Abba!

I heard a preaching on the Parable of the prodigal son several weeks ago. In it, the preacher asked that we take a look at the perspective of the father. And while I don’t intend to re-iterate that preaching, The idea of seeing the parable from the perspective of the father tugged at my heart.

Luke 15:20 ESV

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.

Luke 15 ESV

1 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” 3 So he told them this parable: 4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ 7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. 8 “Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? 9 And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’ 10 Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” 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.’ ”

I heard a preaching on the Parable of the prodigal son several weeks ago. In it, the preacher asked that we take a look at the perspective of the father. And while I don’t intend to re-iterate that preaching, The idea of seeing the parable from the perspective of the father tugged at my heart. As I sought the Lord for what to speak on tonight, I could not get away from the ideas of love and fatherhood. It was that, that brought me to this scripture, and the focus on the father. Today, I want to talk to MEN. Let’s walk together through this.

heard a preaching on the Parable of the prodigal son several weeks ago. In it, the preacher asked that we take a look at the perspective of the father. And while I don’t intend to re-iterate that preaching, The idea of seeing the parable from the perspective of the father tugged at my heart.

While many men here may be fathers, many are not. But there is one constant, we are all sons and we all have a father. What changes, is who are/ were our fathers.

The problem with fatherlessness:

* 85% of all youths in prison come from fatherless homes – 20 times the average. (Fulton Co. Georgia, Texas Dept. of Correction)

* Compared to living with both parents, living in a single-parent home doubles the risk that a child will suffer physical, emotional, or educational neglect. The overall rate of child abuse and neglect in single-parent households is 27.3 children per 1,000, whereas the rate of overall maltreatment in two-parent households is 15.5 per 1,000

* 63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes (US Dept. Of Health/Census) – 5 times the average.

* 80% of rapists with anger problems come from fatherless homes –14 times the average. (Justice & Behavior, Vol 14, p. 403-26)

I. The Squandering

A man has two sons. The youngest one asks for his portion, cashes it in and leaves.

In a far away land (separated from his father’s House), this son squanders his inheritance, a famine hits the land, he enslaves himself to a foreigner, and hungers for the food of swine.

Word Studies in the New Testament Chapter 15

Joined himself (ἐκολλήθη). The verb means to glue or cement. Very expressive here, implying that he forced himself upon the citizen, who was unwilling to engage him, and who took him into service only upon persistent entreaty. “The unhappy wretch is a sort of appendage to a strange personality” (Godet). Compare Acts 9:26. Wyc., cleaved. See, also, on Acts 5:13.

In his desperate state, he recognizes who his father is and decides to return

This was his confession moment.

Came to himself. A striking expression, putting the state of rebellion against God as a kind of madness. It is a wonderful stroke of art, to represent the beginning of repentance as the return of a sound consciousness. Ackermann (“Christian Element in Plato”) observes that Plato thinks of redemption as a coming to one’s self; an apprehending of one’s self as existent; as a severing of the inmost being from the surrounding element. Several passages of Plato are very suggestive on this point. “He who bids a man know himself, would have him know his soul” (“Alcibiades,” i., 130). “ ‘To see her (the soul) as she really is, not as we now behold her, marred by communion with the body and other miseries, you should look upon her with the eye of reason, in her original purity, and then her beauty would be discovered, and in her image justice would be more clearly seen, and injustice, and all the things which we have described

Word Studies in the New Testament Chapter 15

Came to himself. A striking expression, putting the state of rebellion against God as a kind of madness. It is a wonderful stroke of art, to represent the beginning of repentance as the return of a sound consciousness. Ackermann (“Christian Element in Plato”) observes that Plato thinks of redemption as a coming to one’s self; an apprehending of one’s self as existent; as a severing of the inmost being from the surrounding element. Several passages of Plato are very suggestive on this point. “He who bids a man know himself, would have him know his soul” (“Alcibiades,” i., 130). “ ‘To see her (the soul) as she really is, not as we now behold her, marred by communion with the body and other miseries, you should look upon her with the eye of reason, in her original purity, and then her beauty would be discovered, and in her image justice would be more clearly seen, and injustice, and all the things which we have described

Vincent, M. R. (1887). Word studies in the New Testament (Vol. 1, p. 387). New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons.

The Father’s Restoration

II. The Home Coming

While the son was far away, he could not see him self restored to sonship. He reasoned he would bargain with his dad for a place in the house again.

