The Father: A Picture of Grace (6)
Notes
Transcript
Handout
(S1) — Losing Something
Losing something of value...when its found
Loosing a Contact Lens
(S2) — SERIES
Three Parables...
1. Someone is searching, seeking...
— The searching shepherd...
— The persistent women...
2. Great joy in the finding (5,9)
Car Show/Thomas...separated
(S3) —
Parable of the Lost/Prodigal Son
— The seeking father; looking, waiting for his wayward son
— The moment of Joy in his return
Preaching focus: Prodigal Son/conflicted brother...the father as a picture of grace; our heavenly father who searches for the LOST and rejoices when one is FOUND
Luke 15:32 “We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!’ ””
When a RELATIONSHIP broken by sin is RESTORED, it leads to great rejoicing…on earth and in heaven (7)
PRAY
(S4)
…the continuation of Jesus addressing the religious know it alls’ in the crowd...who were upset with him…
— He welcomed sinners {Luke 19:10}
— Threatened their religious life…
They were faithful to God...did all the right stuff...looked good on the outside...but inside, they were just as the prodigal son
Bishop/Iceberg
“Religion is about changing our behavior; the 10% people see. Relationship is allowing Jesus to change our hearts, the 90% people don’t see!” (Powerful teaching by Bishop Webb)
How easy it is to become religious..but to allow God to change your heart is another thing…
— Rebellious child; Grass/greener
— Foolishly living...
— Sibling jealousy...
— The town folk; caught up in the gossip...
The parable is a reminder of the times we have distanced ourselves from God…
(S5)
To illustrate the point further (10)…Jesus told them this story: “A man had two sons.
… a man (not father)...had two sons.
(KJV) there was a certain man
...I am going to tell you a story about this certain person, so listen, take notes; you are to be like this man!
2 Samuel 12:7 “Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man!
it might come out like this; there was a certain man named…you are to be like this man; a picture of grace.
Then Jesus puts into context the VALUE of the relationship
—He is not only a certain man, but a father...chosen for a purpose!
The importance of this type of relationship in families.
(S6) — Alarming Statistics...
Why kids need to fathers...mentors...grandparents...those who model a picture of grace
Step-Father
Two things I will never forget about him: Faithful husband...Man of God...like this man who was a father; a picture of grace
Proverbs 22:6 “Direct your children onto the right path...
Deuteronomy 11:19 “Teach your children. Talk with them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.”
Ephesians 6:4 “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger...Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.”
The father’s chosen purpose, his love for both his children is clear...but it is the younger son who challenges this love.
(S7)
The younger son told his father, ‘I want my share of your estate now before you die.’ So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons.
If there was a breaking point where the father was pushed too far certainly, this young son found it. He crossed every line in the relationship; of father and son
The request/demand of his son…
— asking for 1/3 of the estate, meant the elder son would have to get his share
— dividing the estate meant calling the appraiser, the land surveyors, the banker, the financial planner and liquidating his assets;
— the inheritance was usually divided upon death—“Father I can’t wait for you to die.”
We can only for a moment imagine what the father was feeling...hurt, tears(wife), guilt, angry.
Consider how God, our Father in Heaven, feels when we make demands of the relationship, that distance us from His love?
Exodus 34:14 “for the Lord, whose very name is Jealous, is a God who is jealous about his relationship with you.”
How does this father; a picture of God’s grace respond?
...and so, he divided his wealth (property) between them.
Putting aside his superiority as a father, his prominent place in the community, his pride; the man, a father, who loved his son; lets him go!
Philip Yancey in his book: What’s so Amazing about Grace.
The story of a prodigal daughter who grows up in Traverse City. Disgusted with her old fashioned parents who overreact to her nose ring, the music she listens to, the length of her skirts, she runs away.
All they had invested in their love for her; not knowing where she was or what she was doing; if she was alive!
— My guess is that their love for her never wained; but they don’t go after her.
Notice, the father does the same. Sometimes letting go is the only way of grace
Romans 1:22–24 “Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles. So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired.
The first of 3 ways this father is a picture of grace...
(S8)
I. He loves EVEN when...
I. He loves EVEN when...
Even when his son disrespected him...hurt his mother, brother, his families future...bringing them shame among their community...
We have a word for this in our Wesleyan theology and Methodist doctrine—Prevenient Grace.
— When God loves us first; meets us where we are, loves us, EVEN when…
The kind of grace that God extends to us EVEN when...
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8
Maybe that’s what someone needs here today...God’s grace that meets us and loves us where we are; even when
(S9) —
Luke 15:13 ““A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living.”
As quick as he can, the son packs up everything and scurries off; no advanced planning...
When I don’t plan well; generally things don’t end well
We don’t know how far (a great distance away), or know how long the son was gone...long enough for him to go through a whole lot of money and a time of famine
Luke 15:14 “About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve.”
His poor choices most likely didn’t stop...his wasteful spending along with his wild living, dishonors his father even more...
How do our poor choices dishonor God?
His leads to his having to learn the hard way...
Luke 15:15–16 “He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything.”
Things are good until their not she like the son hit rock (pig) bottom.
The prodigal girl ends up in Detroit where she meets a man who drives the biggest car she’s ever seen. The man with the big car – she calls him “Boss” – recognizes that since she’s underage, men would pay premium for her. So she goes to work for him. Things are good for a while. Life is good. But she gets sick for a few days, and it amazes her how quickly the boss turns mean. Before she knows it, she’s out on the street without a penny to her name. She still turns a couple of tricks a night, and all the money goes to support her drug habit.
