The Prodigal’s Father

Luke 15:20

Introduction.

  1. Welcome back and happy Father’s Day!

    1. Last month, we looked at a wonderful example of motherhood: Mary.

    2. Today we are going to look at a wonderful example of fatherhood.

    3. There are plenty of biblical examples of fathers, but very few of them are actually good examples.

    4. Eli would not restrain his sons, and while Samuel’s sons were better than Eli’s, they still weren’t great.

    5. Even David’s sons ended up doing unspeakable things, not the least of which was sparking a rebellion against David himself.

  2. One could look at Joseph, Mary’s husband.

    1. But very little is known about him except that he was a just man and a carpenter.

    2. One obvious fact is that the Lord would not have chosen Mary to raise His Child had she not been betrothed to a righteous man.

    3. In fact, many of the same points we brought out for mothers could apply to fathers as well.

    4. Choose a godly wife; choose a godly support system; and choose to follow God.

  3. No, instead we are going to look at a father that didn’t really exist.

    1. He is the father in the parable of the Prodigal Son.

    2. Oh, the One whom he represents exists (God), but the father himself did not.

    3. This is a parable, after all, a story that Jesus told to illustrate a spiritual truth.

    4. This father represents God the Father.

    5. Who better to emulate as a father than God Himself?

  4. Preview: The Good Father …

    1. Allows (15:11-12).

    2. Waits (15:13-19).

    3. Receives (15:20-24).

    4. Explains (15:25-32).

Body.

  1. The Good Father Allows (15:11-12).

    1. He had two sons (15:11).

      1. This is the first thing we learn about this father.

      2. It is also evident that these two sons were adults by this point, or at least old enough to make decisions on their own.

      3. No doubt he did his best to raise these two boys the same, with the same education and the same discipline.

      4. That’s not the case for every father who has more than one child.

      5. I myself grew up in a home somewhat similar to this: my father had two sons and the younger one went astray much like this prodigal son.

      6. My parents couldn’t raise us exactly the same because we were two different people with two different personalities who responded two different ways.

    2. The younger son demands his inheritance early (15:12).

      1. Don’t get me wrong, when I say the “Father Allows,” I don’t mean he is permissive in all things at all times.

      2. In every house there are certain rules that the head of the household has every right to set and enforce—if one cannot abide by those rules, then at a particular age and ability, they are free to leave.

      3. Clearly this younger son knew this, so his desire is to leave and go somewhere else…. and the father lets him.

      4. Back then an older son received two shares of his father’s inheritance, therefore this younger son is asking for one-third of his father’s wealth at this time (Deut. 21:17).

      5. He knows everything his older brother knows, and yet he has gotten it in his head that he would be happier somewhere else doing his own thing.

    3. That describes so many of us.

      1. We are often unhappy with whatever situation we find ourselves, and we think a change would make everything better.

      2. If we’re single, we think finding someone and getting married would fix everything.

      3. If we’re married, we might think it would be so great to be single.

      4. We might even think that it would be so great not to have to worry about what the Bible said or what God thought anymore.

      5. If we decide that’s what we want to do, God just lets us go do our own thing.

      6. In light of the preceding parables, we note it’s quite not that simple—He is the Good Shepherd who looks for us, or the woman who desperately searches for her lost coin.

      7. But the difference here is, this son is making this conscious decision to leave, he’s not simply lost.

    4. This is a learning experience.

      1. All that the father does is to teach his sons

      2. That’s one way in which he shows love toward him—it may be a form of tough love, but love nonetheless.

      3. The young man needs to learn that things are so much better at home with his family.

      4. But the only way he’s going to be convinced of this is to go out into the world himself and be without his father and his guidance for a time.

      5. We know that our children cannot be under our roof forever, so we can look at this as your children needing to know that life is so much better abiding by the training you have given them in the Lord (Prov. 22:6).

      6. Even while they are away starting their own lives, many of the rules you had in your home are rules they will set for themselves as well … ideally.

      7. He also knows that if he tries to keep him there, he will only end up causing more harm than good.

      8. It would cause strife between them, and this younger son might try to leave anyway, all the more convinced that he would be happier elsewhere—the chances of his returning would get smaller and smaller.

      9. So he lets his son go, and now he is waiting.

  2. The Good Father Waits (15:13-19).

    1. The father is not really mentioned in this section of the parable.

      1. But what is he doing?

      2. He’s waiting for his son, wondering if he made the right choice to let him go.

      3. I’m sure for those of you who have had a child wander away (physically or spiritually), you very much identify with this father here.

      4. You wonder if you could have said or done something differently to keep them here, to keep them faithful.

      5. This father has no idea what his son is up to, but he knows it can’t be good.

      6. If he were a real person and not symbolic of God, then I can only imagine that he is on his knees every day praying for his son to be okay, for him to return.

    2. We do see a mention of him in the eyes of the younger son.

      1. He has finally hit rock bottom.

      2. After all of his wasteful, prodigal living, he has nothing left.

      3. A famine has come and he hasn’t saved enough for the rainy day, as it were.

      4. So as anyone would, he finds a job.

      5. But that job was degrading, not paying him enough to eat, not paying him a living wage, we might say.

      6. So he comes to his senses as many do when they hit rock bottom.

      7. He recalls his father, his wealth, and how well he treats his servants.

      8. When someone like him falls so far, it’s not unusual for him to think of better times, to be reminded of what life was like when things were good, when someone truly loved him.

