The Prodigal’s Father

Father’s Day brings many memories to all of us.  Our minds and hearts turn and recall our own personal experiences growing up with father, or the absence of him in our lives.

I have to personally give a tribute to my Dad, who epitomized for me what a father should be. It has constantly challenged me to be a better dad with my kids. I hope you had a similar experience. Now I am a grandfather, and hope I can fulfill that awesome task.

Father’s Day was begun by a minister’s daughter in 1907, to commemorate the loss of 300 steel miners who left 1,000 children fatherless by one accident.  The loss brought honor to a special group of men….fathers!

This past Mother’s Day, I did something I’ve never heard done before; I preached on the Prodigal son’s mother.  Now I want to speak to everyone about his father, but especially the men and fathers as we celebrate Father’s Day,

In some ways you could evaluate this famous father based on the initial results of his child rearing, and we could say that he was a failure.  But as Yogi Berra said, “It ain’t over till it’s over.”

I would rather suggest that this is a father that we all could emulate, and hopefully get the same long-term results….a restored family and a great big party.

Look at the story in Luke 15:11-32 and get a glimpse of this man we call The Prodigal’s Father.

First, I see him as a MAN OF DILIGENCE.

Diligence, is “visualizing each task as a special assignment from God, and using all my energies to accomplish it.” I think I can prove that the Prodigal’s Father was such a man.

The story mentions that the younger son decided to take “his share of the estate that fell to him.”

This son knew his Dad had worked to give him an inheritance, and according to the law of the day, he was to wait until his Dad died.  In essence, he was saying to his father, “Drop dead.” That must have hurt this father, but he knew his responsibility.

The very fact that there was an estate tells me something about this father.  He provided well for his family.  Dads, one of your first responsibilities is to be a “breadwinner” for your family.

I Tim. 5:8 “Anyone who neglects to care for family members in need repudiates the faith.” We are not talking about a father who loses his job and is out work for a season of time. That’s what is so tough about this Recession.  Paul is talking here about a slouch!

He was also a man who had established a set of principles in his home.  How do I know? Because the son could not live sinfully in his father’s home.  He had to “go on a journey into a distant country, and there he wasted all his money in wild living.”

A Dallas newspaper did a story on teens in trouble, and 37% stated, “My parents did not exercise enough control over me.” I don’t think the Prodigal could say that about his father.

Listen, you Dads, “Are your children living in sin IN your home?” You cannot force a grown child to follow the principles you live by, but you must keep the standard of your home intact, and live them yourself.

What principles have you established in your family that everyone under your roof is lovingly asked to live by, and that you live by? Eph. 6:4- ”Fathers, don’t exasperate your children by coming down hard on them. Take them by the hand and lead them in the way of the Master.”

My Dad would tell his five sons, “I love you, but while your feet are under this table, and you eat your mother’s food, you will respect the rules and honor the beliefs of our family.”

Secondly, he was a MAN OF PERSEVERANCE. It would appear from the story that this father never lost hope for the return of his prodigal son. He patiently prayed and waited.

What follows the boy’s rebellion is a sordid tale of despair and almost death.  Vs. 14-16 “Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished. “So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. “And he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods that the swine were eating, (MSG). He was so hungry he would have eaten the corncobs in the pig slop… and no one was giving anything to him.

All the while, back home on the ranch, a Godly father is praying, “Lord, bring my boy to his senses, whatever it takes..” Now, we don’t know how long it took (perhaps years) but the father is faithfully and patiently praying for his boy to come home.

“Perseverance” means, “tenacity, determination, staying power, steadfastness, patience, endurance, dedication, commitment, doggedness, tirelessness, stamina; intransigence, stick-to-it-iveness.” Are you a perserverer? How long will you wait?

Are you a dad who has lost or wayward sons, daughters, grandchildren that need to come to their senses and get back to you and God?  Don’t leave your porch! Instead of running after them, run after God, and be patient in your place of prayer.  Stay on your “porch” in persevering prayer.

Thirdly, he was a MAN OF RECOMPENSE.  To be “recompensed” means to be “paid, rewarded for effort and work.”

Psa. 126:5-6 (LNT) “Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest. (MSG) “So those who went off with heavy hearts will come home laughing, with armloads of blessing.” I have promised parents for years, “payday, some day.”

Prayer changes things…and people.  Look at what happens when he comes to his senses.  Vs. 17-24 “But when he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger! ‘I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men.” “So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. “And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate.”

Everything looked bleak. I am sure some “nosey” neighbors accused the Prodigal’s Father of being a failure in raising such a scoundrel.  But, as Yogi said, “It ain’t over till it’s over.”

Prov. 20:6 (MSG) “Point your kids in the right direction—when they’re old they won’t be lost.” We need Dad’s today who are faithfully pointing their kids in the right direction.  Remember, “Direction, not intention, determines destination.”

When the Prodigal “came to his senses…” (Greek)– “to himself, his own initiative” – his mind goes back to the Bible, Sunday School, Youth ministry, the messages his Pastor gave, and his Dad lived. Deep in his heart, he yearns for restoration to God and family.

Here is the true heart of the Prodigal, a boy in whose heart the truth of God has been planted. That should encourage every father, but we must be faithful in the sowing of the seeds of Godly principles and truth.

Dr. Charles Stanley said,  “You will reap what you sow, more than you sow and later than you sow.”

Exodus 20:3-6 (78)“You shall have no other gods before Me. (5) You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, BUT showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. (LNT) “I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands.”

When the older brother doesn’t understand the love of his father, the father simply turns to him and says, “Join the party.” (Vs. 31) “Son, you don’t understand. You’re with me all the time, and everything that is mine is yours—but this is a wonderful time, and we had to celebrate. This brother of yours was dead, and he’s alive! He was lost, and he’s found!’”

What’s happening in your life, marriage, family, and business?  Be diligent; persevere in purposing to accomplish God’s goals in God’s time regardless of the opposition.

Galatians 6:7-9 (NIV) “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

If you get anything from the Prodigal’s Father today, get this:

The reaping will come at God’s proper time. It may be only in part in this life, but it will be in full in the life to come when we stand before the real Prodigal’s Father.

Just in case you missed it, that’s GOD HIMSELF.