Embracing the Father's Love: A Journey Home

Summary

Father’s Day brings a mix of emotions—joy for some, pain for others. For me, it’s a time to remember the steady presence of my own father, whose encouragement shaped my life. Yet, I know many have not had that experience, and some are still longing for it. In Luke 15, Jesus tells a story that transcends earthly families and points us to the heart of our heavenly Father. The parable of the prodigal son is not, at its core, about the wayward son, but about the father—his character, his love, and his response to both his sons.

The story begins with a son demanding his inheritance, essentially wishing his father dead. The father, with an open hand, lets him go. He doesn’t control, manipulate, or compare him to his brother. He trusts what he’s invested in his son and releases him, even at great personal cost. This is a picture of God’s respect for our freedom—He does not force us to love Him, but allows us to choose, even if it means wandering into a far country.

When the son hits rock bottom, it’s not because someone bailed him out or enabled his choices. The turning point comes when “no one gave him anything.” Sometimes, love means refusing to enable, allowing consequences to do their work so that true repentance can take root. Repentance is more than regret or remorse; it’s a change of mind that leads to a change of will and action. The son comes to himself, returns home, and finds his father waiting—not with crossed arms or accusations, but with open arms, running to meet him, eager to restore and celebrate.

The father’s love is both tough and tender—strong enough to let go, soft enough to receive back. But the story doesn’t end there. The older brother, full of self-pity and resentment, stands outside the celebration. The father goes out to him as well, offering reassurance of his presence, provision, and love. The story ends unresolved, inviting each of us to complete it in our own lives. Will we come home to the Father, or will we stay outside, nursing our wounds?

This is not just a story about a family long ago. It’s about our heavenly Father and each of us. He stands with open hands, open arms, and an open heart—ready to release, receive, and respect us. No matter where you are today, you can come home. He will meet you, not with condemnation, but with grace.

Key Takeaways

- God’s Love Respects Our Freedom
God does not force us into relationship with Him. Like the father in the story, He releases us with an open hand, allowing us to make our own choices—even when those choices lead us away. This respect for our will is a profound expression of His love, for only love freely given is truly valuable. [43:55]

- Enabling Is Not the Same as Loving
Sometimes, the most loving thing we can do is to stop rescuing those we care about. The father did not enable his son’s destructive choices; he allowed him to experience the consequences. True transformation often comes only when we reach the end of ourselves and realize our need for grace. [48:43]

- Repentance Is a Change of Mind, Will, and Action
Repentance is not mere regret or sorrow over our mistakes. It is a deep, internal change—a coming to ourselves—that leads to a new direction. When the prodigal changed his mind, his will and actions followed, illustrating the full process of genuine repentance. [51:32]

- God’s Grace Is Both Tough and Tender
The father’s love is remarkable in its balance: tough enough to let go, tender enough to welcome back without hesitation. He does not meet us with judgment or shame, but with open arms, ready to restore and celebrate our return. This is the surprising, undeserved grace of God. [53:38]

- The Invitation Is for All—No Matter Which “Brother” You Are
Whether you identify with the rebellious younger son or the resentful older brother, the father’s heart is open to you. He offers abiding presence, abundant provision, and a purpose that transcends our failures and self-righteousness. The story’s unresolved ending is an invitation: will you come home and join the celebration? [01:03:17]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[36:45] - Reflections on Fatherhood and Absence
[37:26] - Introducing the Parable of the Prodigal Son
[39:11] - The Son’s Rebellion and Downfall
[40:18] - The Father’s Response: Open Hand
[41:53] - The True Subject: The Father
[42:30] - The Story’s Deeper Meaning
[43:55] - The Wisdom of Letting Go
[45:11] - Avoiding Comparison and Control
[47:50] - The Danger of Enabling
[49:26] - The Nature of Repentance
[52:14] - The Father’s Open Arms
[55:09] - The Path to Reconciliation
[58:39] - The Older Brother’s Struggle
[01:03:17] - The Unfinished Ending: Your Invitation
[01:04:34] - The Father’s Open Heart
[01:07:11] - Invitation to Come Home
[01:09:52] - Encouragement to Respond

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: The Heart of the Father (Luke 15 and the Prodigal Son)

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### Bible Reading

- Luke 15:11-32 (The Parable of the Prodigal Son)

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### Observation Questions

1. What actions did the younger son take that showed he was rejecting his father’s relationship and values? (Luke 15:12-13)
2. How did the father respond when the younger son asked for his inheritance and left home? What did he *not* do? [[43:55]]
3. What was the turning point for the younger son while he was in the far country? (Luke 15:16-17)
4. How did the father respond when the younger son returned? What did he do and say? (Luke 15:20-24)

