The Story of Two Lost Sons and a

Loving Father

The Perfect Loving Father

May 19, 2013

The story is mostly about the

Father

Luke 15:11 (NRSV)

Then Jesus said…

Luke 15:1–2 (NRSV)

Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him.  And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

WHO?I. Tax CollectorsII. SinnersIII. PhariseesIV. Scribes

“If a bird crawls under your robes on the Sabbath, you may not catch it. You must sit very quietly and wait for sundown

and then seize the bird.”

“If the robe doesn’t touch the ground, you must take the hem out. No jumping or long strides. One foot must be on the ground

at all times.”

WHY?To answer the criticism from

those who think he should not be associating himself with

“bad” people.

Parable = An earthly story with a heavenly meaning

3 Parables with one point

1. Parable of the Lost Sheep2. Parable of the Lost Coin3. Parable of the Lost Sons

The Main Point?

To reveal the character and nature of our heavenly father.

Luke 15:28 (NRSV)

Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him.

How does God feel about me?

Their Road Back

Stage 1: Public HumiliationStage 2: Hearing before the fatherStage 3: Working it out. Restitution.Stage 4: Full reconciliation but never fully trusted again.

Luke 15:20 (NRSV)

So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father…saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him.

1 John 4:16 (NRSV)

So we have known and believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them.

The one consistent message about God’s

character from the beginning of the Bible to

the end…That God Loves Us!

Romans 8:38–39 (NRSV)

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,

nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Rembrandt’s 7 year span of sorrow

Rumbartus (died at 2 months) Cornelia (died at 3 weeks) Cornelia (died at 4 weeks)Titus (lived) Saskia (died less than a year after Titus)

The story is all about the Father…just like the Bible.