Biblical fatherhood

The word appears more than 1,300 times in the New International Version of the Bible.

It even kicks off the Lord's Prayer.

Father.

Whether in the spiritual sense of God as a father, or the literal sense of Jacob and Joseph or David and Jesse, fatherhood has a big role in Christianity. Here's a look at local pastors' favorite "Father's Day" stories from Bible.

n

The parable of the loving father

For the Rev. Janet Hopkins with Hobbs Chapel United Methodist Church, the parable often referred to as the "prodigal son" would be more fittingly called "The parable of the loving father." (Luke 15:11-32)

"For us, this story may seem to be a very heart-warming incident, only slightly tarnished by the sulking older brother. For the Pharisees, this was a humiliating exposure of their sin and their hypocrisy. It did not produce warm, fuzzy feelings, at least not for those Pharisees who understood what Jesus was saying to them. In this story, Jesus symbolizes the self-righteous religious leaders that would rather see a sinner destroyed than saved," Hopkins said.

According to Hopkins, it is the "loving father of this parable who depicts the heart of the loving heavenly father, who longs for the return of the sinner, who willingly grants forgiveness and who rejoices in the return of the wayward."

"This father gave the son what he had asked for. He allowed the son to go his own way, even when he could have prevented it (at least he could have refused to finance the venture). The heart of that father never forgot the wayward son," Hopkins said. "It was no accident that the father saw the son coming 'from a long way off' (verse 20). The father ran to meet the son. He did not force the son to grovel. He did not even allow the son to finish his confession. The father quickly restored the son to his position as a son. The father commanded that there be a celebration. And when the older brother refused to participate, the father sought him out and appealed to him to join in the celebration, which he saw not only as permissible, but as necessary. The father was as gracious to the older brother as he was to the younger. How great the love of this father. How much like the heavenly father he is."

n

Affirming a father's love

For the Rev. Jeff Long with Centenary United Methodist Church, the Bible's most touching father/son stories follow Jesus' baptism and later, his transfiguration.

"Both cases spotlight God the father's love and affirmation of Jesus, the son. In the baptism, the father says, 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.' (Matthew 3:17, Luke 3:22.)."

Of course, Jesus hadn't really done anything by this point; his ministry was just beginning, Long said.

"But at the transfiguration, as Jesus neared the end of his earthly work, God the father begins with the same words but changes them ... because, in my opinion, Jesus has proven himself worthy: 'This is my beloved Son, listen to Him!'" (Matthew 17:5; Mark 9:7).

"When a father affirms a son, it is powerful," Long said. "I can recall my dad once saying to me at the airport, as I saw him onto a plane, 'I'm proud of you, son, of the man you've become.' Praise doesn't get much higher than that. I needed to hear it, and perhaps Jesus did too."

n

An unconditional love

The father/son relationship between Jesse and David hits home with Jeremy Verhines, director of worship arts at New McKendree United Methodist Church's south campus. (1st Samuel 16:1-3)

"The Lord said to Samuel, 'How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.'"

God chose David to succeed Saul in the reign over Israel not because of his popularity but because of his availability, Verhines said.

"David was the youngest, least important, least productive (from a cultural standpoint) and least in his earthly father's house among eight. Jesse, David's father, and Samuel, the prophet of God, had specific requirements in mind about who should succeed Saul, but God saw it differently. God's ways are not ours. They are totally extreme to our culture and way of thinking," he said.

"I love this story of God's love for one of many of his earthly sons. God's love transcends beyond our understanding in ways we can not comprehend. God gives all fathers chance after chance. Unlike us, he chooses people who are willing and available, not equipped and able. God is not concerned about our abilities as fathers, only our availability. God equips us when we surrender to his leading. This picture of a father and son relationship (God the father and David) gives every dad hope. It gives me hope because I don't have to worry about being perfect, only humble and open to his leading and guiding. God knows that I am not a good father without his wisdom and guidance in my life. I am also comforted by the fact that I don't have to be special or the pick of the crop in order to be successful as a dad. None of us do," said Verhines.

"My father, Brad Verhines, had passed down to me the importance of knowing that his father in heaven loved me unconditionally. God's love continually radiates through my dad to me. I too want to pass down this legacy to my son. I want my son to see that his father in heaven loves him unconditionally. All of us dads can make that possible if we surrender daily and ask for our father's strength."