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### Interpretation Questions

1. The father let his son go, even though it was painful and costly. What does this reveal about God’s respect for our freedom and choices? [[43:55]]
2. The sermon says, “Sometimes, love means refusing to enable, allowing consequences to do their work so that true repentance can take root.” How is this different from simply giving up on someone? [[48:43]]
3. The older brother stayed home and did everything “right,” but still missed out on the celebration. What does his reaction teach us about self-righteousness and resentment? [[58:39]]
4. The story ends without telling us what the older brother decided. Why do you think Jesus left the ending open? What might this mean for us? [[01:03:17]]

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### Application Questions

1. The father in the story let his son go, trusting what he had invested in him. Is there someone in your life you are holding onto too tightly? What would it look like to release them to God’s care, even if it’s hard? [[43:55]]
2. Have you ever confused enabling with loving someone? Can you think of a time when stepping back and allowing someone to face consequences was actually the most loving thing you could do? How did that feel? [[48:43]]
3. The younger son’s repentance was more than just feeling sorry—it led to real change. Is there an area in your life where you need to “come to yourself” and make a change, not just feel regret? What would a first step look like? [[51:32]]
4. The father ran to meet his son with open arms, not with judgment or shame. When you think about returning to God after a failure, do you expect open arms or crossed arms? Why? [[53:38]]
5. The older brother stood outside the celebration, nursing his wounds. Is there a place in your life where you are holding onto resentment or self-pity, and it’s keeping you from joy? What would it take to “join the celebration”? [[58:39]]
6. The father’s love was both tough (letting go) and tender (welcoming back). Which side do you find harder to practice—with your family, friends, or even yourself? Why? [[53:38]]
7. The story is an invitation to “come home” to the Father, no matter where you are. What does “coming home” look like for you right now? Is there a step of faith, repentance, or forgiveness you need to take? [[01:07:11]]

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Closing Thought:
No matter which “brother” you relate to, the Father’s heart is open to you. He stands ready to release, receive, and respect you. Will you come home?

Devotional

Day 1: The Father’s Open Hand: I Release You
A loving father sometimes must let go, trusting what has been instilled in his child and in the Lord’s faithfulness. The father in Luke 15 did not cling tightly or control his son, even when the son demanded his inheritance and left for a far country. He did not play the comparison game, nor did he manipulate or guilt his son into staying. Instead, he released him, demonstrating a courageous love that allows freedom, even at the risk of heartbreak. This open-handed love reflects the way our heavenly Father gives us free will, longing for us to return to Him out of genuine love rather than compulsion. [43:55]

Luke 15:11-15 (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.”

Reflection: Is there someone in your life you are holding onto too tightly, and how might you trust God enough to release them with open hands today?


Day 2: The Difference Between Love and Enabling
True love does not always mean rescuing or enabling; sometimes, it means allowing someone to face the consequences of their choices so they can come to true repentance. The father in the parable did not send care packages or bailouts to his son in the far country. “No one gave him anything,” and only then did the son “come to himself.” This hard boundary was not a lack of love but a wise refusal to prolong the prodigal’s wandering. Sometimes, confusing love with enabling can delay the return of those we care about. [48:43]

Luke 15:16-17 (ESV)
“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!’”

Reflection: In what relationship are you tempted to enable rather than lovingly allow someone to experience the consequences they need in order to grow?


Day 3: The Father’s Open Arms: I Receive You
When the prodigal son returned, the father ran to meet him, embracing him with open arms, not with judgment or accusation. The father’s love was not only tough enough to let go but also tender enough to welcome back, cutting off the son’s rehearsed apology and restoring him fully with robe, ring, and celebration. This is a picture of our heavenly Father, who is always ready to forgive, restore, and rejoice over us when we return, no matter how far we have wandered. [53:38]

Luke 15:20-24 (ESV)
“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.”

Reflection: Is there an area of your life where you feel unworthy to return to God? What would it look like to take a step toward Him today, trusting He will meet you with open arms?


Day 4: The Father’s Open Heart: I Respect You
The father’s love extended to both sons, including the older brother who struggled with self-pity and resentment. The father left the celebration to seek out his elder son, assuring him of his abiding presence and abundant provision: “You are always with me, and all that I have is yours.” This open-hearted respect honors each child’s journey and feelings, inviting them into relationship and celebration, and reminding us that God’s heart is open to all, not just those who have wandered and returned. [01:02:04]

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.’”

