"HOW TO MAKE OR BREAK A DAD"
TEXT: LUKE 15:11-24
INTRODUCTION
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.
HAVE YOU NOTICED HOW FATHERS IN OUR MODERN SOCIETY ARE DISCRIMINATED AGAINST... ON MOST "FAMILY" SHOWS ON TV YOU’LL FIND THAT THE FATHER IS USUALLY PORTRAYED AS A BUFFOON. HE’S THE OBJECT OF SCORN AND RIDICULE, AND HE CAN’T DO ANYTHING RIGHT...
REMEMBER THE MOVIE "MR MOM," THE MOM GOES TO WORK AND THE DAD TAKES OVER THE HOUSEHOLD. AND IT’S A COMPLETE DISASTER. THE PLACE NEARLY COLLAPSES.
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."
THE STORY IS TOLD OF A FATHER OF 5 WHO CAME HOME WITH A TOY, HE SUMMONED HIS CHILDREN AND ASKED WHICH ONE SHOULD BE GIVEN THE PRESENT. "WHO IS THE MOST OBEDIENT, NEVER TALKS BACK TO MOM AND DOES EVERY THING HE OR SHE IS TOLD TO DO?" HE INQUIRED. THERE WAS SILENCE, AND THEN A CHORUS OF VOICES: "YOU PLAY WITH IT DADDY!"
I’M GLAD THERE IS A FATHER’S DAY. EVEN THOUGH IT ISN’T AS SIGNIFICANT OR SPECIAL AS MOTHER’S DAY IT STILL GIVES US A CHANCE
TO HONOR THOSE WHO STAND AT THE HELM, WHO THE GATHER THEIR TEAM IN A HUDDLE AND WHO LEAD THE FAMILY INTO LIFE’S BATTLE.
I’VE GIVEN MANY SERMONS ON FATHER’S DAY AND ON OTHER DAYS CHALLENGING MEN AND FATHERS TO BE GODLY MEN; AND REMINDING THEM OF WHAT THEIR BIBLICAL ROLE IS. SERMONS WHERE I HAVE USED GOD’S PLUMBLINE - HIS HOLY WORD AND HAVE SHOWN WHERE WE HAVE FALLEN SHORT AS MEN, HUSBANDS AND AS FATHERS. SERMONS WHERE THOUGH WE FEEL CHALLENGED WE ALSO FEEL A LITTLE BEATEN UP.
I AM NOT GOING TO DO THAT TODAY, TODAY WHAT I WANT TO DO IS STUDY LUKE 15:11-24, A VERY FAMILIAR PASSAGE -- AND SEE HOW THIS STORY ILLUSTRATES HOW SONS AND DAUGHTERS CAN EITHER MAKE THEIR DADS MISERABLE OR JOYFUL ACCORDING TO THEIR BEHAVIOR...
SEE HOW CHILDREN CAN MAKE OR BREAK A DAD.
LUKE 15:11-24
HOW TO BREAK A DAD
IN THESE VERSES WE SEE A LEAST 3 WAYS THAT THE PRODIGAL SON BROKE HIS DAD. AND THREE WAYS THAT CHILDREN STILL BREAK DADS TODAY.
HE WITHDREW FROM HIS FATHER’S LOVE
THE YOUNGER SON SAID, "FATHER GIVE ME MY SHARE OF THE ESTATE" AND NOT LONG AFTER THAT HE TOOK OFF. NOW THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH A CHILD LEAVING HOME -- IT’S EXPECTED AND NATURAL, BUT WE GET THE IMPRESSION HERE THAT THIS SON LEFT PREMATURELY.
SO WHAT IT IS THAT REALLY BROKE HIS DAD’S HEART WAS HIS SON’S ATTITUDE IN LEAVING. HE COULDN’T WAIT TO GET AWAY FROM HIS FATHER AS QUICKLY, AND AS AR AS POSSIBLE,
HE WAS THOUGHTLESS.
