Prodigal Fathers Love

The Father’s Love

Our relationship with our natural father affects the way we see our Heavenly Father.

Authoritarian fathers are:

Concerned with complete control or obedience.Not interested in your opinions, ideas, or desires.Intent on their own way.Characterized as being strict.

Authoritarian fathers can inadvertently influence their children to rebel against God.

Abusive fathers:

Inflict emotional, physical, or sexual pain.Destroy a child’s sense of worth and trust.Skew the daughter’s view of intimacy.

Abusive fathers can inadvertently influence their children to have difficulties trusting, being vulnerable and emotionally relating to God.  

Distant or Passive fathers:

Show little to no affection. Rarely demonstrate emotion. Interact little with their children.Display no interest in the child or their activities.

Distant or passive fathers can inadvertently influence their children to view God as uninvolved  and disinterested in their lives.  

Absent fathers are:

Unavailable due to work, divorce, death, remarriage or abandonment.

Absent fathers can inadvertently influence their children to believe that God is inaccessible or nonexistent.

The Prodigal Son

The son asked for his inheritance early. Saying I wish you were dead so I could get what is coming to me.

vs 17 “When he came to himself” At the end of self is the beginning of God

vs 21 “I have sinned against heaven, and in the thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son”

True repentance changes people

Paul said Godly sorrow works repentance to salvation.

Jesus said to look for the fruit of repentance

The Father

Let both sons have their inheritance early.

“When he was a great way off, his father saw him” Patiently waited and looked.

while we are waiting we must stay connected.

Fishers of men. Keep them on the line until they are ready to be reeled in.

we must love enough to let others come to the end of themselves -

“no man gave unto him” The Father loved the son enough not to fix what God was using to fix him.

“Had compassion on him” The Father cared and did helped restore him when “he came to himself”.

“ran and fell on his neck and kissed him” He was acting as a father not a Lord. He was not concerned with his image.

“forgave him” A son is always a son. The pig pen, eating pig pods, or at home. He is always a son.

“sandals on his feet” Only slaves walked barefoot. The Fatherwanted to protect him from shame.

“ring on his finger” the son was able to represent the family again.

“best robe put on”

altar call -

here I am to worship