A Father's Heart

Well, this morning, well, really this week, because this morning is Father's Day, as I started working on a Father's Day sermon.

The first passage that came to mind was the passage of Eli and his two sons.

And assuming you're a little familiar with it, I think there's a lot of very important lessons that we as fathers can learn from that passage.

And I'd encourage you to be familiar with it.

The problem was I had a hard time figuring out how I was going to end it positively.

Okay, and so just as a reminder, look at these couple verses from 1 Samuel chapter 2, starting in verse 22.

1 Samuel 2 · chapter mention

It says,

Now Eli was very old, and he kept hearing all that his sons were doing to all Israel,

and how they lay with the women who were serving at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

And he said to them,

Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all these people.

No, my sons, it's not a good report that I hear the people of the Lord spreading abroad.

If someone sins against a man, God will mediate for him.

But if someone sins against the Lord, who can intercede for him?

But they would not listen to the voice of their father, for it was the will of the Lord to put them to death.

And if you remember, in the next chapter, that's exactly what happens.

Both of Eli's sons are put to death, and the Ark of the Covenant is actually captured.

And if you remember, when Eli hears it, he falls backwards in his chair and breaks his neck.

And I thought, ending with, Happy Father's Day, don't lean back in any chairs.

This didn't seem like it was a good option.

But the truth is, this last phrase in this verse,

that they would not listen to the voice of their father, for it was the will of the Lord to put them to death,

really captured my attention.

And if you think about it, it's a very terrifying verse.

And I've come to decide this week, after thinking about it,

it probably embodies my greatest fear.

Which is that, at some point in the future,

my children would turn their backs on God,

and jettison their faith,

and be enemies of God, apart from his grace.

And honestly,

I would like to, at this point in life,

with my children grown,

adults, walking with the Lord,

be able to say, wow, I dodged that bullet.

But we all know,

that's not necessarily the truth, is it?

How many people have you known in your life,

that have seemed to be walking with the Lord,

for years,

or for decades,

or for a lifetime,

only to then,

suddenly one day wake up and say,

I've never really believed,

and walk away from their faith.

And so,

pondering these things,

and thinking about it,

led me to a very familiar passage,

which will be our passage this morning.

And it's the story of the prodigal son.

It's found in Luke 15,

Luke 15:11–32

verses 11 through 32.

Luke 15,

Luke 15:11–32

verses 11 through 32.

And just as a reminder,

the story of the prodigal son,

is a parable that Jesus told.

And just a simple definition,

that's easy to remember,

of what a parable is,

is it's an earthly story,

with a heavenly meaning.

And Jesus told many parables,

most of them,

he has one main point,

that he's trying to make,

and you really have to be careful,

to not overanalyze them,

or you can end up,

in some interesting places.

But the parable,

of the prodigal son,

is such a rich and deep parable.

Many commentators call it,

the crown of all parables.

That there's depths,

that we could mine for weeks,

or months,

and never exhaust the limits,

of this one parable.

And every time I read it,

I can honestly say,

I am challenged.

I'm encouraged.

In some way,

it impacts me in a new way.

And so this morning,

as we look at this,

as fathers,

or mothers,

grandparents,

or even just as children,

of our Heavenly Father,

I hope,

we will be transformed by it.

Before we get a little further,

would you just join me in prayer?

Father,

we come to you this morning,

and we ask that your spirit,

would be upon us.

That you would open our hearts,

and minds to hear your word.

That you would lead,

and that you would speak.

That we would listen,

and that we would receive,

the truth of your word.

And that it would use,

you would use it to transform us,

into a greater,

more clear reflection of your son.

Father,

we thank you for the privilege of your word.

Help us not to take it for granted.

In Jesus' name we pray.

Amen.

So let's begin,

and we'll just look at this section by section,

and talk about seven things that we see,

as we look at the father's heart,

the father's heart,

in the parable of the prodigal son.

So starting in Luke 15,

with verses 11 and 12.

Luke 15, 11 and 12.

It says,

And he said,

there was a man,

and that's Jesus.

Jesus said,

there was a man who had two sons.

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.

