I Can Only Imagine Home

I CAN ONLY IMAGINE-HOME

INTRO: The song that was written in mere minutes by “Mercy-Me” lead singer Bart Millard ,“I Can Only Imagine,” is renewing hope to many in the midst of life’s challenging situations. The movie by that name tells the story behind the song and is being played to sell-out crowds and receiving 5-star ratings all over the nation.

Although Bart came to faith at a young age, life wasn’t easy for him. His abused mother left him with his abusive father. As he grew older, Bart turned to football in hopes of somehow connecting with his father. But a career-ending injury—combined with the vision of a teacher who saw unlimited potential—set Bart on a musical pathway.

Chasing a dream yet running from broken relationships with his mother, his father and a childhood sweetheart, Bart hits the road in an old, decrepit tour bus with his new band “Mercy-Me”—so-named for his grandmother’s favorite expression. With the guidance of a music-industry insider, the band begins a journey none of them could ever have imagined. But he still leaned on his love of music as an escape from a troubled home life until he eventually called on his life-time imaginations of what could have been, and what might yet be, to write the song: “I Can Only Imagine.” Put yourself into this song as we play this video presentation by MercyMe. (Play I Can Only Imagine by Mercy Me (with lyrics).

A gripping reminder of the power of forgiveness, and the hope of redemption, the movie “I Can Only Imagine,” powerfully illustrates that no one is ever too far from God’s love now—or from an eternal home in Heaven.

Over the past few weeks I have picked up on the themes of the song and of the movie as I asked you to “imagine” with me. We first imagined being the son/daughter of a loving (Heavenly) Father. Like Jesus was confirmed by the Father at his baptism: “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased”, we need to see ourselves as a loved child of God.

Then, re-visiting the story of the Prodigal Son we used our imagination to sense what it really means to be forgiven by our (heavenly) Father (and to forgive others).

Last Sunday, I called on us to imagine what it must have been for the woman with a 12-year issue of bleeding that had drained her resources with no one able to help her. Then a touch of the Master’s robe set her free from her sin and her disease—redeemed her. We saw how important it is for us to picture, or re-live, and carry in our minds what it was or is to be redeemed—to be set free from our old life of sin; especially knowing it was possible only through the shed blood of Christ. (1 Pe.1:18- For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you by your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ.)

And today, I want us to imagine what it means to finally be at home. When you think of “home” what comes to your mind?

BODY: I think of Indianapolis and the little white 2-story wood frame house on Ewing Street; Brookside Park just a few doors from home, my folks and a loving grandmother with whom we lived. (I could tell stories all day.) But that hasn’t been home for 65 years. I’ve had a lot of homes since then, but home to me now is wherever Jadene is—even if it’s our motor home.

Can you imagine the pictures of home Jesus must have had in his mind while on this earth? Do you ever try to imagine what it will be like?

I have been involved with several funerals of Christians lately and a common thought has been, “Well he/she is ‘home now’.” We sometimes sing that old song, “This World Is Not My Home…I’m just a passin’ through”. The writer of Hebrews tells of the heroes of faith who admitted being foreigners and strangers on earth; looking for a country of their own, a heavenly one God has prepared for them.

I read that an early Methodist Founder and Bishop (in the late 1700’s), Francis Asbury, never got involved in political matters or debate (probably not a bad idea). And he even didn’t vote…as far as he was concerned he had no other country (no other “home”) but heaven.

And Jesus, the one and only loved Son of God, by the time he gets down to his last supper prays for his disciples but also prays, “I’m comin’ home!” (2 or 3 times) Is it any wonder?

Folks, let’s not forget our destination. This world is not our home! A quote I think I got from C.S. Lewis has always been meaningful to me: “Our heavenly Father provides us with many pleasant inns along the way, but none of them are ‘home’”.