The Father's Heart | Colin D

This message was preached by Colin D at Word of Grace Church on  May 19th, 2019. To listen/download the audio please click here. To listen to the Sunday's worship and prophetic contributions please click here

THE FATHER’S HEART

What is God like? We need to be reminded of this. Sometimes we think of him as a police officer or a strict schoolteacher.

While Jesus was on earth demonstrated with his words and life, what God is really like.

Luke 15:11

This is a familiar passage but let us look at it from a different perspective.

V1. Whenever we look at something in the Bible, we should look at the context. The Pharisees muttered that Jesus was welcoming sinners. In this context, Jesus tells us three parables: the lost sheep. The lost coin and the lost son.

The stories are about someone losing something or someone and upon finding, it rejoices greatly.

In the same way, there is more rejoicing over one sinner who repents. The Father rejoices over our repentance. He is not a strict schoolmaster waiting to punish us.

V9.Rejoice with me, I have found my lost coin. Angles rejoice when one sinner repents.

The parable is more about the Father than the son. The son demands his inheritance.

The misery of the son

The son moves out and goes to a distant country. He declares his independence. This is often how people deal with God and run away from Him. When we break away from God we can attach ourselves to drugs alcohol, money sex etc. Some of the things may appear to be nice and may satisfy us for a short while.

He squandered his money in wild living. When you have money, you have many friends. When you have no money, they disappear.

V14. A famine broke out. He goes to feed the pigs

Have we gone away from God? We will have to face swine food. The good news is in verse 17.

He came to his senses. Somewhere reality set in. He realized, that his life was really messed up that he should be looking after pigs and eating pig’s food.

He thinks of his father’s house and how even the servants were well cared for.

V18. We see his brokenness and humility. He realized he sinned against heaven and his father. He knew he had blown it.

It’s important that we repent. No matter how much we have sinned, there is hope. There is hope and forgiveness.

V20. He goes to his father. Imagine you were the father – what would your response be?

How does God see Him? The Father was looking for him. He is always looking for us to turn back to Him. He was filled with compassion and grace. He is a good Father and he did the most unthinkable thing. He RAN.

The great love of the father toward sinners is amazing. Not only did he run but he threw his arms around him. He did not care about his dirty state. He took all our sins on the cross and upon himself and put his arms around us. He kissed his son. The Father asks for a Robe, ring, and sandals and kills the fattened calf.

The father is waiting and watching, looking for sinners to repent. When they come, He rejoices.

Where are you in the parable? Are you the son eating the food of the pigs? It does not matter. Will you turn to Jesus?

For those of us who are not the younger son in the story; we still sin and need to repent.

There is great rejoicing in heaven when a sinner is saved.

How can we put a smile on the Father’s face?

Let us reach out to the lost and introduce them to the wonderful Father. Our heart needs to beat like the Father’s heart. Whom can we reach out to? Whom can we share the goodness of God? We will be collaborating in seeing that great rejoicing in heaven.

Word of Grace is an Evangelical (Born Again),  Spirit-filled (Charismatic), Reformed, English speaking church in Pune that upholds the Bible as God's inspired Word for life. We are a church community that has people from every part of India and parts of the world. We are here to put the Great Command and the Great Commission into practice by equipping and releasing every member into works of service.  Word of Grace is a part of a wider international family of Churches called RegionsBeyond.To know more about us please log onto www.wordofgracechurch.org.