Father's Day 2021

The Heart of The Father

Today is a day where we typically reflect on our Dad or maybe you’re reflecting on what kind of father you have been to your own children. I often end up beating myself up as I reflect on what kind of father I am. I work too much, I yell to much, we are used as a tool- I’m Wait until your father gets home. I have a hunny do list a mile long that I always seem to put off because when I’m done work I am tired.

However, when it’s all said and done and I look into my kids eyes I thank God for grace and for giving me the heart of a father.

That’s what I want to talk about this morning. It doesn’t matter what kind of Dad you have or had. It doesn’t matter if he was the best or the worst simply because we have a father who cares for us and loves us. For men, today’s sermon isn’t meant to beat you for your short comings, it’s meant to encourage you and give you goal.

For those of us who aren’t fathers, maybe you need to heal, maybe you need to morn. This morning is a reminder of God’s heart for you. A reminder that you always have a direct line to the heart of THE father.

Let’s turn our bibles to Luke 15:11

Here you have a father with two sons, he had some wealth, and hired servants. We don’t know what transpired before this conversation, but the youngest son comes and says: I don’t want to wait till you die—Can I have my inheritance money now?

I just want to take a minute and acknowledge the pain this father must be going through. Typically here we focus on the fun, but at the center of a father’s heart is nothing but love for their kids and a desire to give them everything they didn’t have as a child.

Now this is a parable so we don’t know if it is based off a true event, but even if it’s not a real story things like this happen all time. You invest yourself into the raising of child only for them to desire your wealth and not your heart.

The father divides the land and the animals. The son now sells everything the father gives him. Imagine—right in front of your eyes droves of people are picking up what you worked your entire life to accumulate and with no regard for you. Your son counting the money he made knowing he probably sold everything at bottom dollar just to make a quick buck.

The youngest son bolts and lives a wild and free life for a time. We don’t know how long, but we know he spends all his money. finds himself eating pig slop and begins his journey home.

Now imagine of you will the father-who is at home. We don’t know how long the son is gone, but there aren’t cell phones or GPS trackers you put on kids underwear. You child could be dead, you don’t know where he is or how he is doing. You’re worried because no matter how much of a jerk he was he is still your son and so you continually love him.You may be angry-because of what he did and how he did it.

You’re sitting in your house and you begin to hear a stirring of people. You look out to see what’s going on and what looks to be your son, dirty, and underweight walking home. People begin to gather at the gate.

If you’re Jewish then you know why they are gathering. Law states that he should be stoned for the shame and guilt he brought upon his community. But the bible says:

Luke 15:20 ESV

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.

A father is Compassionate

This isn’t the compassion you feel when the animal commercial comes on or the unfed kids in 3rd world countries. The word compassion here is a strong feeling or emotion to cause action despite what it may cost. So much so that he ran.

now if you’re Jewish and you’re wealthy you don’t run—ever. Your dress is too long to run because it’s shameful to show your ankles or anything up to your neck. But if the father doesn’t act quick his son will be killed right in front of him.

Now you need to understand this compassion in modern day. THe father showing his ankles and running would be the equivalent of me streaking through a nunnery. It’s not only against culture it’s against their faith. So in this single act The father draws the attention of the town off his son, whom they want to kill, unto him.

In essence he sacrifices himself for his son. He laid down all the hurt and disappointment he felt while his son was away. He again finds himself running after his son.

A father is compassionate.

How many times have we looked into our child’s eyes. Past they mess they made. Past the choices. And choose to love them.

A father is also sacrificial.

How many times my kids would beg me to stay home from work and it would break my heart to have to leave. I desired to stay, but staying wouldn’t give me the means to provide for their needs. How often do we talk about a mother’s love and overlook a Father’s sacrifice.

Every day God sacrifices for us. Every time we seek forgiveness he sacrifices. Every time we chose something we think is more important that spending time with God he waits in sacrifice.

I love that song Cinderella. The entire song is about a father’s sacrifice. The daughter desiring to dance with her daddy. As her daddy puts aside work. Her desire again while he chokes back tears over her first prom.

He gives his daughter away on her wedding day despite wanting to hold her close and tight.

A Father elevates and forgives

Luke 15:22–24 ESV

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. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.

The son comes to his father looking for nothing more than work. To be a slave on the farm and the father elevates him back to his sonship.

In that one moment he forgives all the trespasses that the son had committed. He takes away everthing the son deserves and gives him that which can only be given by the father- His position as son.

God does this: He forgives our mess. Looks past our failures and into our hearts. He sees that little child falling while they learn to walk and he has compassion. He forgives. He embraces and he purposefully elevated His son.

From the clothes-The best robes

To the ring-the sign of authority.

To the calf- the begining of a celebration. He lifts his son up. Just as we lift up our kids. WE push them to do better. We give them chances we wished we had. We work more to make things possible—all because we have the heart of the father.

Lastly we

A Father Teaches

Luke 15:25–32 ESV

“Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 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.’ But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 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. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’ ”

A father takes every moment to teach his boys to become men and his daughters to become queens. There are many ways the father could have handled his older son. After all this one is filled with resentment and grief.

But he takes that moment to teach him the heart of a father. The love that he has, the sacrifices that he has to make, and the push forward he has to give.