Parenting a Prodigal

Joe Stewart
Sunday, February 23, 2025
Raise Them Up
Sunday Morning

Parenting a Prodigal

Raise Them Up! Raise your hand if you think parenting is hard? If you have kids or are even thinking about having them, you won’t want to miss this four-week series that explores what God’s Word has to say about all things parental. Whether they’re bawling, crawling, walking, talking, driving you crazy or asking to drive your car, kids are a gift from God - and He provides some very clear guidance and insight on how to raise them to be full of faith and focused on Him, rather than leaving you frustrated, frazzled and fatigued.

Locations & Times

First Baptist Church Seminole Tx

202 SW Ave B, Seminole, TX 79360, USA

Sunday 5:00 AM

Prodigal Parent Process

Prodigal Parent Process

Read Plan

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Parenting is akin to Apollo 13 Reentry

Some reminders from past sermons:

Four things missing in the Family:
We risk too little.
We rescue too quickly.
We model too weakly.
We forget so easily.

Some caveats of parenting:
Not everything is a crisis.
You aren't a Brand manager.
Your kids aren't your trophies.
We need wisdom by listening to God.

Gradually transfer dependence from us to trusting Jesus.

The family is the primary vehicle for godly transference of faith from one generation to another.

Every kid is different.
Some are compliant and others are defiant.
Their differences could not be different.

Planned emancipation is gradually shifting your control over your child to your child. Dr. Kenneth Wilgus

You go from being responsible for your kids to being responsible to them. John Ortberg

Stop thinking of yourself as a mechanic trying to diagnose and fix everything. Instead consider yourself a farmer planting the seed and leaving the results to God. Andy Stanley

A simple but deeply personal question

Have you ever had a child or loved one make choices that broke your heart?

Luke 15:13-24 NIV

“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need.So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate.For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

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Parenting a Prodigal

1. A Parent's Pain - Watching them Go

2 A Parent's Prayer - Waiting in Faith

3. A Parent's Love - Welcoming them Home

1. A Parent's Pain - Watching Them Go
2. A Parent's Prayer: Waiting in Faith

This is excruciating. Rock bottom can be a long way down.

You have to face your feelings.

3. A Parent's Love - Welcoming Them Home

A. Let them go in love

B, Pray without ceasing

C. Keep the door open - This is a delicate balance. Love with wisdom.
Being firm doesn't mean being harsh.

4. A Parent's Goal - The Hope of Redemption
Discussion Questions (Read Luke 15:13-24 together. Respond to what stands out)

Discussion Questions

Topic: Parenting Prodigals

1. Have you ever experienced the pain of watching a loved one make destructive choices? How did you cope with it?

2. The father in the Parable of the Prodigal Son let his son go, even though he knew it could lead to hardship. Why do you think this was important? How can we apply this in parenting today?

3. The sermon mentions that "some lessons can only be learned the hard way." How do we discern when to step in and when to step back as parents or mentors?

4. Prodigals come in many forms—not just those who leave home physically, but also those who drift in their hearts. What are some signs that a child or loved one is becoming distant in faith or values?

5. Parenting shifts over time from controlling for discipline to empowering for responsibility. How can parents navigate this transition effectively?

6. The sermon compares parenting to farming rather than being a mechanic. What are some practical ways parents can "plant seeds" in their children’s lives and then trust God with the results?

7. The Prodigal Son experienced a "wake-up call" when he reached rock bottom. Have you or someone you know ever had a similar experience? How did that moment change things?

8. The father in the parable welcomed his son home with love but also likely had wisdom in how he moved forward. How can we balance grace and boundaries when dealing with prodigal children or loved ones?

9. The sermon ends with a message of redemption: "No story is beyond redemption." How can we encourage parents (or ourselves) to hold onto hope for loved ones who seem far from God?

Scripture: Luke 15:13-24 NIV