HE WAS TIRED OF WAITING, FOR HIS FATHER TO DIE TO GET HIS INHERITANCE.
HE WAS TIRED OF WAITING, FOR HIS FATHER TO DIVIDE IT UP.
AND HE DIDN’T CARE HOW IT MADE HIS FATHER FEEL. HE JUST WANTED OUT. HE REJECTED HIS FATHER’S LOVE.
SONS AND DAUGHTERS, IF YOU WANT TO MAKE A DAD MISERABLE - IF YOU WANT TO BREAK HIS HEART, JUST MAKE IT CLEAR TO HIM BY YOUR ACTIONS AND ATTITUDES THAT YOU DON’T CARE ABOUT HIS LOVE, THAT YOU DON’T WANT TO BE AROUND HIM. WHEN HE PUTS HIS ARM AROUND YOU, JERK AWAY. WHEN HE TRIES TO GIVE YOU GUIDANCE, SNEER BACK AT HIM, "GET OFF MY CASE, GET OFF MY BACK, GIVE ME SPACE."
WHEN YOU’RE OUT IN A CROWD MAKE IT CLEAR THAT YOU DON’T WANT TO BE AROUND HIM, BECAUSE IT IS EMBARRASSING. WHEN YOU HAVE AN ARGUMENT, TELL HIM YOU HATE HIM OR RUN AWAY, AND YOU WILL BREAK HIS HEART.
THE SECOND THING THIS PRODIGAL DID THAT BROKE HIS FATHER’S HEART WAS
HE WASTED WHAT HIS FATHER GAVE HIM
A LOT OF TIME THE SECOND GENERATION OF A WEALTHY FAMILY DOESN’T KNOW HOW TO HANDLE MONEY. EITHER THEY SQUANDER SPENDING IT FREELY UNTIL THERE’S NOTHING LEFT, OR THEY ARE MISERLY WITH IT. THEY HOARD IT, THEY WORSHIP IT.
VERY RARE IS THE PERSON WHO CAN INHERIT MONEY WITH THE PROPER BALANCE OF APPRECIATION AND GENEROSITY.
YOU CAN MAKE A DAD MISERABLE BY HAVING THE WRONG ATTITUDE TOWARDS MATERIAL THINGS. MOST OF US FATHERS LOVE TO GIVE THINGS TO OUR CHILDREN. WE LOVE TO SEE OUR KIDS LIGHT UP WHEN THEY GET A NEW TOY, AND WE LOVE TO HEAR THEM SAY "THANK YOU." BUT IT’S A SAD DAY WHEN A DAD REALIZES THAT THEY’VE GIVEN HIS CHILDREN TOO MUCH. IT’S A SAD DAY WHEN HE REALIZES THAT HE’S MADE HIS CHILDREN GREEDY OR MATERIALISTIC. WHEN HE REALIZES THAT THEY HAVE NO APPRECIATION FOR WHAT HE HAS WORK SO HARD TO GIVE THEM -- (HOME, FOOD, CLOTHES, THINGS)....
IN THIS ERA OF WEALTH, THERE ARE A LOT OF KIDS WHO THINK NOTHING OF WASTING THEIR FATHER’S MONEY... AND OFTEN TIMES PART OF THIS BEHAVIOR AMONG CHILDREN IS THE DADS FAULT. MANY DADS GREW UP HAVING TO SCRIMP AND SAVE AND IN AN ATTEMPT TO GIVE THEIR CHILDREN WHAT THEY WANTED BUT DIDN’T HAVE GROWING UP, THEY GIVE IT TO THEIR CHILDREN TO SOON AND THEY CREATE UNAPPRECIATIVE OFFSPRING...(GIRL COLLEGE SUING DAD FOR NOT GIVING HE ENOUGH SPENDING MONEY ... CAR/TUITION).
