New Series – Prodigal: How Well Do You Know Your Father?

By Brandon Lemons

“Tell me the facts and I’ll learn. Tell me the truth and I’ll believe. But tell me a story and it will live in my heart forever.” (Native American proverb)

Throughout history – and across cultures – stories have been powerful in a way that statements are not. Stories draw us in, stir our emotions, and become embedded in our memory. Jesus knew this, which is why He frequently used parables to communicate important truths about God and His Kingdom.

What is a parable? A parable is a story from everyday life that teaches an important truth.

One of Jesus’ most famous parables is known as The Parable of the Prodigal Son, found in Luke 15. It tells the story of a son who dramatically turns his back on his family and, in doing so, essentially spits in his father’s face and wishes his father were dead. The climax of the story comes when the son drags himself home after his reckless choices leave him in utter despair and humiliation. The key question is: How will his father respond?

There is also a second son who had never rebelled in the same outward way. His response at the end of the story conveys a vital – though frequently neglected – point in Jesus’ parable.

The Parable of the Prodigal Son calls us to consider a question: How well do you know your father? In different ways, both sons misunderstood their father. Yet through the events of the story, they come to see him in a fresh light.

What about us? How well do we know God the Father?

This parable, which we will be studying in six parts, reveals the heart of God. It shows us a Father who is far more gracious, loving, and compassionate than we often imagine.

This series will be insightful and inspiring for anyone who struggles to see God’s goodness, who has run far from God and wonders if He will welcome them back, or who finds themselves wrestling with harsh or judgmental attitudes toward others. Really, it is for anyone who wants to know God more deeply and enjoy Him more fully.

Starting this Sunday, please join us for Prodigal: How Well Do You Know Your Father? Feel free to invite others as well. Jesus told this story not merely to inform us, but to transform us. As we encounter the heart of God, my prayer is that Jesus’ story will take root in our hearts and lead us to worship our heavenly Father with great joy.