What is God the Father Really Like?

Text: Luke 15:11-24

Theme: Our God is a loving Heavenly Father who patiently waits for His children to come home and celebrates when they do.

Some people think the most important question of life is "Do you believe in God?" But I think the more important question is "What kind of God do you believe in?" Can we know what God really like?

There are many religions in the world that present differing pictures of God and they all may contain some truth as to God’s nature and character. But there’s a big problem when you get only a partial picture of God. You can believe in God, but if you have a false view of who or what God is, you’re headlong down the rabbit-hole of idolatry. Jesus told the woman at the well that a day will come when “... true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeks such to worship him.” Many men seek to worship God, but they worship him in flesh instead of spirit and in error instead of truth.

Jesus Christ came to this world to show us exactly what God the Father is like. In Luke 15, He shares three stories that paint a portrait of the character and nature of our Heavenly Father. The most well-known of the three is the story of the lost son.

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Although this is often called the Parable of the Prodigal Son, the key figure in the story is actually the Father. Therefore, it might more rightly be called the Parable of the Loving Father. Jesus is teaching us that the God of the Universe is like the father in this story. It's not enough to believe in God; you must understand the nature of God. Jesus came to introduce us to the Father. Hebrews 1:3 tells us that Jesus “ ... is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, ... .”

The wonder and beauty of the character of God can be seen in this wonderful parable. From it, we learn three important things about God.

We Worship a God Who Regrets Your Rebellion

We Worship a God Who Runs Toward You When You Return

We Worship a God Who Restores You When You Repent

I. WE WORSHIP A GOD WHO REGRETS YOUR REBELLION

1. in the story, the younger son demanded to receive his inheritance even though his father is still alive

a. in the culture of that day, this is unheard of

1) Jesus’ listeners would have been repulsed at the arrogance of the younger son

2) Jesus’ listeners would have been equally repulsed at the acquiescence of the father to the younger son’s demand

b. according to Jewish law, the eldest son receives two-thirds of his father’s estate and the remaining one-third was split equally among the remaining sons

1) so in our story, the young son, though getting only one-third of the estate, was getting a sizable portion

2) this younger son came to his dad and said, "I know you're gonna' drop dead someday, but I don't want to wait. Give me my inheritance now."

c. the father was wounded by this harsh demand, but he granted it

1) he probably had to take some time to sell some of his land or livestock or liquidate other assets, but he eventually comes up with 1/3 of his net worth and hands it over to his younger son

2. immediately the son takes the money and heads off for bigger and better things

a. he walks out of his father's life and heads for the far country

3. here is a perfect example of a disrespectful, manipulative child in total rebellion against the father

a. you don’t have to read much into the story to know that this father's heart is broken at his son’s request, and subsequent behavior

b. you don’t have to read much into the story to know that the disrespectful, manipulative child in total rebellion against the father is us in our lostness

c. this is a father who will shed many tears while his son is absent

A. GOD IS A LOVING HEAVENLY FATHER

“This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” (1 John 4:9–10, NIV84)

1. clearly, the father in this parable represents God

a. He is a loving Father who gives men a certain amount of creaturely freedom and will let His creation despise Him

1) but it breaks His heart when people do

2. but whom does the prodigal son represent?

a. New Testament scholars and pastors are somewhat divided over who the younger son represents

1) some people say he represents a Christian out of relationship with the Father

2) I think the younger son represents those who are lost

3) in fact, I believe both the sons of the story represent lostness

a) the younger son is lost in his rebelliousness and profligate lifestyle

b) the older son is lost in his obedience and righteous lifestyle

3. the father of the story is grieved over the behavior of both sons, but loves both sons, and longs for their repentance

B. GOD IS A LOVING HEAVENLY FATHER WHO GIVES MAN ALL THE FREEDOM HE DESIRES

1. the younger of the two sons has decided he wants freedom from the control of his father

a. he has convinced himself that by being away from the eyes of his parents he would be able to do whatever he wanted — he would have true freedom

1) of course to carry out his plan he needs one thing — money!

b. so he comes to his father and says, "Dad, there is an inheritance coming to me one of these days, but I don't want to wait for it. I want my inheritance now."

c. do you know what this young man is saying?

