Sermon Tone Analysis

Luke 15:1-32

Front Porch Mentality

Perhaps you are old enough to remember the front porch.

You know, the place that often was the center of the neighborhood.

Newspapers were read, stories were shared, and often some of the greatest hello’s and warmest goodbye’s took place on the front porch.

I fondly remember helping my grandfather rebuild their front porch because my grandmother would always walk to the edge to greet those coming over or go there to watch those that were just there drive safely away.

In Southern life as well as through out history, the front porch has been a place of happiness, sadness.

and great anticipation.

I am certain that in our text, the Father had experienced all of these emotions at one time or the other.

Certainly he had received good news at one time or the other and perhaps he had even received bad news.

However, I imagine that the front porch in this story had never felt the anticipation that the Father was experiencing.

We don’t know the time frame of how long the son was gone.

We can imagine with the information we have that it was more than just a few days.

I would think that it possibly was several years.

It certainly was longer than the Father wanted it to be.

Perhaps you have been a parent of a wayward child and you too waited for that child to come home.

Minutes seem like hours and days seem like years.

Jesus is careful to portray in this story several things that you and I could well to learn and practice if we want to be a people that helps prodigals come home.

Characteristics of a Loving Father

The first characteristic of a loving father that I find here is that he had to be a man of faith.

You see, he didn’t argue with his son, he didn’t beg his son to stay, he simply allowed him to leave.

In my mind, this has to be evidence of a man with tremendous faith.

He seemed to have peace that his son would be safe and return.

If we are a people that believes in a verse like

2 Corinthians 12

Jeremiah 29:11

Genesis 50

Isaiah 38:17

Only a person of faith would have been able to let go and Let God.

2. A second characteristic of a loving father had to be a sense of hope.

You see, a great sense of hope causes one to look to the horizon with great anticipation, standing on the front porch if you will, always looking for the son to come home.

Maybe he had read the words of Job

Job

Psalm 42:

Proverbs

3. A third characteristic we can find in the loving father is that of patience.

I had to throw that in there didn’t I? Of the three characteristics of a loving father, this one has to be the hardest for me!

But there is great value in patience because it is the overflow of other Godly characteristics!

It is even one of the fruits of the spirit listed in .

Even though the father in this story had not heard of the fruits of the spirit, he had heard

Proverbs

Or the truths that David wrote in

Psalm 40:1-3

In addition of these characteristics of faith, hope and patience, we learn that the this father had compassion.

Compassion of a Loving Father

Did you see what we read earlier in the text from ?

Luke 15:

Compassion simply means “a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering.”

In other words, the Father was looking for his son to return home and when he saw him, realizing that it was indeed him and not a mirage, he ran to meet him.

Compassion is not giving the duty to someone else.

It is doing it your self.

Now picture this, this man was a well off man.

He didn’t send for him, but he could have sent another family member or a hired hand.

He didn’t wait until he got there, he ran to meet him.

Compassion is not just saying, “Hey it’s good to see you!

Where have you been?” Rather, compassion is joyfully removing any stigma that might be associated with a son gone bad and welcoming him into the fold as if he is the only one that matters!

It is not a high five or a handshake, it is a good ole fashion bear hug and kisses all over the face kind of welcome home!

Charles Spurgeon, the phenomenal pastor of the late 1800’s, wrote an preached a sermon on this phrase “and kissed him.”

In fact, the sermon typed out is 13 pages single spaced.

I thought I might read it for you now.....

One idea that he develops in this sermon is that the Father SAW his son: He saw where he came from; he saw the pig farmer clothes; he saw the filth on his hands and feet; he saw his rags; he saw his penitent look; he saw what he had been, he saw what he was and he saw what he could be!

Then Spurgeon said this, “When God’s arm is about our neck, and His lips are on our cheek, kissing us much, the we understand more than preachers or books can ever tell us of His condescending love.”

You see, not only can we learn of the characteristics of a Loving Father and the compassion of a Loving Father, we can also see the care of a loving father.

Care of a Loving Father

The father shows care here in 3 ways:

First we see his abiding presence.

The father tells his staff to bring him not just a robe, but the best robe.

Secondly, we see his abundant provision.

The father again says put a ring on his finger, treat him with royalty and love.

Thirdly, we see his awesome privilege.

The fatted calf, a big feast, and sandals for his feet.

Incidentally, the sandals signified firmness and stability.

Maybe you have seen the parallel between the loving father in this story and the Loving Father we have in our Heavenly Father.

Perhaps you have also seen how you can love a prodigal that has gone wayward as well.

I think we can without a doubt, love as we are loved.

In fact, the bible doesn’t suggest that but commands it!

We are to love as we are loved.

Maybe you aren’t quite sure of that yet.

Maybe watching this will help:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFSNQyTnPmM