSE WE GO TO A DISTANT LAND.... A HOTEL ROOM IN ANOTHER COUNTY, A BAR WHERE WE ARE SURE NOBODY WILL SE US OR GOSSIP WITH A FRIEND WHO WILL SHARE OUR SIN..
AND THIS PRODIGAL SON REALLY LIVED IT UP, DRINKING, PARTYING, WOMEN, HE WAS LIVING IN THE FAST LANE AND HE WAS IN FIFTH GEAR.... BUT SOON THE MONEY WAS GONE, HIS WELL DRIED UP, AND HE BECAME IN NEED... HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHERE ALL THOSE SO CALLED FRIENDS WHO WERE PARTYING WITH HIM WERE NOW? WHEN HIS POCKETS WERE EMPTY THOSE GUYS HIT THE ROAD...
THINGS GOT SO BAD -- THAT HE HAD TO HIRE HIMSELF OUT TO MAN TO FEED PIGS... NOW YOU KNOW, GOD’S PEOPLE AND PIGS IN THAT DAY WERE NOT EXACTLY CLOSE. AND WHAT JESUS IS TRYING TO EMPHASIZE HERE IS THAT THIS MAN SUNK RIGHT TO THE BOTTOM....AS LOW AS HE COULD GET. AND ONE DAY AS HE WAS FEEDING THE PIGS, HE NOTICED THAT HIS MOUTH WAS WATERING AT THE THOUGHT OF CHOMPING ON SOME OF THOSE DIRTY AND SMELLY PIG PODS... BUT NO ONE EVEN GAVE HIM THEM TO EAT.... NO ONE CARED ABOUT HIM.
BUT ONE DAY WHILE HE WAS LUSTING OVER A PIG POD -- THE LIGHT BULB CAME ON -- HE CAME TO HIS SENSES.... AND HE SAID TO HIMSELF, "WAIT A MINUTE I DON’T HAVE TO LIVE LIKE THIS... I DON’T HAVE TO BE HERE.... I DON’T HAVE TO SIT HERE WITH THE PIGS AND STARVE TO DEATH... I AM GOING HOME... MY FATHER’S SERVANTS HAVE FOOD TO SPARE. I KNOW WHAT I’LL DO I TELL MY FATHER "FATHER I HAVE SINNED AGAINST HEAVEN AND AGAINST YOU AND I AM NO LONGER WORTHY TO BE CALLED YOU SON....MAKE ME LIKE ONE OF YOUR SERVANTS..." AND SO THE SON CRAWLED OUT OF THE PIG PEN AND HEADED HOME.....
LET ME ASKED YOU, WHAT IS GOING TO TAKE FOR THE LIGHT BULB TO COME ON IN YOUR MIND AND HEART? WHAT IS GOING TO HAVE TO HAPPEN IN ORDER TO BRING TO BRING YOU TO YOUR SENSES? HOW LONG WILL YOU STAY AWAY FROM YOUR FATHER’S HOUSE? WHEN WILL YOU REALIZE THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE TO LIVE THE WAY YOU ARE... WHEN WILL YOU REALIZE THAT THERE IS NO BETTER PLACE TO BE THEN HOME WITH YOUR FATHER...?
DON’T YOU UNDERSTAND THAT IT’S WHEN WE ARE AWAY FROM THE FATHER THAT THE FAMINE COMES AND PIG SLOP BEGINS TO GOOD... AND THIS IS NO WAY FOR GOD’S CHILDREN TO LIVE... TO SETTLE FOR PIG SCRAPS WHEN THEY CAN FEAST AT THE KINGS TABLE.
WHEN WE WILL YOU REPENT OF YOUR SIN, REALLY REPENT.... AND NOT MAKE EXCUSES FOR YOUR SIN... IT’S NOT REALLY MY FAULT... IF MY HUSBAND, IF MY WIFE, IF MY MOM, IF MY DAD... WHEN WILL YOU LIKE THE PRODIGAL SON SAY "FATHER I HAVE SINNED AGAINST YOU AND AGAINST HEAVEN..." -- NO EXCUSES NO JUSTIFICATION.... JUST REPENTANCE!
