God’s great grace, His magnificent mercy, and His powerful peace, are yours, now and always, from God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Today, on this Father’s Day, I would like to talk about a subject---which I believe is most important---- even critical---

in our society,

in our country, and

in our congregation today.

It is the subject of strengthening our relationships.

It is about…

Being the kind of parents God expects us to be and we want to be.

Being the kind of children God expects us to be and the kind of children we
want to be.

Being the kind of spouse God expects us to be and the kind of spouse we
want to be…

Being the kind of family member or friend God expects us to be and the kind
of friend or family member we want to be.

And

whether we are parents, or not

whether we are married or not…

whether we live close to our family or not…

I believe this subject has something to say to all our relationships.

In this sermon entitled “Breakthrough Relationships ” I want to talk to you about having…

A break-through with your children

A break-through with your parents.

A break-through with your spouse, if you are married.

A break-through with your significant other if you are not married.

A break-through with the members of your family and fellow members of your congregation.

Not a break-up

Not a break-down

Not a break-apart, but…

a break-through.

A beautiful example from God’s Holy Word of a break-through in a relationship between a parent and a child—but which we can apply to all our relationships---- is the story that we all know very well…”The Story of the Prodigal Son”…or, as I think it should be called: “The Story of the Forgiving Father.”

Now, in this story…

there was a break-up between the father and his son, and

there was a break-down in the life of that boy before

there was a break-through in the relationship between father and child.

The son looked at his father one day and said, “Dad,

I want to leave home.

I want to go out on my own, and do my own thing.”

I want to abide by my own rules from now on.

I want my independence.

I want my freedom. And…in order to do all those things that I want,

I want you to give me what’s mine.

Did you notice the “me-first” attitude here on the part of the son?

“I want, I want, I want.” The first thing that happens in the breakup of any relationship is a “me-first” attitude. “I want, I want, I want”

And so, the story begins with a break-up as the son leaves the father’s home, and leaves the father with a broken heart.

And as you follow the story, you go from a breakup--- with the father and the son being separated--- to a breakdown in the boy’s life.

There is a famine in the land where the son has traveled to…and the party is over. The son has spent all of his money and he is broke! He has wasted all of his inheritance on wild parties and on prostitutes, and there is nothing left. And all of a sudden the son finds himself in a pigpen …literally, having to eat the leftovers of what the pigs do not eat.
The son is in deep trouble.

Now the good news is that at the break-down period of his life the son comes to the realization that if he goes back home to Dad he can have a much better life.

He has---what I call---a break-through.

He makes an important decision and he says to himself: "I am going back home to be with Dad, where it is much better.” “I will tell Dad that I have messed up and that I no longer even deserve to be called his son. “Maybe he will hire me as one of his servants.”

Now this is a wonderful story because the Dad here models for you and me how----

a father,

a parent,

a spouse,

a PERSON---should respond when there has been a break-up and a break-
down in a relationship in order to bring about a break-through.

In fact, there are 4 things that you and I can learn from this story in our various relationships. And I want to give them to you rather quickly. They are listed there on the outline in the bulletin this morning.

# 1. THE FATHER CONTINUED TO HAVE HOPE FOR HIS SON.

We know that he continued to have hope because…

The father was always looking for his son’s return.

The father was always going out on the road and looking afar off to see if this
was the day his son would return home again.
The father was always standing there praying for and hoping for and
watching for his son’s return.

When you become estranged from someone in a relationship…

Keep on praying.

Keep on hoping.

Keep on watching for the return home again.

#2. THE FATHER TOOK THE INITIAL STEPS IN RECONCILITATION.

It’s a very simple story, but yet, at the same time, it is a very profound story. The father didn’t wait for his son to ask forgiveness before he showed his son love. In fact, before the son ever said a word to him the father ran out and he hugged his son and he kissed his son and he loved his son and he welcomed his son back home. He took the initial steps of reconciliation.

#3 THE FATHER EXPRESSED UNCONDITIONAL LOVE FOR HIS SON.

When the son returned home the father gave the son a place of honor. He placed a ring on his finger and put the best robe on him, and threw a party for him. In spite of all the mistakes this son had made and all the sins he had committed against his father, the father showed his son unconditional love, and welcome him back as a son.

#4 THE FATHER DIDN’T HOLD THE PAST OVER HIS SON’S HEAD.

When he saw his son the father didn’t say:

“Well, I hope you learned your lesson. OR,

“I told you so. “ OR

“This is what you get for not listening to me in the first place.” OR

“It serves you right.”

He didn’t ask him where he’d been or what happened to the money. He just looked at his son, and said: “This is a new day and this is a new hour and this is a new moment and this is a break-through. My son has come home again!”

In fact, here’s something else I love in this story. When The Prodigal Son returned home he thought that he would come home as a second-class citizen. He was willing to be a servant rather than a son. But the father wouldn’t hear of it.

While the son was thinking “second class” the father was thinking “second chance.” While the son thought he was coming back as a servant, the father welcomed him back as a son!

Some of us need a break-through right now---as a parent.

Some of us need a break-through right now---as a child.

Some of us need a break-through right now--- as a husband.

Some of us need a break-through right now, as a wife.

Some of us need a break-through right now –as a friend or member of our
family.

I know it and you know it!

There has been a breakdown in one or more of your relationships.

There has a falling out. In one or more of your relationships

There has been a mess up in one of more of your relationships.

And these 4 lessons can be applied to those relationships in order to bring about a break-through rather than continue the break-down.

First of all, we, as parents, as children, as spouses, as a member of a
family, or congregation need to take the initial steps in the
reconciliation process.

