Homecoming

HOMECOMING

LUKE 15:11-24A

Introduction: Luke 15 tells us the story of a wonderful homecoming. The steps leading up to that homecoming are steps that were anything but easy; but necessary. A young man played the fool and learned the hard way what it meant to be away from the love, joy and safety of home. His story has been repeated in our lives again and again as we like him rebel against God’s path for us until we come to the realization of our actions and being filled with regret, repent and return to find restoration.

I. Rebellion

A. Luke 15:11-13 “Then He said: "A certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ’Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.

B. The younger son chose to walk away from his rightful place to travel down paths of his own choosing which appeared to be more in keeping with his way of thinking. His leaving home was an act of rebellion against his father’s ways and ultimately his father.

C. Rebellion is reserving for myself the right to make all final decisions. It’s my life and I will choose what I feel is best for me. It’s what I want.

D. Concerning this inclination of “me-ism” among Christians, someone once said, “Everyone wants to do his own thing. If you put four Baptists in a room you will have six opinions about an issue and ten different fights will break out.” People want to do what THEY want to do.

E. Isaiah 65:2 “I have stretched out My hands all day long to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, according to their own thoughts”

F. I believe that if we are honest all of us would admit that, at one time or another, we have experienced disastrous results when we have sought to do our own thing. We have sat in the driver’s seat of our lives and refused to follow God’s roadmap for our lives.

G. Jeremiah 10:23 “O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.”

H. 1 Samuel 15:23 “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.”

II. Realization

A. Luke15:17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ’How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!”

B. It is not until we become aware of exactly where we are and what we have done that we can begin the journey to restoration of blessing and fellowship with God.

C. Being general director of the New York opera took a toll on Beverly Sills; she ballooned into obesity. She said, “It made me sick to look at myself. I’d reached the point where I didn’t want to have my clothes made anymore. It was too embarrassing. So I ordered everything from catalogues.” Eventually Sills was forced to face the problem. She said, “I woke up one day and realized I was really ill.” She went to see a specialist. “He put me on the scales. They read 215 pounds. ‘I cannot possibly weigh that much!’ I gasped. And the doctor said, ‘Please look down. Are those two fat feet on the scale yours or mine?’” Beverly smiles. “Once I accepted the problem, I was on my way.” - Phyllis Battelle in Ladies Home Journal, quoted in Reader’s Digest, June 1986

D. Revelation 2:4-5a “Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen…”

E. I challenge you to evaluate your own life and see where you are at with Jesus.

F. Prussian king Frederick the Great was once touring a Berlin prison. The prisoners fell on their knees before him to proclaim their innocence—except for one man, who remained silent. Frederick called to him, “Why are you here?” “Armed robbery, Your Majesty,” was the reply. “And are you guilty?” “Yes indeed, Your Majesty, I deserve my punishment.” Frederick then summoned the jailer and ordered him, “Release this guilty wretch at once. I will not have him kept in this prison where he will corrupt all the fine innocent people who occupy it.” – Today in the Word, December 4, 1992

G. If we choose to ignore our awareness of sin, we will continue to follow sin down the path to death. - copied