Daddy Issues Part 2

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Daddy Issues Pt. 2: Prodigal Generation (cont’d)

Last week we started a series called Daddy Issues. Most of the issues we see in our society can be directly or indirectly tied to breakdown in parent-child relationships, and specifically Issues pertaining to fathers.

Main Point: The distortion or destruction of God’s design for a father, results in a distorted perception of God as Father or the destruction of belief in God altogether.

Main Text:
Malachi 4:5-6 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.”

God desires that there be healing, wholeness, and loving functioning relationships between parent and child. Healthy families create healthy communities that create a healthy society. But it starts with fathers whose hearts turn to their children. How does this turn happen?

By the power of the Holy Spirit as we turn back to our Heavenly Father.

We all have a sinful, proud, and rebellious nature that causes us to pull from God to do our own thing.

Repentance (Greek – metanoia): new mind

Tony Evans – REPENTANCE is when you are going south on the highway and then recognize you need to be going north. Repentance isn’t just thinking about changing directions…

If you are twenty miles out of the way and decide to change directions, you must take the exit ramp. This is the ramp of confession where you agree that you have been going the wrong way.

Then you have to cross over the grace overpass where God gives you the opportunity and the privilege to turn around. Confession gets you to the place where you can make that U-turn. Grace crosses you over.

Now, there is another ramp that you have to take to get back on the highway headed in the right direction. This is the restoration on-ramp. The confession off-ramp leads to the grace overpass, which carries you over and puts you right in front of the restoration on-ramp, so that you can begin heading in the right direction. Once the turn has been made and repentance has been accomplished, you may still be twenty miles out of the way.
In the case of the prodigal son, the father ran out to meet him so that he didn’t have to make the rest of his journey alone.

1. The Son (Us)
2. The World
3. The Father
4. The Crowd

5. The Robe
Luke 15:22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him…

Revelation 3:17-18 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked - I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.

Jesus has covered our shame and restored our dignity.

6. The Ring - Authority
Not only was the son clothed with a new robe, he put on a signet ring. This wasn’t just an accessory. The signet had the family seal that was used in legal and financial transactions. He wasn’t just accepted back as a slave, but a son, one who participates in the family business. He was given authority and responsibility.

Revelation 3:19-21 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

7. Sandals – Position & Protection

8. The Feast
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We deserve death and judgement, but God’s mercy and love desires to celebrate repentance, not to destroy the sinful.

Ezekiel 33:11 “As I live!” declares the Lord GOD, “I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from their way and live.”
Luke 15:7 there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.

9. The Brother
Luke 15:25-32 “Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’ “But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore, his father came out and pleaded with him. So, he 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 gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’ “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. 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.’”

10. The Inheritance.
Before we think this parable gives us permission to live how we want as long as we come back one day, I want to point out something important. The son was restored in his relationship, and was even given authority, but he still squandered his inheritance. It was gone and he didn’t get it back.

God loves you and desires to forgive your sin. No matter what you’ve done or how far you’ve run, the Father welcomes you home with open arms. But there are consequences of sin.

The older brother still had his inheritance intact. He will receive a full reward. He was upset over 1 calf, but in time he would own all of them. The Prodigal son would not.
Temporary / immediate perspective vs. eternal.

Conclusion:
We are living in a generation where most have rejected the Father, and it has brought about a curse in our lives and in our nation. Statistics more than bear this out.

For those that cry out for it, God desires to send His Spirit, first to turn our hearts back to the Father in repentance.

John 16:7-8 It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.

Once our relationship with the Father is restored, He will then cause us to stop being so selfish and turn our hearts to our children, our legacy, our inheritance.

When we are secured in our Father’s love, we are then healed, free and able to love our children.

When our children are secured in our love, they will be healed, free, and able to turn their hearts toward their parents in love, respect, submission, and carrying on the family business.

Jesus at 12 – God desires to restore the “I must” of our generation.

Malachi 4:5-6 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.”

Let it start with us. Let us repent of our sin and selfishness and come back to Father’s house, and leave a godly legacy.

2 Chronicles 7:14 If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

We need healing in this nation, but that starts with the healing of our families, which starts with the healing of our own souls so we aren’t committing acts of violence, aggression, or immorality like the orphaned elephants.

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. [Heal us from the wounds of death inflicted by sin]