Parresia · Our Good, Good Father

Transcript/ notes from Session 3, “Our Good, Good Father”

Introduction

Welcome to Session 3 of the revival series. This session is entitled, Our Good, Good Father.” No series on revival would be complete without a message on the prodigal son, so we’ll take another look at that beautiful story in a minute. When we pray for revival, a large group of those we are praying for are those who once walked with Jesus, but have lost their way.

As you know, I have been especially burdened for parents who are praying for their prodigals to return home. 

One of the hundreds of books I inherited from my mom was a book written by Ruth Bell Graham, entitled, “Prodigals and Those Who Love Them.” Her prodigal was her son Franklin Graham. When I first saw that book on my mom’s bookshelf, I opened it, and my eyes fell on this poem: 

“They Felt Good Eyes Upon Them” by Ruth Bell Graham:

They felt good eyes upon them and shrank within – undone;

Good parents had good children and they – a wandering one.

The good folk never meant to act smug or condemn,

But having prodigals just “wasn’t done” with them.

Remind them gently, Lord, how You have trouble with Your children, too.

The enemy has deceived so many in the younger generations – especially young people with godly parents who taught them about Jesus as children. But this is nothing new, actually.

The particular deception and sin in our era and the circumstances may be different, [than 100 years ago or 1000 years ago] but the goal of the enemy has always been the same: to draw them away from their Good Good Father and from their Good Shepherd who created them, knows them, and loves them unconditionally. 

Aurelius Augustine

In the very first chapter of Ruth Bell Graham’s book, she wrote about a man who was born during the 4th century and became a prominent leader in the church. His writings about Jesus and the Christian faith were more widely read than an other author during the Dark Ages from the 8th to the 12th centuries.  His name was Aurelius Augustine, who he became known at St. Augustine. Ruth Bell. Graham wrote – 

Augustines’ early life gave no indication he was to become such a voice of faith. His devout mother, Monica, taught her young son carefully and prayerfully. His brilliance concerned her deeply, especially when as a young man, he cast off his simple faith in Christ for current heresies and a life given over to immorality.

Later Augustine wrote: (in his writing, “Confessions of St. Augustine”)

“I could not distinguish between the clear shining of affection and the darkness of lust…I could not keep within the kingdom of light, where friendship binds soul to soul… And so I polluted the brook of friendship with the sewage of lust. [And then he wrote in another place – ] … The loss of faith always occurs when the senses first awaken. At this critical moment, when nature claims us for her service, the consciousness of spiritual things is, in most cases, either eclipsed or totally destroyed. It is not reason which turns the young man from God; it is the flesh. Skepticism but provides him with the excuse for the new life he is leading.”

Mrs. Graham wrote:

Augustine recalled those dark days and his mother’s continued intercession on his behalf: …”[she] ceased not at all hours for her devotions to bewail my case unto You.” He also recalled how God comforted his mother during that time, showing her that all things would eventually work together for good. 

God gave his mother Monica a vision of her son standing beside her and other assurances that He heard her prayers and her son would return. A bishop whose help she sought told her, ”It is not possible that the son of such tears should be lost.”

Augustine was a prodigal from age 17 to age 29. One day under the burden of his sin, he began to weep. He recorded his cry –

“Why not is there this hour an end to my uncleanness?” 

And then he heard the sound of a voice saying, “Take up and read; Take up and read.” He had never heard such a voice, but he knew it was the Bible he was to take up and read. So he found a Bible and opened it. He read what his eyes first fell upon. It was Romans 13:13 – which he recorded in his journal: 

“Not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying; but put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh…” No further would I read; nor needed I: for instantly at the end of this sentence, by the light as it were of serenity infused into my heart, all the darkness of doubt vanished away.

At once his faith in Jesus returned, and he returned to his mother. He wrote:

I relate [to her] in order how it took place: she leaps for joy, and… blessed You, “Who are able to do more than what we ask or think”; for she perceived that You had given her more for me than she was wont to beg by her pitiful and most sorrowful groaning.

