Today is father’s day. There will be much said about fathers on this day. We will reflect on our fathers, what they did for us and what they mean to us. It is an important day that we should always remember. All of us have special memories that we turn to on this day. A few days ago I read about three boys who were comparing their fathers. One of them said: my father is a great professor. When he is talking about a subject he is so smart only 10 people in the world can understand him! The second boy said: my father is a great brain surgeon, when he is talking about his surgery only 5 people in the whole world can understand what he is saying. The third boy said: my father is a pastor, when he is preaching nobody can understand what he is saying. (Contributed to Sermon Central by Paul Fritz) All of us think there is no father like our father.
I want to lead you in examining a father who is like none other. Our text is Luke 15:11-24. This story is a parable. The parable represents God’s dealings with man. The prodigal represents man and how he responds to God. The father represents God and how he responds to man. The father in this passage is a father who is like none other. In examining this passage I want to celebrate our Heavenly Father and his response to us. In addition, I want to share some insights into how we can be better fathers. Finally, I want us to see how to relate to other people. From this passage we learn four characteristics of a father who is like none other.
1. A father like none other loves with a liberating love . Notice the text. The younger of two sons comes to his father. As he comes he asks his father for his share of the inheritance. This is the ultimate disrespect. Generally speaking, an inheritance is given out at the death of the father. It is as if this young prodigal is pronouncing a death verdict on his father. In this instance we see the first characteristic of a model father and his love.
A model father loves with a liberating love. Notice what the father does. "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.” (vs. 12, NKJV) He releases his son. One of the points we learn from this parable is that God releases those who turn their backs on Him. It is somewhat frightening to comprehend that if you turn your back on God he will let you go. God could keep us close through other means but he does not. He releases us.
• God could force us into submission when we want to wander away.
Illustrations: This is what the Soviets tried to do with their citizens. They raised a barrier (which was both physical and psychological), called the iron curtain, that was intended to force their citizens into submission. They thought that by suppression they could control their people.
• God could manipulate us into submission when we want to wander away.
Illustration: I once shared a story about a five year old boy who was trying to convince his younger sister to give him a toy which he wanted. The younger sister was extremely possessive. In frustration, after coaxing and pleading to no avail, he screamed at his younger sister, “If you don’t let me play with it, Jesus won’t love you anymore.” That is manipulation.
Dear friend, it breaks the heart of God when one of his children wanders away from Him. However, he will not force, coerce or manipulate his love in order to appease you. He appeals to you in love. He is doing that today.
There may be someone here today who has wandered away from God. He yearns for you. He appeals to you. He loves you. He wants you to come home. Understand, he will not force you. His love releases you to make your own decision.
As parents, one of the hardest things we do is to love our children with a liberating love. It is hard to let them make decisions that may not be in their best interest. It is hard to let them learn by trial and error.
Illustration: When our boys were small they enrolled in the boy scouts for a year. They, like many young scouts, went through the soap box racer thing. The boy scouts and their dads are supposed to build a soap box racer. It ends up that the dads build the racer and give their son the credit. Problem is, when we build the car the boy does not learn anything.
This principle is also true in the church. Some people think the way to grow a healthy church is to ride shotgun on it. They think you should control the finances, the committees and micro-manage every aspect of the church. Most dying churches are churches where the members think they have to control everything.
2. A father like none other loves with a compassionate love. Notice verse 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.” Even though his son broke his heart the father continued to love his son with a compassionate love. Even though he did not agree with his son’s actions he seemed to understand his son’s behavior and feel for him when he made bad choices. This is the essence of what God has done for us. He sees us make bad choices. He sees us reject His love.
I think a key word is the word “understand.” Heb. 4:15-16 tells us that God understands our struggles. “This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, since he had the same temptations we do” (TLB)
Illustration: I read a story some years ago that touched my heart. A farmer made a sign advertising some puppies he had for sale. As he was nailing the sign to the post in his yard he felt a tug on his overalls. He looked down and saw a little boy with a big grin and something in his hand.
“Mister,” he said, “I want to buy one of your puppies.
The farmer replied, “These puppies come from fine parents and cost a great deal of money.”
The boy dropped his head for a moment, looked back up at the farmer, and said, “I’ve got 39 cents. Is that enough to take a look?”
“Sure,” said the farmer. Then he whistled and called out: “Dolly! Come here, Dolly!”
Out from the doghouse and down the ramp ran Dolly, followed by four little balls of fur. The little boy’s eyes lit up with glee. Then out from the doghouse came another little furry ball, but this one was much smaller. Down the ramp it slipped in a feeble attempt to catch up with the others. It hobbled because it was born with two badly deformed hind legs.
