The Father's Commands by Louis Bartet

What is the condition of your spiritual health? This lesson will help you examine yourself to see if you are in the faith and if Christ is in you. EMAIL US

SERIES TITLE: The Prodigal Son
MESSAGE TITLE: The Father's Commands or Beyond Forgiveness
TEXT: Luke 15:22
DATE: July 8, 2001

But the father said to the servants, "Quickly, bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet."

INTRODUCTION
He who came back penitently and was received forgivingly, is now endowed richly. The kiss of verse 20 was a sign of forgiveness and an act of acceptance, but the father of the prodigal went beyond forgiveness. The son did not believe himself worthy to be a son, but his father saw things differently. The father did not restore to the son what he had lost, but he did restore him to the full benefits of being a member of the family-in other words, the inheritance, which he squandered was not replenished, but he was given a robe, a ring, and sandals.

"Quickly, bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet."

I would like to confront our hearts and minds with the command set forth in this verse. I want to explore the WHEN of the father's command, the WHO of the father's command and the WHAT of the father's command.

I. WHEN - It was to be done "quickly". The term used here suggests that it was done without delay and without probation. There was no waiting period to see if the son was going to merit such honors.

II. WHO - This point is often overlooked, but it is significant.
A. The Father is the giver. Those things given to the son were the father's provisions. He was a Ben Cartright, a man of high rank and dignity. He knew kings and governors on a first name basis and was highly respected by his friends and neighbors.
B. The Son is the receiver. The robe was put "on him," the ring was put on "his hand" and the sandals were placed "on his feet."
C. The Servants administered the Father's will. The father did not place the robe or the ring or the Reeboks on the son. The text tells us that he commanded his servants to place these gifts on the son. This suggests that the Church has a role to play in the restoration process.
In his Galatian letter, Paul instructed the church: "Brethren, even if a man is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of meekness; each one looking to yourself, lest you too be tempted" (Gal. 6:1). Paul makes a similar statement in his second letter to the church at Corinth: "6Sufficient for such a one is this punishment which was inflicted by the majority, 7so that on the contrary you should rather forgive and comfort him, lest somehow such a one be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. 8Wherefore I urge you to reaffirm your love for him."
God forgives people, but it is the responsibility of the Church to minister that forgiveness to every new believer. This does not give the Church the power to withhold forgiveness, but the privilege of making sure that every new believer is properly attired.
This is accomplished via the discipling ministry of the Church. It is our responsibility and privilege to teach new believers who they are in Christ and that quickly.

III. WHAT - Three things are given to the son. Each is a gift and each declares an aspect of the son's restoration. These gifts will change the way the son looks at himself and how he relates to his father.
A. The Robe - restored standing.
1. This was a robe of the first and finest quality, the best robe. It was crafted so as to declare the rank and dignity of its owner.
2. This robe was provided by the father. It was from his own closet.
3. The robe given to the son signified restored standing. It declared that the wearer was in right standing with his father and clothed the wearer with the dignity and rank of the father. To harm the wearer of the robe was to do harm to the father.
· Joshua the High Priest. In Zechariah 3, Zechariah sees Joshua the High Priest being accused by Satan. In verse 3, Zechariah tells us "Joshua was clothed with filthy garments and standing before the angel of the Lord". As he looks on, the angel of the Lord gives a command "to those who were standing before him saying, 'Remove the filthy garments from him'" (v.4). Immediately, the angel of the Lord says, "See, I have taken your iniquity away from you and will clothe you with festal robes" (v.4). At this point Zechariah makes a request: "Then I said, 'Let them put a clean turban on his head" (v.5). In full sight of the angel of the Lord, those standing by "put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments" (v.5).

Observe!
Ø The filthy garments were the ground of the adversary's accusations.
Ø Joshua is powerless to change his condition and is a passive recipient.
Ø Joshua is clothed in garments that represent restored righteousness.
Ø The effectiveness of his High Priestly ministry is thereby restored.

· The Revelation. Again and again, John is faced with white garments.
Rev. 3:4-5 - "But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white; for they are worthy. He who overcomes shall thus be clothed in white garments".
Rev. 3:18 - "I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich, and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of thy nakedness may not be revealed"
How did the robes get white?
Rev. 7:14 - "they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."

In Bible terms, the robe given to the son is righteousness or right standing with God. It is the Church's privilege to insure that every believer is properly attired in the righteousness of Christ. This is accomplished by the preaching and teaching of the Word until the mind is renewed (Romans 12:2) and the life is transformed (Ro. 12:2).

B. The Ring - restored authority.
1. This was not merely an ornament or decorative piece of jewelry.
2. This was a signet or signature right and speaks of restored authority.

· Pharaoh's signet ring. When Pharaoh installed Joseph as second in command over Egypt, he "took off his signet ring from his hand, and put it on Joseph's hand, and clothed him in garments of fine linen, and put the gold necklace around his neck" (Gen. 41:42). The importance of the signet ring is glimpsed in Esther 3:12 where the written command of the king is "sealed with the king's signet ring" and in 8:8 where what is "sealed with the king's signet ring may not be revoked".

In Bible terms, the ring is a symbol of authority. In this case it is delegated authority, the right to act on the behalf of one's superior. The ring is a symbol, but the authority is actual. (See Ephesians 1:18-23.)
Ø Over Satan (Mark 16:17)
Ø Over Sin (Rom. 6:14)
Ø Over Self (Gal. 5:16)

C. The Sandals - restored sonship. They were the mark of a freeman.
1. Servants did not wear sandals.
2. The sandals distinguished him from his father's servants and identified him as a son, a family member.
3. The sandals also afforded him protection in his walk.

Paul talks of the shoes of peace (Eph. 6) and Jesus said we would walk on serpents and scorpions. Sandals would enable him to walk through the hard places without pain. Perhaps the sandals speak of sonship and all of its related privileges and abilities.

CONCLUSION
The father refused to relate to the prodigal based on his past failure and took action that ranked him as a son in right relationship to his father with all the accompanying privileges. God has not only forgiven you, He has also placed you in His family as an adult son with privileges. Being dressed in his father's dignity, rank and authority must have gone a long way in changing him on the inside. This was more than forgiveness it was restoration. The father acted so as to place his son on a new course of life.

I can't help but think that this made a difference, not just in the son's appearance, but in his attitude as well.

· THE JACKET. Some years ago I attended a football game at a local high school. It was a cold windy evening and I had failed to dress adequately. My host saw my dilemma and offered me the use of a leather jacket. The previous owner was a well-developed body builder and kickboxing champion and the leather jacket had molded itself to his physique. As I put it on it not only kept me warm, but it game me some sense of what its previous owner must have felt like. People looking at me were thinking that I had the body to match the jacket. Young girls smiled, men moved out of the way and I made sure that the jacket didn't come unzipped and spoil the illusion.

God wants you to see yourself differently. He wants you to take on the attitude of an adult son with dignity, rank, authority and privileges, a son whose life reflects his right relationship with Father. The robe may be a bit large, but with the right diet and exercise you're going to grow into it.

Isn't it about time our attitude caught up with our attire?
Isn't it about time that we started living like our Father's child?
Isn't it about time you got dressed for the party?

© 2001, by louis bartet, all rights reserved.