Ruth Bell Graham ends the chapter with this:

As we know, Augustine would go on to more than fulfill all his godly mother’s hopes and prayers.

Mark and I pray every morning and every night for the lost and the prodigals. At the end of our prayers we recite Ephesians 3:20 as if Jesus is saying it to us: “I will do immeasurably more than all you can ask or imagine.” We should be praying big prayers for the prodigals because He will do immeasurable more!

Intro to excerpt from Jesus, Our Relentless Savior

So today I want to share an excerpt of a message I taught a few months ago  which I had entitled, “Jesus, Our Relentless Savior.” I am calling this excerpt Our Good, Good Father.

Our relentless Savior goes to the mountains to find His one lost sheep.

He crosses the stormy sea to deliver that one man from bondage.

He silences the voices of shame, and defends the rejected one.

He sold everything He had – traded His own life for the one pearl of great price – which was you!

Luke 19:10 – [Jesus said of Himself – ] “The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

Jesus goes after the least, the lost, the last, and the losers.

He invites the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind.

He goes to the highways and the byways to welcome those who could never repay Him – the most undeserving among us.

Matthew 9:11-13, NIV – [In Matthew 9, the Pharisees asked Jesus’s disciples -] When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, [or those who think are] but sinners.” [those who know they aren’t]

My hope for this message is that it will take all of us down memory lane and refresh our memories of our own testimonies. I think it’s important for us to go back to those seasons and moments when we were dramatically changed by the grace and redeeming love of our relentless Savior and to experience the joy all over again.  It keeps us grateful.  Where would we be without Jesus? And there’s a timing to all of this:

Titus 3:4-7, NLT – When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, 5 he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.  He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. 6 He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. 7 Because of his grace he made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.

Home

Today I want to take another look at the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15. In that chapter, Jesus told three parables: the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son. All three of those represent those who belong to God, but went astray. 

In the story of the lost sheep, do you remember what the Shepherd does when He finds him? he carries him home. RIght? When Jesus, Our Relentless Savior, rescues us from our waywardness, He brings us home to our Good, Good Father who is waiting and watching from the front porch, ready to run and embrace us.

Home is where the heart is. Home is where we belong. Every prodigal belongs at home! Home is the Father’s house. Home is where there is music and dancing and grace upon grace.

Home is where the peace is. It’s where we can rest, knowing that we are fully reconciled to the Father. We should never forget what happened when we came home to the Father: 

Colossians 1:22, NLT – Yet now He [God] has reconciled you to Himself through the death of Christ in His physical body. As a result, He has brought you into His own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before Himwithout a single fault. [That’s what coming home is!]

Hosea

Before I get to the story of the Prodigal Son, I want to mention a story in the Old Testament that gives us a beautiful picture of Jesus, Our Relentless Savior. It’s the story of a man whose name means “Yahweh has rescued” or simply “salvation.” It’s the story of the prophet Hosea.

The Lord told Hosea to marry a prostitute named Gomer, whose name means “complete.” He married her, but she ran back to her other lovers. She eventually came back to Hosea, but then she returned to prostitution again. But Hosea loved Gomer so much that he forgave her over and over.

Like Jesus, Hosea loved Gomer to the end of her wandering and unfaithfulness. It is a beautiful story of redeeming love.

In Hosea chapter 2, God likened Gomer to His own beloved people.

Hosea 2:5-7, 14-20, TLB – “She said, ‘I’ll run after other men and sell myself to them for food and drinks and clothes.’ 6 [But God responds – ] “But I will fence her in with briars and thornbushes; I’ll block the road before her to make her lose her way, so that 7 when she runs after her lovers, she will not catch up with them. She will search for them but not find them. Then she will think, ‘I might as well return to my husband, for I was better off with him than I am now.’… 14 [God says] “But I will court her again and bring her into the wilderness, and I will speak to her tenderly there. 15 There I will give back her vineyards to her and transform her Valley of Troubles into a Door of Hope. She will respond to me there, singing with joy as in days long ago in her youth after I had freed her from captivity in Egypt.”