The father’s could have responded…“You Made Your Bed; Now Lie In It—You reap what you sow”
(S10)
But instead, we see the father a picture of grace, who loves EVEN when….
17 “When he finally came to his senses…18 he said to himself, ‘I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and 19 I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.”
…finally, emphasis added...this time makes a plan to return home…
The reason for his decision to return: got tired of pig slop…
One night while sleeping on the metal grates of the city, she began to feel less like a woman of the world and more like a little girl. She begins to whimper. “God, why did I leave? My dog back home eats better than I do now.” She knows that more than anything in the world, she wants to go home.
GUILT could have kept the son away never to return...it too can keep us distant from our heavenly Father. I believe he hung on every word of love his father had shown him while he was away in his mess; the reason he choose to return.
The second way this father is a picture of grace...
(S11)
He loves ESPECIALLY from a distance
He loves ESPECIALLY from a distance
While the son was away, I believe the father held his love for his son near to his heart
Graduates—Parents love from a distance
God’ promised presence, with the Israelites...
Exodus 33:14 “The Lord replied, “I will personally go with you, Moses, and I will give you rest—everything will be fine for you.””
Jesus promised his presence with the disciples
Matthew 28:20 “And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.””
And with every believer through the promised Holy Spirit
John 14:23 Anyone who loves me...My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.
When WE are distant, God is NOT!
When WE are distant, God is NOT!
Someone listening today may feel distant from…I believe that God uses distance...to draw us closer, deeper into his love
Our heart may leave God, but God will never leave our heart; unless we kick him out.
Joel 2:12 “That is why the Lord says, “Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning.”
The father’s grace is always an open invitation to come home; God loves ESPECIALLY from a distance
Three straight calls home get three straight connections with the answering machine. Finally she leaves a message. “Mom, dad, it’s me. I was wondering about maybe coming home. I’m catching a bus up your way, and it’ll get there about midnight tomorrow. If you’re not there, I‘ll understand.”
(S12)
“So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.
To understand this...older men in the first century Palestine did not run! No one who had any dignity at all would be seen running in public; especially an aged, and wealthy land owner; who was in sandals and wearing a robe;
Even today people generally restrain their emotions in public
This would have stunned the Pharisees hearing Jesus’ words. How could he be so brazen in portraying God running and eagerly throwing his arms around a sinner? That is not how they imaged God at all. They saw God as the chastiser of sinners, not one who welcomed them.
Instead the father forgets all dignity and public impressions. Is so overwhelmed with joy, as the king James writes it,
He goes off running; he fell on his neck, and began smothering him with kisses.
The third way this father is a picture of grace...
(S12)
He loves STILL...
He loves STILL...
But wait, what about the son’s sin? What about all the money that he wasted? What about the humiliation that he brought to the family name?
Luke 15:21 “His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’”
Surely there were consequences; the family and the son would still have to deal with those. I think we would be remiss to say that change will not come to this young prodigal’s life. Tomorrow morning the father will wake him up and say: Well, it’s time to go to work son. But father, when I was on my own I slept all morning long. Yes, but your back home now. You are going to have to start carrying your own weight now.
Wanting to reestablish the relationship...restore the love lost...all is forgiven...the father embraces the son
I wonder is this what heaven is like for the repentant sinner…us? Embraced by our heavenly father?
The son’s repentance may not negate the sin; but it does restore the relationship. The father’s forgiveness doesn’t remove the consequences of the sons actions; but the fathers focus is not on the sin but, on the one who was lost and now is found
The father a picture of grace; who loves still…
(S13)
We know how this story ends...with a great big party!
22 ““His father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. 23 And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast,”
The father; a picture of grace.
— Who loves EVEN when...Who loves ESPECIALLY from distance...who loves STILL
What of the prodigal daughter?
During the seven hour bus ride, she’s preparing a speech for her father. And when the bus comes to a stop in the Traverse City station, the driver announces the fifteen-minute stop. Fifteen minutes to decide her life. She walks into the terminal not knowing what to expect. But not one of the thousand scenes that have played out in her mind prepares her for what she sees. There, in the concrete-wall-and- plastic-chairs bus terminal in Traverse City, Michigan, stands a group of forty brothers and sisters and great-aunts and uncles and cousins and a grandmother to boot. They’re all wearing goofy party hats and blowing noise-makers, and taped across the entire wall of the terminal is a computer-generated banner reads “Welcome home!”
Out of the crowd of well-wishers breaks her Dad. She stares out through the tears quivering in her eyes like hot mercury and begins the memorized speech, “Dad, I’m sorry. I know …” He interrupts her. “Hush, child. We’ve got no time for that. No time for apologies. You’ll be late for the party. A banquet’s waiting for you at Home.”
(S14)
If you’ve ever lost something of great value; you know what its like to find it!
If you’ve ever been lost or distant from God you know what its like to long for the love of your heavenly father
If you’ve you ever had a prodigal family member; you know what its like for them to return—the relationship restored
for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began.
Jesus loves finding the lost...and so should we
All it takes is a repentant heart, someone who longs for the peace, passion and purpose that saying yes to Jesus brings...and the Father full of grace
(S15)
Jesus the son gives us a picture of heavens grace; his father who...
—Loves you EVEN when...
— Loves you ESPECIALLY when you were distant...
— Loves you STILL
Just as when there is rejoicing when the shepherd find a lost lamb and returns it to the flock...when the lost coin is found and can be God’s provision...there is in heaven a great rejoicing when one who is lost is found!
Jesus loves seeking and finding the lost and so should we...
