THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION

Text: Luke 15:31-32

Intro

1. The musical Les Misérables has a song in it entitled “Bring Him Home,” and here

            are some of the words:

God on high, hear my prayer.

In my need You have always been there.

He is young, he is afraid. Let him rest, heaven-blessed.

Bring him home. Bring him home. Bring him home.

Bring him peace, bring him joy. He is young. He is only a boy.

You can take, you can give. Let him be, let him live.

If I die, let me bring him home.

2. We have been studying about a father with two sons:

            a) Both sons have done wrong---one outwardly, one inwardly (but eventually it                                          manifested itself).

            b) Both sons gave their father good reason to express exasperation and anger at

                        them.

            c) Last week we studied the intense emotion the elder son unloaded on his father.

            d) It is time for the father to respond...and he does so carefully and wisely...

                                    ...he is genuinely tender and patient.

3. The father has been deeply hurt by BOTH of his boys; neither seemed to really love             him, nor care for the other.

            Here is a picture of a father working to bring reconciliation and peace to his home.

4. Did you notice that the father makes no apology to the elder son? In fact, in verse 32

            he uses the word “meet,” meaning necessary.

            “We had to celebrate. No question about it. To celebrate and be glad was demanded

            by the circumstances.”

5. In verse 30 the older brother’s anger comes through as he tells his father “thy son.”

            But the gentle, loving rebuke of the father is also present as he corrects his older

            son and says in verse 32, “...thy brother...”.

6. It is not easy to bring together two individuals who are at odds with each other.

            This is true in our families as well as in our church families.

            Sometimes it only takes one member of the family to create the problem and

            to refuse to be reconciled.

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I. THE TRUTH OF RECONCILIATION

          A. Let’s Find It In Scripture

                        1. Read Ephesians 2:1-4.

                                    a) Verses 1-3 are a clear reminder of where we were before

                                                we came to Jesus:

DEAD IN TRESPASSES AND SIN

                                    b) Note verse 3:  “But God...”

                                    c) God is the One who ultimately makes the difference in our

                                                spiritual lives. He PROVIDES the personal reconciliation

                                                we desperately need to be right with Him.

                        2. Read Ephesians 2:5-10 to see HOW God did this.

                                    a) Count the number of times you see Jesus’ name in these six

                                                verses.

                                    b) Reconciliation is possible by giving us life in JESUS.

                                    c) Do we deserve it?--- No way...it is by His grace...it is a gift.

                        3. Illustration: Consider how this affects our personal relationships with

                                                other people-especially in race relations.

                                                In Paul’s day the conflict was between Jew and Gentile,

                                                but through the cross this centuries-long conflict was

                                                “dead in the water.” It’s one Jesus, one baptism, one Spirit.

                                                (Continue to read this chapter through verse 16 and you will see this.)

                        4. What we are saying is that God the Father is the Engineer of the

                                    interpersonal dimension of reconciliation.

          B. Other Applications

                        1. Consider the problems that exist in many churches today, where we

                                    see so many divisions and splits. Reconciliation is possible within

                                    a local church when people have conflicts, even groups of people.

                        2. Consider the conflicts that occur at work. All of these conflicts have

                                    the potential solution of being reconciled IF God is a part of the

                                    process.

                        3. Quarreling with each other in the body of Christ has the root of pride

                                    growing in one or both individual’s hearts. Once we realize that

                                    we are actually hurting the Father, reconciliation will come through

                                    a denunciation of pride and taking on the true humility of Christ.

                        4. Paul put it this way in I Thessalonians 5:13b...

                                    And be at peace among yourselves.

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II. THE RIGHT KIND OF FATHER

          A. It’s A Real Problem In The Church

                        1. You would think that with all the books and seminars on parenting that

                                    the church would have its act together when it comes to modeling

                                    parent-child relationships---especially when we have the Bible to

                                    guide us.

                        2. But it simply isn’t so. We have more problems today with parents not

                                    being willing or feeling that they are able to communicate with their

                                    own children.

