Who Can We Run To - Father Knows Best

“Father Knows Best-Who Can We Run To”Father’s Day, The Prodigal Son

Luke 15:11-24

Pioneer Bapt Ch/16 Jun 00/am-East Gate Baptist Church/17 Jun 01/pm-Faith Baptist Church/16 Jun 02/am

FBCW/21 June 2020/am – FBCK/ 16 June 2024/am

Do you remember an old TV series “Father Knows Best”? It was a time when we respected our father’s and for many, they strived to be better Dads, recognizing the importance and responsibility of fatherhood. It does not seem to be that way so much anymore. “have you noticed how fathers in our modern society are discriminated against... On most “family” TV shows these days, fathers are usually portrayed as a buffoon. He’s the object of scorn and ridicule, and he can’t do anything right nor could you go to him for advice or selfless caring.... Maybe you Remember the movie “Mr Mom” the mom goes to work and the dad takes over the household. And it’s a complete disaster, and the place nearly collapses. Men, even if we are portrayed as buffoons, we must take our role of father seriously. According to the Word of God, children need Godly fathers in their life. Not just a person to pay the bills and push the family around, we need fathers of compassion and love, a true leader of the family, the essentials of a true father. Any fool can have children, but it takes a real man to be a true father and husband. As we assemble here today to worship the Lord, Our thoughts and hearts are also celebrating our earthly fathers who attempt being a true father/husband on this national holiday called Father’s Day. I would like to take this moment to congratulate all fathers for a well-deserved time of recognition for their love of children and family and the sacrifices that go with that responsibility. But all too often we forget about our Heavenly Father on this celebrated day. We can see Him represented in the earthly father spoken of in our text. If it weren’t for Him, we wouldn’t be fathers and without Him we wouldn’t do a good job of raising our children worthy of this day of recognition. In the book of Exodus 20:12, God’s fifth commandment is to: Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. This day we honor our parents, especially our fathers as our children are to honor us, but we must also honor our Heavenly Father on this day and should every day as He expects and demands us to. Our God is a gracious God and has given us several parables to help us see His love for us and that He is an example for us to follow. But lets begin with the son, possibly you or I at some time in our temporal lives and maybe in our spiritual life as well.

Read Luke 15:11-24 - Prodigal Son- is anyone who is wasteful, reckless or extravagant in their behavior. Often leading to a selfish and rebellious attitude.

A certain man, a Godly man and a leader of his family (we don’t know his name) had two sons, one faithful the other rebellious (yet notice he is a son, as parents we will always be parent to our children, it is eternal), the younger son demanded his father for his part of the inheritance early of his portion of goods (elder son gets twice the amount). This father decides to do as his son requests, (Vs 13) As we can see, the son takes a couple of days to sell his portion and prepares to leave. We must recognize this story is not speaking about folks who don’t know the Lord, but those who do (he is a son of the father, part of the family as a believer is a part of God’s family), yet he is attempting to live life on his own terms, he is what Paul spoke of in 1Cor as a carnal Christian, which all too often leads to a spiritual life of:

I. Selfishness & Rebellion: (Vs 13) – Though it promises freedom but delivers bondage. Prov 5:22-23 “His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins….and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.” This son left for greener pastures, less family control and work.

A. Selfish Rebellion leads to Riotous living/prodigal: = (sin) = waste or to spend recklessly or wantoness (lewd, self-indulgent, lascivious-lustful behavior)

1. Selfish: – vs 13,14 he did what he pleased, looking to live as he saw

fit “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof

are the ways of death.” He was able, legally, to ask for his inheritance early, but had no respect for his father or family. It was about him, alone!

2. Living by the lusts of the flesh/satan: – Vs30 devoured thy living w/harlots

a. He lived a life controlled by his old nature and not a life pleasing

to his father. “A friend of the world is the enemy of God” Jam 4:4

3. Foolish behavior: – vs 14 spent all he had & didn’t plan for the future.

For the child of God our new nature will convict us of our sin will lead to:

B. Regret: - Vs 15(sin takes us to the bottom) “For the wages of sin is death” Rom 6:23 it happens to all of us –Rom 3:12 “none doeth good” A famine hit and he was forced to work (joined to pagan citizen), all was gone, he was in want. Yet, his pride got the best of him, and it kept him from seeing the error of his way.

1. Swine: – unclean/disgraceful for a Jew (husk=carob pods used as food for swine) how low can we go! He regretted and was sorry for his predicament. Though not yet ready to return home.

