-Father’s Day 2024-

 -Father’s Day 2024-

Opening Statement:

Good morning brothers and sisters. I hope that you are doing well and that you are all enjoying this wonderful Father's Day. You know, Father’s Day has always been special to me. No, not just because I am a Dad. No. Father’s Day has always been special to me because it is an annual reminder to celebrate, to praise, and to worship the ultimate Father, our Heavenly Father. There are tons of Scriptures dedicated to the praise and worship, the adoration of God our Father. 

Alan Bell

Psalm 95:1-2 NIV 

* "Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song."

Byron Sherman

1 Chronicles 29:11 ESV 

* "Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all."

Laura Johnson

Psalm 100:4 NKJV 

"Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name."

Deborah Smith

Revelation 4:11 NLT 

"You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created all things, and they exist because you created what you pleased."

Juan Joy

Psalm 150:6 KJV 

"Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord."

Josh Raybon

Isaiah 25:1 CSV

"Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you. I will praise your name, for you have accomplished wonders, plans formed long ago, with perfect faithfulness."

Amy Abercrombie

Hebrews 13:15 NRSV 

"Through him, then, let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name."

That is just a few! There are so many more. You know, when I stop to think about God on Father's Day, I can’t help but praise Him for His grace. Boy, I just look back at my life and Satan reminds me of all the times that I have failed. He whispers all my wrongs. He speaks to me about my shortcomings. He talks to me about all the times that I chose temptation over turning from sin. I’m gripped with guilt. When I  peer into my past I see all the stumbles, all the failures, the mistakes and missteps. 

Ephesians 2:4-5 AMP 

But God, being [so very] rich in mercy, because of His great and wonderful love with which He loved us, [5] even when we were [spiritually] dead and separated from Him because of our sins, He made us [spiritually] alive together with Christ (for by His grace-His undeserved favor and mercy-you have been saved from God's judgment).

I’d be lost without it. Searching in the darkness. If not for God’s grace, grace greater than all my sin, I’d still be His enemy to this very day. 

Certainly! Here are the lyrics to the hymn "Grace Greater Than Our Sin":

**Grace Greater Than Our Sin**

Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,

Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt!

Yonder on Calvary's mount outpoured,

There where the blood of the Lamb was spilled.

Grace, grace, God's grace,

Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;

Grace, grace, God's grace,

Grace that is greater than all our sin!

Sin and despair, like the sea waves cold,

Threaten the soul with infinite loss;

Grace that is greater, yes, grace untold,

Points to the refuge, the mighty cross.

Grace, grace, God's grace,

Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;

Grace, grace, God's grace,

Grace that is greater than all our sin!

Dark is the stain that we cannot hide;

What can avail to wash it away?

Look! There is flowing a crimson tide;

Whiter than snow you may be today.

Grace, grace, God's grace,

Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;

Grace, grace, God's grace,

Grace that is greater than all our sin!

Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace,

Freely bestowed on all who believe!

You that are longing to see His face,

Will you this moment His grace receive?

Grace, grace, God's grace,

Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;

Grace, grace, God's grace,

Grace that is greater than all our sin!

What does “Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace” look like? I mean, we sing these songs about God but do we truly understand His grace, His forgiveness, the depth of His love? Do we really fathom how far our Father went? Do we understand the length of His love for you and I?

Illustration:

In 2006, in a small Amish community in Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania, a horrific tragedy struck. Do you remember what happened? A gunman entered an Amish schoolhouse and took the lives of five young girls before taking his own life. The community was devastated, grappling with the loss and the violence that had shattered their peaceful lives.

In the days following the tragedy, the Amish community did something that shocked the world. They reached out to the family of the gunman, Charles Roberts. The Amish community, including the families of the victims, extended their hands in forgiveness to the shooter's widow, parents, and children. They attended Roberts' funeral. The victims prayed at his graveside, one after the other. Their tears washing over the lid of the casket of the man who murdered their daughters. They hugged his family members, and even set up a charitable fund for his widow and children.