YOU SEE, IN THAT PIG STY THE SON LEARNED SOMETHING THAT MANY PEOPLE NEVER LEARN THAT ALL SIN IS AGAINST GOD..... SO DON’T EVEN ALLOW YOURSELF TO SAY OR BELIEVE THAT, "HEY I AIN’T HURTING NOBODY... IT’S MY LIFE.."
WAKE UP! YOU ARE SINNING AGAINST A HOLY, AND IT MATTERS!
HOW DO WE KNOW THAT THE SON REALLY REPENTED? HOW DO WE KNOW THAT HE WASN’T JUST MOUTHING SOME WORDS THAT FELT GOOD AT THE TIME BUT WOULDN’T LAST? BECAUSE HE GOT UP AND HE WENT HOME -- HE WENT BACK TO THE FATHER.. HE REALIZED THAT HE COULD NOT STAY IN THE PIG PEN AND BE WITH HIS FATHER AT THE SAME TIME, SO HE WENT HOME.
WHY WOULD SOMEONE CHOOSE TO LIVE WITH THE PIGS... I DON’T KNOW, BUT WE DO.... I OCCASIONALLY MAKE TRIPS BACK TO THE PIG PEN. THROUGH THE THINGS I DO, THINK, AND SAY... AND I KNOW HOW THE PRODIGAL FEELS;
WHEN I COME TO MY SENSES/AND REALIZE THAT I SHOULDN’T BE HERE SHOULDN’T BE LIVING LIKE THIS... I FEEL UNWORTHY TO COME BACK TO THE FATHER....
AND AT THOSE TIMES I ASK GOD WHAT CAN I DO TO MAKE THINGS RIGHT? HOW CAN I FIX THINGS? GOD I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO? AND THEN GOD ANSWERS THERE IS NOTHING YOU CAN DO, BUT REPENT AND COME HOME...THAT’S HOW MY GRACE WORKS
LUKE 15:20FF
(AS YOU READ THESE SCRIPTURES TALK ABOUT THEM AND MAKE THEM ALIVE.....)
SITTING ON PORCH EVERY MORNING
LOOKS LIKE MY SON.....
I DON’T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT THAT SERVANT STUFF -- YOUR HOME YOUR
MY SON....
ROBE -- MARK OF HONOR
RING -- PLEDGE OF LOVE AND SIGN OF AUTHORITY
SANDALS -- A SIGN OF SONSHIP
FATTEN CALF -- EXPRESSION OF REJOICING!!
WHAT DOES THIS PARABLE TEACH US ABOUT OUR FATHER:
IT TEACHES THAT THE FATHER’S LOVE FOR US/YOU IS UNCONDITIONAL...
God did not wait for us to meet His expectations; He did not wait for us to make Him proud. He simply loved us and He loved us first.
"WE LOVE BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US..." 1 JOHN 4:19
"GOD DEMONSTRATED HIS OWN LOVE FOR US IN THIS; WHILE WE WERE STILL SINNERS, CHRIST DIED FOR US.."
The father’s love for us is complete, constant and unconditional. We cannot earn it. We cannot escape it and We can not erase it. Now He may be upset when we disobey Him, or saddened when we stray from Him, or sorrowful when we sin, but He never, never, never stops loving us; our father’s unconditional; love for us is such that:
"I am absolutely convinced that nothing - nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable - absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.."
(MSG) Romans 8:38-39
This parable also teaches us the father delights in forgiving His children, in fact He’s in a hurry to..
LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT OUR FATHER
WE/YOU MATTER TO HIM (DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH? -- HE SENT JESUS) AND IT MATTERS TO HIM HOW MUCH OF OUR LIFE WE ARE REALLY GIVING HIM -- HE WANTS ALL!!
LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT OUR FATHER
WE/YOU ARE VALUABLE TO HIM.... EVEN IF YOU DON’T FEEL LIKE IT.. RIGHT NOW HE IS LOOKING AT YOU AND HE SEES WHAT HE CAN DO WITH AND THROUGH YOU IF YOU GIVE YOU LIFE FULLY TO HIM.... REMEMBER OUR VALUE IS DETERMINED NOT BY WHAT WE ARE WHEN WE ARE AWAY FROM GOD BUT WHAT WE WILL BECOME WHEN WE ARE WITH HIM...
LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT MY FATHER
HIS GRACE IS REAL, HIS FORGIVENESS IS REAL, HIS LOVE IS REAL AND ANYTIME WE WANT TO LEAVE THE PIG PEN OF SELF AND SIN AND COME HOME -- HE IS WAITING -- WE DON’T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING EXCEPT COME HOME...
WE HAVE QUIT A HEAVENLY FATHER, DON’T YOU THINK?
I WANT TO BE THAT KIND OF FATHER. AS I REFLECTED THIS WEEK ON THE QUALITIES OF MY HEAVENLY FATHER NOT ONLY WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT TODAY BUT ALSO THINGS LIKE; HIS PATIENCE, COMPASSION, FAITHFULNESS, TENDERNESS, COMFORT, PROTECTION) I AM HUMBLES BY MY OWN FAILURES AND SHORT COMINGS...
I WANT TO BE A GOOD FATHER AND MY POINT OF COMPARISON IS NOT DEAD BEAT DADS, AL BUNDY OR HOMER SIMPSON (IF I LOOK AT THOSE I MAY THINK I’M PRETTY GOOD) -- MY POINT OF COMPARISON/MY AIM/MY GAOL AS A FATHER IS TO BE LIKE GOD...
I WANT TO BE THE KIND OF FATHER WHOSE KIDS KNOW THAT THEY REALLY MATER TO HIM... A FATHER WHO WILL SEARCH FOR THEM WHEN THEY HAVE WANDERED OFF PHYSICALLY OR EMOTIONALLY... I WANT TO BE THE KIND OF FATHER WHO KNOWS HOW TO DISCIPLINE IN LOVE THAT THEY MIGHT BE DEPENDANT ON GOD...
I WANT TO BE THE KIND OF FATHER WHOSE KIDS KNOW THAT THEY ARE VALUABLE -- WHO KNOWS THAT THEY ARE WORTH MUCH AND CAN ACCOMPLISH GRETA THINGS IF ONLY I CAN HELP THEM SEE THEIR WORTH IN GOD’S EYES..
I WANT MY KIDS TO KNOW THAT I ACCEPT THEM AND LOVE THEM. I WANT THEM TO KNOW THAT I LOVED THEM EVEN BEFORE THEY COULD RETURN MY LOVE. I WANT THEM TO KNOW THAT I LOVED THEM WHEN THEIR PRIMARY INTERACTION WITH ME INVOLVED; BOTTLES, BURPS, PUKE AND DIRTY DIAPERS. I WANT THEM TO KNOW THAT MY LOVE FOR THEM IS UNCONDITIONAL, IT’S NOT BASED ON ANYTHING THEY DO, BUT ON WHO THEY ARE.
I ALSO WANT MY KIDS TO KNOW MY LOVE FOR THEM IS FOREMOST. MY JOB IS NOT MORE IMPORTANT THEN THEM, MY HOBBIES ARE NOT MORE IMPORTANT THEN THEM, MY FRIENDS ARE NOT MORE IMPORTANT THEN THEM.. MY LOVE FOR THEM IS FOREMOST..
FINALLY I WANT TO COMMUNICATE TO MY CHILDREN THAT I LOVE THEM FOREVER. I WANT THEM TO KNOW THAT I ACCEPT THEM AND LOVE THEM NO MATTER WHAT. THEY DON’T HAVE TO EARN MY LOVE. THEY CAN NEVER ESCAPE MY LOVE... AND NOTHING THEY EVER DO WILL ERASE MY LOVE.
AND I WANT TO BE THE KIND OF FATHER WHERE MY KIDS KNOW THEY CAN ALWAYS COME HOME - BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT THEIR DAD DELIGHTS IN FORGIVING AND IS IN A HURRY TO FORGET...
THAT THE KIND OF FATHER I WANT TO BE...
BUT OF COURSE THAT DOESN’T COME NATURALLY TO ME...
AND MY ONLY HOPE OF ATTAINING THIS IS BY BEING AS CLOSE TO THE FATHER AS POSSIBLE...
I NEED TO BE CONNECTED TO HIM - BECAUSE HE IS THE SOURCE OF POWER FOR MY LIFE AND FOR MY FATHERHOOD....
