When Your Heart Needs A Father | Max Lucado | The Porchlight Is On | Oak Hills Church

48:39 You're always welcome at home. Isn't a porch a perfect metaphor for the good things, for relaxation, for reunion, even for reconciliation?

49:00 Today, I want us to talk about God's porch and how he wants to receive us as a father, as a heavenly father. In Jesus' most famous story, he center stages a father as the central character. And to be clear, this is Jesus' way of saying that God wants you to think of him as your papa, as your father. heaven knows we need the love of a father we're working our way through the most beautiful chapter of redemption in the bible luke chapter 15 three stories and each story is full of messages of hope. Parables.

50:01 Stories that Jesus used to use earthly details to reveal heavenly truths. Your homework assignment each week. Read Luke 15 once a week. You can read it every day if you want. You can memorize it if you want. And don't miss a single message. If you miss one, we'll send the police to find you.

50:27 Go online. and stay caught up because this chapter is a life-changing chapter. We continue the discussion today under this heading, When Your Heart Needs a Father. Heavenly Father, please have mercy upon us now. Please, please, please. Whether we're here by obligation or inspiration, we pray that you would minister to our hearts. Lord, it's not easy being a human being. There's so many tests and trials and troubles that come along the way. we need to know that we have a good father please make that clear in our hearts today through Christ we pray amen old golfers like me recognize the name Ken Venturi His name was a presence on PGA leaderboards and broadcast booths for over half a century, over 50 years.

51:46 Ask Mr. Venturi, this Hall of Famer, to describe his favorite memory, and the answer will surprise you. He won't mention the fact that he won the San Francisco City Golf Championship at the age of 15. He won't tell you about the state tournament victory a year later. You might expect him to mention that he nearly won the Masters Golf Tournament as an amateur.

52:15 He won 10 PGA events, including a U.S. Open in sizzling triple-digit heat. PGA Player of the Year, Sports Illustrated Comeback Player, Sportsman of the Year, and then Comeback Player of the Year. These are all great memories. His favorite?

52:36 What about his career as a golf broadcaster? For 35 years, he was the voice of American golf. That's an incredible achievement for anyone, much less a stutterer. He was born with such a severe speech impediment that one of his teachers told him at the age of 13, he would never move away from it. It would follow him the rest of his life. So he told his mom he was going to find the loneliest sport on the planet. He went out and started hitting golf balls. Turns out he was pretty good at hitting golf balls. It turns out he was pretty good as a speaker.

53:23 But neither his golf trophies nor his golf microphone created his finest memory. his dad did that, which is surprising because he described his dad as demanding and difficult. He told a reporter, my father never told me I was any good. I was always wanting to please my father. But 10 years into Venturi's career, his hand began to give him severe pain. he couldn't hold anything much less swing a golf club carpal tunnel syndrome left him immobilized surgery relieved the discomfort but only for a short time and when the doctor recommended a more severe surgery a second surgery he told he told venturi that the odds were pretty slim In fact, he said, we might have to amputate three of your fingers.

54:28 Venturi didn't know what to do. He went to his dad for advice. All those years, the father had pushed the son, but in this case, he embraced his son. He said, Ken, it makes no difference to me if you ever play golf again because you were the best I ever saw. that's all Ken needed to hear that's the moment he describes as the greatest moment of his life he received the Father's blessing the blessing of a father. Doesn't it change everything?

55:15 When he cheers for you at the finish line, when he's waiting for you, when you come in after the date, when he wraps an arm around you or lifts up your chin so you can see his smiling face. Way to go, champ. Love you, sweetheart. so proud of you. The blessing of a father.

55:44 What's better? The absence of a blessing. What's worse? In a perfect world, every dad would be present, would be passionate, would be wise, but we've all learned the world is far from perfect. and your dad was imperfect perhaps.

56:09 If so, you know the longing for a father's blessing. We were made to have one. We were wired to live with one, not an absent or distant dad, but a committed and concerned one because certain aches only a dad can take. The phrase, father wound, has gained traction in our generation. It's not necessarily a clinical term, but it is a helpful term that describes the emotional pain a person experiences as a result of a difficult or an absent or an abusive or an emotionally unavailable father or father figure.

