A Father like no other I am who God says I am Part 2

He Loves Me! Learning to live in the Father’s affection

Luke 15:11-31 The Father seems to always to exactly the opposite of that we would expect.

He is a Father like no other because… 1. He has a plan to relate with me in love

“Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them.” 11-12

The father wanted an intimate friendship with his children. He wanted them to know how deeply they were loved. Son # 1 = an obedient put-upon. Son # 2 = rude and wild

2. He is willing to let me go my own way “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.” V. 13

3. He believes that I will eventually come to my senses. “When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!... So he got up and went to his father.” V.17 & 20

4. He is waiting and watching for me to return to Him. “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.” V. 20b

5. He isn’t interested in my story or speech. “The son said to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.

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.” V.21-22

6. He just wants to celebrate you! “Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.” V 23

At what point in the story is the fathers love most evident?

The Fathers love is evident throughout the entire story. It is the only constant in the story. The events in this story cannot be accounted for by the varying love of the father

only the varying perception of it by the son. Though he was not loved less at any point in the story, through most of it he lived as if he were.

Living less loved: When we took the money and ran…he lived less loved When he wasted this money…he lived less loved. When he refused to celebrate the return of his wayward younger brother

When we indulge ourselves in sin… When we give in to anxiety in the crush of our circumstances…

When we try to earn God’s favor by our own efforts… When we get caught up in religious obligation…

“I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” Eph 3:17-19