Coming Home: The Journey of Repentance and Restoration
Luk 15:11-24
Good morning, church family! As we begin this new year together, I want to ask you a question that might make you a little uncomfortable: Have you ever found yourself far from home? Not just physically, but spiritually? Have you ever looked around at your life and wondered, "How did I get here? How did I drift so far from where I started with God?"
I can see that some of you are nodding your heads. Because the truth is, we've all been there. We've all taken that journey away from our Father's house. Some of us have wandered far, others just a few steps, but we've all experienced that distance from God's presence.
Today we're going to look at one of Jesus' most beloved parables in Luke chapter 15. It's the story we all know pretty well and call it the story of the Prodigal Son, but I want you to see it as your story, my story, our story. It's the story of every human heart that has ever wandered away from God and discovered the incredible grace that calls us home.
Luk 15:11-24 And He said, "A man had two sons. [12] "The younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me.' So he divided his wealth between them. [13] "And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living. [14] "Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished. [15] "So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. [16] "And he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him. [17] "But when he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger! [18] 'I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight; [19] I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men."' [20] "So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. [21] "And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' [22] "But the father said to his slaves, 'Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; [23] and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; [24] for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.' And they began to celebrate.
I believe that this morning, God wants to speak to every heart about the journey home, about repentance and restoration, and about the spiritual renewal that awaits us when we return to our Father's house.
1. The Downward Spiral
Let's begin though, by looking at how we get so far from home. The younger son's journey away didn't happen overnight, and neither does ours. First, notice his demand: Luk 15:12 …'Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me.' This wasn't just asking for an early inheritance; this was essentially saying, "Father, you’re not dying quick enough. I’m tired of living under your thumb. I want what's mine, and I want it now."
How often do we approach God the same way? We want His blessings, His provision, His protection, but we don't want His presence, His lordship, His authority over our lives. The son wanted independence from his father's house. He wanted to make his own decisions, live by his own rules, chart his own course. Does that sound familiar? This is the heart of sin – the desire to be our own thing, to be our own god, to live life on our terms rather than God's terms.
Then after he made his demand, then came the departure: Luk 15:13 "And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country… You know, he didn't just leave; he went to a far country. He put distance between himself and everything that reminded him of home, of his father, of his identity as a son. How many of us have done the same thing spiritually? We've distanced ourselves from the church, from Christian fellowship, from prayer, from God's Word. We've surrounded ourselves with influences that make it easier to forget who we really are and whose we really are.
How many members of this church alone, who are still on the rolls, but haven’t entered those doors in years? They’re not going somewhere else, but they’re not coming here either? Why is that? Is it because they made their demand and then departed? You know, from my own experience I know that the longer you stay away from church, the easier it is to stay away.
So, the son made his demand, departed, and then came the waste: Luk 15:13 …and there he squandered his estate with loose living. The word "wasted" or “squandered” means to scatter, to squander completely. He didn't just spend his inheritance; he threw it away on temporary pleasures that left him empty. This is what sin always does. It promises satisfaction but delivers emptiness. It promises freedom but brings bondage. It promises life but leads to death. The son thought he was living it up, but he was actually dying inside.
And in that dying, he suffered the consequences or want: Luk 15:14 "Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished. Beloved, as is usually the case, when the money was gone, the friends disappeared. When the party ended, reality set in. He found himself feeding pigs – and for a Jewish boy, this was the ultimate humiliation, the lowest point possible.
Luk 15:16 "And he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him. He was so hungry he envied the pigs their food, but no one would help him. This is where sin always leads us – to a place of want, of emptiness, of desperation. Church, this is the trajectory of every life that chooses to live apart from God. It may look different for each of us, but the pattern is the same: demand, departure, waste, and want. The question is: where are you on this journey today? Are you in your downward spiral? Or have you reached…
2. The Turning Point: "He Came to His Senses"
Praise God, he came to his senses! Luk 15:17 "But when he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger! I love the way the KJV puts it. "He came to himself." What a powerful phrase! This is the moment of awakening, the moment of clarity, the moment when the fog of sin lifts and we see our condition clearly for the first time.
Notice what happened in this moment of awakening. First, he remembered his father's house. Even in the pigpen, even at his lowest point, the memory of his father's goodness remained. He remembered that even the hired servants in his father's house had “more than enough bread.” This is the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Even when we've wandered far, even when we've made a mess of our lives, God plants memories of His goodness in our hearts. He reminds us of what we've walked away from, of the love we've left behind.
So, he remembered, and then Second, he faced the truth about his condition: "I’m dying here with hunger!" He stopped making excuses. He stopped blaming circumstances. He stopped pretending everything was fine. He looked at his life honestly and said, "I'm dying here." This is what true repentance begins with – an honest assessment of our spiritual condition. We have to stop pretending we're okay when we're not. We have to stop making excuses for our distance from God. We have to face the truth that apart from our Father, we're perishing.
He remembered, he faced the truth, and Third, he made a decision. This wasn't just a moment of regret or nostalgia. This was a decision to act. Luk 15:18 'I will get up and go to my father… He didn't just think about going home; he decided to go home. How many people sit in church pews thinking about getting right with God but never actually doing it? How many people feel convicted about their spiritual condition but never take the step of repentance? When I was in my own foreign land, how many times did I think of coming home but never took that first step? The prodigal son didn't just feel bad about his situation; he decided to do something about it.