57:08 A father wound results in poor self-worth, a fear of abandonment, a disrespect of authority, an anger or even a rage or grief. but you don't have to be a psychologist to know we were made to have a father's blessing in the absence of one well life is tough It seems to me that much of the world suffers from a father wound, a heavenly father. won't. Many people feel orphaned, alone, abandoned. If they believe in God at all, they believe that God is harsh, cruel, distant, forgetful, vindictive. They imagine him as impossible to please. Consequently, they live with feelings of insecurity, abandonment, disrespect for authority, anger, and grief. And they live with this hostile rage that even they can't quite understand. They feel fatherless, rudderless, orphaned.

58:39 Maybe that's why the first line of the Bible's most famous parable begins with these words, a certain man had two sons. Luke 15 and verse 11. Yes, Jesus has a story to tell.

59:01 And the central character in this story is a certain man who had two sons. Now, essential in this story are the stories of those two boys, one rebellious, the other bitter. But we would be moving too quickly if we hurried to explore their stories without first pondering the promise of the first line. Because Jesus is making an announcement here. And that is, God is a father.

59:43 So before you explore the message of the rebellious or the bitter boy, receive the message of God as the father. And that's what we're going to do. We'll pick up with the rebellious boy and the bitter boy soon enough. But can we just spend a few moments discussing this? That our God is our divine dad.

1:00:13 Your Bible describes God as a father to the fatherless. A defender of widows. Our everlasting father. How did Jesus teach us to pray? Our father in heaven. And Moses reminded the Israelites. is the Lord who made you not your father? And God himself declared, I will be your father and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty. Heaven knows you need a father.

1:00:58 Perhaps your earthly dad met every criterion of that title. Odds are he fell short. And it's quite possible that your earthly dad was absent, taken by death or divorce or abandonment. Our experience with our earthly dads may vary, but our experience with our heavenly father, you can count on this. You can count on his presence. He said, never will I leave you. never will I forsake you. The Bible written in the Greek language here uses five negatives. Literally it reads, I will not not leave you, neither will I not not forsake you.

1:01:51 He's making a point. He's always going to be with us. Isn't that what a good dad does? when I was 13 years of age, I played in a summer baseball league. You know, baseball is a big deal to a kid, right? Especially a 13-year-old boy. Even though it's been nigh on half a century, I can still remember what my uniform looked like, the color of my baseball hat. I can almost feel that Rawlings glove and the swing of the bat.

1:02:34 School was out, baseball started, nothing could be better. In the first game of the season, it's like the whole town, which isn't saying much, but the whole town turned out and was in the bleachers. It was a beautiful evening. And everybody was there. The concession stand was open. They were selling hot dogs and Frito pies. And all these boys were wearing these uniforms and getting ready. And I can recall from the baseball diamond on the grass, looking up into the bleachers and seeing my mom and my dad.

1:03:17 Oh, it was a special. Nothing could be better. Well, you know what could be better? Even better than the first game? of the season would be hitting a home run in the first game at your first at-bat of the season. I did that. I did. I really did. I'll be signing autographs. I don't know how I did it. I honestly don't. All I remember is closing my eyes and swinging and by a stroke of crazy luck, my bat hit the ball on the sweet spot and that ball went sailing over the fence into a parking lot and the crowd erupted and I ran around the bases. I took off my hat and I waved at the adoring crowd and all those swooning girls.

1:04:19 I crossed home plate and there were Major League Baseball agents just waiting on me. Yep, you're looking at the guy who hit the first home run of the 1968 summer season. That's the good news. Can I tell you the bad news? I didn't get another hit all summer. No, I didn't say I didn't get another hit that game, nor did I say I didn't hit another home run that season. I didn't get another hit all season long. Do the math with me and you'll see how miserable that summer was. 15 games, average three times at bat, three times 15, that's 45 at bats. I made contact with the baseball one time.

1:05:24 It was a good one, but from then it was downhill. I went one, four, 45, 44 times. I didn't get a hit. makes for a long summer but you know what not one time did I look up having struck out yet again at the spot where my parents like to sit and see vacant seats had I been them I would have come up with an excuse game 12, game 13 I would have come down with a summer cold or had some work to do. And I do not know for the life of me what my father said the next morning when the other fathers were talking about how well their sons played the night.

