THE GRACIOUS LOVING FATHER

The Father and his Prodical Son -  Luke 15:17-24             

¹⁷ “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! ¹⁸ I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. ¹⁹ I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ ²⁰ So he got up and went to his father.

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

²¹ “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

²² “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. ²³ Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. ²⁴ For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

This is the story of the famous Prodigal son and how he came back to his father after spending all he had taken from him.  Then the scripture says he came to his senses.  When can we come to our senses in the spirit to know that our heavenly Father have enough food and blessings for us that we don’t have to starve to death.  The word says, “I will go back to my Father”  

This is a picture of God's Grace welcomed the son back. His father (God) ran and met him and hugged him. The grace of God flowed out of the Fathers heart instead of putting a condemnation, guilt and fear in his son. He embraced him and kissed him instead. Grace will kiss and forgive you. God grace will not find fault with you even you are wrong and failed. We don’t find grace but grace finds us. 

Firstly, in Luke 15:19  the son says, ‘I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’  

We can come to a point in life and ministry that we can lower the standard of our calling or sonship in Christ or as a believer or minister.  Do not lower the standard of your calling in God.  God has called you to be a son, minister and priest and king.  The Lord would not accepted that.

That is what the devil wants us to confess weakness when we sin and fail God every time.  But God forbids that.  Today God the Father is restoring the revelation of son-ship.  The revelation of son-ship is what will take the Church to a greater level of doing the same miracles that Jesus did. It is not just our inheritance to do the miracles that Jesus did - it is the absolute will of the Father to do the same miracles that Jesus did.

Secondly, notice the phrase that the Father said, “My son was dead but have come alive”.  Why was he ‘dead’ all about?  He was ‘dead’ because He felt the father did not love him. He was ‘dead’ because of his performances. He was ‘dead’ because he did wrong. He was ‘dead’ because he never knew the love and blessings of the Father. We can be dead for many reasons.  We are dead because of sins but Christ has made us alive because of the Fathers love.

Many believers lived of what the Father considers ‘dead’ in religion, in works and performance. The meaning of “deadness” means there is no life, no healing, nothing.

But today God is restoring LIFE, MORE LIFE AND ABUNDANT LIFE into our lives.  Romans 15:13 says – Now, may the God of Hope will fill you with all joy and peace, holiness in believing that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. 

Let us have a revelation of who the FATHER IN HEAVEN is and touch his love for us.  Let our Christian life be living and joyful in abundance. The prodical son came back and got a shock instead of punishment He got celebration. 

 

Today, many believers are thinking God is punishing them for some sins. Sins cannot be punished twice. It was punished at the Cross where Jesus took for us our punishment on his body. Jesus was punished so it is a guarantee that God will never ever punish you! Jesus was made a guilt offering by God so you will never feel guilty".

God will not count your sins.  Why will He count your sins when He has forgiven them?  “For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people's sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation (gospel)”. – 2 Cor. 5:19

Thirdly -  I saw, in verse 22 it says “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

When we failed and returned, God still brought us the best of everything – here the best robe is the Robe of righteousness.  He brought the Ring of authority and power back to our lives.  The Sandals of freedom to choose to be his son again. (yoke of bondage)

“If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the “Holy Spirit” to those who ask him!” – Luke 11:11-13. 

If God can give us the Holy Spirit that is God Himself – He will give us the best of everything in life.  This is what the Heavenly Father is all about.  We read in Luke, “how much more” God will give you everything in life to make you successful.  Amen!

The older brother came against his brother – a Legalistic person and self-conscious of the Law.

The Law condemns the sinner – Grace redeems the sinner.

The Law brings us to bondage – Grace brings us liberty.

The Law prohibits us to come to God – Grace invites us to come just as we are.

The Law ends with a curse – Grace ends with an abundant blessings

The Law was given by Moses – Grace and truth came by Jesus.

God wants us to come to our senses – Come out from sin consciousness to righteous consciousness.  Come out from law consciousness to grace consciousness.   Paul says I am what I am by the Grace of God.  Paul says I want you to be established in the grace of God. Amen!