“The Father Heart of God”
Intro: Today we want to present to you the Father Heart of God in seeing God in the right way. We have different images of what the Father heart looks like. We want to show you a video to show how an emotional trauma that came at a young age. (Walk the line) here we have a young man that had to face a father that could not forgive him for letting his brother died. Let’s watch and see how it effects his as he grow up.
SCRIPTURE: Luke 15:11
Then He said: “A certain man had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood. 13 And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. 14 But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. 15 Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16 And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, 19 and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants. 20 “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’22 “But the father said to his servants, Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. 23 And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; 24 for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.25 “Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf. 28 “But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. 29 So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends.30 But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.31 “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. 32 It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’”
LOVE IS A CHOICE
- God’s Love Is Not Controlling:
- The son said to the father: I don’t want to live under your authority any more – I want out. I don’t want to live by your rules; I want freedom to do what he wanted and when he wanted I want my share of the estate now! I don’t want to wait until you die
- Aren’t we all like the prodigal when we ask God to bless us and once we get his blessing run away to use his blessings for our own selfish pleasure?
- The father divided to them his livelihood: Though inwardly the father grieved, he did not try to force a relationship The Father didn’t yell, threaten or kick the son out
- The father loved his son too much to force him to stay where he didn’t want to be. (Love does not seek (demand) its own way)
- 1 Corinthians 13:4 — “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”
- Choices Have Consequences:
- Freedom without responsibility leads to ruin: He takes a trip to a distant land – far away from home. He wanted his freedom without accountability He wastes all his money on wild living. Pleasure can thrill but it can never fill the void that only God can fill.
- One day the money ran out and that ‘s when we have to face the reality of our emptiness Not only did his money run out, but also his friends.
- This wasn’t what he had in mind when he left the father’s house. Sin is pleasurable for a season, but end the end it brings forth death (ruin). He receives a revelation in the pig pen.
LOVE IS UNCONDITIONAL
- Love covers a multitude of sins:
- And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” – 1 Pet. 4:8 Some People Forgive, But Can’t Forget
- They keep good records…good scores against those who offended them, They always bring up past mistakes, offenses, faults, transgressions. They treat them more like slave than a friend; making you feel like you owe them something
- The elder brother never forgot what his younger brother did:
- (He became angry with his Father for being merciful to his younger brother)
- (He could not forget his faults, transgression, and sin)
- (He was so focused on the speck in his brother’s eye, but could not see the log in his own eye)
- Love Keeps No Records Of Wrongs:
- The Father while a great way off: saw him…had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck…and kissed him. The Father had not only forgiven, but forgotten the wrong his son had done
- The Father never gave the son a chance to ask for forgiveness, before covering him with mercy and compassion
- The Father never recalled how terrible he was treated; nor how wasteful he was to squander all his inheritance; nor did he remind the son of how much he hurt him when he ran away…
Jeremiah 31:34 — “For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more. And I will not remember your sins.”
Psalm 103:12 — “As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”
Hebrews 10:17 — then He adds, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”
1 John 1:9 — “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
LOVE IS RESTORATIVE
Before he said “give me,” now he says “make me…”
DEFINITION OF RESTORE: “to bring back into existence, use, or the like; reestablish: to restore order; to bring back to a former, original, or normal condition, as a building, statue, or painting; to bring back to a state of health, soundness, or vigor.”
- The Father calls Him “My son”
- He didn’t say, you loser, you failure, you good for nothing, you
- The son was so ashamed and felt unworthy to be called son
- (The Father ran toward his son and before the son could say anything else, the Father quickly had the servant bring out the best.
- The Father gave him the best robe: The robe was a sign of distinction and honor. When the Father saw the repentant heart of the son, He immediately covered his shame with the robe of honor.
- Isaiah 61:10 — “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness,”
- The Father put a ring on his hand: The ring was a symbol of power and authority (Est. 8:10) It actually carries the weight of the one who gives it. (Gen. 41:41–42)
- The Father put sandals on his feet: Sandals was a picture of freedom. Slaves at that time were barefoot. Although the prodigal son wanted to be a servant, the father saw him as a son.
- He didn’t say, you loser, you failure, you good for nothing, you
- The Father didn’t treat him as a servant but restored him to sonship:
- We have nothing to be ashamed of because Jesus covers us with his righteousness
- He has not only wants to forgive you; He also has restore you as son/daughter.
- His love for you is unconditional.
CONCLUSION
Your heavenly Father loves you unconditionally
He gives us a free will to choose or reject His love
He is ready to forgive us completely if we will humbly return to Him
He wants to restore you as sons/daughters
God is a Father to the fatherless….
This parable should be renamed to the “PRODIGAL FATHER”
THE FATHER’S EXTRAVAGANT LOVE:
John 15:13 — “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”
- A longing heart — But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.”
- A loving heart — His father was filled with compassion for him. Night after night he waited for his return.
- A long-suffering (patient) heart — threw his arms around him and kissed him. No reprimand, no judgment.
(Play the Ray Lewis)