A Homecoming to Remember
Luke 15:11-31
Today we celebrate our 30-year anniversary. Now this is a time when we reflect on the history of this church and we think about those who have stayed and made this church what it is today and we think about those who have went on to serve the Lord elsewhere.
Anniversaries are special. Reminds me of a husband and wife who were getting ready to celebrate their 30th anniversary. The couple decided as a gift they would purchase a new vehicle. He wanted a new truck. She wanted a fast sports car. The discussion was getting very heated when finally the wife stated, "Look, I want something that goes from 0 to 180 in four seconds or less, and that’s all there is to it!
When her big day came, the wife went out to the garage, but there was no new car. Angry, she went back into the house looking for her husband, but he was not at home. Frustrated and upset, she went into the bathroom to get dressed, and there, sitting on the floor and wrapped in a big red ribbon, was her birthday present - something that would go from 0 to 180 in four seconds or less - a brand new scale.
Needless to say this was not a happy anniversary; and Heritage has had its peaks and its valley’s as well. You hear of people refer to event like today as reunion’s, like when you have your class reunions and you get together with friends and classmates of the past and you reacquaint yourself. Some people refer to today’s event as a homecoming. You have these with family reunions and church events such as today.
But this morning we are going to look at another homecoming and the three main characters in this homecoming to remember.
First of all we have…
The Father
There are some very unique things we read here in our text. The first thing that I noticed was…
a. The release (Vs.11-13)
During these times the younger son would have most likely would receive about half of what the older son would receive, or a third of his father’s estate. The early Jews warned fathers about breaking up an estate too early. But here the father granted the request. No doubt this broke his father’s heart, but the father knew that the son had to make his own decisions. He did not have to finance his son’s departure, but he did out of his love for him. This illustrates how God permits each person to go his or her own way.
We much like this son often go out on our own with our own plans and intentions. God, who gave us our own free will, knows that when we are on the wrong path and tries to discourage us from doing so, yet Jesus is a gentleman. He has the power to make us do what ever He pleases; yet He never forces us to accept His views or opinions.
Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him, and he with Me.
He stands, He knocks. He does not beat the door down, he knocks. He waits for us to open the door. He doesn’t force His way in. We have to open the door and invite Him in. And once we allow Him in, then we develop a relationship with Him.
Then I noticed…
b. The forgiveness (Vs.20-24)
Now the father did not have to have compassion on the son. He could have came home to an “I told you so” dad. The dad had ever right to tell the son, “You made your bed, lie in it. Go back to your pig pin”.
But our text said that while the son was still a great way off, his father saw him…and had compassion on him, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.
Then he said bring out the best robe and put on him. Maybe he got a good whiff of his pigpen cloths.
He said place a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet. And then the father says to bring out a fatted calf; we are going to have a party in honor of my returned son.
This reminds me of our Heavenly Father. Now many scholars have different views of what this represents, but I’ll share with you mine.
This son represents a Christian, Someone who has a relationship with Jesus Christ. When we as Christians decide to go out on our own without any consideration for our Heavenly Fathers will, even though it disappoints Him, even though it breaks His heart, He allows it.
Then just as this son’s father saw him from a far off, Jesus stands waiting for us; and then He runs to us. Have you ever heard the song, “He ran to me”?
Jesus desires to restore our relationship.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleans us from all unrighteousness.
Then Jesus restores us. Just as this father did not accept his son’s offer to be a servant for him, Jesus restores us back to our original status that we were before we got out of His will. It’s called justification, which means just if I never sinned.
Psalm 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.
So who is the sinner returned? Let us look at the…
The Prodigal Son (Vs. 14-19)
This son took his inheritance and blew it all. Latter his older brother we will read tells us that he blew in on harlots. He had what he thought at the time, the time of his life. And that is what this world offers you, the mirage of the time of your life. I can’t stand here and tell you that sin does not have a short time pleasure. Sin can be fun. It can be a lot of fun. But just as this son did, when we enter into sin, we find ourselves “to be in want”. Nothing can replace a relationship with Christ. He is the only way that we can have complete and total satisfaction. Nothing can fill the void that we are created with.
