John 14:18-21 I will not leave you as orphans…The one who loves me will be loved by my Father...” NIV
God is our Teacher, our Strong Tower, our Hope, our Rock, our Creator and so much more. He can be so many things to you but if you have not experienced Him as a father your relationship with God is distorted.
God is not some impersonal force. God is our Father
Psalm 23 The Lord is ‘my shepherd’” not just “a shepherd”.
David saw his heavenly father as his personal Shepherd who would provide his needs. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Moses, David were all shepherds. It is very interesting to me that Father God has consistently chosen shepherds to carry his mantle of the Father. Clearly fathering your family well involves shepherding them well in the things of God.
Chaos comes from a fatherless society.
85% of men in prison come from fatherless homes.
People who grow without a father are five times more likely attempt suicide.
90% of all runaway children come from fatherless homes.
You are twenty times more likely to have a mental or emotional disorder if you had no relationship with your father.
My dad was not a Christian when I was growing up but my children have grown up with a Christian father.
In Christ, we have the ability to give what the world never gave us because God is a Father to the fatherless (Psalm 68:5). By the way my children also grew up with a Christian grandfather as my dad did receive Christ shortly after I did as an adult. Redemption and restoration is part of God’s Kingdom.
Jesus tells a story that is often coined as the prodigal son story. This isn’t a story of the prodigal son. This is a story of two sons and Jesus describes everyone in this parable and all are roles are significant.
Luke 15:11-32 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons…
The story explains how one son requested his inheritance early in life and squandered it all in a life of sin. When he finally “came to his senses” he returned to his father and was met with amazing grace. There is something to be learned about how this grace was applied to his life.
Luke 15: 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. NIV
Notice the father didn’t put the robe and ring on him but rather he instructed the community receiving him to do so.
Redemption isn’t just about repentance to the Father but it’s about restoration through community and family.
The father is helping the entire community to know how to receive the son back creating a community of redemption and reconciliation. They put the robe on him. They placed a ring on his finger.
It is important for the entire community to be taken into the mindset of reconciliation and the shame that is on the son is broken off not just by the father but by the whole community who realizes the right response to repentance for sin is to embrace redeem and restore as a family effort.
The son has come back with a broken heart and an attitude of repentance. He didn’t need a lecture, a sermon or judgmental reactions. He simply needed a community of love to help break the shame off of his life and restore his dignity and confidence to walk as a son.
He was convinced he no longer had the position of son and was willing to pursue the role of a hired hand.
The father went out into the field to get the prodigal son but he also went out a second time to get the angry brother.
He was angry and proclaimed how he had been so good as if his self-righteousness was some form of beauty but it was not. Notice the transition of conversation this son of yours squandered everything. The father’s response this brother of yours was dead but is now alive.
Luke 15:28-32 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ 31 “ ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” NIV
The Father’s love will transform your perspective from anger and resentment rooted in pain to love and forgiveness rooted in grace.
We Bring GP2RL Action Point:
Read the story of these two sons (Luke 15) this week asking God for further insight.
SPIRITUAL WELLNESS: THE FATHER’S TRANSFORMING LOVE
DISCUSSION GUIDE
Click here for a downloadable pdf file of this guide.
When the sons and daughters of God possess a healthy perspective fruitfulness results and the world becomes a better place.
The spirit of Ishmael (heart of an orphan) wars against the spirit of Isaac (heart of a son). This seems to be the dominating spiritual battle on the earth.
John 14:18-21 I will not leave you as orphans...The one who loves me will be loved by my Father... NIV
God’s plan is for us to hear the Father’s voice together as a family. This is why we start each group with this as
our first question:
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Where are you reading in your Bible and what are you sensing from God in this season of your life?
Name something you truly are grateful for about your dad or a father figure in your life.
God is our Teacher, our Strong Tower, our Hope, our Rock, our Creator and so much more. He can be so many things to you but if you have not experienced Him as a father your relationship with God is distorted.
God is not some impersonal force. God is our Father.
Ps 23 Lord is “my shepherd” not just a shepherd.
David saw his heavenly father as his personal Shepherd who would provide his needs.
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Moses, David were all shepherds. It is very interesting to me that Father God has consistently chosen shepherds to carry his mantle of the Father. Clearly fathering a family well involves shep- herding them well in the things of God.
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
3. Take a moment and read Luke 15:11-32. What stands out to you in the story of the prodigal son who came home and his angry brother in Luke 15?
One of the most important things to learn from this story is how redemption isn’t just about repentance to the Father but it’s about restoration through community and family.
The father is helping the entire community to know how to receive the son back creating a community of redemption and reconciliation. It is the community that puts the robe on it’s the community that puts the ring on.
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
4. Who is somebody you can reach out to this week sharing the love of the Father in some specific way? Share who comes to mind and how you plan to bless and encourage them this week.
Conclude by praying for those people by name who you plan to bless this week asking God to give you guidance, direction and timing for whatever you have in mind.
Remember this shouldn’t ever make somebody feel like they’re your project. Just sincerely and authentically reach out and love someone with no strings attached.
We Bring GP2RL Action Point:
Read the story of these two sons (Luke 15) this week asking God for further insight.