“Welcome Home”
Luke 15:11-27
Those of you who have had or currently have sons can closely identify with the story Jesus told about a rebellious son. The rebellious son was the teenager and the other son was obedient and probably in his twenties.
In Luke chapter 15 Luke records that Jesus made it his practice to associate with tax collectors and other notorious sinners. The Pharisees and teachers of religious law complained that Jesus was associating with despicable people and even eating with them. The Scribes and Pharisees believed in guilt by association. Since Jesus associated with people who did not honor God then Jesus did not honor God either.
In answer to their complain Jesus told three parables about lost sheep, a lost coin and a lost son. The stories highlight the truth that missing people matter to God. God places tremendous value on every individual. All heaven rejoices when one person repents and turns to God.
Lost Sheep
If a Shepherd at the end of the day counts his sheep and there are 99 safely in fold but one is missing. The Shepherd will go out and search until he finds the one lost sheep. When he finds the lost sheep the Shepherd will put the sheep on his shoulders and carry it back to be safe with the other sheep. The Shepherd will call all his friends and neighbors and have a great celebration. Jesus said that there is great celebration in heaven when one person comes back to God.
Jesus puts great value on one person. One person not yet a member of God’s family matters to God.
Lost Coin
If a woman has ten coins and loses one she will search every inch of her house until she finds it. When she finds it she will gather her neighborhood friends to celebrate her discovery. Just as this woman experiences joy at finding her lost coin, so there is joy in heaven when one person repents and turns to God.
When a man took a bride in the Middle East, he would give her a ribbon with ten coins strung on the ribbon. The woman would wear this token of love as a garland on her head as many women in the Middle East do today. Like a wedding band these ten coins represented the marital relationship. If a woman was caught in adultery and found unfaithful to her husband, one of the coins would be taken out leaving a gap to show that she had disgraced her marriage vows. For the woman to find the one coin meant her reputation and marriage were at stake. No wonder the woman had such a great celebration when she found the one lost coin.
Jesus is interested in people becoming part of His family.
Lost Son
The story of the prodigal son illustrates how a person’s life can be transformed by the power and grace of God. It is possible for a person who rebels against God, his parents and society to experience a turn around. The story of the lost son illustrates the meaning of repentance.
The Father of the Prodigal Son illustrates the compassion and love of God. God is always ready to meet you more than half way.
Jesus illustrated the truth to the Pharisees, Scribes and others who were listening. “A man had two sons. The younger son told his father, ‘I want my share of your estate now, instead of waiting until you die.’ So the father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons.”
The younger son demanded his inheritance while his father was still alive. According to Jewish law, a father who had two sons was to leave 2/3 of his estate to his older son and 1/3 to his younger son.
As far as we know this home was not a dysfunctional home, nor was the younger son mistreated. The father knew it was no use arguing with his son. He knew that allowing his son to go would result in painful experiences and scares for his son.
The son packed up and left home. It wasn’t long until he had “wasted all his money on wild living.” (Luke 15:13) Loaded with cash and free from parental restraints the young man headed straight for the casinos, the bars, and the strip joints, and blew all his money.
Luke 15:14-16 “About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve. He persuaded a local firmer to hire him to feed his pigs. The boy became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything.”
For a young Jewish boy to find himself slopping hogs would be about as low as a Jewish boy could go. A person raised as a strict Jew would not eat pork. Jews were forbidden to eat swine. They could raise and sell pigs to Gentiles, but even then the job of feeding and caring for pigs was a job for servants and slaves.
Luke 15:17 is a turning point in the story. “He came to himself…” Sometimes people have to hit bottom before they are willing to face reality. When you hurt bad enough and long enough you are ready to take action and change. “When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired men have food enough to spare, and here I am, dying of hunger! Verse 18-19, I will go home to my father and say, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired man.” 20 a “So he returned home to his father.”
The Bible calls this turnaround “repentance.” The problem many have is that they would rather suffer and be miserable than swallow their pride and admit they made a wrong decision. Stubborn pride keeps people from turning around.
When your desperation exceeds your pride you are ready for change.
# A parent was reading the story of the Prodigal Son to his 4 year old daughter. When he finished the story he asked his daughter what the story taught her. After thinking for a moment, she quipped, “Never leave home without your credit card!”
Luke 15:20 NLT “So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long distance away, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him and welcomed him back home.”
This story is as much about the Father as it is about the wayward son. The Father is a picture of God’s grace, love and mercy. God in His love sent Jesus to reach out to lost people in a sinful world. Jesus always goes more than half way to show love, compassion and mercy. Jesus can only help us when we are moving toward Him and not going away from Him.
The Prodigal Son represents all of us. We have “All sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23 We all have rebelled and against God and need to repent and turn to the Lord.
The last part of the parable of the lost son tells of the older brother that resents his younger son coming back home. He has been faithful to his father and he resented his father throwing a party for his younger brother and welcoming him back home.