2. Loss of friends: – Vs 16 “no man gave unto him”. They used him and threw him away when the money ran out, it’s the way of the world.

3. Circumstances go bad on our way to the bottom: He not only used up his

inheritance, then famine was in the land and his friends left him, he was

now starving Vs 16 he was so hungry he would fain (happy, willing) to

have what the pigs ate., and had to take a job that was beneath any good

Jew. “When you’re dumb you gotta be tough.” Now, he was more than

sorry, he saw his folly. He regretted every leaving home, seeing his wanton

(wasted lifestyle).

Regret alone will not provide us with forgiveness, there needs to be:

II. Repentance: – 1Jn 1:9 He finally desired to turn from this way prodigal way of life (he repented) From old to new. The green pastures weren’t so green after all, and the love of world was not like a true family relationship, their/the world’s love was conditional, selfish, and temporary, .

A. Looking up, he came to his senses and began to think straight again: Prov 23:19“Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way.”

1. He finally saw his condition: (Vs 17 when he came to himself (sin blinds and confuses us) he saw his condition. Sometimes we have to be at the bottom before we will look up and see the light of Christ. God will let us do what we want until we repent so that we can be molded to what He wants. (like military boot camp to be molded to the proper way/image)

B. We must Admit our sin and sinful condition and turn (repent) from it: Prov 23:22 “Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.” Listen to our heavenly Father’s instructions,

1. We must confess our sin and God will hear us and forgive us and cleanse us: 1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.) Then he can use us and restore us in fellowship.

2. He said, “I will arise and go.” He prepared to return! He prepared:

a. Mentally – He let go of his pride and selfishness.

b. Heartily – He acted on his mental determination, he purposed

in his heart, like Daniel not to eat of the king’s table. Because w/o

purposing to act, noting automatically will happen.

He knew to go home meant he need to get right with his father. So, he

III. Returned to his father: Vs 18 “I will go to my father…” On his way home, he practiced what he would say to his father, admitting his sin to God & his father (when we sin, we sin against God when we sin against another) and that he was unworthy to be his fathers’ son. His repentance prepared him for his return. Wondering if his father would allow him back, not yet forgetting nor understanding the love of his father. He tried to do it on his own. Train up a child in the way he should go: when he is old, he will not depart from it. Prov 22:6 We all do as we are trained. Good or bad, temporal or spiritual.

A. He went home to the one that truly loved him: 1Jn 4:10 “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us...”- Even if you don’t have a father to go home to any longer you have your heavenly Father. But,

1. He didn’t know how his father would react. Sometimes we are unsure of how our heavenly Father will accept us when we have failed.

2. But, Vs 21 tells us that his father, and I believe of our heavenly Father, was so excited to see him, he had compassion on him, he was back. Now he is a man renewed and appreciative of all he now has even if it is not much. “to whom much is given, much is expected.” But “for I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and for him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him. Lk 19:26 (parable of the ten pieces of pounds)

a. God has given us much, or at least something, if we waste it

here, our eternal reward will be in the wasting of it,

nevertheless, we still can always go home and receive grace

from our heavenly father and claim our inheritance.

This brings me to the best part of the message. The Part of the Father!!

I. A father is the authority: The leader of the home. Vs 11,12 He had two sons, they were his and all that they had. A patriarchal society, all is the fathers.

a. He owns everything. His sons, the inheritance, everything.

i. Just as God owns everything in this world including us. “Every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills” Psalm 50:10

b. The family, house and everything in it is His. Jn 14:2 “In my Father’s house are many mansions..”

c. So much more for God, who has redeemed us through His obedient Son, the Lord Jesus, therefore our lives are not our own, but His. 1Cor 6:19; Rom 14:8 “we are the Lord’s”

II. A loving father is a benevolent (kindly/charitable) father. VS 12 He allowed/granted his son his inheritance early, knowing it would probably be misused and wasted. It would not have done any good to force his rebellious son to stay and wait, he let him go off in rebellion. To learn and bring him back, hopefully!

i. This father’s worst imagination had come to fruition, his son not only left this separated life from the safety of the world but went to live in the world and acted just like the world. Now separated from the care, security and love of the family.

ii. Our heavenly father often will give us what we want even when he knows what will happen when we do it our way.

