The Father’s Joy

Open

What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.

— A. W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy

Aim: the nature of God the Father — what brings Him joy, and what grieves Him.

Preview: God gives grace to the humble and opposes the proud; He rejoices when sinners repent; He lovingly confronts and entreats the self-righteous who stand outside His joy.

Prayer ask: repent of remaining rebellion and pride. Whether you are the younger brother or the older brother, find the way home to the Father’s joy.

Read Luke 15:11–32; pray.

Luke 15:11–32 (ESV)

And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate. “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”

Context

Luke: Jesus came to seek and save the lost — Jews and Gentiles; tax collectors, the poor, outcasts, sinners.

Luke 15 opens with Pharisees grumbling that Jesus receives sinners and eats with them.

The parable confronts self-righteous hearts by showing heaven’s joy over one sinner who repents.

It is preached by One walking toward Jerusalem to give His life for the sinners He describes.

Structure — Three Acts

1. Deserting the Father (vv. 11–16)

2. Returning to the Father (vv. 17–24)

3. Refusing the Father (vv. 25–32)

Act 1 — Deserting the Father (vv. 11–16)

The younger son’s offense: he forgets the riches and benefits of being the Father’s son. He wants reckless living far from the Father’s nearness.

The life-sermon of the younger son: “Give me what you owe me — so I can be happy without you.”

The tragedy is not only leaving home, but leaving a good father.

Application: mud pies (Lewis); functional prodigal living today — media, fantasy, relationships.

Key claim: Sin is not merely breaking God’s rules. Sin is preferring God’s gifts to God Himself.

Presumptuous sin “crosses out” Psalm 16 — fullness of joy in His presence.

Psalm 16:11 (ESV)

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Prodigal joys are false joys; only nearness to the Father satisfies.

Act 2 — Returning to the Father (vv. 17–24)

Luke 15:17 (ESV)

“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger!’

“When he came to himself” (v. 17): he wakes to poverty, hunger, and need. Grace brings you to your senses.

He remembers the Father’s lavish care even for hired servants.

The Father’s love pulled apart:

1. He sees him while still a long way off.

2. He runs.

3. He embraces and kisses.

4. The best robe, the family ring, shoes, the fattened calf, celebration.

5. The exclamation: dead and alive; lost and found.

This ties to Luke 15:7 and 15:10 — joy in heaven / before the angels over one sinner who repents.

Luke 15:7 (ESV)

Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

Luke 15:10 (ESV)

Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.

The Father’s reaction: relief, joy, love — not arms crossed on the porch.

Conversion application: God the Father responded this way to you.

How can a holy God receive sinners? Not by pretending sin didn’t happen — Jesus is going to Jerusalem to bear the cost.

Linger under the Father’s affection; you were, are, and always will be an object of mercy.

Act 3 — Refusing the Father (vv. 25–32)

The older son is angry; he refuses to go in — now outside the house by refusal, as the younger was by running.

The Father comes out and entreats him tenderly.

The older son’s complaint: I have served, never disobeyed, never got a party.

Contrast:

The younger wants the Father’s things without the Father.

The older serves the Father primarily to get the Father’s things.

Neither, initially, simply delights in the Father Himself.

Older-brother attitude: grumbling, anger, judgmentalism, bitterness.

Sunday-morning older-brother sketch: the greeter’s shirt, the kids check-in line, the raised-hands sincerity test, “good sermon for my spouse” — body in the house, heart outside with arms crossed.

Contrast: the repentant sinner’s Sunday — grateful for the gathering, the greeting, kids ministry, the song, the Word.

Warning: confess self-righteousness; you are no better than a Pharisee or a tax collector.

The end of the parable accents verses 31–32: “Son, you are always with me… It was fitting to celebrate… dead and is alive… lost and is found.”

Luke 15:31–32 (ESV)

And he said to him, “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.”

The Father does not tear down either son; He is entreating to the self-righteous, celebratory to the repentant rebel.

Application

1. Carrying Resentment

If you are carrying resentment toward a relative, a friend, or a spouse:

What are you more aware of — their deficiencies, or God’s grace toward you?

Have you forgotten a Matthew 18–sized canceled debt?

What is your life preaching about God?

Look the Father in the eyes; forsake bitterness; you may need more forgiveness than the one you are spiteful toward.

2. Older-Brother Attitude

If you are smug toward weaker saints:

Do not stop good obedience; check the heart.

Is growth evidence of grace, or of being better than others?

Identity: growth and obedience, or God’s mercy — past and present — that makes you merciful?

The older brother saw sin and got angry; the Father saw sin and moved with compassion.

Repent; call to mind the Father’s tenderness; reflect Him. Jesus came to seek and save the lost — including you.

Close

Recap: the tragedy of forgetting the Father’s goodness; the danger of life far from Him; the ugliness of physical nearness with a far heart.

Above all the Father: He rejoices when the lost are found; He receives repentant sinners; He goes out to entreat the self-righteous.

Return to Tozer: what comes into your mind when you think about God — arms crossed, or the Father who sees, runs, embraces, restores, celebrates?

He is grieved by rebellion and opposes pride; for the humble who come in faith, His heart is not reluctant.

Younger or older: come humbly; you stand by mercy.

Walk out humbler, kinder, quicker to forgive, more merciful — not lowering holiness, but remembering what God is like toward you.

“You were, are, and always will be an object of the Father’s mercy.” Pray.

Communion

This parable is preached as Jesus walked toward Jerusalem to die.

He takes the place of the rebel and the self-righteous; God is just and the justifier of those who have faith in Christ.

The narrative of the Father’s heart; the cross puts that mercy in history.

Take the elements with humility, kindness, and gratitude — objects of mercy.

1 Corinthians 11:23–26 (ESV)

For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.