Introduction: Jesus often taught with parables, which are stories that teach lessons. This parable teaches us the character of our Heavenly Father, and His patience and love toward his wandering children. We may also see here an example for us fathers in how we rear our children...

I. All God's children are different, but He loves them ALL (Luke 15:11).
A. One was a wandering prodigal. One was a stay at home worker.
B. Our children, too, are all different, in many ways.
C. The responsible father studies his own children.

II. God gives His children plenty of slack (Luke 15:12).
A. He allowed his prodigal son to have his inheritance ahead of time, and He allowed his prodigal son to leave home for a wild life in a distant land.
B. We must discipline and train our children well when they are young, and we must let them go free when they are grown, which comes earlier than we think.

III. God's children always return to Him (Luke 15:17-20).
A. We eventually come to our senses.
B. We repent (in the turning, and in the confession, and pleading for forgiveness).
C. ALL of God's children will repent (John 6:37-39).
D. God has made us a promise about our children not departing from the truth.
(Proverbs 22:6) Do you think the prodigal of Luke 15 is the only one?

IV. God the Father is always watching, waiting and ready to welcome back (Luke 15:20).
A. He keeps track of where we are, what we are doing, etc.
B. He never disowns His children.
C. He receives us back with JOY (Luke 15:7, 10) (started this story!).
D. It is a bad father that refuses to forgive and receive his repentant children.

V. The Heavenly Father seeks to lift all His children to a higher level of maturity.
A. He tried to mature his "good" son (Luke 15:28-32).
Jesus said, "Only God is Good." We all need to improve.
B. Our job as fathers is to lift our children to a higher level of spiritual maturity.

Conclusion: This parable illustrates clearly the love of the Heavenly Father toward His children, and as human fathers we can walk in His footsteps.