The Fatherheart of God - Craig Winnington

• 17/05/2018
• SLC Stuart Price

 

 

 

 

The Fatherheart of God

 

In Luke 15 there are 3 parables that Jesus spoke - The lost sheep, the lost coin & the lost son. Each of these parables express an aspect of God’s heart. The lost sheep reveals God’s love through His son. The lost coin reveals God’s acceptance through the Holy Spirit, and the lost son reveals God’s forgiveness by the Father. These three aspects of God’s nature reveal to us the Fatherheart of God in that He is always seeking, searching and forgiving all who will respond to His call. John 3:16 declares God’s love for humanity. Romans 5:8 says ‘But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.’ This is the cry of God’s heart.

The first 2 parables show God’s love and acceptance of us and the 3rd parable teaches us the power of forgiveness and our response to his love, in times of failure. God’s love is constant and He cannot fail. Let us look at the parable of the Prodigal Son and see the pathway of purpose back to the Fathersheart where He is waiting to embrace us. Luke 15:11-32

V11-12 - ‘give me MY inheritance’ - The younger son wanted the Fathers provision and blessing but to use it in his own way, to live his own life separate from the Father.

V12 - ‘So he divided unto THEM’ - both brothers received their inheritance. Both ‘wasted’ their inheritance - The older brother through disuse, the younger through misuse. They didn’t appreciate what the Father gave them.

V13-15 - The younger son - ’’journeyed to a FAR country,’ ‘wasted his possession,’ ‘began to be in want’ and ‘joined himself to a citizen of another country.’ we can waste our inheritance through disappointment, unbelief etc when we don’t value what Christ has done for us, we will tend to move away from the things of God and ‘join ourselves’ to other ‘things’ in our lives. Whatever we join ourselves to, will become our master. Romans 8:5-6

V16 - He ate pig food - What are you feeding on? What we fee - grows. We are what we eat! Positive or negative Read Colossians 3: 1-10, Proverbs 18:21.  ‘He came to himself’ - a good place to start. People tend to blame others, instead of looking at themselves first. Change comes by choice. Be honest with yourself!

V17-20 - The prodigal realised his mistake 1- Repented, was 2 - Reconciled to the Father and his inheritance 3 - Restored.

The 3 R’s are always the path back to the Fathers house.

When the Father saw his son a far off he ran to meet him. Why? If the prodigal son had reached his village before the father met him, the village elders would have held a ’Kezazah’ (Heb) i.e. a ’ceremony of shame’ whereby they would break a clay pitcher in front of him. Declaring his ties with the community were broken and he was no longer welcome.

The Father ran to get to his son first with grace, so he would not be condemned by the law. God’s amazing love!

V21 - The son’s worthiness was based on failure but the Fathers worthiness for his son was based on forgiveness.

V22 - Everything the son had lost the Father restored through forgiveness - That's what He will do for us. The Father gave him - the ’best robe’ i.e. the fathers own robe. For us it is righteousness - right standing with God ’a ring’ speaking of authority. ’sandals’ sonship - servants didn’t wear shoes. ’the fatted calf’ - abundant provision. The younger son came from famine to feasting. The older brother remained at home, neglected his inheritance and only asked for goat. We will either have ’fatted calf’ faith or ’goat faith’ - we live by the choices we make!

What the Father did for the prodigal son, God will do for us, when we choose to return to Him. Forgiveness is the key. He is waiting with a different ceremony in mind - a homecoming party to celebrate our restoration through His love, grace and forgiveness.

V31 - ’Son! You are ALWAYS with me ALL that I have is YOURS!”

by Craig Winnington

Have an awesome week.

Pastor Stuart & Colleen