JAMES DOBSON WROTE, "WE’RE SO CONCERNED ABOUT GIVING CHILDREN WHAT WE DIDN’T HAVE WHEN GROWING UP THAT WE NEGLECT TO GIVE THEM WHAT WE DID HAVE. MAYBE WE DIDN’T HAVE MATERIAL THINGS BUT WE DID HAVE APPRECIATION OF THE VALUE OF THINGS AND THE WILLINGNESS TO WORK FOR IT."
A THIRD WAY HE BROKE HIS DAD WAS
HE VIOLATED HIS DAD’S MORAL VALUES
"HE SQUANDER HIS WEALTH ON WILD LIVING...."
WE KNOW THIS YOUNG MAN LIVED CONTRARY TO HIS FATHER’S VALUES BECAUSE HE CAME BACK SAYING, "I’VE SINNED." EVERY GODLY FATHER WANTS HIS CHILDREN TO KNOW THE LORD AND TO LIVE BY BIBLICAL STANDARDS. WE WANT THEM TO ACCEPT JESUS CHRIST AS SAVIOR. WE WANT THEM TO BE HONEST. WE WANT THEM TO BE SEXUALLY PURE. WE WANT THEM TO STAY AWAY FROM ALCOHOL AND DRUGS. WE WANT THEM TO MARRY A CHRISTIAN.
I FIGURE IF MY CHILDREN GROW UP TO KNOW JESUS CHRIST AS LORD AND SAVIOR, AND HAVE A CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE, I’VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL REGARDLESS OF MY OTHER FAILURES IN LIFE...
SOMEONE HAS WISELY SAID, "YOUR CHILDREN ARE THE ONLY POSSESSION YOU CAN TAKE TO HEAVEN WITH YOU..." AND WE CAN MAKE THIS MORE LIKELY TO HAPPEN IF WE BRING THEM UP IN THE LORD AND WITH A REVERENCE AND AN APPRECIATION FOR GOD’S STANDARDS.
NOW PAGANS WILL SAY, "EACH CHILD SHOULD BE FREE TO CHOOSE HIS OR HER OWN STANDARDS.." THE WORLD WILL ADVISE YOU DON’T IMPOSE YOUR OLD FASHIONED VALUES ON YOUR CHILDREN, BECAUSE TIMES HAVE CHANGED... DON’T PUT A GUILT TRIP ON THEM JUST BECAUSE THEY DON’T FEEL THE SAME WAY YOU DO ABOUT SEXUAL VALUES, DRUGS, HOMOSEXUALITY OR CHURCH ATTENDANCE; LET THEM CHOOSE THEIR OWN WAY....
THAT’S WHAT THE WORLD SAYS (AND SHE APPLAUDS THOSE PARENTS WHO BUY THAT BAG OF GARBAGE), BUT A CHRISTIAN FATHER HAS BEEN COMMISSIONED BY THE LORD TO LEAD HIS CHILDREN TO RESPECT CHRISTIAN VALUES -- AND TO CHOOSE NOT THEIR OWN, BUT TO CHOOSE GOD’S WAY.
EPHESIANS 6:4 SAYS, "A FATHER IS TO RAISE HIS CHILDREN UP IN THE TRAINING AND INSTRUCTION OF THE LORD...."
NOTICE THAT IT DOESN’T SAY, "TO RAISE HIS CHILDREN UP IN THE WAYS OF THE WORLD, IN THE WAYS HIS CHILDREN WANT TO GO OR IN THE WAYS THE MAJORITY IN THIS LOST WORLD SAY ARE RIGHT.."
THE TEACHINGS OF SCRIPTURE ARE TRUE -- AND IT’S NOT TO SATISFY THE EGO OF THE FATHER BUT FOR THE CHILD’S SAKE FOR ETERNITY’S SAKE THAT FATHERS WANT THEIR CHILD TO OBEY THOSE STANDARDS.