Now, it's a very simple opening,

and if we were to just read it and keep going,

we wouldn't stop to consider

the impact this had on the original audience.

In the culture where Jesus was speaking,

this would not just so easily flow by, okay?

And so it would be a riveting,

almost abhorrent thing for them to hear

the younger son deal this way.

So let me give you just a brief translation

to help you hear it more accurately.

It's basically like the younger son

came to his father and said,

I am so sick and tired of being around you.

I can't wait another day for you to die.

I have to get out of here.

Would you just give me

what you're going to give me

whenever you die and let me leave?

You see, it's a lot more weighty.

And the original audience

would have been struck by that.

They would have been shocked

at hearing the younger son's audacity

in how he approached his father.

And what I think is interesting for us to see

as we look at the father's heart in this

is that the father just very simply says,

and he divided it and gave it to him, right?

The father doesn't take any efforts

to try and force external obedience on the son.

He could have used guilt or shame.

He could have just said,

no, I'm not going to do it, right?

But he doesn't.

Notice that the father lets the son

have what he so wickedly asked for,

that he deals gently and graciously with his sin.

And I think it's important

because I believe what it shows us here

is that the father is most concerned

about his son's heart.

The father is most concerned

about his son's heart.

He's not content to push

for merely external obedience.

He's not willing to just get some comfort right now

and avoid the awkwardness of the moment

by saying no.

He wants his son's heart.

And so in pursuing that,

he's willing to deal gently and graciously

with the sinful request of his son.

Now, honestly, in parenting,

isn't this one of the greatest challenges?

Trying to discern in each situation

how we can pursue our child's heart.

I know if any of you are like me,

it's just so much easier

to parent out of response

to the inconvenience

or to the frustration

or to the embarrassment

of whatever's happening

and try to address that

and just need to get this fixed now.

But that's not what we see

in the father in this parable.

We see him focused in

on pursuing his son's heart.

Let's look at verses 13 through 19.

It says,

Not many days later,

the younger son gathered all he had

and took a journey to a far country.

And there he squandered his property

in reckless living.

And when he'd spent everything,

a severe famine arose in that country

and he began to be in need.

So he went and hired himself out

to one of the citizens of that country

who sent him into his fields

to feed pigs.

And he was longing to be fed

with the pods that the pigs ate

and no one gave him anything.

So stop for a second

and just think, okay?

Almost immediately,

the son gathers his stuff,

goes off to a faraway country.

We don't know where.

It doesn't matter.

It's a parable.

The point is,

he wants to get as far away

from his father as he can.

And then we see

that God lets him continue

in this sinful living, right?

He wastes everything

that he's gotten.

It's just all immediately thrown away.

And then God sends a famine.

So he has nothing

and then everyone else is struggling.

And all his new friends are gone.

Suddenly he's not sure what to do.

He's in this far off place.

So he hires himself out to feed pigs.

And if you don't know,

pigs are like one of the lowest options

in the biblical world, right?

The audience, when they hear pigs,

they're like, ooh, pigs.

Okay?

And if it's not bad enough

to be a pig feeder,

which that's just nasty

because pigs are nasty,

he wants to eat pig food.

I mean, that's like,

Jesus takes it another rung down.

This guy is low.

I mean, it's bad.

It's bad news.

Okay?

But notice in verse 17

as it continues what happens.

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.

I will arise and go to my father.

I will say to him,

Father, I have sinned against heaven

and before you.

I'm no longer worthy

to be called your son.

Treat me as one of your hired servants.

Isn't it interesting?

All of these things happen.

And then suddenly,

the Holy Spirit brings to mind

the fact that his father

had modeled godly character.

He comes to the awareness

of the fact that his father

had dealt graciously

with his servants.

He'd cared for them.

He'd given them an abundance.

He was suddenly,

the son is suddenly aware

of the kind of character

his father had.

And from wanting to be

as far away as possible,

he suddenly realizes

there's no place else

he would rather be.

He's even willing to be a servant

in his father's house

because of the kind of man

his father is.

Isn't it interesting

the change that happens?

And it made me think

as I was studying this,

am I doing that?

Am I being faithful

to model the kind

of godly character

that we see

was modeled

by the father here?

