"The Heart of a Father" - Luke 15:11-32 - Jun 21, 2026 - Pastor Scotty Brown

Alrighty, well Happy Father's Day.

Can I have a dad stand up for your dad

Stepdad, Grandpa.

I've kind of been just h hold up, stand up, hold up

Stand for a minute unless it's too tough.

Uh I've been a little weepy all morning about this dad thing.

So uh just let me pray for you guys.

Lord, thank you.

Thank you for this uh

Privilege.

Privilege to be a father of sons and daughters, Lord, and uh grandsons and granddaughters, Lord

I pray that you'd help all of us, Lord, in this room that have those who look to us.

Lord, they look to us for a lot of things.

And uh and all of us fall short.

And so, Lord, would you just help us to do what we can?

Would you strengthen us, Lord, just as I read in your word where it says to strengthen those hands that hang down

And I pray that you would strengthen us as men, as fathers, Lord, realizing that it's

It's what we leave behind.

It's that legacy that we leave that has a lasting impact, Lord, on the lives of others and the lives of those who look to us, Lord.

So help us, we pray in Jesus' name.

Amen.

All right, you may be seated.

Thank you.

And I'm just going to share a few thoughts on on Father's Day.

Coming off of Luke chapter 15 and the the story of the prodigal son and the love of that father, I noticed a few things

Luke 15 · chapter mention

Some things you have to read into it, but I would I'm I'm pretty sure he would be uh he wouldn't have been praying for those those two boys of his and and uh he didn't seem to pick a fight with them

He kind of let the young one go his way, cringing along the way.

You ever done that?

Watching your kids do stuff.

Oh no, don't do that.

But he was there.

He was there.

And uh I personally know what it's like when a father's not there

And how vulnerable you feel and how unsafe.

I remember feeling so unsafe when it was just me and my three siblings and my mom.

And uh but when there was a dad around, and she uh she had four marriages, when there was a dad around it it it it seemed different, it seemed better

And um even though they were all uh men of colorful character, could I just say

But there's a few couple quotes I wanted to share with you on uh about fathers from from some people that

probably we can all identify with.

The first one was from Mark Twain.

He said this when I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant, I couldn't hardly stand to have the old man around

But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years

Boy, some of you young people may not quite get that, but man, there's a lot of truth to that.

Billy Graham said, a good father is one of the most unsung, unpraised, unnoticed

And yet one of the most valuable assets in our society.

A gal from Canada, Canadian writer.

author named Margaret Atwood said said this.

I I I this one really got me.

It says all fathers are invisible in daytime.

Daytime is ruled by mothers and fathers come out at night.

Darkness brings home fathers with their real unspeakable power.

There is more to fathers than meets the eye.

And that's what I was talking about, that vulnerability, but when there was a when dad was around, it was it wasn't there

You felt safe because fathers are to be protectors of wives and children.

So

Just a couple things about fathers, things that a father should do.

First of all, fathers should love.

Right?

Fathers should love.

I remember seeing my grandpa and him having such a hard time expressing love to us kids

And I remember after I became a Christian, I thought, I gotta tell my grandpa that I love him.

Because he had this this kind of bravado and this air about him, like, you don't go there, boy.

You don't do that stuff.

So one day I was walking out and I said, hey grandpa, I love you.

And he goes

YouTube.

It was really hard.

It was hard for him to say that.

But that love should be unconditional.

Unconditional.

Like this father that we see in Luke

Luke 15 · chapter mention

Chapter 15 as he allowed his younger son to uh to go wild and yet received him with unconditional love when he came home.

And he was had a repentant heart.

Oh God, oh Father, I've sinned against you and I've sinned against heaven.

I'm willing to be your servant.

Or how he reasoned with his older son.

And said, shouldn't we do what's right?

Well, everything I got yours, dude.

You got it made in the shade.

It reminds me of Isaiah chapter 1, verse 18, where the Lord says, the Lord says, come, come and let us reason together.

