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“THE FATHER OF THE PRODIGAL”LUKE 15:11-32INTRO: We have all heard many sermons on The Prodigal Son. But how often do you hear a sermon on the son’s father? In reality, the father is the hero in the story. He shows concern, he shows compassion, and he offers forgiveness. We see in this man the traits of a great, good, and godly father. He was not great because of his material possessions, even though God had richly blessed him. But he was great because he provided something better than “things” for his family. I want us to look at this man this morning and consider some of the wonderful traits he possessed that every godly father should possess. (1) HE WAS A FAMILY MANLUKE 15:11—“And he said, A certain man had two sons:”A. HE WAS BLESSED WITH A WIFE. He was a married man. The Bible here doesn’t tell us about his wife but it is implied that he was married. We don’t know if she was still in the home or whether she had passed on. The Bible has much to say about a wife, especially a good one. Proverbs 18:22 tells us—“Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favor of the LORD.” The Bible says:GOD MADE A WIFE FOR MAN. Genesis 2:18 tells us—“And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.” I want you to notice that God made one wife for one man. These two became one. Genesis 2:24 says—“Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.”A GOOD WIFE IS A GIFT FROM THE LORD. Proverbs 19:14 tells us—“A prudent wife is from the LORD.” A discreet and virtuous wife is more valuable than houses or riches. A GOOD WIFE MAKES A MAN FORTUNATE AND BLESSED. Proverbs 31:10-12 says—“Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.”B. HE WAS BLESSED WITH CHILDREN. He had two sons that we know of. He may have had many daughters, and more sons may have come along later. The Bible tells us that children are gifts from God. Psalm 127:3-5 tells us—“ Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.” Children are God’s gifts, a heritage, and a reward; and are to be accounted blessings, and not burdens. (MATTHEW HENRY’S COMMENTARY ON THE WHOLE BIBLE CONDENSED VERSION by Matthew Henry. The Master Christian Library Version 5. Copyright 1997. AGES Software. Albany, OR). Someone has described children like flowers—“The brightest flowers in all the earth are those which grow in the garden of a Christian household, clambering over the porch of a Christian Home.” — TALMAGE. (PEARLS FROM MANY SEAS by J. B. McClure, editor. The Master Christian Library Version 5. Copyright 1997. AGES Software. Albany, OR).C. HE WAS BOUND BY RESPONSIBILITY. The Father of the Prodigal and every father has a grave responsibility to his family! What are some of a father’s responsibilities? :HE IS THE LEADER OF THE HOME. Ephesians 5:23-25 tells us—“For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it.” The duty of wives is, submission to their husbands in the Lord, which includes honoring and obeying them, from a principle of love to them. The duty of husbands is to love their wives. The love of Christ to the church is an example, which is sincere, pure, and constant. (MATTHEW HENRY’S COMMENTARY ON THE WHOLE BIBLE CONDENSED VERSION by Matthew Henry. The Master Christian Library Version 5. Copyright 1997. AGES Software. Albany, OR). HE IS THE PROVIDER FOR THE NEEDS OF THE FAMILY. 1 Timothy 5:8 reminds us—“But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” Every man should take care of his own family. HE IS TO SET THE EXAMPLE FOR HIS FAMILY. The father should set the example for his family in honesty, work, and integrity. Proverbs 22:6 tells us—“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Show him the duties, the dangers, and the blessings of the path; give him directions how to perform the duties, how to escape the dangers, and how to secure the blessings, which all lie before him. (MATTHEW HENRY’S COMMENTARY ON THE WHOLE BIBLE CONDENSED VERSION by Matthew Henry. The Master Christian Library Version 5. Copyright 1997. AGES Software. Albany, OR). ILLUS: The story is told of a man who found a stray dog. He soon noticed an ad in the paper that a dog fitting the description of this one was lost, and a reward was being offered for the return. The ad stated that the special markings of the lost dog were that he had a few white hairs in its tail. The man who had found the dog wanted to keep it, so he removed the white hairs, telling his three sons, that they were to keep it a secret about what he had done. Years later the man confessed to a friend, “I kept the dog, but I lost my sons.” (2) HE WAS A FORSAKEN MANLUKE 15:12-13—“And the younger of them said to his father, Father, giveme the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto themhis living. And not many days after the younger son gathered alltogether, and took his journey into a far country, and there wastedhis substance with riotous living.”A. A DECISION THAT BROKE HIS HEART. Friends, you know it must have broke the father’s heart when the son announced his decision to leave home. The demand of the son must have cut him to the quick—“Father, give me the portion of the goods that filleth to me…”. B. A DEPARTURE THAT BROKE HIS HEART. I want you to know this morning friends, it was not the decision to leave home that broke the heart of the father so deeply but it was the actual departure that hurt him so deeply. The Bible says—“And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country…” (v13a). The purpose of the son’s leaving broke his heart because the Bible tells us that the son—“wasted his substance with riotous living.” (v13b). The father knew what lay ahead for his darling son. Friends, any father who had any love or