What kind of Dad is this?

Welcome: hopefully youve had a chance to read the summer times.

Summer camp Week 1 highlights: the volunteers & the kids: 65 volunteers all Adults and YOUTH. What a blessing. There is an article in there about our sabbatical and just our journey with sabbath in general also. This is a must read.

thank you for praying for us as we go on SabbatiCal. I would invite you to your prayers and if you are wondering what to pray here are three things:

(Pray for our rest (filling, refreshing, re connecting with my family) ,

1.Pray for our Our Family, Our kids - although at times I wonder if they even have a clue what it is that we do, they pay a TOLL as part of this also. pray for them. That this is a time thats unique to them. And for all of us to deepen our bonds, for all the things that come when a family spends time together. 2.Pray for our Faith - Greater vision, Dreams, Revelation: a deeper understanding of His GRACE)

& 3.pray for our team. As they continue to serve and lead you as a church - You are in GOOD hands. Amen?

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Fathers Day 2024.

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. 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. 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 And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 29 but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ 31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’ ”

Fathers have the distinct role in the bible to do certain things: to take what has been entrusted to them, and pass it along. Pass along instruction (dads can teach stuff), Wisdom (dads KNOW stuff), Skill….Discipline.

and despite what your experience with an earthly father has been (good or bad) any reasonable person will assign things to fathers that can be assigned no other place.

There is a mantle of responsibility that rest NATURALLY on a father.

One way to sum up the minisrty of JESUS on the earth was this: He spoke of what the KINGDOM was like, and What the KING was like. In fact that is what luke 15 is about the Lost sheep, coin and son

But today is fathers day….

And the best and most vivid of all stories about God, told by Jesus is found in Luke 15. and in a sense, Jesus is saying to the listeners: this is what He is like

this is what God is like

He is man. a certain man. But a man who had TWO SONS.

So he is a father

this is what your Father is like

This is WHO it is, You are dealing with….. when you think about the LORD.

He is a FATHER…. and He is a PERFECT, PERFECT FATHER.

“Just what kind of Father is He” / Jesus tells us who God is, what kind of Father God is.

So what are some things we see:

1.A releasing father

Luke 15:12 “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.”

Now Jesus is telling a story here he doesn’t add the detail that the father didn’t try to stop the son but I believe if we go there for a moment he would’ve counsels him if given the opportunity and also tried to stop him? It’s likely but it’s not there so we shall not add to it nor subtract from it.

But he releases HIM. He RELEASES HIM FROM HIS CARE, HIS PROTECTION AT HIS WILL…. But notice….He Doesn’t cut him off. but rather Allows him to exercise the very authority he planned to give him. Theres a sense of destiny collision here because I suspect like any father you know this day is coming. The day like all children when the moment arrives and the child who is now an adult says - I want to go.

Fathers— do you release your kids? Do you release them into the TRUSTED CARE OF THE LORD? Do you trust God with them?

Are you getting GOOD at trust and release and trust again?

There is a period of time where the onus or responsibility lies with you as the father.

Proverbs 22:15 ESV

15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.

“Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child” it’s a fathers job to drive it out. It may be a shared job between Jill and I but my children’s discipline final responsibility lies with me.

The bible says that a man who refuses to discipline his child HATES his child.

I wondered when i read luke 15 again this week if the release here was indeed disciplone for the young BOY: the father upon hearing that he wanted his share and he wanted to GO dropped his head knowing that HE WOULD INDEED recieve the discipline he NEEDED and that instead of inside of his protection, it would come on the outside.

Fathers dont delay in disciplining your sons - its VITAL. Never does the bible say to do it out of anger, but always do it out of LOVE. every time i discipline my children at the very end of it all after we have had it out and ive done what i need to do i say this: Daddy loves you too much to let you be like that, act that way, say that thing: because one day you will be a grown man and you will have to make your own decisions and its Daddys job before the LORD to get you READY FOR THAT DAY.

Because as we know - That Day is COMING.

2.A waiting father

He was quick to leave, but LONG to come home.

Luke 15:13 “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.”

All the while, His father, Jesus tells us - Waited for him to come HOME.

How long did he wait? We don’t know - We aren’t told. We know there was a period of time that it would’ve taken for the son to squander it all - then for a famine to take hold - for the trust funds to dry up…. for him to end up with the PIGS

all the while, dad… waited

I wonder how excruciating that wait was. You could imagine that father down at the local restaurant in Judea somewhere and as he walks in to get his table, people in teh corner looking and murmuring to themselves “ oh theres so and so - still waiting on his delinquent son… last I heard that kid is as good as Donne, he’s not coming back”.