The son had rehearse “terms of surrender”

I have sinned against you and Heaven

I am not worthy to be called son

The son returns home. He returns in defeat, willing to serve in his father’s house. Willing to take a lesser station in his father’s home.

III. The Father’s Redemption

English Standard Version Chapter 4

9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

fell on his neck and kissed him—What! In all his filth? Yes. In all his rags? Yes. In all his haggard, shattered wretchedness? Yes. “Our Father who art in heaven,” is this Thy portraiture? It is even so (). And because it is so, I wonder not that such incomparable teaching hath made the world new.

But the Father said, &c.—The son has not said all he purposed, not so much, because the father’s demonstrations had rekindled the filial, and swallowed up all servile feeling [TRENCH] (on the word “Father,” see on ), but because the father’s heart is made to appear too full to listen, at that moment, to more in this strain.

the best robe—Compare , , “Take away the filthy garments from him; behold I have clothed thee with change of raiment; and they clothed him with garments” (; ).

a ring—(Compare ; ).

shoes—Slaves went barefoot. Thus, we have here a threefold symbol of freedom and honor, restored, as the fruit of perfect reconciliation.

the ring was a sign of sonship, and the “best robe” (no doubt the father’s) was proof of his acceptance back into the family (see ; ; ). Servants did not wear rings, shoes, or expensive garments. The feast was the father’s way of showing his joy and sharing it with others.

to be called thy son. He omits make me a servant. The slavish spirit vanishes in the clasp of the father’s arms. Bengel suggests that the father would not suffer him to utter the news. I once heard Norman McLeod say in a sermon, “Before the prodigal son reached his home he thought over what he should do to merit restoration. He would be a hired servant. But when his father came out and met him, and put his arms round him, and the poor boy was beginning to say this and that, he just shut his mouth, and said, ‘I take you to my heart, and that’s enough.’ ”

THE FATHER SEES HIM FROM FAR AWAY & RUNS TO HIM

20. a great way off—Oh yes, when but the face is turned homeward, though as yet far, far away, our Father recognizes His own child in us, and bounds to meet us—not saying, Let him come to Me and sue for pardon first, but Himself taking the first step.

o be called thy son. He omits make me a servant. The slavish spirit vanishes in the clasp of the father’s arms. Bengel suggests that the father would not suffer him to utter the news. I once heard Norman McLeod say in a sermon, “Before the prodigal son reached his home he thought over what he should do to merit restoration. He would be a hired servant. But when his father came out and met him, and put his arms round him, and the poor boy was beginning to say this and that, he just shut his mouth, and said, ‘I take you to my heart, and that’s enough.’ ”

Ran. Trench cites an Eastern proverb: “Who draws near to me (God) an inch, I will draw near to him an ell; and whoso walks to meet me, I will leap to meet him.”

In the East, old men do not run; yet the father ran to meet his son. Why? One obvious reason was his love for him and his desire to show that love. But there is something else involved. This wayward son had brought disgrace to his family and village and, according to , he should have been stoned to death. If the neighbors had started to stone him, they would have hit the father who was embracing him! What a picture of what Jesus did for us on the cross!

Everything the younger son had hoped to find in the far country, he discovered back home: clothes, jewelry, friends, joyful celebration, love, and assurance for the future. What made the difference? Instead of saying, “Father, give me!” he said, “Father, make me!”

THE FATHER WAS ACTIVELY LOOKING, WAITING FOR THE RETURN OF THE SON. So he runs out to meet him in his brokenness.

In running to him, the father spares the necessary judgment

In the kiss, and the clothing; the father restores

THE FATHER”S PROCLAMATION

English Standard Version Chapter 15

24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.

The Prodigal

Jesus Christ

He was lost (v.24)

“I am the way”

He was ignorant (v.17)

“I am the truth”

He was dead (v.24)

“I am the life”

IV. Closing/ Application

God has seen us in our far away land. He has seen our fatherless state. He has seen the separation that sin has caused. AND HE RAN TO MEET US at our return.

In JESUS, through the CROSS he ran! He ran to restore my broken fatherless state.

Sin Separates us: from self, from man, from creation, from God the Father.

But in Jesus, in Salvation, he provides the answer.

English Standard Version Chapter 8

15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

Future Glory

Abba!

Intro:

The Fath