AND IT BREAKS A GODLY DAD’S HEART TO SEE HIS CHILD (WHETHER YOUNG OR GROWN) FLAGRANTLY VIOLATING HIS MORAL TEACHINGS >> TREATING HIS VALUES, PRINCIPLES AND BELIEFS WITH CONTEMPT... AN WHEN THIS HAPPENS A FATHER NATURALLY ASKS HIMSELF, "WHERE DID I GO WRONG. WHAT SHOULD I HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY?" MAYBE THERE WAS HE COULD OF DONE. EVEN MANY GOD’S CHILDREN REJECT HIM...
"ALL DAY LONG I HAVE HELD OUT MY HANDS TO A DISOBEDIENT AND OBSTINATE PEOPLE..." -- RM 10:21
KING DAVID EXPERIENCED THIS KIND OF HEARTBREAK. DAVID’S SON, ABASALOM, COMPLETELY VIOLATED HIS FATHER’S PRINCIPLES, PARTY BECAUSE ABSALOM KNEW OF HIS FATHER’S SIN WITH BATHSHEBA AND LOST RESPECT FOR HIS DAD.
BUT ABSALOM WANDERED SO FAR AWAY THAT HE MURDERED HIS HALF BROTHER. HE RAN AWAY FROM HOME. LATER WHEN HE RETURNED HE HAD A REBELLIOUS SPIRIT. HE LED A REVOLUTION AGAINST HIS FATHER THE KING. AND IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT REVOLT HE TEMPORARILY TOOK JERUSALEM, AND RIGHT OUT IN PUBLIC SLEPT WITH SOME OF THE KINGS WIVES.
ABASALOM WAS THEN KILLED IN BATTLE. AND DAVID’S SOLDIERS WHEN THEY BROUGHT BACK THE NEWS FELT THAT DAVID WOULD,BE DELIGHTED THAT THIS ENEMY HAD BEEN ELIMINATED, BUT WHEN DAVID WAS INFORMED THAT ABSALOM WAS KILLED, WE SEE ONE OF THE SADDEST SCENES OF SCRIPTURE IS PORTRAYED AS DAVID STUMBLES UP THE STEPS OF THE PALACE SOBBING, "OH, ABASALOM, MY SON. WOULD TO GOD THAT I HAD DIED AND NOT YOU, OH ABASALOM MY SON."
PROVERBS 17:21 SAYS, "TO HAVE A FOOL FOR A SON (DAUGHTER) BRINGS GRIEF.." THERE IS NO JOY FOR A FATHER OF A FOOL -- THERE IS NO JOY FOR A FATHER OF SOMEONE WHO LIVES CONTRARY TO HIS AND GOD’S MORAL PRINCIPLES.... YOU WANT TO BREAK YOU FATHER’S HEART....
JUST LIVE CONTRARY TO HIS MORAL VALUE/CONTRARY TO THINGS HE BELIEVES AND HOLDS DEAR...
OR CARELESSLY AND WITHOUT ANY FORETHOUGHT WASTE THE THINGS HE HAS WORKED SO HARD TO GIVE YOU OR WITHDRAW YOUR LOVE FROM HIM...
-- THAT’S HOW WE BREAK A DAD --
AND O’ BY THE WAY THESE ARE THE VERY SAME WAYS WE MAKE OR HEAVENLY FATHER MISERABLE TOO. WE SOMETIMES THINK OF OUR SINFUL ACTIONS AND ATTITUDES EVOKING GOD’S WRATH -- BE WE MUST ALSO UNDERSTAND THEY WE CAN AND WE DO BREAK GOD’S HEART....
>> WE BREAK GOD’S HEART WHEN WE WITHDRAW OUR LOVE FROM HIM. WHEN WE TELL HIM WE DON’T WANT TO BE AROUND HIM. WHEN WE’D RATHER BE SOMEWHERE ELSE THAN WITH HIM -- WHEN WE GET EXCITED ABOUT A BALL GAME OR A PICNIC BUT AT AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE WITH HIM, WHEN WE COME INTO HIS PRESNESE -- IT’S OBVIOUS WE DON’T WANT TO BE THERE.. AND WHEN WE REFUSE TO ACCEPT THE GIFT HE CAME TO GIVE WHEN WE DO THESE THINGS WE BREAK GOD’S HEART.....