That is why we have these famous stars and these millionaires who commit suicide. They have everything this world has to offer; yet they find still in want for something that only the Lord can provide.
First he realized…
a. The change
The son finds himself at an all time low, in a pigpen. Feeding pigs is an insulting job for anyone, but for a Jewish boy who as a Jew has been taught that pigs were unclean according to the Law of Moses, it was the pits. That is what happens when we get out of God’s will, we get in the pits. The happiness that we think we found in this world pleasures, soon wear off and we find ourselves miserable.
Then it says, “That when he came to himself”. He realized just how good he had it at home. Have you ever came to yourself and realized just how good you had it at home? I’m talking about you get out of fellowship with Jesus Christ and then you realize just how much you miss and need that relationship with Him. The most joy and peace that I have ever had in this life is when we I had the right relationship with Him.
I left home at an early age because my mom gave me a choice. Straiten up, or get out. I chose the latter. Never before did I know that you had to separate your colors before you wash them. No wonder the women in the laundry mat were looking at me funny.
I realized how good a warm bed and a soft pillow felt, instead of sleeping in the back hatch of a Chevy Vega. Do you remember those? The car that you would stop at a gas station and say, “Fill it up with oil and check the gas”.
I realized how good a home cooked meal tasted compared to a loaf of bread and a jar of Peanut butter tasted. I remember just how good home was, and so will you if you get out of God’s will. And so did this son remember as well.
But not only did realize the change, he realized…
b. The conviction
Vs. 18b I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son.
“I have sinned against heaven”, every sin is against God. And then it says, “And before you”, every sin effects others.
The first road to recovery is to admit the wrong. He realized he had messed up. They say the road to recovery for anything is that you first have to admit that you have a problem.
Not only did he realize that he had made a mistake, he said, “I am no longer worthy to called your son”, and we are never worthy of the love and the grace of our heavenly Father. We can never be good enough, nor can we give anything in return for it.
The son’s words represent the confession of a sinner. The son expected nothing and relied completely on the mercy of the father. So it is with the sinner who repents.
But there is one more character we need to talk about in this parable.
The Faithful Son (Vs.25-32)
Now you usually don’t hear a lot about this son, especially in a positive way. He’s out in the field working. Sees a party going on and wonders, what ‘s the special occasion. Then a servant tells him about his brother’s return. What does he do? Does he run to his bother and give him a big bear hug? No, he gets mad. He gets jealous. His unhappiness to his brother’s return illustrates the response of the scribes and the Pharisees at the prospect of sinners accepting Jesus as the Messiah.
So then once again we find the father coming to him. Just as he came to the younger son, he comes to the older faithful son. And his response to his sons attitude, “Son you are always with me, and all that I have is yours”.
Think about it. This son never was never in a pigpen. He never was hungry. He never was cold or had a need for anything. And he always had the blessing of being with his father. His dad said, Listen, after I gave your brother his early inheritance, now everything I have left is yours. You can have a fatted calf any time you want to.
And as I thought about that this week, it came to me. The younger may have had what he thought was fun, but it was the faithful older son who inherited the farm. This reminded me of the faithful Christians who work the farm, or they work for God. They might not have the life changing stories to share. There testimony might not be that exciting. But they will inherit the farm. They are the ones who help keep the church in tract. They are the ones who when others get discouraged and leave, they still stay and work the farm. Every church has them, and every church needs them.
2 John 8 Look to yourselves that we do not lose those things we worked for, that we may receive a full reward.
So where are you today in your relationship with Christ? Have you become a member of the family by entering a personal relationship with our Heavenly Father? Are you like our periodical son who has left the fellowship of our Heavenly Father? You can begin or restore that relationship today.