Isaiah 1:18

Though your sins are as are as scarlet, they shall be as snow.

And they are though they are crimson, they'll they'll be like wool.

You'll be forgiven.

Have you reasoned with your father in heaven?

Have you talked to him?

Sought his forgiveness?

So a father should love because God loves us.

Psalms 103, verse 13, powerful verse says, as a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear him.

Psalms 103:13

It's pity, it's it's it's it means compassion, it means uh uh a a heartfelt

Affection for a son or a daughter.

Notice, but it's predicated upon your fear of him.

Do you fear God today?

Do you have a fear of him?

We had an incredible conversation, a little prayer meeting we have on Fridays.

We had an incredible conversation about

You know, the wickedness of man.

And I think I I talk about my own so much that some people think, well, the gets all this guy

That's all this guy talks about.

But I'm so aware of it because I fear it, but the f because I fear it, it's a fear of the Lord.

That's why I fear my shortcomings and my failures.

I fear it because I know that it would come between me and my God.

The Bible says that sin separates you from him.

And I know how quickly and easily I can do that.

And it is a very, very real fear in my life.

But it's a good fear because it's a fear of the Lord.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

The fear of the Lord is clean, the scripture says.

And I love him.

That's why I fear him

I love John.

1 John chapter 3, verse 1.

1 John 3:1

When I first got saved, we would sing this song.

It was in, you know, they put music to it.

It says, Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us.

that we should be called children of God.

Therefore the world does not know us because it did not know him.

That God would love us so much, He would let us be His kids?

Do you deserve to be His kid?

I don't

And yet he saw fit to show me that unconditional love where where I couldn't come to him

Fathers are a child's first hero.

Don't you know?

Dads are a kid's first hero.

And uh even even if if there's not a love a lot of love come from that dad, he's that child's hero nonetheless.

I remember thinking of my dad as a hero.

And and he had faults.

And then my mom's second husband, he was kind of a hero.

He had faults.

He was a jailbird.

And then and then her third husband

He had a lot of faults too.

But I I looked up to I had a certain amount of respect for him.

He was a helicopter pilot in Vietnam.

Was shot down a couple times.

And then her last husband.

The way he loved my mother was very inspiring.

He's a hero in that sense to me.

Now the guy had all kinds of other flaws and failures.

But don't I as well

I remember saying, oh yeah, my dad could whip your dad any day.

You know, it doesn't.

There's something about that parent being that child's parent

It's like they can't get away from it.

Why is it that adopted kids so often want to go find where they came from?

They want to find they want to connect with that person who they would have called dad.

Children glory in this.

The scripture says so

Proverbs chapter 17 verse 6 it said children's children are the crown of old men.

Proverbs 17:6

I'm an old man now.

I say amen to that, right?

Children's children are the crown of old men, and the glory of children is their father.

That's where that comes from.

My dad can whip your dad.

That's their glory.

A child's glory is their father.

How glorious are you?

That's another fear of mine, is letting my kids down.

And I have

So thirdly, a father should confess.

Fathers should confess when they sin to their children.

Why?

Because my kids have seen me sin.

They've seen me be dishonest.

They've seen me be unjustly angry.

They've seen me do things that I shouldn't do.

And I need to confess that to them.

Kids are pretty pretty forgiving.

I think it kind of takes him back sometimes when you say, I'm so sorry, please forgive me.

Oh, oh perfect dad ain't so perfect, is he?

No, but it lets them see.

Listen, you can fail.

You can confess and be be clean.

That's what the scripture says, right?

First John 1 9.

Everybody knows that.

Most Christians know that scripture.

If we confess our sin, he's faithful and just to forgive us of our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

And so it is with each other when we sin against each other

I think I shared with my my mother-in-law asked my wife, her daughter, to forgive her.

I mean I I was instantly a water hazard.

I was just weeping.

It was so powerful.

Just mean that simple?

It's that simple.

