You Can Always Come Home
Come Home • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Transcript
Intro
Intro
Good morning church fam! It is good to be in this designated space where we worship King Jesus together.
Last week we began a series called Come Home and we started looking at the story of the Prodigal son. Today we are going to continue with that same story, but look at a few key things that I alluded to last week and will dive deeper into this week.
The short version of this story that Jesus told was there was a father and two sons. One son basically wanted his father to die so he can have his inheritance now.
This father taught these two boys everything they knew about how to live life. And even though they were taught their whole lives, one still went his own way.
Parents, when you teach your kids to do the right thing and then they don’t, don’t feel like you are a failure. Everyone has to make their own decisions. As a parent we are there to help guide them. Remember, as children of God, He will guide us but we have to make the choice to do what is right. God hasn’t failed as our Heavenly Father.
So as parents we do what God did. We love. We even love those who are distant from God at this very moment.
The Christian life isn’t an easy life to live, but it is possible and there is nothing better. Sometimes we are like the son in our text today. The father in our story is God and the younger son is you and I. This son wanted to live life the way he wanted to so he took his inheritance and ran away to a distant land.
There are those who have done the same with God. You ran away and you are distant from Him. Some are distant because you are caught in the trap of sin and you don’t feel worthy enough to come back and so you are lost.
The question is how do I get back?
I remember when navigation systems came out back in the day. The main one was a Tom-Tom. It was this device that you plugged into a cigarette lighter and you mounted it on the dashboard of you car.
You punch in the address and the voice on it would tell you where to go. Sometimes you would miss your turn and when you did it would immediately say “recalculating” and it would give you directions to get back on the route to your destination.
I loved it because you could load different voices on it. I had a Mr. T. one once and it would say, “You missed your turn fool. I pity the fool that don’t turn around.”
If you are far from God or feel like you messed up so bad, today I want to help you recalculate to get you back to the destination that God desires for you. That destination is back into a relationship with the Father.
Jesus didn’t come and die so you can get to Heaven. No He came, died, and rose again so you can be restored to the Father!
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
Clear directions is the best way to help those who are lost.
There have been times when I would call someone and tell them, “Hey I am lost, can you help me?” Sometimes they respond with:
Well where are you? - If I knew I wouldn’t be lost.
We are really easy to find, you can’t miss it? - Well I missed it obviously.
Just go to the second light and turn right. We are three houses down from the Millers, - Great, who are the Millers?
Sometimes it was as vague as “Turn left where the old grocery store used to be.”
What store? What year? I am not from around here!
Clear communication and directions are key to help someone who is lost physically. The same is true when they are lost spiritually.
We tell people where they need to be without ever giving them directions on how to get there. Most of the time people know where they need to be, they just need to know how to get there. How do I get back to God?
One thing I am learning in life is to not beat around the bush anymore with people. I don’t have time for that. The church doesn’t have time for that. Too often we do this. Jesus story which represents God as the father and me and you as the son, gives to us clear directions on how to get back to the Father.
Breakthrough
Breakthrough
The younger son’s road back to his father began with a breakthrough.
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!
This son came to his senses. His breakthrough was him remembering that at home at least he was fed, at least he had the protection and provision of his father. Doing life his way left him miserable and hungry. Running away from home all of a sudden wasn’t a good idea anymore.
His memory was jogged at how it was better to be home with his father than on his own. He began to remember how even the servants in his father’s house were taken care of. This break through led to a desire.
The road home starts with desire.
In order to come back to God, you have to have a desire to. Nobody can make someone come back. I can’t make someone have a desire to come to the Father.
You have to make the decision, “I don’t want to live like this anymore! I need help! I need God!”
I shared with you part of my testimony last week. I hit rock bottom. Lost everything. Addicted to drugs. I finally made the decision, “I don’t want this life anymore I need help! I need God!” I desired a different life. Without that desire, I could not get back to the Father.
But pastor, what if I don’t have that desire right now. I want to come home to God and I wish I had that desire to return to God.
That’s a start! God can work with that! God can take a little flicker of a flame and ignite it again! You have to feed that flame.
We went camping a couple of weeks ago and camping wouldn’t be camping without having a fire. When you start a fire you get a little flame going and then when it is lit you have to feed the flame in order for it to continue to burn.
Spiritually speaking you have to do something with that desire, no matter how little it may be!
I am Going to Do It
I am Going to Do It
Go back to our story. This son decided to do something about his desire to go home.
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;
He said, “I will get up and go”. After desire comes the second thing you must do.
Make a decision!
Sadly not everyone who wants to go home make this decision. Think for a moment of all the things you decided to do, but never accomplish:
I am going to lose 20 lbs. - Good decision. What happened? “I never started.”