                        3. In our church school recently we were made aware of how poorly

                                    Christian fathers are tending to the training of their children:

                                    a) There’s the junior high boy who wrote a note expressing deep

                                                feelings of hurt, pain, and depression. In several counseling

                                                session, it was learned that what he really wants more than

                                                anything is a home where his father will love him, talk to                                                   him, and include him in his life.

                                    b) There’s the high school student who told us how hard he cried                                                     the day his father left him when he was only ten years old.

                                                The pain and disappointment affected him so deeply that he

                                                often had trouble handling his own emotions when things

                                                didn’t go his way. Deep-seated anger and bitterness were

                                                at the root. It took many months for him to come to the

                                                point he truly forgave his father. Had he not loved his dad

                                                so, he would not have responded so violently. Sadly, his

                                                father’s problem is that he doesn’t love his son selflessly...

                                                ...and his son knows it. It’s a case of the son loving the

                                                father more than the father loves his son.

                        4. While this is not a lesson on parenting, fathers can learn some things

                                    from this father in our story.

          B. Principles For Fathers From The Prodigal’s Father:

                    #1. It is imperative that we love our children                                                 unconditionally.

                                    a) Here’s the number one problem with most fathers.

                                    b) Colossians 3:21...

                                                Fathers, provoke not your children to anger,

                                                lest they be discouraged.

                                    c) “But my son is rebellious.”                   ---so was this father’s son.

                                    d) “But my son is self-righteous.”            ---so was this father’s son.

                                    e) “But my son is living in sin.”  ---so was this father’s son.

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that,

while we were yet sinners,

Christ died for us.

{Rom. 5:8}

                    #2. Fathers must nurture their children.

                                    a) This is the positive side to instruction.

                                    b) This is the training that is pointed towards growth and maturity.

                                    c) Here is the teaching of biblical truth.

                                    d) Ephesians 6:4b...

...but bring them up in the nurture

and admonition of the Lord.

                    #3. Fathers must admonish their children.

                                    a) This is the negative side of correction.

                                    b) This is the rebuke and discipline.

                                    c) Teaching the consequences of sin is essential to bringing up

                                                godly children.

                                    d) Ephesians 6:4b...

...but bring them up in the nurture

and admonition of the Lord.

                                    e) Proverbs 22:15...

Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child;

but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

                    #4. Fathers must set the right kind of example.

                                    a) Dads must have a close personal relationship with the Lord:

                                                1) Personal devotions

                                                2) Family devotions

                                    b) This includes being faithful to church and serving in the church.

                                    c) Dads must teach their children how to have a godly relationship

                                                with the opposite sex, by loving and respecting his wife.

                                    d) Keeping commitments is a part of this example life.

                    #5. Fathers must be involved in their children’s lives.

                                    a) Some years ago a survey was taken involving a number of middle                                      class fathers to determine exactly how much time was spent                                                    with their children each day. Each man was asked to estimate                                            the amount of time he had spent each day with his young                                                          children. The average of these fathers’ estimates ranges from                                          15-20 minutes.

                                                However, as a part of the survey, microphones had been                                                          attached to the shirts of the children to record the actual                                                   amount of interaction between father and child. Incredibly,                                                        the average dad spend 37 seconds with each child, in an                                                             average of less than three daily encounters generally of ten to                                             fifteen seconds at a time.

                                    b) Too many fathers are too busy to notice they are missing out on

                                                one of the greatest blessings of being alive---their children.

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CONCLUSION:

1. This may be a good lesson to let our class members talk. Each class is at a different

            stage of life, but all of them can relate to this story. Sons blame their fathers,

            fathers blame “the system,” and brothers/sisters blame each other. You would

            be surprised at how much “extra baggage” Christians are carrying around

            emotionally regarding their relationships with other family members.

            Many have learned invaluable lessons, only too late.

2. God may have the best truths of today’s lesson given in a testimony.

3. Pray for a real moving in your class of the Spirit of God using the Word of God.