Am I laying a foundation

in my children's life

that whatever happens

in the future,

it would be something

the Holy Spirit could use

to bring to remembrance,

to stir in their hearts,

make them aware

of their sin against God,

call them to consider

coming back.

Is that the kind

of character I've modeled?

I think even just considering

laying a foundation

in their lives

so that they know

no matter how far

they've gone,

that they can always

come home.

Are we being

that kind of father?

Let's look at Luke 15,

starting with the beginning

of verse 20.

It says,

And he arose

and came to his father,

but while he was still

a long way off,

his father saw him.

The third thing we see

is that the father

never gives up hope.

In this parable,

we get the feeling,

as Jesus tells this,

that the father's

constantly looking.

There's an expectation.

He's expecting

his son's return.

It doesn't catch him

off guard.

He has this anticipation,

this hope,

this faith

that he's clung to.

And the truth is,

sometimes holding on

to faith when things

are hard over any length

of time is terribly

challenging.

Whether it's an ongoing

physical illness

or whether it's

relational problems

with our family,

our spouse,

it's hard to hold on

to hope as days

and months go by.

And we see here

that kind of character

in this father,

he never gives up hope.

And the most powerful

example of that

in my own life

wasn't actually

from a father.

It was from a grandmother.

Not my grandmother.

But a woman named

Vera Griffin.

Miss Vera

was a godly woman.

She loved Jesus.

And she had five children

that were unbelievers.

And she prayed

for more than 40 years

for them to know Christ.

And whenever you were

with her,

you always could get

that sense that

it wasn't something

she hoped would happen

in the sense of

wishful thinking.

There was an assurance there.

And she prayed

and she was committed to it.

And what's interesting

is she prayed

for her children

and then she eventually

prayed for her

unbelieving grandchildren.

And it was for more

than 40 years

until one day

her grandson,

who would eventually

become a good friend of mine,

was invited

to a Young Life meeting.

Young Life's kind of

like a Christian club

if you're not familiar

with it,

like Campus Crusade

or InterVarsity.

Anyway,

he was invited

to go to a meeting

and he didn't really

want to go

but they kept inviting him

so he decided

to go to this one meeting.

And at this one meeting

they were doing a drawing

for one person

to get a free week

at Young Life camp

that summer.

And everybody else

wanted it.

He didn't want it

but they made him

turn his name in

and guess what?

He was the one

that got it.

And everyone else

was so depressed

and he was like,

I don't know

if I really want to go

but he thought,

you know,

it'll be fun.

There'll probably be girls there.

They might as well go.

And he went

and at that camp

Jesus radically

changed his life.

And then from that

it began to work

throughout his family.

His parents came to Christ.

The other siblings

came to Christ.

The other grandchildren

came to Christ.

And after more than

40 years of prayer

this Vera saw her family

come to know Christ.

And as far as I know

all of their great

grandchildren that I know

are walking with Christ.

Are we committed

to that kind of hope

in the lives

of those around us?

Whether it's our children

whether it's our family members

a spouse

the people that we work with

are we prayerfully committed

to pursue them

trusting that God

will be faithful?

Let's look at the next part

of verse 20.

He arose and came to his father

but while he was still

a long way off

his father saw him

and felt compassion.

Notice the father's heart

is full of compassion.

It's the immediate response.

He's not only been hoping

but then when he finally

sees his son

a long way off

the immediate response

is compassion

flows out of him.

Now if it was me

it would be so easy

to be bitter

to be hurt

to be spending

all the time

while he was gone

thinking about

how could you do this to me?

I'd be tempted

to be critical

or ridicule

or find some way

to be negative

but this father's heart

is full of compassion

and that compassion

compels him

to do the unthinkable.

Look at the next part

of verse 20.

But while he was still

a long way off

his father saw him

and felt compassion

and ran

and embraced him

and kissed him.

Now I said in the beginning

that the audience

was shocked

at how the younger son

had acted

but that probably

pales in comparison

to what happens here

as Jesus is telling

the parable

because it was not

dignified

for men like this father

to go running

passionately

with reckless abandon

around town.

Okay?

But have in mind

the picture

of what's happened.