1) "I wish you were dead so that I could have what is coming to me."

2) he didn't care about his father only about the things his father owned

d. he wants what he wants and he wants it now!

1) the verb give me in vs. 12 is in the imperative mood which means that this young man is actually commanding and demanding his father give him his share of the inheritance

2. reluctantly, this loving father gives His son exactly what he wants—his money and his freedom

a. God still gives the lost man all the freedom he demands

“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.” (Luke 15:13, NIV84)

b. the farther away this young man could get from his father the better

ILLUS. The story reminds me of the prophet Jonah who thought by boarding a ship to Tarshish he could get away from God.

3. our heavenly Father is not a coercive God — He does not demand the lost man's love and obedience, but He does pine for it

II. WE WORSHIP A GOD WHO RUNS TOWARD YOU WHEN YOU RETURN

1. the wayward son didn't fare so well in the far country

a. he lived high on the hog for a while, but pretty soon he was living with the hogs!

b. Jesus uses six words in vs. 13 to describe what happened: He "squandered his wealth in wild living"

2. there's a lot that can be read into those words

a. with a pocketful of money, he heads straight for the big city

1) in a relatively short period of time he blew all of his inheritance

2) before he could turn around it was all gone

b. to earn a living he ends up in a pigpen slopping hogs

3. Jesus also tells us he came to his senses and realized a servant in his father's house had it better than he did

a. all of his father's farmhands got three meals a day

b. he finally reached his Point Of Total Desperation

c. so, he swallowed something more tasteless than Carob pods

1) he swallowed his pride and started the journey back home

4. how does the father receive him?

ILLUS. Scholars have discovered a story similar to this parable existed among Jewish rabbis for many years before Jesus told this story. In the earlier form, the younger son runs away and spends all his father's money. When he came crawling home, the father rejects him. So, as Jesus was telling this story, the Pharisees and tax collectors were thinking to themselves, "Yeah, I've heard this one before."

His audience of Pharisees and tax collectors expected Him to say, "One day the father saw his son returning. He waited on the porch with his arms crossed and a furrowed brow. The broken-down son begged his father to take him back. But the father looked away from him saying, 'Forget it! You had your chance. You've chosen to live like a pig, now go back to your pigs. You've made your bed, now lie in it!'"

5. in the original story the father turns his son away and tells him he was getting exactly what he deserved

a. it was a story that reflected the Old Testament idea of a strict Pharisaical legalism

b. in fact the Old Testament tells us that a father could have a son like this stoned to death

“If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who does not obey his father and mother and will not listen to them when they discipline him, 19 his father and mother shall take hold of him and bring him to the elders at the gate of his town. 20 They shall say to the elders, “This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious. He will not obey us. He is a profligate and a drunkard.” 21 Then all the men of his town shall stone him to death. You must purge the evil from among you. All Israel will hear of it and be afraid.” (Deuteronomy 21:18–21, NIV84)

1) I’m sure these pompous old Pharisees just loved Deut 21! and thought “That's a great passage!”

c. that's the normal ending of the story

6. but Jesus gives a surprise twist to the plot

A. OUR HEAVENLY FATHER IS FULL OF COMPASSION

1. picture with me the portrait of this father that Jesus paints in this parable

a. his heart was broken when his son left

1) every day while he was gone, the father thought of the son and wondered where he was and what he was doing

2) each afternoon about sundown he would walk to the edge of his property, stand at his stone fence and look down the road that his son had left by

b. he was looking, longing, hoping that one day his son would return

1) then one afternoon, he sees a bent over figure dragging along the road

2) this character is dressed in rags

2. but as he continues to look, there is something about the figure that looks familiar

a. in a flash, the father realizes it is his son

b. then he did an amazing thing

1) he jumps the stone fence and sprints out to meet his son

v. 20 "While he was still a long way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.”

2) the Greek verb here indicates he kept on kissing him

3) in our vernacular we would say he smothered his son with kisses

c. in the Jewish culture, men wore long robes

1) in order for a man to run, he had to lift up the hem of his robe and hold it high to keep from tripping over it

2) in doing so, he would expose his bare legs, which was considered highly unseemly in Jewish culture

3) men of respect never ran; it would have been embarrassing

d. but can't you see this father grabbing handfuls of robe and running toward his son?