1:06:20 I don't know. But I do know that they were always present. that's what good parents do that's what your good heavenly father does you know what David King David wrote about your heavenly father if I climb to the sky you're there if I go underground you're there if I flew on morning's wings to the far western horizon you'd find me in a minute You're already there waiting. Then I said to myself, oh, he even sees me in the dark. At night, I'm immersed in the light. You've been striking out a lot lately. then lay claim to this promise.

1:07:17 Embrace it like the life preserver that it is. You'll never go where your father is not. You never will. Unemployment line, he's there. County jail, he's there. Rehab center, there. Lonely highway, distant country, There, there, there.

1:07:45 Now why does this matter? What does it matter to know that your heavenly father is perpetually present? Well, it does not matter if your heavenly father is punitive or if he's passive. But he's not punitive. He's not passive. You can count on his provision. His provision. He'll take care of you.

1:08:16 You're not on your own. It's not up to you to figure this life out. You're watched over. You're cared for. Jesus asked this question. Would any of you who are fathers give your son a stone when he asks for bread? Is that not a crazy question? Or would you give him a snake when he asks for a fish? as bad as you are you know how to give good things to your children how much more then will your father in heaven give good things to those who ask him have you ever imagined such a thought hey dad can I have a biscuit sure nibble on the stone hey dad can I have some of that trout sorry tonight you're eating live rattlesnake what kind of dad would do that would you give a father of the year award to a dad who not only refused to provide for his kids but but played tricks on them no you'd have that dad reported and you know what you're a sinner that's what jesus says as bad as you are you know how to give good things to your children so how much more would a sinless loving holy father know how to give good gifts would he not keep his promises promises like this one look at the birds in the air they don't plant or harvest they don't store food in barns but your heavenly father feeds them and you know that you're worth more than the birds why don't you stand beneath the shade of this wonderful truth God will take care of you and he has assigned himself in the role of your protector your father knows what you need even before you ask

1:10:25 it's a wonderful thing to know God but it is more wondrous indeed to know that God knows you. you. It's a wonderful thing to know God, but it is more wondrous indeed to know that God knows you,

1:10:51 to know that your name is in the forefront of his thoughts, that your name is engraved on the palm of his hands, that your concerns find their way into the throne room of the king, to know that his eye is on you, that his heart is ever with you, that his plans are ever for you. you. One of the most memorable photographs of the Kennedy White House shows a young John John playing beneath the resolute desk in the Oval Office.

1:11:29 Adults would enter that room cautiously. Cabinet members, diplomats, military leaders, They all understood the power of the man who sat behind that desk, and they entered that room respectfully. But a little boy, he could crawl under it. Why? Because his dad was president.

1:11:54 Same is true in our relationship with God. The apostle Paul wrote, God's spirit doesn't make us slaves who are afraid of him. Instead, we become his children and call him our father. Since God is your father, you have access to his divine throne room. You need strength? He knows. You need patience? He knows. You need employment? He knows. There's so much we don't know about this life, but there is one thing of which we can be absolutely certain, and that is we have a good, good father. who will take care of us. Will you lean into this promise today? You are the son, you are the daughter of a strong and engaged father.

1:12:49 He knew you before your birth. He's got plans for you after your death and he will take care of you right here in this life. How essential that you believe that. Now some find this hard to believe. for whatever reason,

1:13:09 you consider yourself to be the exception to the rule, the outlier, maybe the one whom God forgot. If such is the case, I beg you to reconsider. To believe that he has not and he will not give up on you because you can count on not just his presence and provision, you can count on lastly his pursuit his pursuit he comes after you he's out to get you not to hurt you but to help you to save you to embrace you he has the same resolve as the father whose pursuit made headlines in china the two-year-old son of Wa Gontang. I know I didn't say that correctly.

1:14:09 But his two-year-old son was kidnapped. Child abduction has long been a rampant problem in China until 2016 the government imposed a one-child policy limiting couples to one baby and if they did not have a son then they did not have someone to carry on the family name and to acquire one they were willing to do the unthinkable to buy a boy from a child trafficker someone bought the son of Gangtang when the boy disappeared in 1997 the police had no leads they tried they tried earnestly but they had nothing to go on so they finally quit looking for the boy so it was against all hope that the father set out on his quest gang tang embarked on a search across china he rode a motorbike over 310,000 miles.