Our Relentless Savior has forgiven us 7 x 70 to infinity. No matter how many times we wander off the path, He continues to pursue us with His goodness and mercy all the days of our lives. Aren’t you thankful that He has never – and will never – give up on us?

Lost son

So let’s look at Luke 15 and the story of the Prodigal Son – which is actually a story about two sons: one who did everything right, and one who did everything wrong.

But in reality it’s not primarily about two sons, it’s more a story about their Father – a Gracious and Loving Father.

Luke 15:11-12 – Then He [Jesus] 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 falls to me.’ So he [the father] divided to them his livelihood. [in other words, he gave them everything he had. Have you ever noticed the word “them”? He also gave the older son his portion, too. One squandered his inheritance. The other apparently did nothing with it, because he lived like a slave.]

A few months ago when I was immersing myself in this passage, one morning I woke up with this word from the Lord: “All that I have is yours! All that I have is yours!” We’ll see in vs 31 that this is exactly what the father said to the older brother who lived like a slave instead of a son. 

Jesus was showing the people a radically different view of the Heavenly Father than they had ever known. Under the Old Covenant it was if you will, then God will…. But in this story, the father gave without expecting anything in return.

And as far as the wayward son – He did not punish him, but instead lavished him with grace, both before he left and after he returned home. The son was blessed going and coming. Nothing was held back at any time. It was pure grace

Luke 15:13 – And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. 

The Greek word translated “prodigal” is only used once in the whole Bible. It depicts to a total lack of restraint. One version says he “wasted all he was given in a binge of extravagant and reckless living.” (TPT)

He went to a far country – as far away as he could get from the father – like many of us who at one time ran from God. But in reality we could never run beyond the grip of His grace, and we could never break the bond of His unconditional love.

Psalm 139:7-10, NIV – Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?  8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. 9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, 10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.

Verse 14 – 

Luke 15:14-15 – But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. 15 Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, [“joined” means “to glue together, cement, fasten together.” He totally relied on a pig farmer to meet his needs.] and he [The pig farmer] sent [the wayward son] him into his fields to feed swine. 16 And he [the young man] would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything. [This kid went from having everything to having NOTHING! And that’s what made him come to his senses.]

And the first thing he realized when he was in his right mind was that there was more than enough bread in his father’s house.

Luke 15:17 – But when he came to himself, [NASB says he “came to his senses.” Thayers concordance says – “when he returned to a healthy state of mind.”] he said, “How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!” [So the son made a plan: to throw himself at the mercy and kindness of his father. ]

Maybe, just maybe, his father would have enough mercy to just give him some bread. Maybe his father wouldn’t turn him away if he was willing to be a slave.    Little did he know the kindness of his father! A picture of our Father!

Romans 2:4, NASB – Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? [Repentance is the Greek word metanoeō – “meta” means change, “noeō” means mind. Repentance means to change your mind. The kindness of God leads us to change our minds. And when our minds are changed, our behavior follows.]

Luke 15:18-20 – [the son says] “I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, 19 and I am no longer worthy to be called your son [“Son” is the Greek word “huios” and it means “a legal heir with the nature of the father.” So he’s planning to say-]. Make me like one of your hired servants.’ [In other words, I’m not asking for anything that a son deserves] 20 And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.

Qavah, Epipipto

The father was obviously watching for the prodigal son, knowing one day his dear son would come home at last. This verse – Luke 15:20 – always reminds me of the Hebrew word qavah in Psalm 27 –

Psalm 27:13-14 – I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. 14 Wait on the Lord; [wait – qavah – eagerly expect; look for.] Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!

The first time I looked up that word “qavah” a few years ago, I had an instant picture of the father of the prodigal son on his front porch holding binoculars to his eyes because he knew his son was coming home! He was looking for his son with eager expectation! 