1) he didn't wait for the son to reach him, he runs to meet the son

2) he hugs and kisses his rebellious son before the son can say a word!

e. remember that the son had been working in the pigpen

1) he not only looked awful, he smelled awful; not exactly the kind of person you want to hug and kiss!

2) the father could have said, "So you’re back, huh? Well go clean yourself up before you come into this house!"

3) but instead, the father accepted him just as he was

4) here was a father who was full of compassion, not full of religion

f. and God the Father, the Creator of the Universe welcomes sinners the same way– just as they are

3. this is a revolutionary portrayal of God

a. I can just see these bug-eyed Pharisees going, “No, no! That’s not how the story is supposed to go! The father is suppose to reject him and send the boy packing!”

4. Jesus, on the other hand, says that God runs to meet sinners when they decide to repent and turn to Him

ILLUS. There is a hymn in our hymn book — usually sung as an invitation hymn — that says, "If you'll take one step toward the Savior, my friend, you'll find His arms open wide. Receive Him and all of your darkness will end; within your heart He'll abide."

a. that’s the God of this story

5. what is God really like?

ILLUS. Listen to the 19th century British pastor Charles Spurgeon described this scene. He wrote: “It was not with icy eyes that the father looked on his returning son. Love filled his heart as he beheld him. There was no anger in his heart toward his son. It was true that it was all his own fault, but that did not come before his father's mind. It was the state that he was in, his poverty, his degradation, that pale face of his so wan with hunger, that touched his father to the quick. We read that the father RAN! The compassion of God is followed by swift movements. He is slow to anger, but He is quick to bless. God comes flying in the greatness of His compassion to help every poor soul that returns to Him."

c. that's what God is really like

1) we worship a God who regrets our rebellion and runs to us when we return

III. WE WORSHIP A GOD WHO RESTORES YOU WHEN YOU REPENT

1. when he finally came to his senses in the pigpen, the son rehearsed the speech he was going to give to his dad

2. the prodigal son makes three confessions in this passage

a. First he confesses to God, "I have sinned against heaven"

1) that was right — He arrives at the conclusion that his decision to leave home was what? Simply unwise? A practical error? No, definitely a sin, nothing less

2) primarily, all sin is against God, so he had confessed his sin to God

b. Second, he confessed to his father, "and I have sinned against you"

1) right again

2) one of the hardest things for any of us to say is, "I was wrong. Will you forgive me?"

c. Third, he confesses, "I am no longer worthy to be called your son."

1) the issue does not involve the young man’s legal status (legally he is still his father’s son)

2) the issues does involve his moral status (a father like you deserves better than a son like me)

3) this is true of all of us ... God deserves better than what we are — smelly, repugnant sinners fresh out of the pigpen

A. GOD ACCEPTS US AS THE SINNERS WE ARE BUT IMMEDIATELY CHANGES WHO WE ARE

1. the father refused to entertain the idea his son would be a servant

2. immediately the father commanded his servants to bring the best robe

a. he took that beautiful robe and lovingly placed it around his son, covering all the filth and dirt of his mistakes

1) that's a lovely picture of how God covers our sin with a robe of righteousness bought through the blood of His son Jesus

3. he also puts a ring on his son’s finger

ILLUS. In that day, sons often wore family rings with the family seal engraved upon it. Stamping the ring in wax was like a signature. The son probably left with a ring, but had pawned it off long ago. The father put a new ring on his finger symbolizing his full status in the family.

4. he puts shoes on his son’s feet

ILLUS. Slaves didn't wear shoes, but sons did. So the father had sandals brought to be put on his son's feet. There is an old Negro spiritual entitled: "All God's children got shoes." It was based on this verse.

a. the Father restored everything the son had lost!

5. and here's the bonus!

a. the father commanded the fattened calf to be killed, so they could have a real Texas Barbecue!