It's not easy because we got a whole lot of pride to get over to say I was wrong.

I was, you know, most of us are like the fawns.

I was wrong.

Who remembers the fawns?

Okay.

Good, I'm not alone.

He had a hard time with that.

And the reason we should confess is because our kids have hypocrite detectors built in.

Right?

They know.

Proverbs 28-13 tells us, he who covers his sin will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.

What's true with the Lord is true with others too.

Not always.

Not always.

Sometimes they're, nah, I don't think I'll do that.

Fourthly, fathers should share God's word and discipline or teach their children.

Share God's word.

Hebrews chapter 12, we we've been going through this, and uh, and I'll just read it to you.

Hebrews 12 · chapter mention

But we've been going through the book of Hebrews on our Wednesday night studies and verse 6 of Hebrews.

Well, it starts in verse 5.

It says, My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord.

Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by him, for whom the Lord loves he chastens, and scourges every son whom he receives.

If you endure chastening, God deals with you

you as with sons.

For what son is there whom a father does not chasten?

But if you are without chastening or

of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not not sons at all.

Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us and we paid them respect.

Shall we not much more

Readily be in subjection to our to the Father of Spirits and live?

that we may be partakers of his holiness.

Now no chastening seems to be joyful at the present, but painful nevertheless.

Afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it

Mostly my my biological dad and my the my mom's second husband, my stepdad, that's who did most of the the chastening of Scotty Brown

I got more weapons than my siblings by far.

Uh

And with all kinds of different utensils.

And I got it coming.

I had it coming every time.

And none of it was pleasant.

But I did understand there are consequences to the decisions you make.

And sometimes the decisions you make are going to be very painful.

And so too the Lord does that with us, does he not?

I'm starting to sound like Steve Tuck.

Does he not?

That's one of his catch.

You know, preachers all have catchwords, right?

Ephesians 6 encourages as fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

When your kids and your grandkids know that you love God, it impacts them greatly.

I remember my dad telling me.

Because his dad was pretty hard.

And my dad could have been pretty hard.

He was vacant in my life from the time I was seven to the time I was about 23, 24

So in those years, if he would have been my dad, there would be no Scotty Brown because he would have killed me.

He would have killed me.

But he told me, he said, you know, if my dad, his dad, my grandpa Orville, if my dad would have took me at seven, eight years old and set me on his lap and said, son

I love Jesus with all of my heart.

And I love you.

In fact, I'd give my life for you.

He said that would have changed me.

He said, as I look back, he says, there's a lot of things I probably wouldn't have done if my dad would have done that.

And I've taken his advice.

That's what I've told all my grandkids.

Listen, Papa loves you.

And I love Jesus.

I just want you to love Jesus.

And so I ask him, when Papa dies, you promise me you'll still love Jesus.

Oh yeah, I will, Papa.

They might be lying, but does Papa Heart Papa's heart's good, you know, to know

has a huge impact.

The scripture tells us in the Old Testament, it says, Deuteronomy 4.

9, it says, only take heed to yourself.

And diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life, and teach them to your children and your grandchildren.

These these miracles that the children of Israel had seen as Moses led them out of Egypt and into the wilderness, and over and over again they were

Awed by the miracles that God did.

He fed them from heaven.

He brought water out of a rock.

Their clothes never wore out.

Man, I wish I could have a pair of Wranglers that don't wear out.

They're getting shorter and shorter all the time.

Deuteronomy 11 19, you shall teach them to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up.

Letting them know about the word of God.

Now, there is the old saying that I think bears a lot of truth.

It's it's it's more caught than taught.

More caught than taught.

So you can preach all you want, but if you don't do it, right, they're not going to catch it

They should catch you reading the word.

Your kids and your grandkids.

Hey, what are you doing?

Well, I'm reading God's word.

Oh, the amount of conversations that that sparks.

They should catch you praying.

I remember the times that our kids caught me and Connie praying.

You guys praying?

