We are going to talk about the best example of an earthly father the Bible has to offer.

Jesus chose him to illustrate the Heavenly Father
So if he is good enough for Jesus he is good enough for us

The Bible says he was a father of 2 sons who were prodigal for a time

The younger son was prodigal in choosing the pleasures of sin.
The older son was prodigal in choosing pride of self

Because The Father Was What He Was, The Prodigal Sons Became What They Should Be!

The younger son returning, and the older made a decision

So The Question This Morning Is; What Kind Of Father Was He?

He Was An Approachable Father

Read Luke 15:12-18

Our text gives us a little of the families history

It seems that the mother of the boys had died
Maybe at the birth of the youngest son
The family probably had wealth because the scriptures mention servants
The Young son had dreams of the far country; what was it like?
Some might have just slipped off in the night and ran away
This son felt free to come right to his father.

You know, our Heavenly Father is approachable. The Bible teaches us to Come to the Father as you are.

THE FAR COUNTRY meant Riotous Living

He dreamed of great task, but found great temptation
He dreamed of adventure, but instead found agony
He dreamed of prestige, but instead found poverty
He dreamed of romance, but instead found rags
He dreamed of happiness, but instead found himself feeding the hogs

This Father Was Approachable Even From The Pigpen I will arise and go to my father.

A Father Who In His Son´s Mind Was Associated With Heaven

Read Luke 15:18
I have sinned against heaven and before thee
When he thought of heaven, he thought of his father
When he thought of his father, he thought of heaven
He could not be reminded of God, without being reminded of his father

1. His father must have really been a man who walked with God
2. What an impression! His son couldn´t escape it.
3. The father at prayer, devotions, in reverent walks
4. No question, his father was godly. How about you?

A Father Who Was Affectionate

Read Luke 15:20
Ran and fell on his neck and kissed him
It´s ridicules that manhood calls for coldness
The look of love

• The father had been watching for him
• The Bible says he ran to meet him. He might have been out of breath but he wasn´t out of love.

His son was returning

The time away made no difference
The smell of pigs made no difference
The rags made no difference--Nor did empty pockets

His son is home, that´s all that matters

A Father Who Was Assuring To Both

Read Luke 15:21,31
Bring forth the best robe
Father´s should take the problems as God The Father takes them
You see our failures have not moved us away from God´s love.

so we need to RETURN!

What an example of unconditional love! An example of God´s love for us. An Agape Love.

I can´t think of any better honor to bestow on any father than for his children to call him a godly man.
So be like this son´s father and be:

Approachable

Affectionate

Assuring

And Lead Your Family Closer To The Heavenly Father

Bible Studies Home

Luke 15:11 And he said, A certain man had two sons:
¹² And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.
¹³ And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
¹⁴ And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
¹⁵ And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
¹⁶ And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
¹⁷ And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father´s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
¹⁸ I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
¹⁹ And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
²⁰ 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.
²¹ 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.
²² But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
²³ And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:
²⁴ For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
²⁵ Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing.
²⁶ And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.
²⁷ And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.
²⁸ And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and entreated him.
²⁹ 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:
³⁰ But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.
³¹ And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.
³² 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.
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Luke 15:12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.
¹³ And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
¹⁴ And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
¹⁵ And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
¹⁶ And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
¹⁷ And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father´s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
¹⁸ I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
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Luke 15:18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee
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Luke 15:20 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.
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Luke 15:21 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.
Luke 15:31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.
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Last updated on June 16, 2005