The older brother represents the Pharisees and rulers of the law. They had the law in their head but not in their hearts. God is not looking for head knowledge alone, He is looking for people who will experience heart transformation.
On a daily basis the father must have scanned the horizon looking for his son. On the day of his return I can imagine the son getting close to his home and pacing back and forth. He looked as his condition, torn clothes, long matted hair, and a foul smell from lack of bathing.
The young man had completely under estimated his father’s love; love that led the father to daily look for his return. Undoubtedly the father had many sleepless nights. His son caused him much anguish and pain. But because of his father’s love the father came to him took has hand and led him back home. The father didn’t look at his son and say, “Look at you, you got what you deserved.” With love in his heart the father ran to his son and welcomed him home.
# I remember disobeying my mother. Before she could discipline me for something I had done wrong, I ran out the back door of our small house and down the back alley to a neighbor’s barn. I hid in the barn. After only an hour or so, but it seemed to me like a day. I finally ventured back come and my mother was waiting for me. She gave me a firm taking to and reassured me of her love. I asked my mother to forgive me and she did.
The Prodigal Son demonstrated true repentance and sought the forgiveness of his father and the Lord. “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” Luke 15:21 The son no longer made excuses or blamed others for his rebellion. He took full responsibility for his sinful actions. Confession is agreeing with God. I agree that I have sinned and come short of the glory of God. I John 1:9 promises: “If we confess our sins, He (Jesus) is willing and ready to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
The prodigal son was expecting pity from his father and instead he got a party. The father gave the command to his servants: “Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger, and sandals for his feet. And kill the calf we have been fattening in the pen. We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.” So the party began. Luke 15:22-24
Years ago there was a popular song, “Tie a Yellow Ribbon?” The song tells about a man who’s been sent to prison. He’s served his time and is now coming home on a bus. But he admits that his wife who once loved him had every right to now reject him. He made a mess of his life. He wrote to his wife asking for her forgiveness. If she forgives him she was to tie a yellow ribbon around the old oak tree. If there’s no yellow ribbon, he would just go riding by on the bus.
As the miles roll by, all the man thinks about is that oak tree. When he gets home, he wonders, “Will there be a yellow ribbon on it?”
The song ends in triumph with the entire busload of people cheering as the man sees not one but a hundred yellow ribbons on that old oak tree! His wife not only forgives him, but she exuberantly welcomes him home.
Because of God’s love and compassion He welcomes you home. Because of your rebellion and hardened attitude you don’t feel worthy to be welcomed back home by God; but God not only welcomes you home, but throws a party for you.
The father said “Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger, and sandals for his feet. And kill the calf we have been fattening in the pen. We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.” So the party began. Luke 15:22-24
Sons often wore family rings that had the family seal engraved upon it. Stamping the ring in wax was like a signature. The son left with his ring; but sold it when he ran out of money. His father put a new ring on his finger symbolizing that his son was again part of the family.
To celebrate his son’s homecoming he had a great Outback Steakhouse Barbecue party. It’s interesting that the father said, “Kill the calf we have been fattening in the pen…” The father had faith his son would return and he was prepared.
In his book, “Capital of the World,” Ernest Hemingway wrote about a father in Spain who had a son named Paco. Because of his son’s rebellion, Paco and his father were estranged. The father was bitter and angry with his son, and kicked him out of the home. After years of bitterness, the father’s anger ended and he realized his mistake. He began to look for Paco, with no results. Finally, in desperation, the father placed an ad in the Madrid newspaper. The ad read, “PACO, ALL IS FORGIVEN, MEET ME AT THE NEWSPAPER OFFICE AT 9 A.M. TOMORROW. LOVE, YOUR FATHER.” Paco is a rather common name in Spain, and Hemingway wrote when the father arrived the next morning, there were 600 young men-all named Paco—waiting and hoping to receive the forgiveness of their fathers.”
Norman Vincent Peale, one time pastor of a church in New York City once addressed a large conference in Atlanta, Georgia. In his message Peale said that he believed that Jesus Christ could come into a life and change it, no matter how hopeless it seemed.
After the service he was meeting with other pastors and a message was given to him that an unshaven, unwashed and poorly dressed man wanted to see him. When the man came in he was reeking of alcohol. He asked Vincent Peale, “Do you really believe that Jesus can help me?”
“Without a doubt,” Peale replied. Then Peale prayed with the man. When the man left one of the ministers said, “If that man changes, we’ll all be surprised won’t we?”
Six months later, Peale said he was sitting in the lobby of a hotel in Clearwater, Florida, when he saw a man coming toward him, leaning two little girls by the hand. The man was immaculately dressed, and his daughters were exquisite children, attractive and well behaved. At first Peale didn’t know who the man was, but as he came closer, he recognized the former derelict from Atlanta.
If you have been wandering and walking away from God you can turn around and start waking toward God. God wants to welcome you back home.
Closing Hymn of Invitation #326 “Softly and Tenderly Jesus is Calling”