One of the fathers, Chris, who daughter was murdered in cold blood, was asked how he could forgive such an unimaginable act. He replied that their faith called them to forgive, and that holding on to anger and resentment would only bring more pain and suffering. He spoke of the grace and forgiveness that God extends to all, and how it was their duty to reflect that same grace, even in the face of such a terrible loss.

Brothers and sisters, that’s the impact of grace! What good is grace if it is never extended? What good is grace if it never receives the scurrilous, the shameful or the slanderous? Oh friends, grace is our teacher this morning and we have a lot to learn. In fact, that is the title of my message this morning. Today we are going to be reading one of the most scandalous ridiculous stories of grace in the entire Bible. We are going to dig into Luke 15:11-32, the parable of the Prodigal son. Today’s message is entitled “The Heart of a Father: Lessons From The Prodigal Son”. 

Do me a favor this morning. Fill in the blanks under 

“Today’s Thought”. 

Take heart! Be hopeful. It’s never to lave to come home! 

Friends, that’s the beauty of forgiveness. In fact, that is what make’s God’s mercy so amazing. Amazing grace! God leaves the door open. He keeps the lights on. He sits on the porch awaiting your return. He invites you to come home. No strings attached. No bait and switch. No double-cross. Come home son! I’m waiting for you. I love you. Your room is available. Your bed is made. Your spot at my table awaits you. Just come home. 

Illustration:

Friends, have you ever heard the story of Paco and his father. The story takes place in Madrid, Spain. We don’t know the name of Paco’s dad, but we do know that Paco was a young man and he got into a horrible fight with his father. Harsh words were spoken. Raised voices, Violent body language. Heated threats. It was a terrible day. Paco, after the fight, stormed out of his father’s home. 

“I’m never coming home again. I don’t ever want to see you again. I don’t want to speak to you ever again. I don’t love you. I wish you were dead!”

These were the last words that Paco spoke to his father. 

Paco’s father was heartbroken at the words of his young son. Hours turned to days. Days turned to weeks. Weeks turned to months. Paco’s father grieved over the absence of his son. He wept bitterly everyday that Paco was not home. He prayed for his son, begging God to forgive him and asking God to bring Paco home. In a desperate attempt to find Paco, the father started going door to door.

He visited his neighbors, looking for his son. He called Paco’s friends. 

“Do you know where my son is, can you help me find him? I want him to come home.”

Nothing. It was as if Paco had disappeared. Paco’s father became desperate. 

Paco’s father visited the local newspaper. He decided that he would put an ad in the newspaper. Maybe his son would read the ad and come home. This was the ad that Paco’s father placed in the paper. 

“Paco, meet me at the Hotel Montana at noon on Tuesday. 
All is forgiven! Love, Papa.”

The anxious father walked into the Hotel Montana on Tuesday at noon, and came face-to-face with 800 men of different ages all named Paco who were hoping for forgiveness from their Papa.

Oh friends, everyone is in need of grace. Everyone needs to be forgiven. That is the message of the prodigal son. It is never to late to come home. It is never to late to be embraced by the love of your Father. 

One of my all time favorite books is called “The Ragamuffin Gospel” by Brennan Manning. The book was written all the way back in 1990. The first time I read the book I was in 7th grade. My small group leader, a guy named John Hibbard bought it for me and read it with me. It changed my life. I was reading through it the other day and came across this quote. I just loved it. 

"The story of the prodigal son is the story of every human being who has ever lived and who will ever live. It is the story of a compassionate father who runs to embrace his child, not because the child deserves it, but because the father’s love is boundless.”

Do you agree with me this morning that the Father’s love is boundless? Oh it’s boundless, breaking boundaries, beautiful. God’s grace builds bridges, brings people back to life, blesses, and bear’s witness to the truth! Breathtaking, benevolent…boundless grace!

