According To Luke: A Father’s Love

According To Luke: A Father’s Love

Opening Illustration:

There is something powerful about the idea of coming home. There have been hundreds of stories throughout the centuries about men and women who seek nothing more, or desire nothing more than to simply come home. It is in our nature to desire to call some place home. I began to think of people who wanted to come home.

It was not to long ago in the sports world that LeBron James wanted to come home, come home to Cleveland. There was even an essay in Sports Illustrated about James heading back to his hometown and the piece was called “Im Coming Home”. People said that James had lost his way and that finally, he was back where he belonged. 

There are some great literary works that are all about characters coming home. One of my favorites is from J.R. Tolkin’s The Lord of the Rings. It tells the story of young Frodo Baggins who is tasked with destroying the evil ring of power. Frodo, during the entire book, longs to return to his beloved Shire.

Then there is the Iliad and the Odyssey. All about characters who desire to come home. 

What about Dorthy and Toto. All she wanted to was to go back to Kansas. 

How many of you have seen those powerful videos on Facebook and Twitter of young fathers and mothers who have been off to war and they show up at their son’s or daughter’s school as a surprise. The videos are so moving because these loved ones are finally reunited. They are finally together. This parent who was once far away is now home. 

There are some sad stories two about those who cannot return home. What about Philip Nolan who betrays his country during the Civil War. When the Union finally defeats the confederacy, a Union judge sentences Nolan to a life at sea, never to return home, never to be reunited with his family. Nolan was a man without a country. A man without a home. 

Then there is Edward Snowden. Snowden a few years back turned his back on his country, the United States of America. Snowden released national security secrets and now lives in Russia, unable to come home, unable to see his family. If he returned, he would be given a traitors welcome. 

Then we come to the Bible. We meet character after character who meet God, stray from God, think that they can never come back home and discover that God has already paved the way back for them. 

Brothers and sisters, if you hear nothing from me this morning, hear this, it is never to late to come home. It is never to late to get back to God. Your Father has already made the way, paved the path, and carved the trail. 

It’s Never To Late To Come Home!

Background

This chapter contains three linked parables that explain why Jesus associates with sinners. The linkage is evident in the terms lost and found and rejoice and celebrate.

These parables introduce the importance of sinners for Jesus, and thus for disciples. The parable's drama is built on the tension of an attempt to find something that has been lost. Anyone who has lost anything or loses anything on a regular basis can identify with this tension. In our house it is keys and the remote control for the television that most often go AWOL. At such times an all-points bulletin sends my children on a hunt for what their absent-minded father has misplaced. When it is found, all are relieved. So in these parables with the sheep and the coin.

Jesus tells these parables to tax collectors and sinners. Thus the stories offer comfort, especially in the face of the Pharisees and scribes' grumbling that Jesus welcomes sinners and eats with them. 

Luke 15:11-24 ESV

11 And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. 14 And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs 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 more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ 20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.

3 Lessons From A Father’s Love

I. A Father’s Relationship vs. 11

Luke 15:11

11 And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. 

Point:

First we need to understand that this parable that Jesus is teaching reflects the attitude and actions of His Father. So, let’s review our characters. First, the Father is God. Second, the older son represents the Pharisees. The older son feels that he alone should receive the Father’s inheritance and is frustrated that the Father would even consider giving a portion of the estate to his younger less deserving brother. The youngest brother represents two things. 

The younger brother represents first Gentiles. Gentiles were not a part of God’s family. They had no right to the spiritual inheritance that God would offer to the Jews. Next, the younger brother represented humanity in its purest form. Here we have a loving father, longing to reach his children, only to have his affections cast aside and rejected. 

This is our plight. Humanity seeking to chase after meaningless things believing that this sort of living can somehow replace God’s love. We have God wanting to have a deep relationship with us and the only thing that we can think about is removing the Father’s authority from our lives. 

Point:

So, let’s back up. Now that we understand the who the characters are and who they represent, I want to point out to you that at the story’s core we have a Father seeking to have a relationship not with one son but with both sons. 

In this relationship we have several qualities brought to light. 

We have a Father longing to connect to his sons. 