What a moving picture for us of God’s radical grace: The father ran to his son and fell on his neck and kissed him.   And with as much wild abandon as the son squandered his father’s generosity, the father showered him with compassion. 

The father didn’t seem to care that it wasn’t his son’s heart, nor his son’s conscience, nor his son’s love of family, but his stomach that brought him home. The father was just overjoyed to have him back. 

What a scandalous thought: God accepts so low a motive as this in order to shower us with His grace!

The father “fell” on his neck. The word translated “fell” is a beautiful word. It’s the Greek word epipiptō, which means “to fall into one’s embrace.” We see the same word in Acts 10 when Peter preached in Cornelius’ house, and the Holy Spirit fell on all those who were present.

Acts 10:43-44 – [Peter preached – ] “whoever believes in Him [Jesus] will receive remission of sins.” 44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon [epipiptō’d] all those who heard the word. 

The Holy Spirit gave the people a big bear hug when they heard that their sins were forgiven through the blood of Jesus Christ.

Just like the embrace of the Holy Spirit, the father fell on his son’s neck and forgave the son of all his sins. There was not a word about his failures.

Luke 15:20, composite of several versions – [Here’s a composite I made of several visions of Luke 15:20 – ] “And the son got up and returned to his own father. But when he was still a great way off, his father looked off in the distance and saw his son returning. Great compassion swelled up in his heart. He was moved with pity and tenderness for his son, and he  raced out to meet him. He fell on his neck, enfolded him in an embrace, swept him up in his arms, hugged him dearly, and kissed him fervently, over and over with tender love..”

Robe, Ring, Sandals, Fatted Calf

In verse 21 – after the big hug, the son begins his prepared speech – he says – 

Luke 15:21-22 – And the son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.” [But his father stopped him and wouldn’t allow him to say another word.] 22 But the father said to his servants, “Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.”

The phrase “best robe” is the Greek word “protos” which means “first in rank.” This robe would have actually belonged to his older brother. No wonder the older brother was jealous!

But I want you to think of that robe as the robe that we wear today: our Elder Brother’s robe. Jesus, the first born among many brethren, first in rank, willingly gave us the robe of His righteousness, the robe of right standing before our Gracious and Loving Father. As Jesus is so are we!

A friend of mine had a dream where she was standing before Jesus in a white shirt. She was very uncomfortable wearing white in the presence of God so she removed it, only to find another white shirt underneath. Now she was even more uncomfortable so she quickly took off that shirt as well, but once again there was another white shirt under that one. She kept trying to get rid of the white shirts, but there was no end to them!

She was white to the core! She was clean and worthy to be in the presence of His holiness. It was the robe of His righteousness she was wearing, and it wasn’t a robe that just covered sin. It was a robe that removed it!

Back to Luke 15 – the father also said, “Put a ring on his hand” – that was a signet ring – signifying that he was still his son and full inheritor – it gave him the right to everything his father owned.  Obviously the father had continued to prosper while the son was away, and the inheritance had been stored up for him.

And the father said put “sandals on his feet” – signifying that he had a right to stand in his presence as a son. On the other hand, servants would approach their masters barefooted to show their humiliation, but this son was exalted.

Luke 15:23-24 – “And [the father said – ] bring the fatted calf here 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.” [The father called him a son! A huios! A full inheritor – he was justified – just as if he had never sinned and never left! He picked right up where he left off!]…

The fatted calf, of course, is symbolic of Jesus, our sacrificial Lamb of God. He was born to die, fattened for the slaughter. The fatted calf was being prepared beforehand because the father knew this day would come!

Like Jesus, the fatted calf was brought right in front of the son and killed before his very eyes. The cross is to be ever before us to remind us of the price of our redemption. It was free to us, but cost Jesus His life. You’ll never know how much God loves you until you know how much He loves His Son because He gave up His Son for you.

You see, grace doesn’t make light of sin. Grace makes much of Jesus.

If you think that sin is a small matter, look at the cross. Only the horror of the cross can give you a true estimate of the cost of of sin and the unfairness of this great exchange.

