Knowing the Fathers
Presence
Reading: Luke 15
Introduction
The story of the Prodigal, Coin and the Sheep are all
analogies of redemption but in my view it is the attitude of the Father, the
widow and the shepherd which gives the greatest insight in understanding the
love our heavenly Father has for each of us.
Growing up, it was always my father who dispensed judgement
upon my siblings and I when we were naughty. I always dreaded the words of my
mother “wait till your father gets home”; knowing I was to be smacked and spent
the remaining time praying my mum would forget my bad deeds in the meantime.
As children, we often bring our childhood image of our
fathers and mothers into our adult lives which are sometimes conveyed in how we
see our heavenly Father, at least I did. So when I was saved I expected my
heavenly Father to be the dispenser of judgment for my sins. Whilst there
certainly will be an end time judgment as described in Revelation and the
Father certainly does correct those he loves as we read in Hebrews, this is not
however, the overwhelming image that is portrayed in scripture and definitely
not in Luke 15.
Whilst the sheep wandered off and the coin was lost, it was
the prodigal who chose his own path and it is therefore this parable which
displays more powerfully the amazing love our Father has for his children.
The word prodigal actually means extravagant waist and I
believe this story is very much about extravagant waist, not only of the son in
relation to his inheritance but also the Father in relation to his love for his
lost sons!
There is so much to unpack from this parable but one verse
in particular I find most interesting and it relates not to the prodigal but to
his big brother who STAYED on the farm. Many of us would be forgiven to think
this story is just about the younger son but there are in fact four main
characters in this story, the prodigal, the older brother, the father and the
servants.
Some cultural Relevance
According to Jewish tradition and taken directly from
Deuteronomy 21:17, the older son would have received twice as much inheritance
than the younger son. The older son would have been responsible for the
fattened calf and as the older son had already received his inheritance also
then the farm in essence would have also been his responsibility, in fact the
older son is stead of the father. This sheds light on the response of the older
son when he hears celebration when returning from work.
Skinny Goat
In vs.28 the older son brings his argument to the father
which in many ways makes a lot of sense. You can almost feel his frustration
with his younger brother and with his father’s decision to respond how he did.
Stating “Yet you never gave me a young goat so I could celebrate with my
friends”. This is actually translated “skinny goat” in the original text.
It is however the father’s response which takes the prize
and the real subject which I wish to highlight. Stating, “But Son you are
always with me and everything I have is yours.” Vs31.
You have always been
with me
What an amazing statement from the father regarding the
son’s position. Throughout scripture we find again and again the promise that
God is and will always be with us.
Matthew 28 in Jesus’ final words to his disciples was “Lo, I
am with you always until the very end”. Psalms tells us that even when we walk
through the fires and water that He (our Father) will always be there for us.
Yet how many times throughout your life have you felt alone
or isolated from our heavenly Father’s presence?
Are we alone or is it perhaps we
who don’t recognise as the older son that God the Father is always with us,
that we are in fact sealed with His Spirit and are now Temples of the Holy
Spirit.
Eden
When reading Genesis 3 and the
Fall of Adam and Eve we have a glimpse of how sin and shame may cause us to
believe we are alone.
The word Eden in ancient Hebrew means
“pleasure” but can also mean “Presence”, not because of its location but of the
type of fellowship Adam and Eve enjoyed in the garden, walking and talking with
God in the cool of the day.
It was a result of Adam and Eve’s
sin which saw that fellowship change. Suddenly they saw that they were naked.
The Father’s response to this is amazing, “who told you that you were naked?”
Indeed when we sin and lose that intimate fellowship with the Father we can
feel naked and alone.
Our Lord Jesus, whilst on the
cross cried out to the Father “why have you forsaken me” after taking the sins
of the world upon himself. This must have felt similar insomuch as being alone.
Sin separates
After the fall of Adam and Eve the
result was both a physical and emotional distance between the Father and his
creation. Yet it was the Father who went looking for Adam and Eve and not visa
versa!
I battled in trying to understand
recently why though God made coverings firstly from leaves and then by a blood
sacrifice with skins and that they could still not stay in the garden. The
answer came quickly when in discussion with a friend reminded me that whilst
God redeemed Adam and Eve for their sins by shedding the blood of animals that
they must also experience the process of sanctification.
When the soldier pierced the side
of our Lord scriptures says “blood and water flowed”. This represents the
redemptive and sanctifying work of the Spirit of Christ in each of our lives. In
sanctification we understand why we must “wander” through the desert of our
lives and allow the Holy Spirit to reveal every area of our lives which needs
the touch of the Father.
Abel
On a side note, it is interesting
to understand that after Cain killed Abel he wandered into the land of Nod,
which literally means wandering!!!