JESUS AS HE RODE INTO JERUSALEM FOR THE LAST TIME WEPT BITTERLY AS HE LOOKED UPON THE CITY OF JERUSALEM WHO HAD REJECTED HIM AND HE SAID, "O JERUSALEM, JERUSALEM, HOW I’VE LONGED TO GATHER YOUR CHILDREN TOGETHER AS A HEN GATHERS HER CHICKS UNDER WINGS, BUT YOU WERE NOT WILLING..."
-- MT 23:37
THEY REJECTED HIS LOVE,GIFT AND PRESENCE AND PEOPLE STILL DO TODAY...
>> AND WE BREAK GOD’S HEART WHEN WE CARELESSLY AND WITHOUT NAY FORETHOUGHT WASTE WHAT HE HAS GIVEN TO US... I CAN THINK OF 2 THINGS THAT GOD HAS GIVEN US THAT ARE WASTED BY A MAJORITY OF HIS PEOPLE -- BECAUSE MANY OF HIS PEOPLE SEE LITTLE OR NO VALUE IN THEM....
THE WORD
GOD HAS GIVEN US HIS INSPIRED WORD << TO: GUIDE/ENCOURAGE/HELP US AND TO SHOW US THE WAY...
BUT MANY DON’T CARE TO HEAR WHAT HE HAS TO SAY....
THEY FEEL THAT GOD’S NOT WORTH LISTENING TO.....
THEY DON’T READ THE WORD AT HOME -- THEY DON’T COME TO BIBLE STUDIES
>> THEY ARE WASTING A VALUABLE GIFT THAT GOD HAS GIVEN THEM..
AND PRAYER IS ALSO WASTED
DID YOU KNOW THAT PRAYER IS GIFT THAT COST THE FATHER A GRETA DEAL TO GIVE CHRISTIANS;
"SO BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WE ARE COMPLETELY FREE TO ENTER THE MOST HOLY PLACE WITHOUT FEAR BECAUSE OF THE BLOOD OF JESUS’ DEATH... WE CAN ENTER THROUGH A NEW AND LIVING WAY THAT JESUS OPENED UP FOR US, IT LEADS THROUGH THE CURTAIN - CHRIST’S BODY.."
IT COST OUR HEAVENLY FATHER A GREAT DEAL TO GIVE US PRAYER -- THE BLOOD, DEATH AND BROKEN BODY OF HIS SON... AND IT BREAKS GOD;S HEART WHEN WE THINK NOTING OF WASTING THIS -- WHEN WE DON’T PRAY IN THE CLOSET AND WHEN WE DON’T PRAY CORPORATELY...
>> AND WE ALSO BREAK GOD’S HEART WHEN WE VIOLATE HIS COMMANDS... WHEN WE DISREGARD WHAT HE HAS TO SAY.... WHEN WE LIVE CONTRARY TO HIS WORD -- IT HURTS GOD BECAUSE OFTEN TIMES OUR ACTIONS AND DISREGARD FOR HIS PRINCIPLES TELL THAT WE DON’T LOVE HIM..."IF YOU LOVE ME, YOU’LL OBEY MY COMMANDS..." -- JOHN 14:15
CHILDREN HAVE THE POTENTIAL OF BREAKING A DAD -- OF CRUSHING THE HEART OF A FATHER.... AND WE AS GOD’S CHILDREN HAVE THAT SAME POTENTIAL... NOW LET’S TALK ABOUT HOW TO:
HOW TO MAKE A DAD
AS WE LET’S LOOK FURTHER INTO THIS STORY TO SEE HOW THIS YOUNG MAN REVERSED HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS DAD, HOW HE MADE HIS DAD GLAD....