Christ crucified. Think about it – what did mankind think of God’s only begotten, beloved Son? They put Him on a cross – suspended between heaven and earth, not considered worthy of either. 

But What did God think of man? He sent His Son for us! So unfair!!!! It should take our breath away and fill us with unspeakable joy! It should make us want to sing and dance! 

Older brother

Luke 15:24-27 – [Back to Luke 15 -] And they began to be merry. 25 Now his older son was in the field. [Working. Always working.] And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. [The religious legalist never understands the joy and the singing and dancing in the Father’s house!] 27 And he [the servant] said to him, “Your brother has come, and because he [your father] has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.” 28 But he [the older brother] was angry and would not go in [to the party]. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. 29 So he [the older brother] answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never [so much as] gave me [even] a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. 30 But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.” [In his mind, you only kill the fatted calf for those who are deserving. But in the father’s perspective, the fatted calf is killed for the UNdeserving. That’s the OFFENSIVENESS of grace – Christ died for the ungodly!]

Obviously this older brother is not like the younger brother who had nothing to give, but everything to receive. 

The older brother was trying to earn his keep by keeping all the commandments. He was serving to deserve what the father was willing to give for free.

Luke 15:31 – And he [the father] said to him, “Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.

He said, “Son, you are always with me…” This word “son” here is not the “huios” – the inheritor. It’s actually the word “teknon” which is an affectionate term that means child, or young son, not old enough to inherit.

The father didn’t call him “huios”/ or inheritor because he was not willing to receive.  The father said, “All I have is yours!” But he was still trying to earn, He was no different than a slave, even though he was a son.  

One had a spirit of sonship because was able to receive what the father gave freely.  The other had the spirit of a slave, which Paul called the “spirit of bondage again to fear”, and it produces resentment, bitterness, jealously, and anger.

Luke 15:32 – [but the father said to the older brother -] It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’ ”

Conclusion

I believe we are coming into a kairos season – a due time – where the sons and daughters are coming home to the Father’s house to receive their inheritance. They will probably still smell like the pig sty. They will be dirty and hungry and undeserving – just like every one of us. How many of you know that “But by the grace of God, there go I”?

God has already planned the party in heaven. He is waiting on the front porch with His binoculars. The angels are primed and ready to rejoice.  The Good Shepherd has gone to the hills to find the lost sheep, and He will put them across His shoulders, and carry them home. And when they return, the Father will fall on their necks and kiss them over and over with tender love. 

And then He’ll say just like He says of our elder Brother: 

Matthew 3:17, NIV – “This is my Son (that’s his IDENTITY), whom I love (that’s His ACCEPTANCE); with Him I am well pleased (that’s His APPROVAL).”

Do you know someone who has wandered from the truth? They just need to know they belong in the Father’s house. Do you love someone who has walked away from Jesus? I can promise you, Jesus never walked away from him or her!

1 Timothy 2:4 – [God] desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

2 Peter 3:9, NASB – [He is] not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

No one is beyond the reach of God’s grace. It is God’s will for the prodigals to come home and for families to be restored, so we can pray boldly for this without hesitation.

1 John 5:14-15 – Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

On June 17, 2022 – my journal entry was entitled, “Lord, send revival to our sons and daughters,” and included a prayer. Will you join with me as I pray this prayer again:

Lord, will You flood the hearts of this generation with Your Light? Will You pour out Your Spirit on this generation? Will You wash away the years of shame, destruction, and deception? Will You renew every mind and quicken every spirit? Will You send revival and bring life to every lost of son and daughter? Will You restore hope to parents? I pray for the sound of praise to our Lord Jesus Christ and singing in the streets and from the mountain tops. I pray for every confused son and daughter to come to their senses and return home to You and to their families. I pray for the greatest restoration of families that the world has every seen!

Copyright info: All scriptures in the New King James Version unless otherwise noted.

• (NKJV) New King James Version. Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
• (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
• (NLT) Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
• (NASB) Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)
• (TLB) The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.