The father's been hopeful

he's been waiting

he's been looking

he's been longing

and finally he sees it.

Finally

he sees his son

on the horizon

whether that's

the edge of town

or the edge

of their street

coming up past

the nosy neighbors

we don't know

it's a parable

but he sees him

and he knows

the kind of ridicule

that son is going

to face

from his shameful

actions

from what's happened

the townsfolk

have been gossiping

about him

this whole time

he knows

the kind of attention

that he's going

to receive

as he's walking

that distance

to the house.

And so

the father

does the unthinkable.

He hikes up his robes

and goes running

full speed

whether it's down

the street

or through the town

all of his

reckless abandon

pursuing his son.

And now

imagine

if this was at your house

okay

and you're sitting

out on your porch

and you look down

the street

you see kind of

homeless guy

walking there

he's coming

you're kind of

intrigued

hey what's up

with that guy

who's he

why is he in our town

and all of a sudden

a businessman

goes running by you

in his boxers

right

your attention

immediately is like

I don't care about

that guy anymore

what is with this man

right

and we see that

and it's intentional

that the father

is taking

the shame

he's willingly

taking the shame

his son deserves

all of the attention

is immediately

torn from his son

and placed on him

they see him running

just like a madman

and now

you know

they would be almost

as aghast

at this father's action

now

as they were

at the sons

in the beginning

now maybe

there's this moment

of comprehension

where the audience

puts two and two

together

oh

okay

he's realized

that's his son

and he's gonna

go give it to him

he's gonna let him know

he's gonna draw him back

snap the whip

and get him back in line

but then what happens

he runs up

and sweeps him up

in his arms

embraces him

kisses him

now the audience

is enraged

what

what is happening

this is unreasonable

this is not appropriate

for you to treat

this shameful

wicked son

in such a way

but isn't that

the heart of our father

willingly taking

the shame

that we deserve

taking the attention

that we deserve

taking the guilt

that is ours

and we see that

happen here as well

it makes me ask

the question

am I like that

with my children

how do I deal

with this sin

in their lives

am I

am I

inclined

to put more guilt

and shame

on them

is that how I respond

to the people

in my life

when they wrong me

am I piling it on

or am I seeking

to take their shame

and to lead them

to Christ

how do I respond

am I doing

all that I can

to help

alleviate

their guilt

and shame

at the foot

of the cross

or am I

making much

of them

starting

in verse 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

but the father

said to his

servants

bring quickly

the best robe

and put it on him

put a ring

on his hand

and shoes

on his feet

and bring the

fattened calf

and kill it

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 sixth thing

we see

the father

forgives freely

and fully

how glorious

how beautiful

the embrace

the kiss

the confession

but nothing more

need be said

the father

just lets

the forgiveness

flow out of him

over his son

there is no question

about reconciliation

as he calls

for the best robe

as he calls

for a ring

he is making

very clear

to his son

our relationship

is restored

we are reconciled

everything is forgiven

and not just

to his son

but to everyone

that is watching

it becomes evident

to what

the father's

forgiveness

has done

dads are you

that way

are you lavish

in your forgiveness

are you stingy

in your forgiveness

when you deal

with your children's

sin

are we inclined

to make such

a big deal

of their sin

that they walk

away feeling like

no one else

has ever been

as terrible

as I am

or do they walk

away knowing

that it is

this sin

that we all

struggle with

that we labor

under

and it's this

very sin

that causes us

to need

Christ

do you go

above and beyond

to communicate

to your children

that your relationship

is restored

assure them

of your love

your devotion

your delight

verses 25

through 32

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

mean

and he said

your brother

has come

and your father

has killed

the fattened calf

because he's 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

I've 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 the father

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

we see the parable

end where it began

the father's

constantly pursuing

the hearts

of his children

this time

the older son

but still pursuing

him

going after his heart

I'd like to think

that there gets

to be a stage

in life

when we as parents

or grandparents

can stop pursuing

the hearts

of our children

but that day

just never comes

it's a never ending

job