LUKE 15:14-24
HE SOUGHT HIS FATHER’S FELLOWSHIP
THE SON HAD REJECTED HIS FATHER’S LOVE, BUT NOW HE DESIRES IT. HE GET’S INTO THE FAR OFF COUNTRY, THERE’S A FAMINE, HIS MONEY IS GONE, HE TAKES A JOB FEEDING PIGS AND HE SAYS, "WAIT A MINUTE. WHAT AM I DOING HERE? MY FATHER’S SERVANTS HAVE MORE TO EAT THAN I HAVE. I’M GOING BACK TO MY FATHER AND SAY, "I’VE BLOWN IT AND I’M SORRY."
CLIFF BARROWS SAID, THERE ARE 12 WORDS THAT HOLD A FAMILY TOGETHER. THEY ARE: I WAS WRONG, I AM SORRY, PLEAS FORGIVE ME, I LOVE YOU." WHILE THE FATHER WAS HURT WHEN HIS SON REJECTED HIM, HIS HEART WAS GLADDENED WHEN HIS SON RETURNED AND DESIRED TO BE WITH HIM -- WHEN HE CAME HOME.
A SECOND WAY HE DELIGHTED HIS FATHER WAS:
HE NOW RESPECTED HIS AUTHORITY
HAVE YOU EVER NOTICE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE WAY THE PRODIGAL SON LEFT AND THE WAY HE CAME BACK.
HE LEFT WELL DRESSED, HE CAME BACK IN RAGS
HE LEFT CLEAN, HE CAME BACK DIRTY
HE LEFT PURE, HE CAME BACK TAINTED WITH SIN
HE LEFT IN A PORCHE, HE CAME BACK IN A YUGO
HE LEFT ARROGANTLY SAYING, "GIVE ME, " HE CAME BACK HUMBLY SAYING, "MAKE ME A SERVANT."
THE SON CAME BACK WITH A HUMBLE SPIRIT; RESPECTING HIS DAD’S AUTHORITY.
IF YOU WANT TO MAKE YOUR DAD’S DAY:
SHOW HIM RESPECT.
DO WHAT HE ASKS YOU TO DO.
INSTEAD OF RIDICULING HIM AND MAKING FUN OF HIS FLAWS DEFEND AND COMPLIMENT HIM.
"CHILDREN OBEY YOUR PARENTS IN EVERYTHING FOR THIS PLEASES THE LORD..." -- COL 3:20
SHOW RESPECT FOR YOUR DAD’S AUTHORITY.
ROVERBS 23:24 SAYS, "THE FATHER OF A RIGHTEOUS MAN HAS GREAT JOY. HE WHO HAS A WISE SON DELIGHTS IN HIM."
THE 3RD WAY HE MAKES HIS FATHER JOYFUL IS IS BY TO HAVING A POSITIVE SPIRIT
WHEN THE FATHER SAW THE SON HUMBLY COMING UP THE PATH, HE RAN. THAT’S THE ONLY TIME IN THE BIBLE WHERE GOD IS PICTURED AS BEING IN A HURRY. GOD’S ALWAYS ANXIOUS TO FORGIVE. AND AS HE RACED BY THE SERVANTS HE SAID, "BRING THE SERVANTS, BRING THE RING, KILL THE CALF, FOR MY SON WHO WAS DEAD IS ALIVE. HE WAS LOST BUT IS FOUND."
NOTICE THAT THE YOUNG MAN DID NOT SAY, "DAD, I DON’T WANT TO CELEBRATE, I DON’T WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN YOUR PARTY."
YOUNG PEOPLE, IF YOU WANT TO BRING JOY TO YOUR FATHER, YOU HAVE A POSITIVE ATTITUDE IN THE HOME. MANY KIDS CAN LAUGH AND CARRY ON WITH THEIR FRIENDS; BUT THE MINUTE THEY WALK THROUGH THE DOOR AT HOME, THEIR COUNTENANCE DROOPS, IT’S LIKE THEY’RE GOING TO JAIL.
