✝ Daily Encouragement (2/13/25) "The Father's Joyful Reception"
Published: Thu, 02/13/25
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(Click refresh or reload for current message) Thursday, February 13, 2025  The
Village Farm
Market is one
of our
favorite
Lancaster
County country
stores. Our
friend Keith
converted this
from the lower
level of a
bank barn that
housed steers
when he was a
boy. Whenever
we are over
that way we
like to stop
in.
Click on photo to enlarge
"The Father's Joyful Reception" Message summary: When the prodigal son returned to his father there was celebration rather than condemnation!
Listen
to our message
on your audio
player.
“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."
(Luke
15:21-24). 
This
week we have
been
considering
key points in
the parable of
the prodigal
son. Yesterday
we considered
the father's
relentless
love both
before and
after his
son's return.
What a
wonderful word
picture that
conveys such
tender
compassion, "But
while he was
still a long
way off, his
father saw him
and felt
compassion,
and ran and
embraced him
and kissed
him" (Luke
15:20).
The
son responded,
"Father, I
have sinned
against heaven
and before
you. I am no
longer worthy
to be called
your son".
His
confession
said it all.
He had blown
it big time
and wasted no
time getting
to the heart
of the matter;
he was not
worthy but
neither are we
worthy of
God's love. We
have all
sinned against
heaven and our
heavenly
Father.
The
text
continues,
"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". The
son who had
come home when
he hit rock
bottom was now
adorned with
the best robe,
a ring,
even new shoes
(some versions
use sandals)
to replace his
worn-out shoes
worn during
his long
journey (or
perhaps he no
longer had
shoes). A big
meal with the
fattened calf
was prepared
to celebrate
his son's
return. Can
you imagine
how much food
the son heaped
on his plate
before digging
into his first
bite. Surely
his favorite
foods were
prepared that
were generally
reserved for
Passover, or
other such
notable
holidays.
"For
this my son
was dead, and
is alive
again; he was
lost, and is
found". What
a tremendous
description of
salvation;
death to life,
lost then
found! But my
heart is
especially
warmed when I
read these
three words, "this
my son".
Yesterday we
posted a song
title "When
God Ran" that
captures the
son's emotion
at his
father's
reception.
He
ran to me,
He took me in His arms, Held my head to his chest, Said "My son's come home again!" Lifted my face, Wiped the tears from my eyes, With forgiveness in His voice He said "Son" He called me Son. He said "Son, do you know I still love You?" "And they began to celebrate". Rather than condemnation there was celebration! This celebration links the three parables of Luke 15 together as each ended with joyful celebration.
But
not everyone
chose to
celebrate as
we will see
tomorrow.
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
See Revelation 19:6-9
Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
"When
God Ran"
Watch
on YouTube
Philips, Craig
and
Dean
"When
The Prodigal
Comes
Home"
Watch
on YouTube
Tribute
Quartet
"Never Too Broken to Belong" Watch on YouTube Amy Lambert "How Deep The Father's Love" Watch on YouTube Phillips, Craig, & Dean
The
Village Farm
Market is
on Rt 322 east
of Ephrata, PA
here
(google maps)
Here's
the entire
parable from Luke
15:11-32
Illustrative
note: Each
week we begin
our Adult
Bible
Fellowship
class with a
time of
sharing prayer
needs. One
Sunday,
shortly after
we began
attending the
class several
years ago, a
class member
who was
leading the
group shared
from his heart
concerning his
son who was in
prison. Our
hearts went
out to him as
we considered
how hard this
must be for
him and his
wife.
Later
we learned
more about the
story. He and
his wife had
their own
biological
children but
also took in
foster
children and
adopted two
children. The
man in prison
was their
adopted son.
It struck me
that when he
made the
request he
merely stated
"Pray for my
son who is in
prison" with
no qualifiers
or modifiers.
He could have
said something
to the effect
"the boy we
adopted"...
but he said "my
son". It
was an
indication of
this man's
character and
a picture of
God’s love for
us.
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Statement:
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