In My Father's House
And he arose, and came to his father. But 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. Luke 15:20
There is no other place where I feel more loved, more wanted, more vital, more secure, than in my Father's House. Can you say the same? You can, if you are talking about the same Father I am, our Heavenly Father. He is perfect in ALL His Ways. Before we get started today, I want to ask each of the Dads here a question. I want you to HONESTLY examine yourself and the relationship you have with your child(ren), as you think on this: are you aware that the way you relate to (interact with) your children is the foundation on which they will build relationships with others in their lives? (Of course, the SAME IS TRUE FOR MOTHERS, but today being "Father's Day", we are focusing on "Dad".) We, as parents, are instructed to Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6. So Dads, I ask you: Is the foundation you are laying in the lives of your children built on love, trust, security, safety and confidence? Or are you a bully blundering your way through this world, with no regard for the damage you are doing? Look into your heart and mind with a truthful eye: are you the Dad you ought to be? You can be, if you will seek after the perfect parent pattern: our Heavenly Father.
...A certain man had two sons: And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me...And not many days after the younger son...took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living...when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want...he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country...he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread...to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father... Luke 15:11-18.
Commonly known as the parable of "The Prodigal Son", it could also be called the parable of "The Loving Father", or "The Backslider's Return". However one refers to it, there are numerous lessons in it. None, however, is more important than the picture it paints of our Heavenly Father and the love He has for His children. Certainly, it is a message of love to the sinner--he or she who has never known the Lord Jesus Christ as his or her personal Savior. But even moreso, it is a message to the "backslider"--he or she who once knew the love of God and has since turned away from it. You see, the younger son (the "prodigal") had been a member of the household--it was he who left the protection of his father's house. Just as those today who have, for whatever reason, turned away from their walk with our Heavenly Father. Very nearly all of us are somewhat familiar with this parable. Against his father's better judgment, despite all the warnings he'd been issued and lessons he'd been taught, the younger of two sons chose to leave the security of his father's home and go out into the world. Many children today are the same--anxious to "catch up" on that which they feel they have "missed out on". It seems sometimes as if that which we as parents have fought so hard to protect them from are the very things they set their course to experience, Amen? You know, one of the hardest things in the world for a dad to do is to step back and watch his child(ren) face the consequences of bad decisions they make. We keep "bailing them out", under a misguided sense of "being supportive". When we enable our children to sidestep their responsibilities, we aren't being supportive, we're teaching them how to elude accountability! As much as the father in this parable may have wanted to prevent his son from experiencing the pangs of disappointment, the agonies of heartache, the sorrows of loss, he, too, had to step back and let him come face to face with the consequences of his actions. Our Heavenly Father does that, too, you know. God doesn't MAKE us stay in His presence. He allows us to make our own choices. Just as He told the Israelites: I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore CHOOSE life. Deuteronomy 30:13. He gives us the same freedom to make choices. So many times we choose sin, and the wages of sin is what? Death. For the wages of sin is death; BUT... Thank God, He put a "but" in there! It means there is an "out" for us--He has made a way out of sin for us! Glory to God, we lift Your Name, Jesus! For the wages of sin is death; BUT the gift of God is ETERNAL LIFE through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23. Hallelujah! See? There's the very same choice He gave the Israelite children 'way back when! Thank You, Jesus, that You were willing to die in our stead!! Understand this, and hear me clearly: our Heavenly Father loves us with an undying love and wants us to dwell in His house. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that ANY should perish but that all should come to repentance. II Peter 3:9. It doesn't mean that everyone WILL, but the invitation is there for WHOSOEVER WILL. Understand this, "In my Father's house" is NOT a church building or cathedral or synagogue. As David asked, But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded? I Kings 8:27. In this life, this mortal plain of existence, "my Father's house" is not a building made by the hands of men. To be able to claim Him as "my Father"--to be able to dwell "in My Father's House" is the right relationship we have with Him. He abides in us and we abide in Him. It is a close, personal, one-to-one, daily walk with Him. We find three main characters in the parable of our scripture text today: The Elder Brother There he was--smugly snuggled in his own self-righteousness: And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him. And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. Luke 