A Father's Love
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A Father's Love
As I come forward at end of worship
SLIDE 1 “WELCOME”
Encouraging words from worship
Happy Fathers Day
Gifts for Dad’s
When I was growing up......neat.....my dad did so much
Never dull moments.......I was boy....a child....still got into things and got in trouble
Don’t do this or don’t do that seemed to increase the temptation
Some of my brothers didn’t always have same memories of our father
I think I just got to know my father more .......I proved to my father I wanted to know my father more
SLIDE 2 “A FATHER’S LOVE”
I hardly ever missed a chance to ask dad to ride on the tractor or in the combine with him
Therefore I feel my father was a little more affectionate with me
Riding back from the deer lease in the truck.....brother driving....I get sleepy....my dad let’s me lay on his leg… he rubs my back
But if I got in trouble or went astray.....I knew I was in trouble but I knew down deep my father still loved me
Its also amazing how when we come to know God as our Father…only through Jesus!
We experience spiritual affection and endless love from the maker of all heaven and earth
It does not matter what your story is bad or good growing up, there is nothing like discovering love from your heavenly Father…amen?!
SLIDE 3
8 The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness.
I love this in Psalm 103:8.
SLIDE 4
10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
And how amazing is this in Psalm 103 verse 10
Sounds like a pretty good Father…amen?
And finally this in Psalm 103 verse 13
SLIDE 5
13 Just as a father has compassion on his children,
So the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.
Now remember what I told you in my story with my dad .....how he seemed more affectionate or loving towards me......because I wanted to know him more.....I wanted to do things with him
Here we have David writing this about our heavenly Father and what is David known for?.....
Now I know my father really loved my brothers as much as he loved me
SLIDE 6 “A FATHER’S LOVE”
There was usually a different situation for each of us, different personalities, and so on so different lessons, different talks, different teaching all had to be applied ......oh and add that he loved us
Jesus tells a great story using these same applications.......again a earthly fathers love and our heavenly Fathers love through Jesus
so if your here today and may have missed out on earthly fathers experiences and love.......you can get all you want from here on out from your heavenly Father…through Jesus
Now in the book of Luke....Jesus has just told a story of a woman who had 10 silver coins and she lost one of those coins
When she finds it she rejoices .......calls her friends and neighbors.......and says hey celebrate with me.....for I have found the coin which I had lost!
SLIDE 7
10 “In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
This is how He finishes that story off here in Luke 15 verse 10
Now the religious know it all in that day were having no part of this kind of story or teaching
Jesus is trying to how heaven throws a party when the lost becomes found........this would be the purpose behind the Lord’s heart going into tax collectors and sinners homes.....associating and eating with them....
That everyone is worth redeeming
Boy imagine having one of those religious leaders for a earthly father…ouch!
So Jesus rolls into the next story in Luke 15 verse 11
Now remember before going into this story.....what I said about different personalities, different experiences, different lessons to be learned and taught.....okay
So Jesus says in the next story
SLIDE 8
11 And He said, “A man had two sons.
12 “The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me.’ So he divided his wealth between them.
SLIDE 9
13 “And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living.
This is the Prodigal son story
The word prodigal means “wasteful” .....by the way
Also the word gathered in verse 13 would have meant the younger son exchanged his possessions given by his father .....like property and livestock.....into currency
Now in the previous story we have the woman looking for the one lost coin
Now here the father does not go out looking for the son
Now in this story......its just as much a parable of a loving father as much as a story of a prodigal son.......
SLIDE 10
“A LOVING FATHER”
The Father’s graciousness is greater than our sinfulness
It emphasizes the graciousness of the father more than the sinfulness of the son
So our first point today of “A FATHER’S LOVE”
SLIDE 11
“A FATHER’S LOVE”
Our Father is a Good Teacher
Man nothing could beat the times when everything was in harmony with my father.......I’m following directions........according to his words and directions....
a good teacher .....great loving times right?
