"To love is to be vulnerable." In this Father's Day message, Pastor Pat Little concludes our series on the Prodigal Son by exploring the character of the father and what his extravagant, vulnerable love teaches us about God.

CHAPTERS[00:00] - Opening Prayer and Community Reflections[01:52] - Introduction to the Prodigal Son Series[03:48] - Personal Story: Lost Car Keys[05:19] - Recap of the Prodigal Son Parable[07:35] - The Vulnerability of Parenthood[09:47] - Love and Vulnerability[12:12] - God's Risk in Creating Humans[14:27] - God's Suffering Through Love[17:11] - God's Vulnerability and Human Agency[19:33] - The Father's Patient Waiting[22:28] - The Father's Extravagant Response[24:42] - God's Embarrassing Gratuity of Love[27:54] - Challenge to Men: Extravagant Love[29:40] - Closing Questions and Prayer

What does it mean to be lost while staying home? Pastor Rachel explores the often-overlooked lostness of the elder son in Jesus's parable. While we easily understand the younger prodigal's obvious rebellion, this message reveals how we can be spiritually lost even while doing everything "right." Rachel compassionately unpacks how the elder son's inability to receive his father's love, his resentment toward grace shown to others, and his fixation on fairness blocked him from experiencing joy.

[00:00] - Introduction and Personal Experiences of Lostness[03:22] - The Story of Two Lost Sons[05:50] - The Pharisees and the Older Son's Lostness[10:03] - Three Aspects of the Older Son[11:56] - The Question of Fairness[15:36] - The Unfairness of the Gospel[19:37] - Comparison Has No Place in God's Kingdom[20:42] - The Father's Response: Security and Love[24:34] - The Essential Nature of Celebration[27:36] - The Invitation to Enter the Party[30:37] - Closing Prayer

In this powerful message on the Parable of the Prodigal Son, Pastor Josh explores what it truly means to be lost—wandering from who we were made to be. Josh reveals how our chase for validation in "distant countries" ultimately leads to emptiness, while reminding us of our true identity as God's beloved children. Discover the transformative power of coming home to the Father whose love never fails, who watches the horizon for our return, and who runs to embrace us no matter how far we've strayed.

CHAPTERS

[00:00] - Introduction to the Parable[01:16] - Context of Jesus' Three Parables[02:43] - The Younger Son's Character[03:54] - The Allure of the Distant Country[05:41] - The Violence of Chasing Unconditional Love[07:37] - Impact on the Next Generation[09:25] - Children's Stories About Being Lost[12:56] - Coming to His Senses[14:25] - Identity as God's Beloved Child[15:47] - The Pain of Leaving Our True Self[17:34] - The Father's Compassionate Response[19:43] - The Cross as Symbol of Divine Love[20:30] - Invitation to Come Home