The Far Country

THE FAR COUNTRY

Luke 15:11-23

Ill. Herman and Henrietta were taking a tour of their new home that they had dreamed about, planned for, designed themselves. A home that Henrietta had paid for with her own money.

As they went from one room to another and admired the beauty of their new home, in each one of those rooms Henrietta turned to her husband and said, “Honey, I want you to know that if it wasn’t for my money we wouldn’t be here.” And Herman, didn’t say a word.

That afternoon a moving van came to the house filled with brand new furniture for everyone of those rooms in the house; furniture that Henrietta had paid for with her own money.

And as they went on another tour with the furniture all in place and they saw each room with furniture that Henrietta paid for with her money, in each one of those rooms Henrietta said, “Honey, if it weren’t for my money none of this furniture would be here.” And Herman didn’t say a word.

Then another truck came with a combination stereo/TV and computer all in one gorgeous piece of furniture. It was a piece of furniture that You Guessed It! Henrietta had paid for with her own money. And as they sat back to relax in their home, once more Henrietta said, “Honey, if it weren’t for my money this piece of furniture wouldn’t be here.” Finally Herman spoke and said, “You know, honey, if it weren’t for your money, I wouldn’t be here either.”

Why are we here this morning? We have come together to worship the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. And to learn something new from His Word. Let’s pray.

Our text this morning is found in Luke 15:11-23.

This is probably one of the most famous story that has ever been told. It is a story that came from our Master’s lips.

Thousands of sermons have been preached on this particular passage. Some preach on the fatherly love of God. Others about the son, the prodigal who ran away from home and wasted his life in the slop of the pig pen. Some preach on the older brother, who stayed at home and was jealous and envious. I have even heard pastors that spend half of their message on the terrible thing of associating with hogs.

BRETHREN, I WON’T MAKE THAT APPLICATION TODAY!!!

I want us to focus our attention on a part of the story that is most often neglected.

Not the loving Father, and not the prodigal Son, and not the older brother. I want us to look at THE FAR COUNTRY.

Jesus tells us that the boy wasn’t happy at home. Sounds like your average teenager to me!

We don’t know why the boy was unhappy. He may have been bored. Or maybe he became embittered because his father was jerking the leash and holding him back.

Or maybe it was out of the spirit of adventure that sometimes erupts in the human heart. We don’t know why but Jesus tells us that this boy was unhappy.

And he came to his father and said, “I want everything that’s mine.” And the Bible says, “The father gave it to him.” And vs 13 tells us “The young man gathered all together and he took a journey into the far country.”

I WANT US TO TALK ABOUT THE FAR COUNTRY. AND I WANT US TO ANSWER SOME BASIC QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FAR COUNTRY. AND I WANT US TO BEGIN TRYING TO DETERMINE WHERE THE FAR COUNTRY IS.

1. Where is the Far Country?

We think of the far country as being a land a great distance away. Out of reach of thosse of us here today. But the far country I want for us to think about today is not a great distance and it is not out of the reach of every person here today.

It is very close to us and it is in the reach of every one of us for the far country is anywhere where a person tries to live without God our Father. That is the far country.

You may have lived here in Camp Verde all your life, but if your living here without God than you are living in the Far Country.

You might be going through the same routine that you’ve been following all your life.

Examples: Going to work at the same time. Driving the same way. Doing the same job. Coming home at the same time. Going to bed at the same time.

Many people have their names on our church roles. Some perhaps are even here this morning who are living in a far country right now. Because the far country is anywhere a person tries to live without God.