concern for his children has sorrow when he sees one of them turn their backs upon their upbringing and go after the ways of this wicked world.ILLUS: In the May 28, 1998 edition of USA Today, an article appeared among the letters to the editor from Edward Moats, of Bellaire Beach, Florida. It read as follows: Will someone help me save my son? My son is two years old and is a reflection of complete innocence. His vulnerability to this harsh, violent and uncaring world just rips my heart apart. He knows nothing of the killing in the schools that are supposed to prepare children for the world. He knows nothing of the abuse that happens within the homes of children just his age. As he plays with his toys, he is oblivious to the tragedies that occur every day across the country. And as he clutches his blanket, sleeping soundly, dreaming of the mommy and daddy who love him, he has no idea of the complete social and moral decay of our country. Does anyone care anymore? Will someone please, help me save my son? Every parent that loves their children has probably thought much the same. Every grandparent that loves their grandchildren has probably felt the same way. There is a certain amount of sorrow, in one form or another, that will come to every family. But we all pray that our children will follow the Lord and not the ways of the world. THE FATHER OF THE PRODIGAL: HE WAS A FAMILY MAN, HE WAS A FORSAKEN MAN, and also…(3) HE WAS A FAITHFUL MAN LUKE 15:20—“And he arose, and came to his father. But when he wasyet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, andran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.”A. THE FATHER HAD AN CONTINUAL LOVE. This father never quit loving his son in spite of how deeply the son had hurt him. Is this not the same kind of love that God has for us? Jeremiah 31:3 tells us—“Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” The father had an unconditional love for his prodigal son. B. THE FATHER HAD A COMPASSIONATE LOVE. The Bible here tells us that as the son was returning “…when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.” This shows us that the father had been longing for the son’s return. The father anticipates his coming, and acts towards him, not according to his son’s deserts, but according to his own heart as a father…He is on his son’s neck while the latter is still in rags, before he has had time to say, “Make me as one of thy hired servants.” (DARBY'S SYNOPSIS OF THE BOOKS OF THE BIBLE PART 2: NEW TESTAMENT by John Nelson Darby. The Master Christian Library Version 5. Copyright 1997. AGES Software. Albany, OR).(4) HE WAS A FULFILLED MAN LUKE 15:24—“For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost,and is found. And they began to be merry.”A. THE RETURN. His son returned. What JOY this brought to the father’s heart! Listen to his words—“For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found…”. I want you to note the words of the father— “he was lost”—Lost to all good-given up to all evil. (CLARKE’S COMMENTARY NT, VOLUME 5A MATTHEW – LUKE by Adam Clarke. The Master Christian Library Version 5. Copyright 1997. AGES Software. Albany, OR). But listen to his words of glee—“and is found.” B. THE REJOICING. The last part of v24 tells us—“And they began to be merry.” Why? The son had repented. The son had returned. The family was complete again. Listen to what he told the elder son in v32—“It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.” THE FATHER OF THE PRODIGAL: HE WAS A FAMILY MAN, HE WAS A FORSAKEN MAN, HE WAS FAITHFUL MAN, HE WAS A FULFILLED MAN, and finally…(5) HE WAS A FORGIVING MANLUKE 15:21-23—“And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinnedagainst heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to becalled thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth thebest robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoeson his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat,and be merry:”A. THE SON’S CONFESSION. The son had his speech ready. He had seen the error of his way. He was ready to beg for forgiveness. But he didn’t have to! What a beautiful scene we have here—“And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said….”. His tenderness of heart cannot wait till the son has made his confession; his bowels yearn over him, and he cuts short his tale of contrition and self-reproach, by giving him the most plenary assurances of his pardoning love. (CLARKE’S COMMENTARY NT, VOLUME 5A MATTHEW – LUKE by Adam Clarke. The Master Christian Library Version 5. Copyright 1997. AGES Software. Albany, OR). The father loved his son just like he was and that same love that welcomed him home again also received him into his household. B. THE FATHER’S COMPASSION. What did the father instruct his servants to do? :“BRING FORTH THE BEST ROBE, AND PUT IT ON HIM…”. Bring out that chief garment…the garment which was laid by, to be used only on birth-days or festival times.“PUT A RING ON HIS HAND…”. The giving of a ring in ancient times was a mark of honor and dignity.“PUT…SHOES ON HIS FEET…”. Only those of the household wore shoes. Hired servants or slaves went barefoot. This was a sign to the son that he had truly been forgiven and that he was restored to his position in the family. “…BRING HITHER THE FATTED CALF, AND KILL IT…”. Sacrifice it. CLOSING: Men, this is the kind of father all of us should strive to be! One who is A FAMILY MAN, A FAITHFUL MAN, and A FORGIVING MAN. Father, does that describe you this morning? (PREPARED BY BROTHER BRYAN L. BROWNING, PASTOR OF BEECHMONT BAPTIST CHURCH, BEECHMONT, KY FOR SUNDAY MORNING (FATHER’S DAY) JUNE 21, 2009). ................
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