I am going to get out of debt. - Good decision. But you never cut up the credit cards and keep buying things you don’t need. Your decision didn’t make it to action.
I am going to obey God with my finances and tithe. - Good decision. But you have to write the first check.
I am going to read the bible all the way through! - Good decision, but you never set time aside every day to read.
I am going to be a better husband/wife/ father/mother. Great! But you actually have to change something. You have to do something different!
Act on It
Act on It
Lot’s of people have good decisions, the key is to act on those decisions. You want to come back to God, you desire to do it, now go and do it!
That’s the third thing you must do.
You have to take ACTION!
Go back to our story.
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;
He made the decision to get up and then followed through with action…he went to his father’s house.
Imagine a farmer who spends all winter reading books about planting, watches videos about the best techniques, and even buys the best seeds available. Spring comes, and he stands in the field every day, thinking about how great his harvest will be. But he never actually plants a single seed. When harvest time comes, he has nothing — not because he didn’t know what to do, but because he didn’t take action.
Knowing what to do isn’t enough. Action is what brings results.
17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.
Fear will Stop You
Fear will Stop You
So the question is why don’t you take action? I think fear has a lot do with it. Fear of the unknown. Fear that God won’t accept you. Fear that God will punish you. Fear of letting go what you thought you had control of.
Fear is the enemy of action.
Fear will cause you to stay in the pigpen of life. Never returning to the Father.
When I decided to go home to get away from the drugs, there was fear that my mom wouldn’t allow me back. But I had to over come that fear that she will take me in because I belong to her.
I am sure this son in our story had some fear that his father wouldn’t take him back.
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.
The father was waiting for the son to return. Remember the father is God and the son is us in this story. There is no need to fear about returning to God. He is waiting just like this father in our story.
To often we end there. Just run to God and that’s it! Your back. Remember, I am not beating around the bush. I want to give clear directions for you to get to your destination. Back to the Father.
Repentance
Repentance
There is something we often over look when it comes to coming back to God or even starting a relationship with Him.
Look what the son does.
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.’
The son repented. This is a crucial part of the restoration process of the son back to the father.
Imagine you’re driving down a highway and miss your exit. You realize it, but instead of turning around, you just keep driving — hoping somehow you’ll end up where you were supposed to be.
Of course, the farther you drive, the farther you get from your destination.
It’s not until you admit you missed the turn, get off the wrong road, and turn around that you actually start heading back to where you belong.
Repentance is exactly like that — it’s not just feeling bad you missed the turn. It’s choosing to stop, turn around, and head back toward God. Without repentance, you’re just moving farther and farther away.
True repentance is not just saying “sorry”, true repentance always produces a change of heart.
In Matthew 15, Jesus speaking to the Pharisees about holding tradition higher than the commands of God. Listen to what He says.
8 ‘This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far away from Me.
9 ‘But in vain do they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’ ”
In our church culture we have taught people to just tell God you are sorry, be remorseful, but we haven’t taught people to repent.
For too long churches have taught behavioral change.
Stop drinking
Stop cussing
Stop wearing these clothes
Stop doing this
Stop doing that
Because of this, a change of heart never happens.
Just two verses later Jesus said:
11 “It is not what enters into the mouth that defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man.”
What’s He speaking about?
Jesus is speaking about the heart. He is responding to the Pharisees who were focused on outward change thinking that external things will make one holy and clean before God.
Jesus flips the script and and tells them the problem is not external, but internal. What comes out of the mouth reveals where the heart is.
18 “But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man.
19 “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders.
The Mouth = Fruit (what’s visible/audible
The Heart = the root (the real source)
I think a lot of people are remorseful for their wrong doings, but there is a HUGE difference between being remorseful and repentant. Remorse is being sorry for the past/or for what they did, but doesn’t want to change the future.
A lot of people are sorry for what they do, but not sorry enough to quit.
Repentance is still sorry for the past, but makes a change in heart so the future will be different. Repentance is necessary because if the heart is corrupted (which it is), outward behavior will naturally occur. Cleaning up the outside doesn’t fix the issue - the heart needs to be changed and that change only comes through genuine repentance and surrender to God.
Repentance changes future behavior so past mistakes won’t be repeated.
This is why so many people are stuck. They want God, but not enough to change. They say sorry, but not sorry enough to stop doing whatever it is they are doing. Then they wonder why they never experience the freedom and abundant life that Christ died for them to have.
19 “Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;
This word refreshing means a recovery of breath as in you were dead, but now you are alive. When we repent we receive life. We are no longer the white washed tombs full of dead men’s bones, but we are alive! Jesus came to bring life!
You are not living this life that Jesus promised until you have repented.
Repentance is: truly sorry + allowing God to change your heart
The question is, why don’t people repent? I think there are a few different reasons.
One reason it is easier to blame others or even blame God.
Adam did both.