The little boy looked at the puppy and said, “I want that puppy.”
The farmer knelt down and said: “Son, you don’t want that puppy. He will never be able to run and play like the other puppies.”
The little boy reached down and slowly pulled up one leg of his pants. He revealed a steel brace attached to a specially made shoe. He looked up at the farmer and said, “Mister, I’ll never be able to run with the other boys either, and that little puppy will need somebody who understands.”
People are like the puppy. They need someone who understands. (Proclaim magazine; July-September 1997; p. 28; contributed by Greg Potts)
3. A father like none other loves with an un-conditional love. Look at the text. While living in the far country the young prodigal had a change of heart. Notice what he said, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you”. (vs. 18) He was sorry for his sin! He repented of his wrong choices! Did his father ever stop loving him? Notice verse 20 “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.” Does that sound like a father who no longer loved his son? Even after this young prodigal went to the far country; even after he had squandered his share of the father’s estate; even after he had rejected his father’s love, his father still loved him. That is what you call un-conditional love. That is the way God loves us.
Unconditional love loves in spite of the other person’s actions or accomplishments. That is how God loves us. Nothing you do will ever stop God from loving you.
Illustration: Greg Louganis recorded an unprecedented double/double in Olympic diving when he won gold medals in the men’s 3-meter springboard and platform competition in both the 1984 and 1988 Olympics. Few will ever forget how he fought back in 1988. In the springboard event he missed one dive and hit the board with his head. Physicians stitched his cut, and he went on to win. In the platform diving he won the gold on his final performance with an incredible reverse three-and-a-half somersault tuck. It was a breathtaking finish that brought Americans to their feet. It was the same dive that clinched the gold for Louganis in the ’84 games. When reporters hounded him in Los Angeles he gave them a very unusual response. They asked, "What were you thinking about as you prepared for your final dive?" Maybe they were referring to the pressure, or to the fact that that dive is extremely dangerous and killed a Soviet diver just a year before in 1983. Louganis’ simple answer was, "I was thinking that no matter what happens, my mother will still love me." When Greg was just eleven, he became very frustrated at his diving performance in an early and important meet. Frances Louganis took her son aside and said, "I do not come to see you win. I come to see you dive. Just do your best. I will love you no matter what." That unconditional love carried her son to forty-three national diving titles, six Pan-American gold medals, five world championships, one Olympic silver medal, and four Olympic golds. Unconditional love can cause anyone to excel. ( Reader’s Digest, June 1988, p. 163-170… Contributed to Sermon Central by Ian Biss)
Parents, the greatest challenge we face is loving our children with an unconditional love. Even if they do not make straight A’s they should know that we love them. Even if they do not make the all star team they should know that we love them.
Illustration: Someone has said there are 3 kinds of love.
“If love”- if you do what I want I will love
you.
“Because love”- I will love you because of
what you do.
“Anyhow love”- I will love you regardless of
what you do to me.
4. A father like none other loves with a restoring love. Notice verse 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.” After the prodigal had rejected his father’s love and goodness the father still loved him. Not only did he love his son but he desired to restore him to full standing in the family.
Illustration: Judy and I have an old trunk that we had restored. This trunk came out of my grandmothers smoke house in Louisiana. At one point the trunk was a new trunk. It was shiny and bright. However, over the years wear and tear caused it to lose it’s luster. When we found it, it did not look too good. It had broken latches. It had faded wood. It creaked with the sound of dry and cracking wood and leather. After sending it through the restoration process it is as good as new.
That is how God treats us. We were created as His unique and beautiful possession. However, through a process of rebellion and sin we tarnish God’s choice creation. Through our own willful rebellion we turn away from God. In spite of our sin God wants to restore us to usefulness in His service.
What does God do when he restores us?
A. He forgives. In our text the father forgave the son for his rebellion and alienation.
The Bible says “"Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” (Is. 1:18 NKJV)
If you have been away from God he wants to restore you. He wants to forgive you and bring you back into His family.
B. This restoring love treats the wandering child as if he has never been away.
Illustration: The father’s reaction to the prodigal son mirrors the answer Abraham Lincoln gave to a question he was asked about how he would treat the confederate soldiers once the civil war was over.
Expecting vengeance and even thoughts of execution because of treason, Lincoln surprised all of them by saying, “I will treat them as if they had never been away.”
(Contributed to Sermon Central by Charles Mallory)
We serve a God who is like none other! He loves us with a liberating love. He loves us with a compassionate love. He loves us with an unconditional love. He loves us with a restoring love. Will you respond to His invitation?