THEY GO INTO THEIR ROOMS AND HIBERNATE. THEY GRUMBLE AND THEY’RE SHORT WITH THEIR PARENTS. THEY DON’T WANT TO GO ON VACATIONS BECAUSE IT IS A BORE. BUT IT’S A REAL SIGN OF MATURITY WHEN YOU CAN BE WITH YOUR PARENTS AND HAVE A GOOD TIME/POSITIVE SPIRIT.
WE GLADDEN THE FATHER’S HEART IF WE LOVE THE BROTHER
THE NEXT SECTION OF SCRIPTURE TELLS OF THE PRODIGAL’S OLDER BROTHER WHO RESENTED THE YOUNGER BROTHER’S RETURN. HEARING THE MUSIC, THE SINGING, THE LAUGHTER, HE SAID, "WHAT’S GOING ON? THE SERVANTS SAID, "YOUR YOUNGER BROTHER HAS COME HOME, THEY’RE CELEBRATING." THE OLDER BROTHER SAID, "DAD, I’VE BEEN HOME ALL THESE YEARS. I’VE WORKED FOR YOU, BUT YOU’VE NEVER GIVEN NE A CELEBRATION." AND HE REFUSED TO GO IN. THAT HAD TO REALLY KNOCK THE WIND OUT OF THE FATHER’S SAILS..
SOME SIBLING RIVALRY IS NORMAL FOR CHILDREN. I HEARD OF TRIPLETS, 3 YOUNG BOYS WHO GOT ALONG WELL. THEY SAW EVERYTHING ALIKE. THEY WERE LOYAL TO EACH OTHER. IF SOMEBODY GOT INTO TROUBLE THEY WOULDN’T TATTLE ON EACH OTHER. A NEIGHBOR ASKED THE FATHER, "HOW IN THE WORLD DO YOU KNOW WHICH ONE TO PUNISH IF THERE’S TROUBLE?" HE SAID, "IT’S EASY. I JUST SEND ALL 3 TO BED WITHOUT THEIR SUPPER. AND THE NEXT MORNING I SPANK THE ONE WITH THE BLACK EYE. IT’S RARE THAT OUR CHILDREN DON’T BICKER WITH EACH OTHER. THAT’S NOTHING TO PANIC ABOUT. BUT IT IS A SIGN A MATURITY AND IT BRINGS JOY TO EVERY FATHER -- WHEN THEY SEE CHILDREN BEGIN TO LIVE IN HARMONY.
1. WHEN WE SEEK OUR FATHER’S FELLOWSHIP
2. WHEN WE RESPECT HIS AUTHORITY
3. WHEN YOU HAVE A POSITIVE SPIRIT
4. WHEN WE LOVE OUR BROTHERS & SISTERS
-- WE MAKE OUR DADS --
THESE ARE THE VERY THINGS THAT GLADDEN THE HEAVENLY FATHER TOO. HE WANTS US TO SEEK HIS PRESNESE TO WANT TO BE AROUND HIM --LUKE 15:7 SAYS, "THERE’S MORE JOY IN HEAVEN OVER 1 SINNER WHO REPENTS THAN OVER 99 JUST PERSONS." IF YOU WANT TO BRING DELIGHT TO THE HEART OF GOD, IF YOU’VE BEEN IN A FAR OFF COUNTRY, YOU COME BACK TO HIM...
WE ALSO DELIGHT GOD, WHEN WE RESPECT HIS AUTHORITY, SUBMIT TO HIS LORDSHIP AND ARE OBEDIENT TO HIS WORD. AND WE BRING JOY TO THE FATHER WHEN WE HAVE A POSITIVE SPIRIT IN HIS CHURCH, IF WE HAVE A CYNICAL ATTITUDE, IF WE REFUSE TO SING, IF REFUSE TO CELEBRATE, IF WE DRAG INTO GOD’S HOUSE LIKE WE’RE GOING TO HAVE A ROOT CANAL, IF THERE’S NO JOY, EXCITEMENT OR ENTHUSIASM ABOUT BEING IN THE FATHER’S PRESNESE --- THAT GRIEVES THE HEART OF THE FATHER.
