The Love of the Father

Selective Parables: Lessons from Jesus, Message One

Luke 15:11-32.

ETS: The father lovingly welcomed the prodigal son home.

ESS: We are welcomed by the Father’s love!

OSS: [Evangelistic] [I want the hearers to embrace the Father’s love.] Cognitive: Affective: Psycho-Motor:

PQ: How does the Father display his love?

UW: Ways

Intro.: [ΑGS]: There was a gentleman who had a dog that he had bonded closely with. The dog’s name was Bo. Bo went missing one day, and he searched long and hard for him to no avail. He was greatly distressed. After a few days, the gentleman was in his yard, and he saw afar Bo running towards him. Bo’s fur was wet, muddy, and matted, but he didn’t care. When Bo got to him, he picked him up, hugged him tight, and embraced him with a warm welcome. [TS]: This is similar to what happens in the text. The son left home, lived a careless life, and found himself in a state of desperation and starvation. Yet, upon returning- the Father embraced him with loving arms. [RS]: Perhaps some of you can relate to this story. We are one week post Easter, and you are back in church for the first time in quite some time. Yet, you wonder, “Will God accept me back?” I want you to know that there is nothing you could do to hinder the Father’s love from being lavished upon you.

TS: Let us examine a few ways the father displayed his love towards the son, now:

Notice: Although we read verses 11-32 for context, our focus will be on verses 20-32 Where the love of the father is evidently and obviously displayed.

The compassion [vV. 20b-21]

The word used and translated as compassion is έσπλαγχνίσθη. A few important notes about this word:

It means to feel, deep within one’s gut, a deep sense of empathy; to be deeply moved within one’s bowels

This verb occurs in the aorist tense, indicating a deliberative, pointed action- not by coincidence or by chance, but decisive action.

It is worth noting that while there is no reason to believe that the son came with haste- probably quite the opposite- the father, seeing his son a great distance away, ran to him. Barnes wrote, “this is a beautiful description- the image of his father’s happening to see him clad in rags, poor, and emaciated, and yet he recognized his son, and all the feelings of a father prompted him to go and embrace him.” [1]

The father embraced the son with his arms around his neck, and he kissed him. This was a sign of affection and acceptance- to the son, “This must have dissipated every doubt of the son about the willingness of his father to forgive and receive him.” [2]

APPLICATION: Rest assured that when we confess our sins to our Heavenly Father, he is compassionate and as a loving father, running to us with an embrace that welcomes us home. Romans 2:4.

The celebration [vv. 22-24]

Notice what the father does to celebrate his son coming home:

He clothes him: it is likely that the son would have not had nice clothes on- likely rags- and the father instructs his servants to bring out the best robe- the outer garment- one that “is likely used for festival occasions” [3]

He grants his sonship: this is signified by the ring and sandals- the ring likely a symbol of authority and position of wealth. [4] the son returned begging to only be treated as a servant; yet, servants did not wear shoes. “…shoes marked him out as a freeman.” [5]

He initiates celebration festival: the fattened calf would have been reserved for a special occasion- this represents that the father deemed this of quite special occasion.

The reasoning for the celebration is provided in verse 24.

Though it cannot be exactly known what is meant by the words used, we should be careful to not over-spiritualize the verse.

He was perceived to be dead because the father could not find him, but now the father knows he is alive. It could also refer to the type of life he had chosen- that he was dead to virtue or of any significant worth in life.

He was lost and is now found is perceptive of the father’s understanding of where he was. [6, both notes ii. and iii.]

APPLICATION: Earlier in the chapter, Jesus said that “there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents.” [v. 10] Thus, we understand that our Heavenly Father celebrates when lost people repent and trust Jesus as their Savior, for then, they are no longer dead, but alive; no longer lost, but found.

The comfort [vv. 25-32]

Notice the father was tender, comforting, and accepting towards both sons. [7] He did not show partiality towards one over the other.

He assured the older brother in his concerns, that all he had- all remaining- was his. He was not being treated unfairly.

The occasion brought with it a necessity to celebrate- in fact, Morris said it was “the only proper reaction in such a situation.” [8]

APPLICATION: Whether we relate more to the younger or older brother is irrelevant; the great comfort of it is that the father assured and comforted both of them, treating both without partiality. Such does our Heavenly Father.

Conclusion:

Eastern proverb: “Who draws near to me (God) an inch, I will draw near to him an ell; and whoso walks to meet me, I will leap to meet him.” (Marvin Richardson Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament, vol. 1 (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1887), 388.)

[1] We find great assurance in the love of the Father. He embraces us no matter where we are in our walk- whether we are mature, committed, and faithful; wandered away or perhaps never found our way to the father. He welcomes, embraces, and deals kindly with all who come to Him.

[2] What hinders you from embracing the love of the Father today?

Bibliography:

[1] Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament: Luke & John, ed. Robert Frew (London: Blackie & Son, 1884–1885), 105.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Leon Morris, Luke: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 3, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1988), 260.

[5] Ibid.

[6] Barnes, 106.

[7] Morris, 261.

[8] Ibid., 262.