11 And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?”
12 The man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate.”
Adam blamed Eve and then turned around and blamed God.
We do this all the time!
Losing a job - “My boss just didn’t like me”, instead of considering poor work habits or attitude.
Sibling fights - “They started”, rather than admitting, “I reacted badly.”
Missing Opportunities - “Nobody gave me a chance”, instead of admitting “I didn’t prepare or put in the work when I had opportunities.”
No spiritual growth - “The pastors sermons aren’t deep enough”, rather than admitting, “I’m not spending time with God during the week.”
When it comes to worship - “The worship team isn’t anointed”, instead of thinking, “Am I bringing my own heart of worship to God?”
Conflict between two members - “They were rude to me!”, instead of asking, “Did I handle the situation with humility.”
Feeling disconnected - “No one reached out to me”, rather than admitting, “I haven’t tried to connect with others.”
Repentant people do not point the finger and blame others. They admit that it was them. They take ownership of their failure and make every effort to change in order NOT to do it again!
The son in our story said:
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.’
Another reason people don’t repent is simply because of pride.
Pride keeps many people from finding their way back to God.
Pride says: “I don’t want to admit I messed up. I don’t want other people to know.” The thing is, people already know!
The father in our story knew it. He knew he messed up. He could tell just by looking at him! We will find out in a few moments when he tells his servants to get him some new clothes.
One last reason why people don’t repent is they:
Compare themselves to others.
Anytime you compare yourself to others it never goes well.
If you compare yourself to someone you think is worse you say: “I may have done wrong, but I’m sure not as bad as him. At least I never committed adultery. I never went to prison. I’m not as addicted as him.”
Or, on the other side, you decide no one is as bad as you. “I know what Pastor James said, but he doesn’t know what I did! Even God has to have limits. I’m not good enough. I’m the worst sinner in this room.”
Someone once said that to a pastor and his response was, “I don’t want to disappoint you, but you’re not even the worst sinner I’ve talked to today!”
God doesn’t compare your sin to someone else's. All sin is equal at the foot of the cross! It’s not about how far you wondered from your relationship with God; it’s the fact that you wondered! God sees you and loves you the same! He desires you just come home.
Come Home
Come Home
The son in our story wanted to come home. He decided to come home. He came home. He repented. What we don’t want to miss is the father’s reaction.
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.
Notice the father mentions nothing about him squandering the family wealth. His sin was forgiven and forgotten. The son was restored, not as a servant or hired help, but his rightful position as son.
The father in this story is God and the son is us. God responds to us just like the father in Jesus’ story.
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
12 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
That’s it. No conditions. No exceptions. When you come home, you are forgiven. Forgiven by God. God hasn’t given up on you. He never has and never will.
Closing
Closing
This is the beauty of the Gospel. It is for everyone. You are never too far gone to receive forgiveness.
Stand with me.
Today, God is calling you — not to a religion, not to a performance, but to a relationship. A real relationship with Him.
First — Realize where you are.
Be honest about the condition of your heart. Maybe you’ve been running. Maybe you’ve drifted away. Maybe you’ve been trying to clean up the outside, but inside you know you’re far from God.
Second — Decide to change direction.
Change doesn’t happen by accident. You must make a decision — I will not stay where I am. I will not stay stuck in guilt, shame, fear, or sin.
Third — Do it.
Faith without action is dead. Don’t just feel something — move. Step toward Jesus tonight. He’s not waiting with condemnation; He’s waiting with open arms.
Fourth — Repent.
Repentance isn’t just saying “I’m sorry.” It’s saying, “Lord, I’m turning around. I’m coming back to You. I don’t want to live for myself anymore — I want to live for You.”
Finally — Come home.
The Father is waiting. Like the prodigal son, you don’t have to clean yourself up first. You just have to come. His arms are open. His love is real. His forgiveness is ready.
Come home. Come back to the One who never stopped loving you.
[Prayer Invitation:]
If you feel that pull in your heart, don’t resist it.
Come to this altar.
Come to Jesus.
Come home.
Altar Prayer:
“Father God, I come to You just as I am.
I realize I need You.
I decide today to turn from my old ways.
I repent of my sins.
I believe Jesus died for me and rose again.
Today, I come home.
I surrender my heart to You.
Change me from the inside out.
Fill me with Your Spirit.
Help me to live for You from this day forward.
Thank You for loving me.
Thank You for receiving me.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
After Prayer Encouragement
“If you just prayed that prayer, you didn’t just say words — you made the greatest decision of your life.
Right now, Heaven is rejoicing over you!
But remember — this is just the beginning.
Stay close to Jesus.
Get into His Word.
Connect with His people.
And when you stumble — don’t run away. Run back to Him.
You’re not alone. You’re part of God’s family now — and we’re walking this journey together!”
