A FATHER WHO DESERVED BETTER
11 Then He said: "A certain man had two sons.
12 "And the younger of them said to his father, ’Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood.
13 "And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.
14 "But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want.
15 "Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
16 "And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine 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 bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
18 ’I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you,
19 "and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants."
20 "And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.
21 "And the son said to him, ’Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 "But the father said to his servants, ’Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.
23 ’And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry;
24 ’for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.
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 "So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant.
27 "And he said to him, ’Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’
28 "But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him.
29 "So he answered and said to his father, ’Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends.
30 ’But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’
31 "And he said to him, ’Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.
32 ’It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.” Luke 15:11-32 (NKJV)
Our Lord used this parable to set forth the love, compassion and provision of the heavenly Father. It also tells how God deals with the disappointments caused by His children. In this parable, the father had two sons…both were disappointing: one by his actions; the other by his attitude.
Keep in mind that both these young men were their father’s sons by birth, their father’s children, and not some other relationship. Their relationship with the father did not change just because their ways were a disappointment to him.
The younger son was just as much that father’s son in the hog pen as he was before he left home or after he had returned home. So with the older son. He did not sever his relationship to his father because of his greed, jealousy and covetousness.
In the case of the younger son, it was fellowship with his father that had been lost. In the case of the older son, the fellowship with the father was strained by his unbecoming attitude.
I. WHAT WE LEARN ABOUT OUR HEAVENLY FATHER FROM THIS FATHER’S DEALINGS WITH HIS YOUNGER SON.
The father in the parable typifies our heavenly Father in the following ways.
A. He Amply Supplied The Needs Of His Children:
“So he divided to them his livelihood.”
Parallel: Now consider our heavenly Father commitment to supply our needs.
“And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19 (NKJV)
"Therefore do not worry, saying, ’What shall we eat?’ or ’What shall we drink?’ or ’What shall we wear?’
For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Matthew 6:31-33 (NKJV).
B. He Granted To His Children The Freedom To Make Their Own Decisions.
"And the younger of them said to his father, ’Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood.” Luke 15:12.
Parallel: Now consider our heavenly Father’s granting this freedom to everyone today.
“And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.” Revelation 22:17 (NKJV)
C. He Was A Concerned Father:
"When he was a great way off, his father saw him."
Parallel: Now consider the great concern our heavenly Father has for every one of us.
“The Lord is … longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” II Peter 3:9 (NKJV)
D. He Was A Compassionate Father:
“…and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.”
Parallel: Now consider the great compassion our heavenly Father has for us.
“But He, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and did not destroy them. Yes, many a time He turned His anger away, And did not stir up all His wrath; For He remembered that they were but flesh, A breath that passes away and does not come again.” Psalms 78:38-39 (NKJV)
E. He Was a Forgiving Father:
“bring out the best robe and put it on him. And put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.”
Parallel: Now consider the all-inclusive forgiveness our heavenly Father offers us in Christ Jesus.
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” I John 1:9 (NKJV).
II. WHAT WE LEARN ABOUT OUR HEAVENLY FATHER FROM THIS FATHER’S DEALINGS WITH HIS OLDER SON.
A. He Was Tender And Compassionate:
“Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him.”
Parallel: Our Lord is tender and compassionate toward us.
“But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.” Matthew 9:36 (NKJV)
B. He Was Reassuring:
“Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.”
Parallel: Consider the assurance our heavenly Father gives to His children.
“…For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9b
C. He Reasoned With His Son:
“It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.”
Parallel: God invites His children to “reason with Him”.
"Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD, "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Isaiah 1:18 (NKJV)
CONCLUSION: The father in the parable deserved better…and our heavenly Father deserves better! We should not trample under foot the goodness of God as did the younger son his father nor should we angrily pout and complain when our heavenly Father’s loving favor is shown to another of His children as did the older son.