Again, we are reading this morning from Luke 15:11-32. I want to take a moment and set up the context. I want to give you the background for what we are about to read. 

Background and Context:

Picture this: Jesus, surrounded by tax collectors, sinners, Pharisees, and scribes, launches into a trio of tales that shake the foundations of our understanding of God’s love. This parable is the grand finale!

Imagine a young man demanding his inheritance, leaving home, and wasting his wealth in reckless living. When he hits rock bottom, feeding pigs and starving, he decides to return home, hoping to be accepted as a servant. But what does his father do? He sees his son from a distance, runs to him, embraces him, and celebrates his return with a feast. This father’s incredible grace and love mirror our Heavenly Father’s boundless love for us, always ready to welcome us back with open arms, no matter how far we’ve strayed.

What a beautiful story! I love it. 

I do want to remind you this morning that…

Statement of Belief:

We believe the Bible to be inspired, God breathed, infallible, and authoritative. We believe the Bible is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training believer’s in righteousness. God’s Word gives life. It provides peace in trouble and protection in tribulation. It is alive, active, and cuts to the core of the human soul. Since there is no other book like it, let us stand to show our reverence and respect.  

Today’s Sermon Title:

“The Heart of a Father: Lessons From The Prodigal Son”

Today’s Thought:

Take Heart! Be Hopeful! It’s Never To Late To Come Home!

Today’s Quote:

"The story of the prodigal son is the story of every human being who has ever lived and who will ever live. It is the story of a compassionate father who runs to embrace his child, not because the child deserves it, but because the father’s love is boundless." 

-Brennan Manning from “The Ragamuffin Gospel”

Today’s Scripture:


Luke 15:11-32 NLT 

To illustrate the point further, Jesus told them this story: "A man had two sons. [12] The younger son told his father, 'I want my share of your estate now before you die.' So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons. [13] "A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living. [14] About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve. [15] He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. [16] The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything. [17] "When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, 'At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! [18] I will go home to my father and say, "Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, [19] and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant."' [20] "So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. [21] His son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.' [22] "But his father said to the servants, 'Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. [23] And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, [24] for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.' So the party began. [25] "Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house, [26] and he asked one of the servants what was going on. [27] 'Your brother is back,' he was told, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf. We are celebrating because of his safe return.' [28] "The older brother was angry and wouldn't go in. His father came out and begged him, [29] but he replied, 'All these years I've slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends. [30] Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the fattened calf!' [31] "His father said to him, 'Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours. [32] We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!'"

Pastor: “This is the Word of the Lord.”

Congregation: “Praise His name! Praise His Holy name!”

3 Powerful Perspectives From The Prodigal’s Point of View

Perspective One: We Learn About Rebellion vs. 11-13

This morning we are going to learn three powerful perspectives from the prodigal’s point of view. The first perspective this morning, perspective one, we learn about rebellion. We see this powerfully illustrated in verses 11-13. 

Luke 15:11-13 NLT 

To illustrate the point further, Jesus told them this story: "A man had two sons. [12] The younger son told his father, 'I want my share of your estate now before you die.' So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons. [13] "A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living.

The rebellion of the youngest son runs deep as rebellion always does. Rebellion always leaves in it’s wake misery and misfortune. In these days, it was terribly inappropriate for the youngest son to demand his share of his father's inheritance. For starters, the inheritance was given to the eldest son and it was the job of the eldest son to serve as the manager of his father’s estate. The eldest son would serve as the executor of the estate. The youngest son had no right to demand anything concerning the estate of his father. In doing so, he wronged and betrayed the trust of his brother. Next, by demanding the inheritance, he was revealing his true thoughts of his father. Think about it friends, when do you receive an inheritance? That’s right! You receive an inheritance when a loved one dies. The youngest son was communicating to his father that he wished his dad dead, really desiring financial freedom over a relationship with his father. 

