The Prodigal Son

Introduction

Happy Father’s Day! What does it mean to be a dad? As I was studying for this message, I googled that question. I wanted to see what the culture around us thought about dads. When you look at our culture, we don’t have a very good track record of thinking highly about dads. Our media has been used of Satan to wage war against fatherhood. We see in our media that dads are most often absent or incompetent. If they’re present in the families portrayed, they’re often mindless, baffoons like Homer Simpson. Gone are the days of the media portraying dads like Andy Griffith. Today the culture has lowered the bar for dads to be more like Peter Griffin. I believe that all of this is intentional by our enemy the devil. But there is good news…as the quality of fatherhood in our nation has followed the blueprint of our media, the culture is responding. People are seeing the need for dads to step up. As one blogger wrote, “Any guy can be a father, but it takes a real man to be a dad!” Dads are important. Dads play a crucial role in the family. The family is God’s design for godliness and righteousness to be passed to the next generation. God desires for children to be raised in homes with a mom and a dad who honor Christ. God desires homes where dad honors the heart of our Heavenly Father and portrays that heart to his children, that they may see the Heart of our Heavenly father. As we open God’s Word this morning, I want us to see just exactly what the Heart of our Heavenly Father looks like.

LUKE 15:1-2, LUKE 15:11-32

1) The Father Cares for His Children (vs. 20)

The Father had compassion for His son, but this compassion didn’t start with the son’s absence. It started long before. In vs. 12, we see that the Father gave the youngest son his share of the estate, probably around 1/3 since it would have been customary for his brother to receive a double portion as the oldest.

As one commentator wrote: The father had options at the request of the youngest son. He could have told him he had to wait until the father was dead to get his inheritance. He could have given him a smaller track of land in order to prove himself before gaining 1/3 of the entire estate. He could have sought to appease the son by offering a double allowance. He could have scolded the son by chastising him for bringing shame to the family for wanting his share of the inheritance before the father had died. But the response Jesus displays in this father is one of compassion. For this father knew that the heart of the son was falling away and the only possible course for the son to change his heart and his mind was for him to see through real world experience that worldly ways and possession are empty.

The Father honored the independence of the son, so that the son might understand the necessity of dependence upon the Father.

This is why we see that the father is waiting and longing for the son’s return.

So many times, you and I are like this youngest son. We get our minds and our hearts so set on our own independence. We want things to go our way and so our Heavenly Father, out of compassion, allow us to see first hand the results of our folly and sin.

In the midst of all of our wandering, our Heavenly Father is patiently and compassionately waiting for our return.

2) The Father Goes to His Children (vs. 20, 28)

When the Father sees his youngest son returning, he goes to him! He can’t wait to embrace his son. He can’t wait to show him affection and love on him. His son that who’s heart was once lost that led to his absence, has now returned with a new heart.

The father’s broken heart meets the son’s broken heart and both are restored.

This father is not just moved for the lost son who has now returned. When he hears that his son refused to come to the celebration, he likewise, goes to his son to tend to his hurt.

Two different sons, two different hearts, two different responses, one father with one heart for his sons that moves him to action.

For us this morning, it is important for us to understand that our Heavenly Father loves us. He comes to us in our broken-heartedness. He never leaves us in a place of despair, but always wants what’s best for us: His nearness!

3) The Father Brings Perspective to His Children (vs. 32)

Here in the text, the Father brings a proper perspective to both of His Children.

For both sons, instead of anger and resentment, the Father looked beyond the problem and displayed the reality of their circumstances.

One son, thought the ways of the world were better than being with the father. The father allowed him to have realization in the only way possible: experience. The same son, once he had come to himself, thought that he was unworthy to be with the father and expected rejection as a son and so thought his only option would be to return as a servant. The father quickly displayed a heart of compassion and forgiveness.

The oldest son was angry and resentful that his younger brother, who brought shame upon their family would be so readily received. The father brought reassurance of his love for his children and brought to his son the realization that his brother was once dead and lost, but is now alive and found.

Too often in our lives, we get our minds set in one way of thinking and get either self-entitled or self-righteous. We tend to get discontent and think we are owed something. We tend to get angry when someone, we consider undeserving, is celebrated while we get left in the field.

When we start feeling entitled, we will either find ourselves wallowing in the slop of this world, like the youngest son, or we will find ourselves wallowing in self-pity, like the oldest son. Neither is a pretty place. Neither is a place where our Heavenly Father desires us to be. This is why our Father, in all of His perfect wisdom, pleads for us to gain some perspective and come to our senses.

Conclusion

The father loves us too much to leave us in our selfishness. Our father loves us enough to respond to our wayward hearts. He runs to us and meets us where we are. He pleads with us to get a new perspective and to see the only reality that matters, that is the only reality that is true: His reality.

The father loves you and cares for you. He comes to you and meets you in your broken-heartedness. He wisely helps you to get a proper perspective in your life. The only question that remains is how will you respond to Him?