1:15:20 he passed through nearly half of the country's provinces. He carried with him a bag full of flyers and posted posters everywhere he went. On his motorcycle, there waved a flag, and on the flag, there was the appearance, a picture of his son. He used up all of his savings. He racked up a huge debt. he wore out 10 motorcycles he searched year after year after year for 20 years years. Finally, there was a break in the case. Suspects were tracked down, and they confessed, and they reunited the Father and the Son. Friends, I would tell you that's a picture of the gospel.

1:16:21 that your heavenly Father wants his children home, and he will search for them, he will pursue them, and he will do whatever it takes to find them. And this is the Father that Jesus had in mind when he, with that simple statement, said, a certain man had two sons. do you know this father several times this week in preparation for this message I have found myself praying for those of you whose earthly fathers did a terrible job I'm so sorry I'm so very very sorry they loved their work more than they loved you they loved some woman more than they loved your mom.

1:17:22 they neglected you. Did they hurt you? Did they slandered you? Did they hit you? Or worse of all, they abused you? I'm so sick in my heart for you. I'm so sorry. And whenever you hear that phrase, Father, it's not a pleasant term.

1:17:58 And friend, it's going to take all you can do. It's going to take all the mental discipline that you can muster. But you're going to have to do it. You're just going to have to do it. You're going to have to separate the actions of that earthly father from the actions of your heavenly father.

1:18:18 You're just going to have to. you're going to have to resolve deep in your mind that when you hear somebody talk about your heavenly father they're not talking about that guy who did what he did what he did was wrong, was despicable, was idiotic, was vulgar that's wrong, I agree with you but please don't let his actions blind you to the beauty of the perfect father please, just don't do it Thank you. So, my question again, do you know this father? You know this father who loves you. the parable that we're going to continue studying next week is referred to as the parable of the prodigal son but you know it could easily be called the parable of the loving father not the father who's too busy to listen, not the father who's too distant to care, not the father who's impossible to please, but the father who knows your name.

1:19:33 And when you cross onto the porch, you don't have to knock at the door like a stranger. You walk right in. You're his child. you know where the couch is you know where the kitchen is you know where the fridge is you know where your father is you're not an inconvenience you're not an interruption no dear child you're not an embarrassment He's crazy about you. Ken Venturi longed to know his father's blessing and it finally came maybe you've longed to know your heavenly father's blessing and maybe you'd never heard the term father wound but it certainly describes some of the disturbance that you've lived with all of your life, the insecurity, the rage, the anger, the bitterness, the fear, the choices.

1:20:51 Would you please, would you please choose to receive the blessing of the Father who loves you? Would you just choose to receive it? See what love the Father has lavished upon us. that we should be called children of God. God. He sees the unpaid bill. He hears the anxious sigh. In that prayer you started praying, but were too ashamed to finish, he noticed. Earthly fathers may not, but your heavenly father does. He's still in the bleachers. He's still got your place at the table. He's got the chair pulled out, most of all.

1:21:51 he leaves the porch light on. Gracious Father that we can call you Father is a gift beyond our highest hope please Father hear our prayers as we commit ourselves to being your children through Christ we pray Amen.

1:22:22 Be ashamed, wouldn't it, to go through your whole life with a heavenly father, yet never calling yourself his daughter or his son? That's why in every service we make sure that you have a clear opportunity to say, oh, I get it now. I want to be in that family. And we pray a prayer of salvation. To be clear, when you say yes to God, you're not necessarily saying yes to this church. You're certainly not saying yes to a political party or to a certain line of social activism. That's not it. We're talking about a living relationship with the Almighty God, trusting Jesus Christ as your Savior who died on the cross for your sins, who also died a physical death because you're going to die a physical death that rose from the dead to prove that he can call you out of the grave and to restore you into a perfect life where you will live forever with a perfect father.

1:23:21 That's the gospel. So we're going to offer a prayer. It's very simple. Please follow me word for word. And if today is your day of saying yes to your heavenly father, we'll ask you to stand up so we can celebrate with a round of applause your decision. Jesus, I'm not perfect for I have sinned, but I believe in you. Save me. Change me. Forgive me. I give you my life. In Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. Amen. Who's saying yes to Christ today? Would you stand up, please? We want to give you...