This young son was exhausted by living under his father’s protection. He was fatigued by all the rules. Bored with his father’s boundaries. Like many young people, this boy was blinded by pursing his own pleasures, hungry for fame, pining for power. He heard the call of the city and that call was more powerful than the pull of his father. 

Oh friends, rebellion has unintended ripple effects…consequences. The youngest son vacated his responsibilities when he left home. When he left, he left all the work and management to fall on the shoulders of his brother, his father, and the rest of the family. Know this, rebellions are always built on the scaffolding of selfishness and self indulgence. Know this young people, rebellion is like a wild animal that demands to be fed. Rebellion is like a terrible addiction that has to be met minute by minute and day by day. Rebellion is all consuming. A terrible disease. 

Rebellion promises to serve you, to make you God. The terrible reality of rebellion is that it makes you a slave, puts you in chains, and leaves you in bondage. 

Sometimes one of the worst things that God can do is to grant us our desires. The father relents, gives the son the desires of his heart, and the son leaves. He heads off for the bright lights of the city. He is greeted by fake friends and loved by sycophants that use him and bleed him dry. This young man dives head first into all types of sexual and immoral sin. Go back and read verse 13.

"A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living.

Other translations say it a bit differently: he wasted his fortune in reckless and immoral living, and there he wasted his fortune in reckless and loose (without restraint) living, he wasted his substance with riotous living, he squandered his estate in foolish living. 

I think that you are getting the picture. This man had pursued every empty relationship. He had become a drunkard. He committed sexual acts with multiple partners. 

Again, how do I know this? Go to the Greek. 

The word being used for “wild living” is as-o'-toce (Ass-oh-tose). The Greek word, if you look a bit deeper, means vice, corruption, shamelessly immoral, hedonistic, and perverted. 

You name it, the young son had given himself to it. Now the money was out. That’s the thing about sin. That’s the deal with rebellion. Sin will take you farther than you want to go. It will keep you longer than you want to stay. It will cost you more than you want to pay. 

This man’s rebellion had left him with the pigs. All of his friends had abandoned him. The money was gone. So unwise this man was with his money that he was now homeless. He was starving. Just to eat, he hired himself out to a pig farmer. He fed the pigs and because of his starvation, he ate the slop that the pigs ate. Naturally, you probably already know that in Jewish culture, pigs were considered grossly unclean. 

I think that Jesus is communicating to us that this man’s insides looked like is outside situation. Dirty. Destitute. Downcast. Depressed and discouraged. 

Friends, that’s what rebellion does to you. It leaves you poor. Wretched. A wreck. 

Brothers and sisters, that’s all of us at some point in our lives. We are all guilty of rebellion. Listen to what the prophet Isaiah states in chapter 53 verse 6. 

Isaiah 53:6 ESV 

"All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all."

3 Powerful Perspectives From The Prodigal’s Point of View

Perspective One: We Learn About Rebellion vs. 11-13

Perspective Two: We Learn About Repentance vs. 17-19

So, we learn about rebellion. Now, let’s learn about repentance. 

Luke 15:17-19 NLT 

"When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, 'At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! [18] I will go home to my father and say, "Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, [19] and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant."'

Illustration:

I love the story of John Newton. Newton was born in 1725 in London. As an adult, John Newton was heavily involved in the transatlantic slave trade. Newton would regularly journey to Africa where he would go on expeditions to capture and enslave African men, women and children. He would regularly tear families apart, separating young women from their new born children. If men tried to run or set themselves free, Newton would call for their beating. 

These beatings would regularly leave the slave disfigured and deformed. Newton’s heart was hard. Made of stone. He reveled gleefully as black men and women entered his boats with hand and leg irons on. He saw flesh, bone and blood as simple dollars and cents. Slaves were just money to be made in John Newton’s eyes. Newton was as evil as a man could be. 