Man I remember at times....I would tell my father .....I’m gonna do this a certain way......maybe my own way
He may have made a few suggestions.....but he could see I was not going to listen
Now my father knew way ahead of probably what was going to happen in the end......I’m gonna mess it all up....right
But he let me go on.......cause he knew I would learn a lesson from my own mistakes
Same in this story Jesus is telling.....the father let’s son go.....squanders everything........loose living
Low and behold....oh man.......a famine comes....his father knew
Man ol man the son even hires himself out to one of the citizens and they send him out in the fields to feed the swine
No one was giving him anything to eat....he even desired eating what the swine were eating
SLIDE 12
17 “But when he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger!
18 ‘I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight;
19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men.” ’
Look at the lesson learned......one of the greatest parts of this story......he came to his senses as says in verse 17
Our Father is a good teacher.......He knows and sees everything ahead and a good teacher can get your to change your mind and come to your senses........its called repentance
SLIDE 13 I won’t read this but put it on the screen
4 Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?
He sometimes has to let us go our own way.....the son in this story remembered his father’s goodness from the harmony times......the great times of following his word and direction
Point 2 in “A Father’s Love”
SLIDE 14
“A FATHER’S LOVE”
Our Father is a Good Teacher
Our Father always has open arms (when we run to Him)
I remember going back to my father..... I really messed this up .....can you help me.......I might get yelled at at first but man it was worth it....cause my dad was big enough to fix the mess I had made or what I had broken or failed at
Jesus tells it better here in verse 20 and 21
SLIDE 15
20 “So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.
21 “And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
wide open arms of the father........and he runs to the son
Since the son was wayward and had brought disgrace on the family.....according to Deut 21 and 18 the son was to be stoned.....if everyone would have started to stone the son they would have hit the father.....what a picture of everything Jesus did for us on the cross
The son starts to tell of the mess he has made....”I have sinned against heaven and in your sight.......just laying it all on the line and out in the open......but wait look
SLIDE 16
22 “But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly 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 fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate;
24 for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate.
I believe Jesus told this story as to show how God our Father is towards us when we are truly sincere with Him in repentance......if not He wouldn’t have told it this way
The father interrupts the son.....forgave him and ordered a celebration
In a far country the son learned the meaning of misery......but back home he discovered the meaning of mercy
Our final point for “A Father’s Love”
SLIDE 17
“A FATHER’S LOVE”
Our Father is a Good Teacher
Our Father always has open arms (when we run to Him)
Our Father’s love changes us and others
Grace is what always changes us.......its God’s grace that paid the price for our wanderings and failures......its the Father’s loving grace that turns us to Christ .......keeps us and strengthens us to exercise Christian values
SLIDE 18
“A FATHER’S LOVE”
-its the Father’s loving grace that turns us to Christ .......keeps us and strengthens us to exercise Christian values!
So remember A Father’s love.....changes us.....and others
Often the last part of the Prodigal Son story is left off
Jesus uses the lesson of the Prodigal to also teach a lesson to the older brother
Hey the older brother did everything his father asked......he served his father......never neglected the fathers commands ......but he too would find he needed ........the father’s love and grace to change.......... his heart
SLIDE 19
25 “Now his older son was in the field, and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing.
Oh man!!....here we go
SLIDE 20
26 “And he summoned one of the servants and began inquiring what these things could be.
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.’
Now look at this ......look what happens with the older son
The father’s love and grace is fixing to have to teach and restore him also
SLIDE 21
28 “But he became angry and was not willing to go in; and his father came out and began pleading with him.
The older brother is like......awe man dad ....how could you do that for my younger brother......really.....singing dancing......you killed the fatted calf after he devoured your wealth on prostitutes
The older son’s heart had gotten prideful and hard
Look at the father’s response to also love and teach the older son
SLIDE 22
31 “And he said to him, ‘Son, you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours.
32 ‘But we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found.’ ”
WORSHIP TEAM WILL BE COMING UP
See how A Father’s Love is always working in so many different ways and in different people
You know when we really think we are being so good and perfect compared to others around .......living our lives so good before the Father
You know pride really likes to attack and a little bit of Pharisee or religious person wants to come out sometimes doesn’t it
SLIDE 23 “A FATHER’S LOVE”
A Father’s Love corrected the younger Prodigal and the older son as well
PRAYER / CLOSE
MARK TO DISMISS