EPISODE 501 – THE FATHER’S LOVE 2
CHRIST COMMONWEALTH-COMMUNITY
The Love-Life Agency
Friday 7th, June 2024
THE FATHER’S LOVE 2
“… So the father raced out to meet him. He swept him up in his arms, hugged him dearly, and kissed him over and over with tender love.” Luke 15:20 (TPT)
Jesus who is God made flesh, came to us to show us the God-life.
Jesus demonstrated to mankind the true and perfect character of God.
Man had always had a wrong picture of God.
However, Jesus brought to light the fullness of the goodness of God and His loveliness as the Father.
He showed how God, will always attend to the details of our lives and be our great comfort. He healed the sick, the lame, the lepers and the blind.
Those who were condemned to death according to the law, were brought to Him, He showed them forgiveness.
Jesus didn’t only demonstrate the love of God, He taught on God’s love using parables and stories. There are about 52 recorded parables of Jesus in the Gospels. Most of these artistic parables are authentic to only Jesus; they are depiction of Himself. Which of course most rabbinic parables are not focused on the rabbi. But Jesus’ were different.
In Luke 15, Jesus shared three beautiful parables which explained how God’s love works.
Just in Luke chapter 15 and 16, Jesus shared, five (5) amazing parables.
Two of the parables were in Luke 16, and Jesus was talking to His disciples, to have better understanding of how the economy of God works in contrast to how the religious Jewish leaders think.
However, the three (3) parables in Luke 15 were direct responses to the religious and self righteous Jewish leaders.
They assumed they knew God and His character, but never knew anytime they spoke to Jesus, they were speaking to God made flesh.
“By this time a lot of men and women of questionable reputation were hanging around Jesus, listening intently. The Pharisees and religion scholars were not pleased, not at all pleased. They growled, “He takes in sinners and eats meals with them, treating them like old friends.” Their grumbling triggered this story” Luke 15:1-3 (The Message)
Parables (the Greek word is Parabole) are stories or illustrations, or a general term for figurative saying. Parables are not to be taken literal but must be examined closely to draw out the meaning from the perspective of the narrator.
It is in parallel to the Hebrew word, “mashal”. Which means to speak or use a proverb, speak or make parables and speak in sentences of poetry.
You find this a lot in the Old Testament portion of the Bible. The prophets, psalmist, leaders and kings spoke in these manner.
The parables Jesus spoke are of Jewish concept and background than the Greeks.
This will help you not to submit your thoughts to the several misconceptions around the parables of Jesus.
In Luke 15 you will find a parable of:
1. The Lost sheep.
2. The Lost coin and
3. The Loving Father
Most people have got the third parable all wrong.
The focus of these three parables is Jesus and not the sheep, the coin or the son.
The parable does not depict a prodigal son, but instead, the LOVING FATHER.
Interestingly, those who heard the parable didn’t see a prodigal son. They heard and saw the heart of Jesus through this parable.
Jesus illustrated:
– How He loves sinners and how He is eagerly ready to receive those who are called sinners.
– The warmth and love He gives and shows “sinners” no matter how dirty they look in the eyes of the religious folks.
– How He transforms the hearts of the condemned, when they come to Him.
The Father never called His son prodigal.
When the young son set off for home. His father saw him coming from a long distance away. Which means the father has always been looking forward for the return of his son. Though the son was dressed as a beggar. The father didn’t start by complaining and reminding him of how foolish he was. Instead the father had great compassion swelled up in his heart for his son who was returning home.
And the father raced out to meet him. He swept him up in his arms, hugged him dearly, and kissed him over and over with tender love. The Father didn’t care about his son’s dirty state.
Look at the son’s response:
“Then the son said, ‘Father, I was wrong. I have sinned against you. I could never deserve to be called your son. Just let me be—’
“The father interrupted and said, ‘Son, you’re home now!’ Luke 15:21 (TPT)
The father wasn’t listening to the son but was focused on loving him..
When we feel imperfect and unworthy before the Lord, He doesn’t see our imperfections. He sees us worthy of His love and saving grace.
The Father wasn’t ready to listen to his son’s sense of guilt . He interrupted and said, “Son, you are home now!”
Wow!
The warmth of the loving Father .
The father reminded him of his place, by calling him “Son…”
This is how God sees you; no matter your guilt and shame; you are His son and He loves you with an everlasting love.
“The LORD appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” Jeremiah 31:3 (ESV)
Focus on the Love of the Father and not your imperfection.
Hallelujah!
1. our eyes will see and our hearts will comprehend the depths and richness of the love of the Father for us.
God loves us with an everlasting love.
Love does not bear record of wrongs; God is not in the business of writing your wrongs in heavenly books, as some people say.
He says your ways are not my ways, neither your thoughts are my thoughts.
Men use their emotional experiences about who and how a father is to describe God, which is not consistent with the scriptures.
Even when were sinners, Christ died for us.
For God did not send His own into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Jesus, God made flesh, irrespective of our wrongs and guilt, came to die for us. God is not interested in your sense of guilt, but your sense of his love for you.