Secondly, we need to express unconditional love for our children, our
parents, our spouses, our friends and family members.

Third, we need to forget the past concerning those with whom we are in a
relationship when that relationship goes bad.

Fourth, we need to continue to have hope for the ones we love in our
relationships

And …

it can only happen if we have a breakthrough.

It can only happen if God does something for us that we cannot do for
ourselves.

Now, I believe there are 3 times when we can have, enjoy and experience a breakthrough in our relationships. Let me give them to you.

We can have a breakthrough in our relationships when…

A. When we feel the heat.

The Prodigal Son had his breakthrough after he had his breakup with His father…when he was down and out. He had his breakthrough when he was in the pigpen.

You see, when we feel the heat, we see the problem. When there’s an urgency about our life…and a desperation… we want to turn it around and make it better.

When there’s a problem

between a father and his son or daughter…

between a parent and a child…

between a husband and wife,

between friends and family members those involved come to the realization

that what is happening between them is no good…

that what is happening between them is painful

that what is happening between them hurts------

that’s when a reconciliation can take place.

If there is a breakup in a relationship for you this morning...

If there is pain and hurt in a relationship for you today.

If there is an urgency and even a desperation in a relationship for your right now

the time for a reconciliation is today!

We can have a breakthrough…

B. When we see the light.

The Prodigal Son saw the light…that it was better at his father’s house than it was in the pig-pen. He saw that his father still loved him in spite of everything he had done to hurt his father. He saw that his father would welcome him home again. He saw the light.

When we see that it is better to be with someone rather than apart from someone.

When we see that we are still love in spite of everything that has been done to hurt us.

When we see that we will be welcomed back home again, we can have a break-though in our relationships.

We can have a breakthrough…

C. When we receive the strength.

In other words, when we are able to forgive those who have wronged us so that they can come home again and ask for and receive forgiveness .

The strength to go home again and ask for forgiveness happened when the son realized his father welcomed him home with open arms and loved him…unconditionally.

We need the strength to welcome home again.

You realize of course, don’t you, that the story of the Prodigal Son and the Forgiving Father is our story!?

We are the Prodigal Children of the Heavenly Father. Even when we walk away from the Father’s house by our sin, and waste the gifts He gives us… God, our Father, never stops loving us and never stops waiting for our return. Not only does He wait for us to come back home to Him; He initiated the reconciliation process by sending Jesus Christ to die for us.

While were yet sinners,

while we were estranged from Him…

while we were off in the far country doing our “own thing” without Him, God sent
His one and only Son, Jesus Christ, to die for us to forgive all our sins
against the Father, and to bring us back home again.

When we felt the heat and

When we were down and out and in the pigpens of our lives because of our

sins…

When there was urgency about our lives and desperation to them because

of what we had done…

When what was happening between our Father, in heaven, and us was painful

and it hurt because of our sins…we knew it was better back home with

our Father than where we were…in the pigpens with the mud and the

slop of life.

When we saw the light…

When we realized that it was better in our Father’s house then in the pigpen…

When we saw that our Heavenly Father still loved us in spite of everything we

had done to hurt Him by our sin…

When we wanted to turn it around and come home to our Father, He was

standing there waiting for us…giving us the strength to come back home again because of His unconditional love for us!

And when we do return

He welcomes us home again.

He mercifully covers us with the new clothes of righteousness.

He puts on our feet the shoes of His glory.

He throws a party for us.

God, our heavenly Father,

God, our forgiving Father,
God, our waiting Father has opened the doors of His home to us. We, who once were God’s Prodigal sons and daughters, wasting our inheritance, are

able to return home once more because of Jesus Christ, our Brother.

Because of our sin, there was a break-apart between God and us.

Because of our sin, there was a break-up between God and us.

Because of our sin, there was a break-down between God and us. But…

Because of Jesus Christ, there is a break-through between God and us.

And there can be a breakthrough between

you and your child,

you and your spouse

you and your friend

you and your family member…..beginning today.

I can make a brand new start beginning today….and so can you!

I can make a brand new start in this hour…and so can you!

I can make a brand new start right now…and so can you!

Maybe we have messed up in the past as Dads and Moms…as husband or wife, as son or daughter. But listen to me. This is a new day.
Listen to me parents.

Listen to me married couples.

Listen to me single people. This is a new hour. And this is a new moment.

And…

if you need a miracle in your relationship with your child, a miracle can happen! If you need a miracle in your relationship with your spouse, a miracle can
happen!

If you need a miracle in your relationship with a family member or friend, a
miracle can happen!

And a miracle will happen!

Did you know that every miracle in the Bible begins with a problem? That’s right. Every miracle in the Bible begins with a problem.

What that means is this: If you have a problem today, whether with

your children,

your spouse,

your friend…or if you have a problem today in general----

with your health,

with your faith…

with your job---or whatever…you are a candidate for a miracle today.

Think about it. If you have a problem today, you are a candidate for a miracle today BECAUSE EVERY MIRACLE IN THE BIBLE BEGINS WITH A PROBLEM.

I believe in miracles.

And

I believe that miracles are going to happen in the families of Good Shepherd.

I believe that miracles are going to happen between the Dad and Moms of Good
Shepherd and their children

I believe that miracles are going to happen between the husbands and wives of
Good Shepherd.

I believe that miracles are going to happen between the members and families
of Good Shepherd. .

I believe in miracles!

You and I can say “I’m going to be a new person today and I’m going to have a breakthrough my relationship by the power of God…and for His glory!

For this is a new day! And this is a new hour! And this is a new moment!

Amen.