and it's a challenging

job

it's frustrating

at times

it's hurtful

at times

it's discouraging

but even as we see

in the father

here

we're called

to be continually

pursuing

the hearts

of our children

and aren't we

thankful

that that's exactly

what God

does with us

right

how often

in your life

has God

pursued your heart

how often

has he showed

you his love

has he taken

your shame

he's constantly

loving us

calling us

chasing us

inviting us

into deeper

intimacy

even with all

of our constant

silliness

our fickleness

our laziness

our rebellion

we turn from him

and he calls us back

he pursues us

constantly seeking

our hearts

do you notice

how this parable

ends

the parable

ends

so abruptly

right

if it was

a Disney film

it would have

ended after

the first son

coming home

and the party

starting

right

everything was

good

everything was

great

Jesus could have

just stopped

there

and we would

have felt

good

but Jesus

the master

storyteller

leans in

further

and challenges

us

with the response

of this older

son

so that we're

all left

somewhere in the

parable

with the same

question

what will you

do

what will

you allow

to keep

you

from greater

intimacy

with the

father

what will it

be

will it be

some sin

in your life

will it be

pursuing worldly

things

and letting

that take

you further

and further

from him

or maybe

maybe it's

just a contentment

with a shallow

empty acquaintance

with him

you're content

with just enough

religion

to know

about him

but not really

know his heart

the final question

that we're left

with this morning

as the audience

was at that point

is what will

you do

will you

stay

where you

are

or

will you

let him

sweep you

up

in his

embrace

as we

come to

the end

of the

service

let me

just

encourage

you

to take

time

today

and reflect

on this

to consider

how

God

is working

in your

life

whether it's

as a father

a mother

whether it's

with your

children

your

grandchildren

with a

spouse

with the

people

that you're

working

with

how are

these

things

impacted

by these

seven

truths

that we

see

in the

father

I would

pray

that

we

would

be

encouraged

by

recognizing

how we've

been the

recipient

of this

kind of

love

but

if by chance

this morning

you have

not

experienced

that time

in your

life

where

you have

been aware

of your

separation

from God

where

you have

recognized

how distant

you are

from him

how you

have

treated

him

if you've

recognized

your sin

and your

guilt

if that

hasn't

happened

in your

life

let me

encourage

you

that today

can be

the day

today

can be

the day

where you

decide

that you're

going to

head

towards the

father

and you'll

find

that he

will run

and embrace

you

sweep

you up

in his

arms

and you'll

find

forgiveness

freely

flowing

into your

life

if you'd

like to

know more

about starting

a relationship

with Jesus

I would

love to

talk with

you after

the service

if by chance

you're watching

on our live

stream

and you

have not

had a

relationship

with Christ

I would

love to

talk with

you

please

feel free

to send

us an

email

you can

find our

contact

information

on our

website

it's

nbccolumbus.org

we'd love

to talk

to you

we'd love

to introduce

you to

the love

of Christ

and let

you experience

this same

kind of

relationship

with our

father

I hope

that you

will consider

that

would you

pray with

me

father

we thank

you as

we come

today

encouraged

by the

love that

we see

in this

father

encouraged

because we

know

that it

is a

reflection

of you

Lord

thank you

for pursuing

our

hearts

thank you

for not

being content

with external

obedience

but desiring

for us

to know

you

intimately

father

we thank

you for

your word

that we

might know

your character

that we

might know

who you

are

that we

would know

your heart

Lord

we ask

that you

would use

that

your spirit

would use

your word

in our

lives

to continually

convict

us of

sin

and

continually

call us

back

to you

father

we pray

that you

would

continue

the work

that you

are doing

in us

that we

might be

a reflection

of Christ

and how

we love

you

and how

we love

others

that we

would seek

to be

quick to

forgive

that we

would seek

to find

ways

to lead

everyone

that you

place

in our

lives

at least

one step

closer to

Christ

that they

would find

the forgiveness

that we

found

that they

would know

the joy

and delight

of having

their shame

covered

with the

righteousness

of Christ

father help

us to be

your hands

and feet

to be a

light in

the darkness

help us

to be

fathers

like

you

help us

to be

people

like you

and help

us to

delight

in being

your

children

in Jesus

name we

pray

amen

god bless

you guys

and have

a happy

father's

day

miracle

Thank you.