June 14th, 2025
Father's Day 2025
The Relational Dad - Luke 15:11-32
Pastor Ray-ann Dela Fuente
June 15, 2025
Highlight Verse:
“So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. Luke 15:20 NLT
Introduction:
Welcome to another exciting Sunday here at River of Faith! Today we are celebrating Father's Day and the Lord has the perfect message for all of us today a powerful reminder that He is a relational god.
The story of the prodigal son is one of the most famous Bible stories. It spoke about the relationship of a father and son that is sorelatable even up to this day. The focus of the story was about the actions of the son. Today I would like to take a different look and see the story from the Father's point of view. I entitled our message today "The Relational Dad."
Main Pointers:
“To illustrate the point further, Jesus told them this story: “A man had two sons. The younger son told his father, ‘I want my share of your estate now before you die.’ So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons. “A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living. About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve. He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything.” Luke 15:11-16 NLT
1. God's love is never insecure.
A. The hardest thing to balance sometimes is how are we going to love our children without giving up the most important thing that matter to us as dads. Which is respect/authority .
B. What challenges me the most about this story even after reading it for so many years is the way the father responded after being deliberately disrespected by his son in his own home.
C. “‘Cursed is anyone who dishonors father or mother.’ And all the people will reply,
‘Amen.’" Deuteronomy 27:16 NLT
2. Our children will always remember the kind of environment we created at home.
“When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.” Luke 15:17-19 NLT
A. What made the prodigal son story possible was the fact that when the son finally came to his senses (which we will all do in some point) He knew exactly where to return.
B. God's love never shuts a door and so should we.
C. “See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him.” 1 John 3:1 NLT
3. Our God is relational He is patient in our rebellion and compassionate in our failures.
“So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’ “But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began.” Luke 15:20-24 NLT
A. The father saw his son from far off means he has been keeping an eye out for his return. He ran towards him and did not wait for him to say sorry first means his love for him never changed. He asked that a robe must be put on him means he's status as a
son did not change. He thought his son was dead means he mourned for him And to see him alive again was not a burden for him but a cause for celebration! Our God wants us back Home!!!
B. ““The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust. Our days on earth are like grass; like wildflowers, we bloom and die. The wind blows, and we are gone— as though we had never been here. But the love of the Lord remains forever with those who fear him. His salvation extends to the children’s children of those who are faithful to his covenant, of those who obey his commandments" Psalms 103:13-18 NLT
Conclusion: We need our prodigals to come home! Let's not shut the doors for them. Let's leave it open. One day they will come in their senses just like we did and they will find that the door has always been left open for them. Our God is the god of prodigals! It's never too late to come back Home!!!
The Relational Dad - Luke 15:11-32
Pastor Ray-ann Dela Fuente
June 15, 2025
Highlight Verse:
“So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. Luke 15:20 NLT
Introduction:
Welcome to another exciting Sunday here at River of Faith! Today we are celebrating Father's Day and the Lord has the perfect message for all of us today a powerful reminder that He is a relational god.
The story of the prodigal son is one of the most famous Bible stories. It spoke about the relationship of a father and son that is sorelatable even up to this day. The focus of the story was about the actions of the son. Today I would like to take a different look and see the story from the Father's point of view. I entitled our message today "The Relational Dad."
Main Pointers:
“To illustrate the point further, Jesus told them this story: “A man had two sons. The younger son told his father, ‘I want my share of your estate now before you die.’ So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons. “A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living. About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve. He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything.” Luke 15:11-16 NLT
1. God's love is never insecure.
A. The hardest thing to balance sometimes is how are we going to love our children without giving up the most important thing that matter to us as dads. Which is respect/authority .
B. What challenges me the most about this story even after reading it for so many years is the way the father responded after being deliberately disrespected by his son in his own home.
C. “‘Cursed is anyone who dishonors father or mother.’ And all the people will reply,
‘Amen.’" Deuteronomy 27:16 NLT
2. Our children will always remember the kind of environment we created at home.
“When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.” Luke 15:17-19 NLT
A. What made the prodigal son story possible was the fact that when the son finally came to his senses (which we will all do in some point) He knew exactly where to return.
B. God's love never shuts a door and so should we.
C. “See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him.” 1 John 3:1 NLT
3. Our God is relational He is patient in our rebellion and compassionate in our failures.
“So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’ “But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began.” Luke 15:20-24 NLT
A. The father saw his son from far off means he has been keeping an eye out for his return. He ran towards him and did not wait for him to say sorry first means his love for him never changed. He asked that a robe must be put on him means he's status as a
son did not change. He thought his son was dead means he mourned for him And to see him alive again was not a burden for him but a cause for celebration! Our God wants us back Home!!!
B. ““The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust. Our days on earth are like grass; like wildflowers, we bloom and die. The wind blows, and we are gone— as though we had never been here. But the love of the Lord remains forever with those who fear him. His salvation extends to the children’s children of those who are faithful to his covenant, of those who obey his commandments" Psalms 103:13-18 NLT
Conclusion: We need our prodigals to come home! Let's not shut the doors for them. Let's leave it open. One day they will come in their senses just like we did and they will find that the door has always been left open for them. Our God is the god of prodigals! It's never too late to come back Home!!!
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