It was not always that way however. Newton grew up with a loving mother. She took him to church. She taught him about Jesus. She read to him the Bible and even had him memorize Scripture as a young child. Sadly, when John was 7 years old, she died. Her death left him in the care of his father, a sailor and slave trader in his own right. John Newton was sailing the high seas by the age of 8. By the time he was an adult, he was a hardened, course, and cursing sailor. 

John Newton lived much of his life as a dishonorable man. Even though he was pressed into service with the Royal Navy, he deserted and was severely punished. His contemporaries viewed him as a coward. He was hated by everyone and was regularly made fun of because of his desertion. Newton's life spiraled into a pattern of disobedience and immorality. Eventually, he found himself working again on slave ships, transporting enslaved Africans to the Americas. During this time, Newton was known for his profanity, cruelty, and lack of religious conviction.

In 1748, while returning to England aboard the ship Greyhound, Newton encountered a violent storm that threatened to sink the vessel. In a moment of desperation, he called out to God for mercy. The ship survived the storm, and this experience marked the beginning of Newton's spiritual transformation.

Newton began to read the Bible, gradually feeling a deep sense of guilt and remorse for his involvement in the slave trade. He repented of his past sins and sought to change his ways. Eventually, he left the sea and, after several years of studying theology, was ordained as an Anglican priest in 1764.

As a pastor, Newton was known for his heartfelt sermons and his commitment to helping others find redemption through Christ. He also became a vocal abolitionist, working alongside figures like William Wilberforce to end the slave trade in Britain. Newton's repentance and transformation were profound and genuine, and his later life was dedicated to making amends for his earlier sins.


Newton is perhaps best known for writing the hymn "Amazing Grace," which beautifully encapsulates his journey from sin to redemption. The hymn’s opening lines, "Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found; was blind, but now I see," reflect his gratitude for the forgiveness and grace he found in Christ.

"When he finally came to his senses…

Something happened to this young man. Call it the Holy Spirit speaking to him. Call it the hand of God moving in his life. Call it whatever you want, I will call it GRACE! Grace calls us home. Grace says whatever you’ve done, it can be forgiven. Grace doesn’t care who you slept with, what drug you’ve taken, what pill you’ve popped, grace says come home. 

Grace, like a gentle beacon in the night, calls the repented sinner home with unwavering compassion and love. It beckons those who have strayed far, assuring them that no distance is too great, no sin too grave, for the boundless mercy of God. Grace whispers to the heart, offering forgiveness and a fresh start, reminding the sinner that they are never beyond the reach of divine love. It transforms guilt into gratitude and shame into celebration, welcoming the penitent back into the embrace of a loving Father who rejoices at their return. Grace restores, renews, and brings the lost back to the place where they truly belong—home.

If you want to come home, come to your senses. God is calling you. Do you hear His voice this morning? He loves you. Listen to what the apostle John says in I John 1:9, 

1 John 1:9 ESV 

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

3 Powerful Perspectives From The Prodigal’s Point of View

Perspective One: We Learn About Rebellion vs. 11-13

Perspective Two: We Learn About Repentance vs. 17-19

Perspective Three: We Learn About Reconciliation vs. 20-24

So, we have learned about rebellion and we have learned about repentance. Our last lesson is about reconciliation. 

What does that word mean? Reconciliation? What does it mean to be reconciled?

Reconciliation means restoring friendly relationships between people who were previously in conflict. To be reconciled is to resolve differences, make up, and bring back harmony and peace in relationships that were broken or strained. It involves apologizing, forgiving, and rebuilding trust and understanding.

We see this idea of restoration and reconciliation powerfully illustrated in verses 20-24, 

[20] "So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. [21] His son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.' [22] "But his father said to the servants, 'Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. [23] And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, [24] for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.' So the party began.

Can you see it? I can. I can close my eyes and see the son walking down the road, the familiar road to his father’s house. A road that he had walked thousands of times. He walked away from his father on this same road. Now he was walking it again, this time, not a son but a servant. At least that’s what he was thinking. 