Having a sense of guilt makes you no better in living out the God-life. Focusing of Jesus and beholding his love is what empowers you to express him. For perfect love cast out fear. The Lord wants you to be His very expression; turn your mind off yoir guilt and behold His love; that is how become like him in expression.
Thank you Lord Jesus.
Thank you Apostle Bennnie for this opportunity.
Oh boooy,I turn my mind to God
We love Him because He first loved us even in our iniquities
I see Jesus and his mighty love for me
not my guilt and He loves me for who I am
Jeremiah 31:2-6 MSG
[2-6] This is the way God put it: “They found grace out in the desert, these people who survived the killing. Israel, out looking for a place to rest, met God out looking for them!” God told them, “I’ve never quit loving you and never will. Expect love, love, and more love! And so now I’ll start over with you and build you up again, dear virgin Israel. You’ll resume your singing, grabbing tambourines and joining the dance.
I expect more and more of the Father’s Love! Hallelujah! Blessed be God!
Ha!! I dwell upon the love of God
No matter the guilt and shame, I Divine, am a son and He still loves me with an EVERLASTING LOVE! My heart is indeed flooded with Peace! Thank you Lord Jesus
The Lord loves me. Oh Glory be to His Name.
Father, I thank you for loving me always and seeing me as your Son.
I am born of God
Thank God for his love. Who can love like Jesus?
We can’t be rejected by God gloreey
Wow, how amazing the love of the father is,even while we dwell on our evil and sinful nature, he showers us with intense love. Oh the love of God,how beautiful.
Ooo thank you Jesus for loving me with an everlasting love ooo Lord
I’m really refresh by today’s Machaira with Apostle Bennie
Jesus your love is tooooooo much,,,,, i am the joy of my father,,,, oooo thank you Jesus!!!!!
Wow.. What a loving Father. I couldn’t thank the Lord enough for this privilege. Thank you, Lord Jesus.
Song.1.4
Draw me! We will run after you! The king brings me into his apartments! We will be glad and rejoice in you! We will recall [when we were favored with] your love, more fragrant than wine. The upright [are not offended at your choice, but sincerely] love you. (AMP
Thank you, Lord for your unfailing love for us which has filled our hearts. The immeasurable love of God. …For God is love and I am His love personified, the expression of His love. Hallelujah!!!
Thank you Apostle Sir.
Wow.. What a loving Father. I couldn’t thank the Lord enough for this privilege. Thank you, Lord Jesus.
Song.1.4
Draw me! We will run after you! The king brings me into his apartments! We will be glad and rejoice in you! We will recall [when we were favored with] your love, more fragrant than wine. The upright [are not offended at your choice, but sincerely] love you. (AMP
Thank you, Lord for your unfailing love for us which has filled our hearts. The immeasurable love of God. …For God is love and I am His love personified, the expression of His love. Hallelujah!!!
Thank you Apostle Sir for this opportunity.
I focus on the Father’s love and not my imperfections
Thank you Jesus for loving me
God loves me
This is my reality and my consciousness
Wow, what a love
He didn’t care about the dirt and the wrongs of his son. All he cared about was his love
God loves me
I’m loved by the father
God loves me
I also love as he loves
I am the Lord’s delight and He loves me
Thank you Lord Jesus Christ
My leaving is on the love of God, my father.
My focus is on the love of my Father.
I set my attention and desires on loving others just as Christ loves me
You are worthy of it all
For from you are all things
And To you are all things
You deserve every honor and glory we raise to you
I choose to focus on the love of the Father and not my imperfections
One of the things that really overwhelms- the love of God for humanity. It takes humility and understanding to search it out.
I cannot but to thank the Lord, for the showers of His unconditional love.
This is so refreshing
The parable of the Loving Father was not focused on the son but rather the character of the father and how he loves.
This is awesome.
Oh thank you Lord Jesus.
I don’t wallow in guilt but rather in the consciousness of my sonship in Christ.
I focus on the love of God.
Earlier, when I read the prodigal son, I focused on the son instead of the father but now I see better. The kind of love the father has for us is just so amazing.
Men cannot love like this. This has to be only God
Thank you lord Jesus
Thank you father
Thank you sweet spirit of God
Wow, this is deep.What a lovely father we have
Always ready to accept us even when we are unable to accept ourselves.
Thank you Lord Jesus for the endless love.
The warmth of the loving Father
Amazing Love
Incredible Love
OLORUNFEMI
Thank you Jesus
Glory to God
It is so comforting getting to know how the father felt nothing but love for his son. Even when the son was busy projecting his wrongs, the father knew him as his son that he loves. Perfect love indeed cast out fear and our knowing of this helps to bring us to the consciousness of our right standing with God.
I CHOOSE TO KNOW MY FATHER.
I focus on the Love of the Father and not my imperfections.
1John.4.10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (NKJV)
I live in the consciousness of my sonship in Christ.
I express the quality of God’s life.
As a son of God, I am the evidence of His Fatherhood.
I am born of God.
It’s amazing how despite our imperfections, the Lord’s steadfast love never seizes. Thank you Father for loving me.
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