1) the fact the Father had been fattening up the calf makes me think he anticipated the return of his son

b. everything the son left looking for, he found back at his father's house

1) the father's love for his wayward son had never changed

2) but the son came back and was changed by the Father’s love

a) his sins were forgiven, and his past was forgotten

“As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him. 14 For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust. ... 17 But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children, 18 to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments.” (Psalm 103:13–18, ESV)

IV. APPLICATION OF THE PARABLE

1. this being Father’s Day, let me give you some observations from this parable that dads can take home with them

A. 1st FATHERS SHOULD BE APPROACHABLE

1. approachableness means your children can come to you when they're in trouble

a. the first words this man’s wayward son says after he comes to his senses in the pig pen is, "I will get up and go to my father..." (v. 18)

1) his first thought is, "I’ll go talk to dad."

2. dads, are you the first one your children think of when they are in trouble ... or the last?

a. a lot depends on how approachable you have been for them in the past

3. you cannot always control what your children's response will be in a crises

a. but you can influence what their actions will be after the crisis

1) if, each time they have came to you with a minor issue, they've found a grumpy, don’t-bother-me-now-dad who shows little concern and little understanding or compassion, you'll very quickly learn that you’re the last one they'll come to with a major problem

4. had this father been unapproachable, the wayward son might have never been restored to the family

B. 2ND, FATHERS SHOULD BE LONGSUFFERING

1. longsuffering is a good Biblical word

a. sadly, it is often translated as patience in many modern translations

1) now patience is a legitimate translation of longsuffering, but it fails to convey the idea behind the word

b. longsuffering is best understood by reversing the word – it is suffering long

1) synonyms would include, forbearance and

2. longsuffering is a word used to describe God’s patient endurance of the wickedness of sinners

a. the purpose of God’s longsuffering is to lead people to repentance

1) this Father’s longsuffering is witnessed when the younger son arrogantly demands his cut of the inheritance before the father is even dead

2) this father’s longsuffering is witnessed while he anxiously waits for his son to come to his senses and come home

3) this father’s longsuffering is witnessed when his boy does come home and he showers the son with affection

3. the sad truth is that some children insist on becoming prodigals

a. kids are going to naturally push the boundaries and test the limits

b. some are going to rebel more than others

1) some are like calves who will poke their head through the fence and nibble what’s on the other side, but they’ll never seriously challenge the fence

2) some are like bulls who act like a fence isn’t even there and go charging off under a full head of steam

c. some children will become prodigals, because all children are sinners

1) raising them in church is no guarantee that they will remain loyal Christ

4. when they do become a prodigal, it isn't necessarily a forgone conclusion that you have failed

a. if you’ve got a prodigal of your own, then you need to be praying Proverbs 22:6

"Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it." (Proverbs 22:6, NIV)

b. be a longsuffering father

C. 3RD FATHERS NEED TO BE COMPASSIONATE

1. how can a father feel compassion for a returning child who has squandered his estate?

2. how can a father feel compassion for a child who has dragged the family reputation through the dirt?

3. drop down to verse 32 to find the answer

a. the older son has just asked his dad those very questions

b. he's beside himself because of the way his father received his younger brother back

1) in verse 30, he says, "when this son of yours came, who has devoured your wealth with harlots, you killed the fattened calf for him!"

2) it is probably safe to say that the older brother thought the boy should be disowned!

c. yet, look at verse 32: "We had to be merry and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found."

d. for him, the boy's return was like coming back from the dead

1) his possessions, his reputation, compared to that didn't matter

4. dads, are you compassionate men toward your children?

Con. In his book, Capital of the World, Ernest Hemingway wrote about a father in Spain who had a son named Paco. Because of his son's rebellion, Paco and his father were estranged. The father was bitter and angry with his son, and kicked him out of the home. After years of bitterness, the father's anger ended and he realized his mistake. He began to look for Paco, with no results. Finally, in desperation, the father placed an ad in the Madrid newspaper. The ad read, "PACO, ALL IS FORGIVEN. MEET ME AT THE NEWSPAPER OFFICE AT 9AM TOMORROW. LOVE, YOUR FATHER." Paco is a rather common name in Spain, and Hemingway wrote when the father arrived the next morning, there were 600 young men all named Paco waiting and hoping to receive the forgiveness of their fathers."

If you need forgiveness today, Jesus offers it.

We see in this parable, a wonderful picture of what God is like. He is a God who regrets your rebellion, who runs when you return, and who restores you when you repent. We also see an example of what earthly fathers are to be like.