Reflection: Where do you see yourself in the story—more like the older brother or the younger—and how might you respond to the Father’s open heart toward you today?


Day 5: Completing the Story: Coming Home to the Father
The parable ends without telling us how the older brother responded, leaving the story open for each of us to complete. Jesus invites us to see ourselves in the story and to come home to the Father, who demonstrated His love most fully through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. No matter how far we have gone, the Father’s heart and arms are open wide, ready to forgive, restore, and welcome us into the adventure He created us for. Today is the day to come home, to let God’s love write the next chapter of your story. [01:04:34]

Romans 5:8 (ESV)
“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Reflection: What is one step you can take today to “come home” to God—whether for the first time or in a new area of your life—trusting in His love and grace?

Quotes

This whole story is not about this boy. The whole purpose of Jesus telling it is to put this father on center stage, because there's a deeper meaning to it, we'll see today. And that meaning is that this isn't a story about a boy and a father in some faraway country. It is a story Jesus is telling us about you and your own relationship with our heavenly father. [00:42:26] (00:00:33 seconds) Edit Clip

Sometimes some of us confuse love with enabling. And we prolong the prodigal's return when we do so. No one gave him anything. And look what happens immediately after we read those words. verse 16. Look at verse 17. And he came to himself. He came to himself. He said, man, I know better than this. But it only happened after he had to learn his lesson the hard way. No one gave him anything. And immediately the next verse says, and he came to himself. Some never come to themselves because someone's always bailing them out. Someone's always enabling. [00:49:02] (00:00:53 seconds) Edit Clip

Repentance, the Greek word literally means to change your mind. It's what happened here in verse 17. When he came to himself, he changed his mind. How do you know you change your mind? Because if you truly change your mind, then your volition will change. Your will will change. You change your mind, that changes your will or your volition. And when your will is truly changed, your actions will change. [00:51:05] (00:00:27 seconds) Edit Clip

If you want a beautiful picture of repentance, it's right here. First in verse 17, he changed his mind. It says he came to himself. The next verse, what does he say? I will arise and go. His will changed. His will, his volition changed because he changed his mind. He said, I will arise and go to my father. And look at verse 20. He arose and he headed home. That's true repentance. It's true repentance. [00:51:32] (00:00:33 seconds) Edit Clip

So first we see the father with an open hand saying, I release you. And then secondly, in verses 20 through 24, we see the father with open arms saying, I receive you. I receive you. And he arose, verse 20 said, and he came to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion and ran and embraced him and kissed him. [00:52:14] (00:00:34 seconds) Edit Clip

Look at this heavenly father. The moment that boy started home, we see him with open arms saying, I receive you. And, and you know, what's interesting to me about our heavenly father, the boy came walking and look what it says about dad. He came. came running. He ran to meet him. Some of you who are in the far country today, you come walking back home to him today, and he will come running to meet you with open arms. [00:53:22] (00:00:32 seconds) Edit Clip

While you'd think that boy coming home, many of us have a picture of a father, and we'd think he was just like this, looking at that boy when he came home, just waiting to say, I told you so. But there were no crossed arms, no clenched fists, no pointed fingers, no where have you beens, no I told you so. Just open arms. Wide, loving, forgiving, open arms. That's the father. That's the father. [00:54:11] (00:00:36 seconds) Edit Clip

But see him with open arms saying, I receive you. And those arms were never opened wider than when those wrists were nailed to a Roman cross outside the city walls of Jerusalem. Where he, the Lord Jesus, who knew no sin, became sin for you. That you might become the righteousness of God in him. [01:05:28] (00:00:27 seconds) Edit Clip

Where God demonstrated his own love toward you. And that while you were a sinner, Christ died for you to make a way for you to come home to the Father. Where in him, we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins according to them. riches of his grace and see him finally with an open heart. And that heart of our Lord was never open wider than when on the cross, it bore your sin. Everything you've ever done, everything you said, every act of immorality, he took on himself. He suffered the shame for you. He suffered the hurt and the humiliation and the pain and the agony and the death of your sin. See him today with a heart that's open to you. [01:05:55] (00:01:06 seconds) Edit Clip

You might come walking to him today, but I want to tell you who he is. He'll come running to you. Jesus told this whole story because a certain man, he's the subject, had two sentences. He wants you to leave here on a Father's day with a picture of your own heavenly Father who's ready to receive you today, forgive you, cleanse you, make it if it never happened so that you could begin the great adventure for which he created you in the first place. You come walking, he's going to come running. [01:07:04] (00:00:39 seconds) Edit Clip