Well, yeah.

Better get caught prayin' than other things.

I've caught my dad reading the Bible and praying.

I've caught my grandpa Brown reading the Bible and praying.

I caught my grandma Jones reading the Bible.

I

I caught my my mom in her last days reading God's Word

I caught them doing that.

You don't think that impacts me?

And I was an adult when I seen all this stuff.

I saw some of it as a child too, but it impacted me

I need this.

They needed it.

They're all gone.

Where are they?

I believe most of them are with the Lord.

Do I know that emphatically?

No, I don't

But I was just talking to a a friend earlier, and and but that's what I hope in.

That's where I put my hope

But they're with the Lord.

And that's where I want to be.

And I know I got a greater chance of being there if I heed his word.

They should catch him ministering to people, being merciful.

Years ago we would take the little ones to the rest homes.

And they was learning really quick of how to reach out and touch somebody who didn't look quite right.

And didn't smell quite right.

But they shared God's word with them and they would pray with them.

And at a very young age, they were catching something that was very powerful.

As they would minister.

I seen first and second graders lead 80 and 90 year olds to Jesus before they died.

My dad

He uh he goes to the homeless shelters or homeless shelters in California, they're homeless cities, right?

He goes to the homeless cities and he ministers to these people

And many of them, I think, are are demonized.

They've fried their brains on drugs.

And uh and he just prays with them.

They give them food and they pray with them.

If they don't see it, they won't do it.

You want your kids to worship?

Then worship.

You want your kids to read God's word?

Then read God's word.

You want your kids to pray?

It's a no-brainer.

But it's so true.

Because it is true.

Your children become you.

Oh no, please, no, Lord.

I don't want them to be like me.

Dads should have their children's attention.

You should be able to get your kids attention.

I love what it says about the Lord getting Israel's attention in Isaiah chapter 5.

Isaiah 5 · chapter mention

Verse 26 it says, and he will lift up a banner to the nations from afar, and will whistle to them from the ends of the earth.

Surely they shall come with speed swiftly.

I used to whistle for my kids.

We lived right about a hundred yards from this really good-sized canyon that was on the on the uh east side of our house

And so I'd walk down to the canyon and I I never knew where they were.

There was a little creek down there.

It wasn't deep enough for them to get in no trouble or anything.

There wasn't no big deep holes in it or anything.

They could wade in it and what have you

There was an occasional cougar down there which was a bit concerning, but they are honorary enough I don't think they would have tasted too good

But I would I would go to the edge of the canyon and I would whistle for my kids.

And to this day if I whistle, it doesn't matter where they're at, they're in their thirties and forties now.

If I whistle that they turn their head, right

I I had I had trained that I'd kind of gotten their attention because a top couple times I went and whistled and they didn't respond and they got a whooping

Because dad when he's scared and he can't find his kids pretty soon and if they're ignoring him then he's upset and the rod came out.

But we should have their attention.

We should be uh noble enough to have our children's attention, that they should respect us.

And so those are some simple things that fathers can do.

Anybody can do it.

That

You can be that father that has your children's attention.

You can be that father that loves unconditionally.

You should be that father that's willing to confess when he makes mistakes and to teach

To teach them God's ways.

I'm going to close with a few scriptures.

I'm just going to read them to you.

And they're just encouraging because it's what God has for all of us who put our hope and faith in Him.

And and he's that loving Father that has given us this gift of his son for salvation.

Jude 20 and 21 says, But you beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.

Keep yourselves in the love of God.

And I think that's a huge challenge nowadays.

Jesus warned about the times that we live in.

He says the love of many is going to grow cold because

Iniquity abounds.

And we see it.

I see it in the church.

I see people getting bitter in their hearts with what's going on in the world.

Having this disdain for people groups or or certain religions or whatever.

I don't think the Lord would have us do that.

I think He we should

Keep yourselves in the love of God.

And you have to ask Him to fill your cup because you and I don't have that kind of love.

Looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

That we would love mercy.

When you love mercy, then you're merciful.

When you don't, you're unmerciful.

And God isn't unmerciful, He's mercy.

He shows mercy to the humble

It goes on down in verses 24 and 25 in the book of Jude.

It says, now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling.

To present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.

To God, our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory in majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever.

Amen.

Zephaniah 3:17 The Lord your God is in your midst.

Zephaniah 3:17

The mighty one will save.

He will rejoice over you with gladness.

He will

Quiet you with his love.

He will rejoice over you with singing.

I was rejoicing a little bit ago.

I got a text from my oldest daughter.

Wishing me a happy Father's Day.

And I text back, I said, Listen, you're gonna make my eyes leak, girl.

She was my first child.

I met her when she was about three years old.

I was not her bio-dad, but I'm the only dad she's ever had.

She even let me come to her house and have dinner the other night.

And I remember praying, I was scared.

I was 25 years old.

Jesus had gotten a hold of my heart.

It was a good thing.

Because I'm telling you, if Jesus hadn't got a hold of my heart, that little girl wouldn't have been safe.

She wouldn't have been safe with me.

Because I wasn't a changed man before Jesus

And as somebody who had had all kinds of dad experiences, I wanted it to be the best for her

And then a year or so later her little siss sister was born, and then her little brother, and then another little brother, and

And all of a sudden I have I have all these kids and I'm scared to death.

I'm thinking, Lord, if I'm the only thing these kids have, they're in such big trouble.

And yet, God, in his mercy and his grace, as I continued to seek him

He let me be their dad.

Was I perfect?

Well, just ask them.

They'll tell you.

Absolutely not.

They seen dad do a lot of crazy, stupid things.

And uh and I think it's actually dissuaded them from doing some of those same stupid crazy things.

But being a dad is the greatest experience I've ever had in my life

Because I never understood how much our Heavenly Father loved me until I had children.

And it's just like, wow, how can you love something so little, so much, that you would give your life for?

And the Lord goes, bingo, buddy, now you got it.

Now you got it.

Psalm 91 verses 14 and 15, I'll close with this.

Psalms 91:14

Because he has set his love upon me, therefore I will deliver him.

I will set him on high because he has known my name.

He shall call upon me and I will answer him.

I will be with him in trouble, and I will deliver him and honor him.

I don't know about you, but I want that for my father.

And all I have to do is day after day, hour after hour, month after month, year after year, humble myself before him.

And he will deliver me and he will honor me.

And he will honor you as well.

Shall we pray?

Father, thank you.

Thank you for you being a father to us

Lord, that we can run to you with all of our cares and all of our concern, knowing that you'll run to us when we come to you in humility.

Father, I pray that today you would encourage us.

Lord, where where we have fallen short

Lord, let us know that it's forgiven.

It's washed away.

Those sins have become, instead of crimson, they're as white as snow.

And Lord, for those who are going to get baptized, Lord, I pray that you would encourage them, fill them with your spirit, Lord.

As they come down and come into the water and proclaim a devotion to you and an identification with you and your death, burial, and resurrection.

Lord bless your people.

Lord, also you'd bless the food that we're going to partake of afterwards, Lord, that we would, Lord, we'd just feast and share.

That incredible love that you've given us with one another.

Lord, in these last days, I pray that you would fan the flame.

in our hearts by your Holy Spirit, knowing that there's nothing impossible with you.

Nothing.

Whether it's a deliverance, Lord, or whether it's a future job change or a call to ministry, Lord, there's nothing.

Impossible with our God.

We praise you and worship you.

In Jesus' holy name.

Amen.

Let's all stand and worship

During this worship song, I'm going to have everybody just stay put unless you're getting baptized.

Then go get changed and then come meet by the pool

And I'll uh share a few words with you.

But let's worship the Lord together, shall we?

Let's worship our Father in spirit and in truth.

A line thing, sure