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BRINGING
THE FATHER HEART OF GOD TO A FATHERLESS GENERATION.
"You
are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." Luke 3: 22
Amazingly,
Jesus' story of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15: 11-32) is the most frequently
illustrated Biblical parable in Western art.
By tradition, artists have chosen to
represent the narrative by depicting one of the parable's two key episodes: the
prodigal in penitence among swine, or the prodigal welcomed back into the
father's house. From medieval times until the end of the nineteenth century,
artists also found in the prodigal narrative a story ideally suited to printed
cycles of four or more scenes. Through printmaker's embellishments in serial
imagery, the prodigal theme encompasses a compendium of vices and virtues:
extravagance and thrift, vanity and sobriety, sexual license and spiritual
salvation. Depictions of the parable rarely occurred before the thirteenth
century, but increased thereafter in illuminated manuscripts, Bibles, and gospel
texts. The narrative also appeared in thirteenth-century sculpture and
stained-glass windows, such as those at the cathedrals of Troyes, Sens, Bourges,
and Chartres, the latter
illustrating the parable in no less than twenty-seven scenes! Similarly,
narratives in four or more scenes were woven into tapestries and painted on wall
hangings, furniture, and other decorative objects, testifying to the parable's
ubiquitous presence among the artifacts of daily life. From the time of the
earliest woodcuts to the present, the prodigal's voyage of self-discovery has
offered hope to every generation.*
Here at The Father's House, we desire to offer that same hope to the
"prodigals" of our community. Yet is Jesus' parable just about a
wayfaring son and his trek back home? Certainly the reader must not overlook as
well Jesus’ equally intriguing story of the older son whose heart has grown
cold. In truth, Jesus’ parable not only tells the unique tale of two
"distant" sons, but paints an even more powerful picture of a
faithful, loving father and his readiness & willingness to receive both of
his sons back home.
We believe we live in a "fatherless" generation....a generation of
"prodigals" and "older sons and daughters". One
survey reveals that 22 million people in
America
no longer attend church because of hurt or believing that today’s presentation
of the Gospel is not relevant in today’s world.
Our primary mission as a church is to bring the Father
Heart of God back to
this "fatherless" generation...those whose sense of abandonment has
nearly overwhelmed them.
Our cities are full of "prodigals", wayward sons and daughters who
for one reason or another have decided to venture out into the world without
God...taking life as it comes. Over time, like the "prodigal" son, our
dreams begin to crumble, reality sets in and we find ourselves all alone with no
one to help.
Our churches are full of "older sons and daughters", whose
spirituality has become dry and brittle. For years we have faithfully attended
church, only to have our loving relationship with God replaced by dutiful
service, our joy of amazing grace overcome by legalistic tradition.
In his book, The
Secret of God’s Love, Andrew Murray states:
“The great downfall of the Christian life is that,
even where we trust Christ, we leave the Father out.
Christ came to bring us to God, the Father…His life of dependency on the Father was a life in the Father’s love…Our life must have its breath and being in a heavenly love as much as
His. What the Father’s love was
to Him, His love will be to us…The
weakness in our Christian life is that we do not take time to believe that this
divine love really does delight in us…Love
will awaken your faith and strengthen it. Occupy
yourself with that love; worship it; wait for it. You may be sure it will reach out to you, and by its power take you up
into itself as your home."
Our prayer is that God, our Father will open up our hearts and minds,
revealing His amazing love for all His sons and daughters, "prodigals"
and "older sons" alike. As Jesus' story so strongly states, our
heavenly Father is faithfully scanning the horizon looking for our return home
to…The Father's House!
*taken from "The Prodigal Son
Narratives 1480-1980", Ellen G. D'Oench, Yale University Art Gallery, New
Haven, CT.
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