THE WHO, WHAT, AND WHY’S OF GOING TO CHURCH
“WHAT” HAPPENS WHEN YOU COME TO CHURCH
LUKE 15:11-31
Have you ever found yourself in God’s lost and found box? You see this boy found himself in the father’s lost and found box. He stepped out of his father’s protection, and ended up lost. He needed to be found again. He needed to be back with his rightful master, his father. This kid was out there.
This is a perfect image of a Christian. You see what we do so often is that we ask God for all that He will give us, and then we take off and go and live however we want to live. We go and waste our possessions with prodigal living. We turn and go and live in the world. Leaving behind our family and what God has given us and live with the world. Before we know it we find ourselves at rock bottom. We find ourselves with no where left to go. We have hit the bottom and we have nowhere left to turn. We find ourselves in God’s lost and found box. The place where things are put that need to be returned to their rightful owner.
There comes a time in each of our lives that we find our self in this position. We are lost and looking again for where we belong. Just waiting to be returned to our Lord and Father.
What do we do about it? What do we do when we find ourselves in this position. When we find ourselves in God’s lost and found box. We have to:
I. Realize where we are.
Where are we at? We have to realize that we are in God’s lost and found box. The son realized that he messed up. He realized that he was no longer under the father’s protection and provision. He stepped out of it the moment that he left the will of his father. The way that things were done at that time was to divide up the inheritance, but the children did not receive it until the father had passed on. In some cases the inheritance was divided up like in this case.
The son took what was given to him and left his father. He stepped out of the will of his father, and it only got worse from there. He knew that it was wrong for him to leave, but he let his lust for life over take him. Before he realized it he had hit rock bottom. He had squandered everything. He had nothing left. He found himself only dreaming about eating what the pigs ate. He had come to the point that he had lost everything.
Is this not the perfect example of God’s church? The father would represent God, and the son would represent the church. How accurate of an illustration is it? The fact is that this is a picture of the church because it is a description of what we as Christians do. We take off and find ourselves with the pigs.
We get involved with God and the next thing we know we let our lust for the world over take us and we leave the will of the Father. We leave his love and protection and provision. He never stops giving it, but we step out of it.
The fact is that sin will ALWAYS take you farther than you ever intended to go, keeps you longer that you ever intended to stay, and cost you more than you ever intended to pay. This son in Jesus’ story never thought that he would end up where he was. He simply wanted to go and live life. He never thought that he would hit rock bottom. He certainly didn’t want to be there. He certainly didn’t plan on staying as long as he did. He had no idea that he was going to go until he was spent emotionally, physically, spiritually, and financially. He certainly didn’t intend to spend all of what he had.
That is what happens to us. We get taken in by the lies of the devil and before we know it we are in over our heads and we have come to a point that we are at the bottom. We have to realize where we are.
The son realized that he didn’t have to eat with and serve the pigs. He knew that he was at the bottom. He knew where he was. How many of us know when we are at the bottom. Often we know it, but we don’t want to admit it. He admitted it.
When we come to the point that God is no longer using us, it is a good indication that we are His lost and found box. Where are we in our relationship with God? If we are not a part of God’s program, then we are in His lost and found box. If we are not feasting on God’s Word, and learning, we are there. If we are not in His will, we are there. If we are coming to church to counter God, then we are there. If we are not allowing God to renew us and shape us according to His plan, then we are there. If we are vessels of dishonor instead of vessels of honor, then we are there. It is time to realize where you are in your relationship with God. Remember that God will not use a dirty dish to serve His meal on. Once you realize where you are then it is time for the second step.
II. Do something about it.
What was the first thing that the son did when he realized where he was? He took action to correct the problem. V. 17-20 says that he arose and went to his father. He came to his senses. He realized where he was and decided to do something about it. It says that he confessed his wrong, got up, and went to the father.
He decided that he was going to do something about the situation that he was in. He no longer wanted to stay there. The problem with us is that often times we realize where we are in our relationship with God, yet choose to do nothing about it. We know that we are away from Him. We know that we are steeped in sin. Sometimes we would rather wallow with the pigs than do something about our spiritual situation. Why is that?
It is because we are too ashamed of ourselves for the way that we have acted. We are afraid of what the Father will say to us. We believe the lying devil when he says that God won’t take us back after the things that we have done, or that He could never use a person like me. The problem with that is that those are lies. The devil wants you to believe those things so that you won’t get out of the lost and found box, and God can’t use you. While you are in the lost and found box the devil isn’t worried because he knows that God isn’t using you. The moment that you try to get out of the box, the devil is going to do all within his power to keep you there. He doesn’t want you to be used by God.
God wants you to get out of the box. Just as the father in the parable waited and saw the son from afar off and ran to him to welcome him home. Our Father in heaven does the same. He waits for you and watches for you to begin your journey back to Him. Back to His protection, and provision. While you are still along way off, He sees you and runs to you and welcomes you home.
We just have to take the first few steps in coming back, and God will meet us way before we are home. He celebrates at the return of His children. He loves His children. Even the ones who go astray. He anxiously awaits their return.
In this parable the father reacted very surprisingly. When we know our children have messed up, what do we do. We chasten them. We tell them what a foolish mistake they have made. We tell them what their punishment will be. We tell them how disappointed in them we are. This is how most parents would respond to this son after what he pulled. This father responded very differently. He ran to his son and hugged him and kissed him. He threw a celebration for the son because he had come home. He didn’t punish him in any way, but restored him to where he belonged.
This is what God our Father does for us. He looks for us to return to Him. Once we have started our journey, He runs to meet us before we get home. He throws His arms around us and kisses us. He celebrates our return.
God wants us to come home. He knows what the world is like. He knows how it can hurt us and steal from us. He knows that the world will take everything that we have. He wants to be our protector. He wants us to come home to where He can shelter His children, and provide for them. If we are not under His banner, He cannot provide for us. He wants us to return home to Him.
It is so easy to get far away from home. We get a little off track, and before we know it we have gone farther, stayed longer, and spent more than we ever intended to. We come to the point that we are at the bottom of the barrel with no where left to go. We realize we are there, but do we do something about it?
It is time to be returned to your rightful owner. There is no need to stay in the lost and found box any more. You can go home. You simply have to decide to do something about it. Confess, and repent. That is all it takes. You don’t have to stay down.
Are you being used by God? Are you a clean or dirty utensil? Remember that God will not use a dirty utensil. He will simply leave it in the drawer until it is clean. Is it time for you to get clean for God?
Is there something in your life that needs to be restored? Is there something that at one time was whole, that has withered away? Now is the time to be restored.
You may not be in the lost and found box, because you have never belonged to the Father. The fact is that God loves you. He gave His Son to die on the cross and pay the price for your sins. You simply have to choose whether or not to accept Him. He has gone great lengths to bring people to Him, and people have gone to great lengths to reject Him. What will you do? Once you are apart of His family, you will never be cast out. You will always be apart of His family.