Though redeemed from the hands of
Pharaoh, the Israelites wandered in the desert for forty years. Through various
miracles and lots of grumbling the Lord revealed the weaknesses of the people
and ultimately prepared them for their inheritance!
The Holy Spirit is God’s seal of His presence in our lives
Acts 1:8, Jesus tells the
disciples not to go until they receive the promise of the Holy Spirit. This was
a direct response to the prophecy of Joel 2 when the Holy Spirit would finally
be poured out on all flesh.
The comforter (Paraclete) is our
advocate that never leaves our side and is our proof of God’s presence in our
lives.
Just as for the Israelites in the
desert, the Holy Spirit goes before us both night and day be our covering and
shelter from life’s storms.
He (Holy Spirit) is leading us and
preparing us daily to be the son’s of God. (Rom 8).
God is light and the
light symbolises his presence in the world
·
Light in ancient Hebrew also a symbol of God’s
everlasting presence in the earth.
·
A rainbow is also confirmation of God’s promise
to never flood the earth again.
·
A rainbow is simply light refracting!
·
Jesus called himself Light of the World (John
8:12)
·
Jesus declared that we are both salt and Light.
·
Paul calls us Children of Light in Thessalonians
5 and Light in the darkness on Ephesians 5.
Symbols of God’s
Presence
·
Smoking furnace, burning lamp – Genesis 15:17
·
Consuming Fire
·
Pillar of Fire
·
The Lords Furnace
·
Strange Fire
·
Wind, Fire, Oil, Light, The Dove, The Cloud, The
Seal, Water, Wine
Prayer & Praise the Key to Knowing God’s Presence
I believe the Father, since the
beginning of sin in our world, has been working to restore relationship and
specifically his presence in every area of our lives. Not just for Sunday
Revival services!
We have been called, literally, to
come or draw nigh unto Him (Jam 4:4). He, the Father is longing like the father
of the prodigal and his older brother for us to come to Him and enjoy his
presence without a works mentality nor that of a slave but as true sons that we
are.
Psalm 16 says “You
will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In
Your right hand there are pleasures forever.”
King David spoke of the
Father’s presence in this way “One thing I ask
from the LORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in
his temple.” Psalm 27:4
Despite
his sins and at time poor judgement in making the right decisions in life, King
David became known as a “man after God’s own heart” (Acts 13:22; 1 Sam 13:14).
What
was his key to becoming this man? His amazing love and focus on nothing but our
God and Lord!
Keep Your Eyes on
Jesus!
Matthew 14 Jesus walks on the water to the disciples whom
went ahead of him in the boat. When they see Jesus they think it’s a ghost.
Jesus reassures them it is him.
Vs 28 Peter says “if it’s you Lord, then tell me to come.”
Jesus simply says “come”.
Peter steps out of the boat on to the water and walks
towards Jesus. Vs 30, But when Peter “saw the wind, he was afraid”.
Colossians 3:2 says “Fix your eyes on things above, and not
on things below!”
Hebrews 12:2 says to “fixing our eyes
on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he
endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the
throne of God.”
Where is Jesus? Seated at the right hand of the
Father.
Where are we? Ephesians says we are seated with him
in heavenly realms.
It
is not the absence of Troubles in our life, but the presence of God that brings
the victory!
Ten Benefits of His
Presence
1.
Faith, (Romans 10:17) “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of
God”
2. Wisdom- Proverbs
2:1-1
3. Filling with the Holy Spirit Ephesians 5:18
“Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to
debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. 19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and
spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to always giving
thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
4. Joy Psalm 16.11 “You will make known to me the path of
life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are
pleasures forever. “
5. Prevention from backsliding Isaiah
55:6-7 “Seek the LORD while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is
near. {7} Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts;
Let him return to the LORD, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For
He will abundantly pardon." James 4:8 “
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners;
and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”
6. Spiritual Strength and encouragement. Isaiah 40:31, Yet
those who wait for the Lord Will gain new strength; They will mount up with
wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not
become weary.
7. Divine Rest Psalm 37.7 “Rest in the
Lord and wait patiently for Him”
8. Freedom from Sin-Having a pure heart. Psalms
51:10-11 “Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast
spirit within me. {11} Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take
Your Holy Spirit from me.”
9. Help during troubled times. Psalms 46:1 NKJV) “God is
our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.”
10. Salvation, deliverance, and
victory Psalm 40:1-4a
Discussion
Why did the older son not enjoy
the presence of the Father?
What sort of things might make us
feel the same as the older son in our lives?
When feeling alone, what promises
do we have to comfort us?
Can we experience the Father’s
presence all the time? If not, why not?
What does scripture tell us about
the presence of God?
