Hope Community Church
Child Care (ages 6wks-5yrs) & Kids Church (K-5th Grade) provided!
Week 4:
"A Father's Undignified Love"
Leaving home always begins with the heart… never the feet.
"Secret sin is open scandal in heaven.”
Luke 15:18-19 NKJV
The son's actions = Repentance
He took responsibility, named those affected, and sought to return with no expectations.
How would you expect your Father to react had you rebelled like this?
We have a skewed view of our Heavenly Father when:
• We compare Him to our earthly one
• We pursue happiness, not holiness
• We believe good works merit acceptance
So how did the Father react?
–He didn't react, He responded!
Luke 15:20-24 NKJV
His response was UNDIGNIFIED
1– appearing foolish and unseemly
2– unsuitable, improper, unbecoming
How does the father's response mirror that of our Heavenly Father?
1. He calls for our return.
2. He longs for our return.
3. He prepares for our return.
It is not okay to be swallowed up by guilt and remorse because of our sin.
(Worldly sorrow = BONDAGE)
It is okay to feel the weight of our sin and its consequences on us and others.
(Godly sorrow = FREEDOM)
It is our repentance... not our rebellion,
the depths of His love...not our despair, and
His ability and desire to forgive...not our folly
that Jesus promotes with this parable.