Illustration: Connecting With Dad

“almost 75 percent of American children living in fatherless households will experience poverty before the age of eleven, compared to only 20 percent of those raised by two parents. Children living in homes where fathers are absent are far more likely to be expelled from or drop out of school, develop emotional or behavioral problems, commit suicide, and fall victim to child abuse or neglect. The males are also far more likely to become violent criminals. As a matter of fact, men who grew up without dads currently represent 70 percent of the prison population serving long-term sentences.”

Point:

A good Father longs to connect to his sons. 

Dads, our first job as Fathers is to connect with our children. There is a level of vulnerability in the Father that opens him up to both love and pain. He clearly loves his sons but in that love we see that both boys have the ability to hurt him. This is the downfall of fatherhood. When it comes to our kids, we love them more than anything and perhaps there is no one in the world that can potentially hurt us more than them.   However, in spite of the dangers of being hurt and disappointed, we connect. We love. We have compassion and we show tenderness to our children in the same way that God loves and shows tenderness to us. 

Second, one of the biggest things that jumps out to me is the lack of judgement and condemnation that the Father gives to his youngest son. While there is no doubt pain associated with the younger sons desire, the Father does not cast his hurt on his son. Now the oldest boy does, but not the Father. The Father never loses his sense of compassion and love. 

The Father, while disappointed in his son’s actions, ever gives up on his child. We will talk about that more in the second point. However, I will say that Dads are often disappointed in the decisions of their children. In the course of my ministry I have spoken to many upset Fathers who have become disheartened with the choices of their sons and daughters. My response is always the same: Don’t give up on them. Keep praying for them. Keep loving them. 

What a glorious example of Fatherhood this Dad displays to his son. His first and chief desire is to connect with his children. Even in the face of rejection, this Father keeps the door to his heart open and forgiveness is always on his tongue. 

Point:

One of my favorite Old Testament books is Jeremiah. Jeremiah chronicles the path of a people running from God. These Israelites have chased after different spiritual relationships. They have not sought God’s blessings but worldly blessings. 

For the record, there are always consequences when we seek after such things. After all, the son that abandons the Father in this parable signs up for starvation and suffering when he leaves the Father. Nevertheless, Jeremiah leaves the door open for this wayward people much in the same way that Jesus leaves the door open for the Prodigal Son. Listen to what Jeremiah says.

Jeremiah 31:3 ESV

The Lord appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.  

Even though the Lord appeared to Israel from far away, it was not because the Lord moved. The son may have appeared far away to the Father but the Father never moved either. Brothers and sisters, God is a fixed point in the Universe. He never moves, never sleeps, never abandons His post. It is you and I who leave the protective wings of our Father. 

God’s relationship with us is this, He loves us even though we may be distant from Him. Even when we have not been faithful to Him, he has been faithful to us. 

Point:

The Father in this story displays the love, joy and pain that comes along with being a Dad. Dad’s don’t give up on your children. Dad’s maybe today you need to come back home to your Father. No, not your earthly Dad, but your spiritual Dad. 

3 Lessons From A Father’s Love

I. A Father’s Relationship vs. 11 

II. A Father’s Release vs. 11-13

Luke 15:11-32 ESV

11 And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. 

Point:

One of the most fascinating things about God is that He will release His children to themselves. Meaning, that if we do not want God’s love, we are free to reject God’s love. Theologically we call this free will. We see this displayed in the garden when Adam and Eve chose to rebel against God and go their own way. After their rebellion, there is consequence. Adam you and Even can no longer live in the garden and you will now live a life of suffering and pain. Then after they suffer the consequence, we see a path to redemption through sacrifice. 

We see this pattern over and over and over throughout the pages of the Bible. 

Rebellion. Consequence. Redemption. 

We see this truth powerfully displayed in Jesus’ parable concerning the Prodigal Son. God allows us to run. He does not force Himself upon us. He does not make us choose Him. God did not create us to be robots. He created us with the ability to make free will decisions. He created us to choose either to love Him or create Him knowing that true love is only grounded in the bedrock of choice. Without choice there is no love. 

Point:

Even though the Father grants to his youngest son his request, the Father’s hand is not far off. The son demands his portion of the inheritance. A request in this day and age akin to telling your Father that he is better off dead and that you are better off without him and better off with his money. Dad I do not love you any more, I just want the money. 