THE BIBLE SAYS OVER AND OVER THAT WE ARE TO, "COME INTO HIS PRESENCE WITH SINGING, WE ARE TO COME INTO HIS PRESNESE WITH JOY." REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS AND AGAIN I SAY REJOICE." OUR POSITIVE ATTITUDE BRINGS JOY TO THE FATHER...
AND I DON’T THINK GOD IS EVER MORE PLEASED THAN WHEN WE COME TOGETHER IN HARMONY, WHEN WE LOVE HIS OTHER CHILDREN...
ABRAHAM LINCOLN WAS ONCE ASKED HOW HE WAS GOING TO TREAT THE SOUTHERNERS WHO HAD PULLED AWAY ONCE THE CIVIL WAR WAS OVER. HE SAID, "I WILL TREAT THEM AS THOUGH THEY HAD NEVER LEFT.." AND IF YOU’VE PULLED AWAY FROM GOD’S LOVE, WHEN YOU COME BACK, HE’LL TREAT YOU AS THOUGHT YOU NEVER LEFT." BUT YOU NEED TO COME BACK...
YOU KNOW, THE STORY COULD HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT. WHAT IF THE OLDER BROTHER WOULD HAVE GONE OUT LOOKING FOR HIS YOUNGER BROTHER. WHAT IF THE OLDER BROTHER SAID, "DAD, I SEE YOU STANDING ON THE HILL EVERY EVENING LOOKING FOR MY BROTHER. I KNOW THAT THERE IS AN EMPTY SEAT AT THE DINNER TABLE AND I SEE HOW THIS HURTS YOU. I HEAR YOU WEEPING AT NIGHT. AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW I’M GONNA OUT TO FIND HIM..." THEN THE OLDER SON TAKES OFF LOOKING FOR THE YOUNGER.
2 WEEKS LATER THE FATHER IS STANDING ON THE HILL AND SEES HIS 2 SONS COMING DOWN THE ROAD. THE FATHER RACES TO GREET THEM, SHOUTING TO THE SERVANTS, "BRING THE ROBE, BRING THE SANDALS, MY SON WAS LOST, BUT NOW HE’S FOUND, AND EMBRACES THE YOUNGER SON AND HE REJOICES THAT THE SON WHO WAS DEAD IS ALIVE. THEN HE STEPS BACK AND EMBRACES THE OLDER SON AND SAYS, "YOU’RE THE GREATEST BOY A FATHER COULD HAVE." THEN HE TURNS TO HIS SERVANTS AND SAYS, "DON’T JUST KILL ONE CALF KILL TWO -- BECAUSE THIS MY SON WHO WAS DEAD IS ALIVE, BUT THE PLACE OF HONOR BELONGS TO MY OLDER SON WHO BROUGHT HIM BACK.."
THIS IS HOW THE STORY MIGHT OF BEEN TOLD IF JESUS HADN’T TOLD THE STORY TO REBUKE THE PEOPLE,OF HIS DAY BECAUSE TOO OFTEN WE SHOW SO LITTLE COMPASSION FOR OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS WHO ARE LOST..
DO YOU WANT TO BRING JOY TO YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER? DO YOU WANT TO MAKE HIS DAY... HERE’S 2 WAYS WE CAN AND ONE OF THESE APPLIES TO EACH ONE HERE...
#1; IF YOU ARE IN A FAR OFF COUNTRY COME BACK HOME...
CHRISTIAN
NON CHRISTIAN
#2 IF YOU ARE ALREADY HOME, HOW ABOUT GOING OUT AND BRINGING HOME SOME OF YOUR BROTHER’S AND SISTERS, GOD’S OTHER CHILDREN WHOA RE LOST..
THAT’S A FATHER;’S DAY YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER WILL REALLY ENJOY -- YOU’LL GIVE HIM SOMETHING HE DOESN’T HAVE RIGHT NOW...