Then there’s the father. The father who had gone to the fork in the road everyday, waiting for his son to return. Everyday, stopping in the same way, looking down the long winding road, squinting his eyes so that he can see as far as his old eyes could see. Looking for the boy who broke his heart. Longing to see the son who had abandoned him. His heart full of love, full of grace, full of mercy. Day after day, the same time, the same place. Day after day leaving sad that his son was still absent, still gone. 

This day was different. This day the father came to the fork in the road. He squinted his eyes once more. This time, he sees a figure in the distance. This figure is thin, wearing clearly tattered clothing. However, this father knows his son in and out. He recognizes the walk, a familiar gate as the distant stranger steps closer and closer. 

“It’s my boy!” The father shouts! “It’s my son, he’s coming home”!

The father catches his breath. He sees that his son has stumbled. He has collapsed. His son is laying in the dirt, struggling to get up. 

The father pulls up his robes and cinches the robe in his belt. He doesn’t care that exposing his naked legs is considered unbecoming of a patriarch. He doesn’t care what people think. The father removes his sandals. They are just going to slow him down. After all, he has to hurry. 

The father takes off. He runs. A full sprint. Leaving dust in his wake. He is waving his hands. He is shouting. 

“Im coming boy, just hold on, Im on my way, Daddy’s coming”!

Can you see it?

The father arrives. He slides in the dirt like a baseball player stealing second base. He wraps his arms around his son. His tears are now muddy on his face because of the dust. 

“Father, I’ve sinned against hea…”

“Boy, I don’t care about any of that. That’s in the past. I don’t even remember it. You’re forgiven. You’re loved. You’re home. Welcome home son.”

Scandalous grace. The son deserves punishment. He deserves a social media post where people can lay into him in the comments section. He deserves to be judged. Chastised. 

Instead…grace. Grace. 

“Oh what a Savior, isn’t He wonderful. Sing Hallelujah!”

It’s all because of Christ. Without Christ, there is no grace, only guilt. No compassion, only condemnation. 

Because of Christ, we are reconciled, made friends, brought back into a peaceful relationship with our Father. 

2 Corinthians 5:18 ESV 

"All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.”

Are you looking for reconciliation this morning? Maybe you have been living in rebellion for a long time. The ripple effect of that rebellion has ruined your life, damaged your family, maybe destroyed relationships. God says come home. His arms are open wide for you. He has done all that is necessary for you and I to receive His grace. Jesus Christ, died for our sins, paying our penalty. His sacrifice paid the price for our rebellion. Now we can live at peace with our Father. Friend, turn from your rebellion. Just like John Newton, leave your sinful life, put your eyes on Christ and you will be saved. I love what Paul says in Romans 10:13, 

Romans 10:13 NLT 

For "Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved."

That’s you friend. That’s me. God’s invitation to come home is available. Remember…

Take Heart! Be Hopeful! It’s Never To Late To Come Home!

Our Challenge: Love As God Loves!

Closing Prayer:

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for your Word that speaks deeply to our hearts, revealing your boundless love and grace through the parable of the prodigal son. Today, we've been reminded of the reality of rebellion and the power of repentance that leads to reconciliation with you.

Lord, we confess that at times we have strayed from your path, like the prodigal son. We thank you for your loving arms that are always open to receive us when we turn back to you. Help us to embrace your forgiveness fully and to live as reconciled children in your family.

Father, we pray for those who have heard your call today. May they feel the tug of your Spirit prompting them to accept Jesus as their Savior, to join this church family, to come to the altar in prayer, and to be baptized into your body. Give them courage and faith to respond to your invitation.

We thank you, Lord, for your faithfulness and your unconditional love that never gives up on us. May your presence go with us as we leave this place, and may we continue to grow in grace and in the knowledge of your Son, Jesus Christ.

In His precious name, we pray. Amen.