15:28-30. How wonderful if our Heavenly Father knows us as a "good and faithful servant"--it is a strong testament of the keeping power of the Holy Ghost in daily lives! However, never forget that none of us DESERVE the mercy and Grace of God! It is unmerited favor. And, IF we are operating under the RIGHT influence (the Holy Ghost), we, too, will rejoice when a sinner comes (or a backslider returns) to the Lord! The Prodigal Son Admittedly unwise in the choice he made to leave the safe security of the Father's House and in the choices he made while away from "home". We are never so foolish as when we turn from He Who loves us most! Countless numbers of people who once lived in the Father's House have strayed away. If you are one of them, I want you to clearly understand my words to you today: You CAN come back to the Father's House! Just as the father in this parable was watching for his younger son to return, our Heavenly Father is watching for you, too! If you are in a backslidden condition, let me tell you: it is at the EXACT MOMENT you make up your mind to return to the Father's House that He starts toward you. The Father didn't wait for the son to get all the way to him, remember: But when he was yet a GREAT WAY OFF, his father saw him, and...RAN, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. The Loving Father He had NEVER forgotten that son who was out of his presence. It was NEVER a matter of "Out of sight, out of mind." How do we know that? Verse 20 tells us, But when he (the prodigal son) was yet a GREAT WAY OFF, his father saw him... The father had been looking for him. It was because he loved that son--he had invested years and years in raising that son from a wee child into a young man. Of course he appreciated the faithfulness of the elder son, but he also wanted his younger son safe back in the fold, too. Did the father just stand there, stubbornly still and require the son to BEG for forgiveness, crawling on his knees in penance the rest of the way home? Did the father say, "Ugh! You get cleaned up first and then I'll speak with you"? NO! The rest of verse 20 tells us that the father ...had compassion, and RAN, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. It meant NOTHING that the son was sinsick, stinking, filthy--he was alive and he was home! His boy was home! If you can possibly picture the joy of that reunion, how much the moreso when our Heavenly Father welcomes us back into His presence! Sadly, there are many people who realize they have sinned, they know they need God in their lives, but they never turn to (or turn back to) Him. Throughout the years, we've spoken with numerous folks who have told us, "I knew I had done wrong, I knew I needed God in my life, but I never took that first step of crying out to Him." Or we've heard, "I once knew the Lord, but strayed away. I knew how I felt when someone who loved me betrayed me--I just figured He felt the same." Oh, if either of those are statements you have made, if either of those are the way you feel, I implore you: stop right now! Don't allow the devil, the enemy of your eternal soul to lie to you any longer! Our Heavenly Father WANTS you to come back home--back to His House, a right relationship with Him. In order to get back to his earthly father, the "prodigal son" had to make a physical journey. In order to get to or get back to our Heavenly Father, we have to make a spiritual journey: we cry out to our Heavenly Father. His Word assures us that He WILL hear our cry: For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Romans 10:13. Are you away from the Father's House? Don't you want to come back to that which you can find there? Let me remind you what is waiting for you there, those things you've not found elsewhere: Love ...Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love... Jeremiah 31:3. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16. Joy For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Romans 14:17. Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. Romans 15:13. Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. Jude 1:24,25. Rest Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him... Psalm 37:7. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30. Peace ...The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7. Confidence He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. I John 5:12,14,15. Equality ...God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him. Acts 10:34,35. Forgiveness To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. Acts 26:18. Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace. Ephesians 1:2,7. Giving thanks unto the Father...Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:12-14. Restoration The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Psalm 23:1-3. Refuge God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1. My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust in him at all times... Psalm 62:5-8. Discipline ...My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? Hebrews 12:5-7. Don't wait any longer. Haven't you been without God too long already? Aren't you tired of the "pigpen" experience? Our Heavenly Father LOVES YOU with an undying love. Come back, come back to the Father's House. He wants to welcome you with open arms of compassionate love. Even the angels are waiting to rejoice: ...Joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. Luke 15:7.
(all emphasis on scriptures, such as bold, underline or uppercase, is mine) "In My Father's House" Copyright © 2002 by Patricia Sikes. All Rights Reserved.
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