The Grace of Our Father

Luke 15:11–32 NKJV

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.’ ”

Focus Verses:

Luke 15:20–24 NKJV

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.

1. The Father Ran to the Son.

Luke 15:20 NKJV

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.

Congregations get stuck in identity Troubles not just this conflagrations all congregations including the one I pastor.

when I became the pastor of Church on the Rock, Abilene, I was only the second pastor to pastor the Church. we started over with 12 people. through the providence of God we started reaching out the people who struggle with substance abuse....

I did a leadership training when I told them that visitors where intimidated coming into the Church.

A brother on the front row named Steve Nash looked he heard a Strange langue, he said, normal's can go anywhere they want.

Steve made an assumption based on what he assumed people where going through that he didn't know that he had become a pillar in the church.

how far are you willing to go the meet the lost and hurting,

the father might have been wounded by the son, how do we know? because later in the passage the son says to the father this son of yours wasted your fortune on prodigal living. Luke 15:30 “30 But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’”

Some of us have been wounded by people who left, or Christians who have gone back to the far country. if there was anyone who has the right to be offended it’s the father who raised, clothed and provided for him in his whole life and he went off to pursue himself.

Is the Lord prompting your mind right now? do you need God to heal a family or relationship right now? do you need to lay down an offense tonight?

God is going to call this church to peruse some people. are you ready to be ready.

2. He covered the son with the best robe.

Luke 15:22 NKJV

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.

The father covered His sin.

we don't cover sin but we don’t run from it.

3. He put a ring on his finger.

This is identity

you cannot be a servant once you are a son.

once you are an heir of Christ.

4. Sandals on his feet.

freedom to go.

5. Killed the fated calf.

He celebrated his safe return!