And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put iton him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

Luke 15:20-24

There are three main characters in the parable of the prodigal son – the younger brother, the older brother, and the father. Which one are we like?

Today, I would like to talk about the father in this story. In particular, the father’s reaction to his son’s return.

First of all, we see that the father was looking for his son’s return. He saw his son while he was a “great way off.” We should be looking for and praying for the return of those who have gone astray in sin. Rather than being mad or judgmental, we should be hoping for their repentance.

Do you look for those who are wanting to come home?

The next thing we should notice is the joy that the father has, and the celebration that he throws for his returning son. Remember, there is rejoicing in heaven and in the presence of angels when a sinner repents! Our churches should be places of healing where sinners can come and not be judged. There should be celebration when a child comes home.

Do you rejoice when a sinner repents?

Without the grace of God, we would all be left in utter darkness. The last thing we should ever do is judge someone harshly when they are seeking to repent and rehabilitate their lives. Instead, we should be looking for them so that we can welcome them home. And we should only be singing songs of thanksgiving to celebrate their return!