Crown Pointe Church

This holiday can be a dilemma
Some of you
· Don’t have dads
· Didn’t know your dad
· Had a bad dad
· Want to be a dad
· Can’t be with your kids
· Your dad has passed away

Dilemma – celebrate the ideal? Or ignore it because some don’t have it . . .
· We choose to celebrate and be happy for those who have it
· And work to help those who don’t
· Challenge and encourage better dadness

“Daddy, watch me!”

It’s likely you said this phrase – or a similar one -- as a child.
It’s a kind of universal language for children, an expression of our intrinsic longing to be seen, approved and accepted by our dads.

Girls want to know daddy thinks they’re pretty & smart & have value
Boys want to know they have what it takes and can be a man too

We don't always get the ideal

Not a new issue – David wrote –
Not a lot of detail about the relationship with his dad but when Samuel came to anoint a new King on of Jesse’s sons . . . he didn’t even think about calling David in from the fields tending sheep.

Our experiences, good or bad, with our earthly fathers largely determine our view of God as Father
. Because of this, “Father” may not seem any better title to you than “cosmic killjoy,” “hard-of-hearing grandfather,” or “nebulous force.” But, no matter our experiences with our earthly dads, we’ve all experienced the longing for a perfect father.

What do you think about when you think about God?

Think about this longing. What did you always wish your dad was like?

Illustrates that you know what it should be like . . . could be like . . .
You can make it that way!

Jesus gives us a glimpse of what a father should look like

Jesus is teaching the people about God
He starts with a story of Lost Sheep
Lost Coin
Lost Son

You can’t be lost if you didn’t belong in the first place
God considers you one of his own
No matter your earthly family –
You are his
And if you’re lost – he’s looking for you!

· Insulting – crowd would have gasped
· Estate into 3rds
· Financial hardship on Father and other son
· Sold some?
· Separation from family
· Denigrated family name & reputation

Came to his senses
Hit rock bottom

Change happens when the pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of change.

Relationships – move from one to the other –
Path of least resistance
Do what you’ve always done you’ll get what you’ve always got
Counseling
Talk to someone
Confess sin

Picture of God
Absolutely shocking to the crowd
· Was not a loving compassionate father society
· Distant
· Harsh
· Difficult to please
· To see God as accepting
· Gasp

Father saw him coming –
Protect from neighbors & friends?
· Waiting
· Praying
· Hoping
· Loving
· Always – and forever
· Agape love -

Ran to him – gathered robes and ran
Motivated by love & compassion
Embraced & kissed

Full Restoration
No 2nd class citizen
Robe, Sandals, Celebrated
Ring - Position, Authority, family

Inclusion
Everyone belongs – faithful & wayward
Everyone is searched for and belongs


Where do you fit in this story?
The dad?
Missing a child
The wayward child needing reconciliation with a dad?
The entitled son – not accepting what dad

Physical?
Spiritual?

Maybe you want to be that dad
Too late?

You don’t have to . . . you can break that cycle

Here’s the amazing and most freeing news for you and me today:
God is the perfect Father.

He’s the answer to every longing for a father’s acceptance, approval, support and love that you’ve ever experienced.

Seeing God this way has the power to transform our relationship with Him, and with our earthly fathers.

Jesus shocked many of His contemporaries by referring to God as His Father and by inviting His followers to call God “Father.”

The first recorded words of Jesus, spoken to His earthly parents, are these:
Didn’t you know I had to be in My Father’s house? — Luke 2:49

If you are the wayward child – your Father is waiting
If you are the entitled child – your Father loves, approves and accepts you
If you are the father – he’s searching for your kids
You can be that father