But HE ENDURED THE WAIT: Fathers have a unique ability to be patient and this is why: we aren’t emotionally driven. Mothers are; Fathers are driven by the practical. So i wonder if the old man was like “well he’s not back yet because hasn’t LEARNT anything yet”

fathers have experience, sons do not

sons rush, fathers wait.

sons and daughters think they have to rush into it because all they see is the tide running out, the funds running out - but often a dad: knows that just as sure as that day is ending, there is another one coming. and the tide will come back in. and life will flow in. and there will come another opportunity.

This is what FATHERS can teach their sons: PATIENCE.

Father are you patient with your sons? With your daughters. Sone and daughters are you frustrated when your dad says NOT yet. NOT NOW. Or …. NO?

patient with their learning? Patient with their obeying even?

3.A watching father.

He never lost sight of the FACT That His son MIGHT come home.

Luke 15:20 “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.”

“And while he was still along way off……” He saw him.

His eyesight was a keen one. God has a SHARP EYE: He never stopped looking for His son.

I could imagine how tiresome this would become but I remember that I am a man, Who Jesus is talking about here is THE FATHER the LORD of all Lords.

This is a clear as day reference to the ever available for a persons life that He is watching for you to come HOME.

I don’t subscribe to notion that God gives up on people. People give up on people. God on the other hand, doesnt give up on anyone (jesus wanted them to now this)

He had a keen eye: for that which was HIS. Have you noticed this one about a dad. You know when I am attending a sports event or something my kids are doing. Its interesting to me. But I love your kid if they are playing on their team. Im actually happy for you. I hope they do well. I wish you the best. But I have a keen eye as a father. I believe its built into every man. An EYESIGHT, a WATCHING EYE. Ready to pick HIS OWN out of a CROWD.

That look

That silloutte

That mannerism

Why does he notice that - Because its a little BIT of HIM.

Fathers are you watching FATHERS.

we can watch as fathers by praying for those that are ours

Fathers do you PRAY for your kids?

Do you stop every morning before the CRAZINESS of the WORK begins. And do you LIFT your son/daugter up to the Lord - and say FATHER bless that which you have already blessed me with.

This was a watching FATHER - and Jesus is wanting the HEARERS to notice something that they already knew because they had heard it in the PSALMS, in the HISTORICAL books - That This was a GOD

“For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him” 2 Chron 16:9

Who searches the whole WORLD LOOKING for the HEARTS that are devoted to him

Psalm 33:18 the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love

4.A Compassionate father.

He was moved when He saw the younger sone

But he was DRIVEN to entreat the older son.

He was a running father.

Luke 15:20 “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.”

He ran, He embraced… and He kissed

he was moved when his son…. rattled, wore out, devasted by life.

His compassion is a display of His kindness and its his kidness that leads us to repentance.

5.An afffectionate father.

He lavished a KISS.

Now the text doesn’t give us a sense that this was a “peck”

But this was a slobbery old wet kiss the kind of kiss that makes a son say dad “STOP” get off me dad your embarassing me dad

Dad - are you tender towards your kids? it goes further than you think

Fathers - be affectionate. ….Sons enjoy your fathers affection.

Fathers - be affectionate to your daughters. Kiss them on the cheek. Hug them.

6.a celebrating Father.

Luke 15:22–24 (ESV)

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.

man do dads know how to have some fun

but this is something Jesus wants us to know today

our God

our father in HEAVEN

isnt a miserable, angry all the time FUN POLICEMAN - no!

He celebrated

there was good food. There was music. There was dancing.

Fathers are you fun to be around? because you can be. dont let life get you down to a level where all the kids ever see is dad who is just beat yp and beat down. Play your music. go out and do fun stuff. and be A FUN DAD.

this is why there is one thing that happens when the kids are in the pool and dad jumps in…. after the cannon ball has leveled out… what do the kids do? dad throw me, dad

No he was a celebrating FATHER. Thats our GOD.

6.A Merciful & Gracious father

He received what he never should have deserved

That he had accepted he would never be able to have

He was given something that he should never have been able to receive. It is the nature of GRACE.

But the other son had a different experience and a different thing to learn

Luke 15:25–30 ESV

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 And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 29 but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’

What did he do?

He allowed his own smug self righteousness remove himself from his fathers will and protection also and HE NEVER LEFT THE PROPERTY:

ministry time.

This grace has been available to mankind since the very beginning of the world. All throughout the Bible, the eyes of GRACE have been watching, waiting, ready and available. Now its our turn to show the world this grace thats been turned loose on us through JESUS.

How amazing this GRACE.