Hurtful on so many levels. 

The Father, like God, grants the request. If you don’t want God’s presence in your life, okay. Scary but okay. Certainly his motive in removing his presence and favor is to help people realize how good he is by how bad their lives will become without him. Like the father to the prodigal son, God really does let us go when we want to run away, but he certainly always hopes we will come to our senses and come back to him.

Romans 1:24

So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other's bodies.

Point:

Father’s have been tasked with being the corrective hand on their children’s lives. For a time, we men have the hand on the rudder that directs where our children go. However, as our kids get older, our grip begins to get weaker. This is not that we are weak men, this is just the nature of life. As children age, their freedom grows. With freedom, mistakes often follow. Some mistakes will last a life time while others are brief. 

At some point our children will make their own decisions. Their faith will become their own and some might even abandon faith all together. What is our job as Fathers? Release. There is a time to correct and hold on, and there is a time to let go. It is hard to know when that time is but it comes for all Fathers. 

We have to love like our Heavenly Father loves, open and compassionately. Yes it hurts but we cannot force our children to love us. Sure, we can force obedience for a time, but like the Prodigal son, eventually we will let go. 

Letting go by the way does not mean giving up. Letting go does not mean that the door is closed. Letting go in many ways is the ultimate act of allow our prodigals to come home. 

It is always the Father’s heart that His son will return home. When it comes to the Father, it is never to late to come home. 

Illustration: Never Been Away

THE FATHER’S REACTION TO THE PRODIGAL SON AND HIS ELDER SON MIRRORS THE ANSWER ABRAHAM LINCOLN GAVE TO A QUESTION HE WAS ASKED ABOUT HOW HE WOULD TREAT THE ALL 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."

Psalm 139:7-10 ESV

Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? 8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! 9 If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,10 even there your hand shall lead me and your right hand shall hold me.

I. A Father’s Relationship vs. 11 

II. A Father’s Release vs. 11-13

III. A Father’s Run vs. 20

Luke 15:20 ESV

20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.

Point:

The son demands his inheritance. Dad I wish you were dead. The Father, because he cannot force his love on his son, relents and allows his son to choose death over life. For a time, the son is happy. Then, sin has its way and consequences set in. The son, realizes the error of his way and longs to come home. We see demonstrated in Scripture on of the most beautiful actions in the Bible. While a long way off, the Father, having never taken his eyes off the road see his son. The Father stands and runs to his son. When he comes to his son, he embraces him and kisses him. What was once lost is now found. The son is home and the Father is happy. 

The Father, in one of the greatest act in human history, restores the son to what he thought that he could never have ever again. Connection. Inheritance. Love. All restored. 

There is something beautiful about a Father running to his son. There is something beautiful about a Father carrying a son when the son cannot walk.  

The Father in this story is a picture of Christ the Redeemer. 

“God didn’t run,” you might say. “It’s just a parable.” True, but because this story is told by Jesus, it takes on greater importance. Parables were often used by Jesus to teach a spiritual truth. I’ll get to that point in a moment, but first let’s not overlook what Jesus said about the father. Twice in the parable the father says that his son was dead and is now alive again. “‘It was right that we should make merry and be glad’,” the father says to his son’s older brother, “For your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found’.”

Clearly, this is a parable about salvation. But it offers a message of hope that goes beyond salvation. There are many who are lost and think they have gone too far to ever be known as a child of God. This parable is a reminder of what three-time Southern Baptist Convention president and now deceased Memphis mega church pastor Adrian Rogers said, “None is so good he need not be saved and none is so bad he cannot be saved.”

Interestingly, we are often taught that God doesn’t move. It is we who move. But the spiritual truth Jesus emphasized in this parable is God will literally run to save us. Indeed, he will meet us halfway.

Illustration: My Redeemer Lives

I am going to close this morning with a video illustration about the Hoyts. Dick Hoyt was a competitive iron man athlete and his son Rick accompanied his Father during the competitions. I believe that this video will make a great deal of sense especially after the sermon this morning. 

Just remember, you have a redeemer. A running redeemer who longs to have a relationship with you, who wants to connect with you and He will never give up on you. 

I John 3:1 NLT

See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are!

Come Home To The Father!