      9. So if you have children living at home now, give them something to want to return to.

      10. Yes, discipline your children, but be loving, too.

      11. We see just how loving this father is when his son returns.

  3. The Good Father Receives (15:20-24).

    1. We see a hint, a glimmer of what this father was doing while his son was away (15:20).

      1. Often in depictions you see him sitting on his front porch pining away.

      2. But all it says is that he saw him afar off—perhaps he was working in the field or just took a look outside.

      3. Whatever the case, the moment he caught a glimpse of his lost son, what does he do?

    2. He has compassion.

      1. In our society, we have the image of the tough American man.

      2. He doesn’t show emotion or if he does it’s anger.

      3. That’s not what we see here—we see a man who loves his son, no matter what, and he shows it!

      4. He first has compassion on him, perhaps seeing the state that he’s in, tattered and dirty clothes.

      5. There’s not an angry bone in his body, but the pity that one feels when someone you love is in trouble.

      6. He doesn’t stop with that, though.

    3. He is excited.

      1. This is truly an emotional display!

      2. Short of working out or some sports related thing, what motivates us to run?

      3. Strong emotion! For instance, we have a fight or flight response to certain things.

      4. When running away from something, we’re probably afraid of it.

      5. When running toward something, we might be trying to fight it.

      6. But that’s not what’s happening here: this father isn’t afraid or ready to fight.

      7. This is another emotion: love and excitement.

      8. He hasn’t seen his son in who knows how long.

      9. He wasn’t sure if he were dead or alive or what trouble he was getting himself into.

      10. But here he is, perhaps a bit battered, but alive.

      11. He is so happy—but when he reaches his son, we really see his affection.

    4. He is affectionate.

      1. He falls on his neck (that’s a hug, and I can only imagine a big bear hug), and he kisses him.

      2. This father loves his son, and he shows it—the son cannot mistake the motivation behind these actions.

      3. And it’s not even a conscience choice, I don’t think—he’s just so excited he cannot help but to show it.

      4. I’ll be honest, whenever my dad and I hugged as adults, it felt awkward.

      5. I tried to figure out why, and eventually realized it didn’t matter.

      6. He was my dad, and I loved him.

      7. My father-in-law now hugs me, which is even more awkward, but I’ve gotten used to it and now come to expect it.

      8. My brother and I will hug, but it’s one of those bro hugs.

      9. We do not kiss, however.

      10. Kissing in that culture, and even in many cultures today, is a common greeting (Rom. 16:16).

      11. But it was never on the lips—instead it was on one cheek, then sometimes the other.

      12. Still, it was a great show of emotion and love for his boy.

    5. Before he hears anything from the son, in his excitement, he throws a celebration (15:21-24).

      1. In truth, it didn’t matter what he did. He’s back now; he’s home.

      2. Then we see a glimpse of what he thought of his son while he was gone.

      3. He didn’t know if his son were alive or dead, so it was as if he were dead.

      4. After all, he demanded his part of the inheritance, something he wasn’t entitled to until after his father died.

      5. But now this father rejoices that he has returned, as if he had come back to life!

      6. What a blessing!

      7. But not everyone was making merry at this time.

  4. The Good Father Educates (15:25-32).

    1. The older brother hears the commotion (15:25-30).

      1. He finds out what happened and is indignant.

      2. The father hears of this and goes to his older son and pleads with him.

      3. His younger son is back; he wants his family to be whole again.

      4. But there is this one holdout, and the son tells him why he’s upset.

      5. He’s jealous. Jealous that the father didn’t give him the same attention that the younger son was receiving now.

      6. He felt entitled—since he’s been with him this whole time, why hasn’t he ever received the same treatment?

    2. So his father tells him why (15:31-32).

      1. You see, this older brother forgot one thing: this isn’t about him. He’s so self-centered that he can’t see that it’s not about him.

      2. His father reminds him of this by telling him that all that he has belongs to him.

      3. He’s teaching him that his brother needs the attention right now.

      4. He needs to feel like a part of this family, because he is.

      5. He needs to feel like he is welcome and that he can and should stay.

    3. On a personal note.

      1. Recall how I grew up with a similar situation: my father had two sons and the younger one went astray.

      2. Well, when he came back, my father didn’t embrace him, not like this father did.

      3. And he went astray again, this time farther than before.

      4. I don’t know if our father had done anything different that my brother would have stayed, but I do know that it didn’t help.

      5. Eventually my brother did come back, but not after much heartache and sorrow.

Conclusion.

  1. This parable isn’t really about a father with two sons.

    1. This parable is about God and His sheep that go astray.

    2. God is the father here; those who go astray, the prodigal son; those who remain, the older brother.

    3. There are plenty of lessons we can take from this as the parable was meant to be interpreted.

    4. When a member goes astray and returns, embrace him, throw a party.

    5. And don’t resent the fact that we don’t always throw parties for those who stay.

  2. But we can certainly make application this Father’s Day.

    1. We can see how great this father was to both of his sons.

    2. As fathers, let us be like this father, loving our children, embracing them, and teaching them.

    3. Just as God is our Father, let us be a good father to our children.

  3. If you are not even part of the family but would like to be, you have a chance today.

    1. If you are that prodigal son, return and we will rejoice with you!

    2. If you become that older brother, you should repent, too.