1. Our rebellion will not be satisfied until we do it our way and pay for it. But He/father still cares and loves us and:

III. A loving Father is ever watching. Rom 5:21 “The ways of a man are before the eyes of the Lord and he pondereth all his goings” As a loving earthly father, this prodigal’s father, like our God who is also ever watching over us and watching for us after we leave him.

a. I remember when my prodigal son left, I found myself watching for him, even when I knew he was not there. I would see him in other people as I walked through life. Always looking, always hoping I would see him. One day I did, Praise the Lord!

b. This father was looking out the window, so to speak, day and night patiently waiting for his son’s return, even with anticipation and expectation. Our heavenly Father patiently waits and watches for our return when we move away from Him.

IV. A loving Father is ever compassionate. He/the father had compassion on his son and hugged his neck and kissed him. He didn’t even let him finish his prepared speech, it did not matter, He loved his son! It is the unconditional love of a father for his child.

a. The past did not matter. All is forgiven. Our heavenly Father doesn’t care about the past, if we just get right w/Him and ask His forgiveness, He will give it.

b. There may sometimes be future consequences. The son wasted his inheritance there was nothing left for the future. Yet the future was still much brighter than what he just came out of. Don’t be afraid to go home!

c. We will have a lack of eternal rewards if we waste our earthly inheritance/stewardship. 2Cor 5:10, 1Cor 3:14,15

d. Nevertheless, God is compassionate, He cares for us and always will. We can have that peace that passeth all understanding.

V. A loving Father will always Restore to fellowship. VS24 The father would gladly take him back. As our heavenly Father will always take us back. His Father faithfully watched and ranto receive him back: Vs 20

a. This goes with the song “God Ran” If the earthly father in this story is a type of our heavenly Father, and it is, then we see that God not only watches for us to return but runs to us and will restore us to fellowship. The waiting and watching moves a/our loving father to run to restore us to himself.

b. The command of God/Father is always about restoration: Gal 6:1 “Brethren if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness:..” He is all about restoration, that is why God sent His only Son Jesus Christ to come to earth and the cross. So we can be restored to fellowship and more.

c. He welcomes us back and restores us to fellowship and we will be with Him ever. W/o sin, new body, in His presence. Even if no other rewards.

He Restored his son back to his original position: Vs 22 Bring forth the best robe and put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet. Though the son gave up his inheritance his father welcomed him back into the family. Jn 1:12 “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:”

1. God may let us use, even waste our earthly inheritance, but when we come back after a fall, He welcomes us back to a proper relationship in His family, we still have our heavenly inheritance. Heb 9:15

a. We are restored to Our original position, into a loving home

filled with love and peace and joy. Joint heirs with Christ.

A retuning son/child motivates:

VII. A loving Father will Rejoice in his sons return.VS24 God rejoices in ours if we depart from the faith. The previous verses, Lk 15:4-7 100 sheep; 15:8-10 ten pieces of silver (ten pieces of silver, wedding headband, precious, sentimental value) Explains the rejoicing done for what was once lost. Is that not why Christ came to this world, for the lost, that they may be found and restored.

There was Rejoicing by the father and family. (w/exception) Vs 23 “Bring the fatted calf and kill it, let us eat and be merry, (let’s rejoice) Prov 23:15 “My son, if thine heart be wise (the son wised up), my heart shall rejoice, even mine.” I still rejoice in my son’s return! Even when our relationship is not perfect.

A. God rejoices in our return: – (just like when one sinner comes to repentance there is rejoicing in heaven) Celebrating the return of the son, now the prodigal son is humbled/pride-less condition, and is gladly, cheerfully, submitting to his father which he once rebelled against. Prov 23:24 “The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.”

Vs 24 The father rejoices the for the lost son that is now found, he was dead but now alive. He was dead to sin and lost to his family but is now alive and back into the bosom of his family.

1. And they began to be merry. It is that way with the Lord, we are dead in sin and lost spiritually, when we receive Him as Lord we are found and alive spiritually, to spend eternity with Him in the family of God.

2. When we leave/backslide because of rebellion and disobedience or the

temptations of the world, heaven rejoices when we return. God will

return us to our original place/standing in His kingdom. If our earthly

father will rejoice, how much more our heavenly Father.

CLOSING: On this Father’s Day we are reminded of this special honor, with cards and kisses from our family members. But do we think of our heavenly Father at this time. He has done all these same things for (us) His children.

We are all, at one time or another, prodigal children, be certain that the same thing that this father did for his wayward child, God will do for us. Once we became one of His, adopted into His family at our new birth (born again in Christ) He is always looking for us and ready to receive us back. What a wonderful Heavenly Father we have, who on this Father’s Day we should celebrate along with our earthly fathers. I will close with a final verse of scripture: Prov 17:6 “Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.” Happy Fathers Day.