Church, God is speaking to someone here this morning. You're in your own pigpen, and you know it. You've been trying to fill the hunger in your soul with things that can never satisfy. But right now, in this moment, God is calling you to “come to yourself” to “come to your senses.” He's reminding you of His goodness, His love, His provision. He's showing you the truth about your condition. And He's giving you the opportunity to make a decision. The question is: will you arise and go to your Father? Will you take that first step in…
3. The Journey Home: True Repentance
Look at what the son planned to say: Luk 15:18-19 …"Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight; [19] I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men."' This speech reveals the three essential elements of true repentance.
First, confession: …"Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight” He didn't minimize his sin or blame others. He took full responsibility. He acknowledged that his sin was not just against his earthly father, but against heaven itself – against God. True repentance always involves confession. We can't be restored to God while we're still making excuses for our sin. We have to own it, name it, and confess it before our heavenly Father.
Second, humility: "I am no longer worthy to be called your son" He recognized that his choices had consequences. He understood that he had forfeited his right to sonship through his rebellion. He wasn't demanding anything; he was acknowledging his unworthiness. This is crucial for true repentance. We can't come to God with a sense of entitlement. We can't demand that He forgive us or restore us. We come humbly, recognizing that any mercy we receive is pure grace.
Third, surrender: "make me as one of your hired men." He was willing to accept whatever place his father would give him. He wasn't trying to negotiate terms or maintain his pride. He was surrendering completely to his father's will. True repentance always involves surrender. We stop trying to be the boss of our own lives and submit to God's authority. We stop demanding our own way and accept His way.
But notice verse 20: Luk 15:20 "So he got up and came to his father. He didn't just plan to repent; he actually did it. He took action. He started the journey home. This is where many people get stuck. They feel convicted, they know they need to repent, they even plan to get right with God, but they never actually take the step. They never actually start the journey home. The journey home requires action. It requires getting up from where you are and moving toward God. It requires leaving the pigpen and heading back to the Father's house.
And notice something beautiful: Luk 15:20 “…But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him” The father was watching, waiting, looking for his son's return. The moment the son appeared on the horizon, the father saw him.
Church, your heavenly Father is watching for you too. He's not angry, waiting to punish you. He's not distant, waiting for you to prove yourself. He's watching, waiting, wanting for your return. And the moment you start moving toward Him, He sees you and moves toward you.
4. The Father's Heart: Grace and Restoration
Now we come to the most beautiful part of this story – the father's response. Look at verse 20: Luk 15:20 "…But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.
The father saw him coming and had compassion. The word "compassion" means his heart was moved with deep emotion, with love, with mercy. This wasn't cold duty; this was overwhelming love. And then the father did something shocking – he ran. In that culture, dignified men didn't run. It was considered undignified, beneath their status. But this father didn't care about dignity. He cared about his son. Love made him run.
This is a picture of our heavenly Father's heart toward us. When we turn toward Him in repentance, He doesn't wait for us to complete the journey. He doesn't stand at a distance evaluating our sincerity. The moment we turn to Him, He turns to us "…and embraced him and kissed him" Before the son could even finish his prepared speech, the father was embracing him, kissing him, welcoming him home.
The son started his confession: Luk 15:21 …'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' Now, I want you to notice that he never got to the part about being made a hired servant. Why? Because the father interrupted him with grace. The father wasn't interested in making him a servant; he wanted to restore him as a son.
The father's response was Luk 15:22-24 …'Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; [23] and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; [24] for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.' The best robe was a symbol of honor and dignity. The ring was a symbol of authority and family identity. The shoes were a symbol of sonship, because servants went barefoot. The fatted calf meant a great and the most expensive celebration possible.
This wasn't just forgiveness; this was complete restoration. The father didn't just take him back; he celebrated his return. He didn't put him on probation; he threw him a party. And notice the father's declaration: "for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found." Not "this former son" or "this wayward boy," but "this my son." The relationship was fully restored.
Church, this is the very heart of the gospel! This is how God responds to genuine repentance. He doesn't just forgive us; He restores us. He doesn't just take us back; He celebrates our return. He doesn't make us earn our way back into His favor; He clothes us with His righteousness and welcomes us as beloved children.
When I was the prodigal, I was afraid to come home because I thought God was angry with me. Some of you may have been hesitant to repent because you thought you'd have to prove yourself worthy. But look at this father's heart! This is your heavenly Father's heart toward you!
Beloved, spiritual renewal isn't a one-time event; it's a daily choice. It's choosing every day to stay close to home, to maintain your relationship with your heavenly Father, to live as His beloved child rather than a spiritual orphan.
Conclusion
Now as we close this morning, I want to speak directly to your heart. Maybe you're sitting here today, and you recognize yourself in this story. Just about everybody does. We've wandered away from God, and we're tired of living in the pigpen of sin. We're hungry for something real, something that will truly satisfy our soul.
Please understand that your heavenly Father is watching for you. He's not angry; He's not waiting to punish you. He's waiting to run toward you. He's waiting to restore you, to celebrate your return, to welcome you home as His beloved child.
And that journey home starts with a decision – the decision to arise and go to your Father. It starts with honest confession, humble repentance, and complete surrender to His will.
Your spiritual renewal can begin right now. Your heavenly Father is waiting with the best robe, the ring of authority, and the celebration of restoration.
So, come home to Him today.
