Home at Last

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Pt. 3 – Home at Last

I have a confession to make.  I’m not perfect.  I’m not a perfect pastor.  I’m not a perfect husband.  I’m not a perfect father.  That bugs me.  I’d like to be perfect.  But, I’m not. 

         One of my biggest regrets as a father is how I responded when Tyler or Parker messed up.  Even when they apologized and admitted doing wrong, I wanted to make sure they really learned the lesson.  I didn’t just accept the apology and move on.  Instead, I had a tendency to lecture them about what they did wrong, why they did it and why it upset me.  I’m afraid sometimes I was tougher on them when they apologized than I was when they messed up. 

         I’m so glad God isn’t like me – that He doesn’t pile on to make sure you’ve learned your lesson.  Can you imagine?

· “Ok – nice prayer.  Thanks for asking for forgiveness.  Now, even though you did, I am going to make you miserable for, let me see – ten years – just to make sure you don’t repeat that sin.”

· “Hey Bubba– thanks for confessing you haven’t been treating your wife right.  But, to make sure you learn your lesson, for the next six months your wife will be right – every time.  She won’t just think she’s right.  She’ll be right.

· “Thanks Brian for confessing about that whole “driving like a maniac” thing.  But, I want to be sure you learn your lesson.  So – from now on, every time you turn on North Hills, that same old lady in the white Camry is going to turn in front of you.  She won’t go faster than ten miles an hour and will brake violently for every squirrel.  You are going to learn your lesson completely.”

· “Bruce – thanks for that forgiveness prayer about not paying your tithe.  By the way – I knew that.  Anyway – I’m glad you decided to obey me, but it took way too long.  So – for the next five years, you owe 30%.  Then, 20% for five more.  If I’m over it after that, you can go back to 10%.  I’ll let you know.”

· “I appreciate that you know you messed up.  I’m glad you are back.  But, don’t expect a free pass.  You messed up big-time.  I forgive you, but I’m mad and I’m going to make sure you completely learn your lesson.”

         So many people have that picture of God.  “Because I’ve done wrong, God is mad at me.  He’s going to teach me a lesson.” 

         It hurts to say it, but I guess you have that picture because too many fathers are like me.  You assume your Heavenly Father must be like your earthly father.

         Is God that way?  How does God respond when you ask for forgiveness?  What does God do when you decide to come home?   

         In Luke chapter 15, Jesus told a story to a group of Pharisees who were criticizing him for eating with and talking to sinners.  Like all of Jesus’ stories, this one illustrates a principle.  The son represents people who leave home – who walk away from faith and relationship with their Heavenly Father. 

         There was a man with two sons.  The younger one is the star of the story, in a sad kind of way.  Jesus never gave him a name, so I call him “Scott”.  Scott was tired of living by his Dad’s rules and in his Dad’s house.  He wanted to do his own thing.  Scott’s Dad had a lot of money.  So, Scott asked for his share of the inheritance.  In their culture, that was the ultimate insult.  It was like saying, “I don’t care if you live or die.  I just want my money.” 

         Scott’s father screamed at him, “If you think you are getting any of my money, forget it!  I’m cutting you out of the will.  If you are tough enough for life on your own, go for it.  Get out of here.  Get out of my house.”  Broke and penniless, Scott left home, wishing he had waited until his father died to get his share of the money. 

         That’s not how the story went.  Heartbroken, Dad split the money and gave it to his boys.  Why did Dad give Scott the money?  How in the world could he let his son leave?  I think he was a wise Father who realized some truths about life and running. 

Dad knew: until you find out how bad it is awayfrom home, you don’t realize how good you have it at home. 

· When I was 15, I thought I knew it all. 

· When I was 18, I couldn’t wait for life on my own – my own place, my own car, my own schedule. 

· Then, when I went to college, I discovered just how wonderful home was.  One semester, I told my parents, “I’m not going to come home this semester.  I need to try it on my own.  I’m even going to do my own laundry.”  I did that one time.  After that, I had a greater appreciation for my Mom and a powerful reason to go home every week. 

         I don’t know why, but often you don’t recognize how valuable something is until you no longer have it.  As I talk to people who left God, that’s their story. 

· “I never knew how much I would miss the peace, love and sense of belonging.” 

· “Being on my own sounded like so much fun – but it wasn’t”.

Maybe Dad let Scott go because he knew that consequences are a great teacher.  Parents, some of your biggest mistakes are when you don’t allow your children to suffer consequences.  You rescue them over and over and then wonder why they don’t learn their lesson.  This father was not an enabler – not at all.  He knew Scott would learn the hard way.

         Dad probably could have forced Scott to stay home, but he couldn’t force his son to love and respect him.  So – he let him go.  This wasn’t a mean Dad, sick and tired of his son.  Watching Scott go broke his heart. 

This isn’t a message on parenting, but this may be an important lesson for parents.  Many times you rescue your kids from consequences because not only will they face pain and heartache, but so will you. No parent wants to see their child face extreme difficulty - you love them and want them to succeed. But sometimes, when you have done all you can, you have to let them go and trust that life’s lessons and God’s love will ultimately bring them home.  My heart breaks for parents whose children are away.  I pray for you – and for them.  In fact, I have a prayer list for just those kids.

         The father in this story represents God.  God will never leave you.  It’s not God’s will that you leave Him.  But, if you decide to run, your loving Heavenly Father will let you go.  God won’t force you to love Him.  That’s not love. 

         Rich and happy, Scott took off.  He quickly lost all the money playing and partying.  Then, hard times came.  Scott had no money, and no food, so he got a job working with pigs.   

Scott was in a pitiful situation, sitting among the pigs – broke, hungry and alone.  The Bible says, “…no one gave him anything.”  All Scott’s plans failed.  Doing his own thing didn’t work.  Scott had to make a decision – live like that or swallow his pride and go home. 

         Today, I want to look with you at the at most remarkable character in this story, who completely doesn’t do what you expect – the Father.  Remember, the father represents God.         

            17“When he (Scott) came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!  18I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.’ 20So he got up and went to his father.

         Dad didn’t live around the corner.  It was a long, slow, painful walk home, but one step after another, Scott kept walking.  As he walked, he rehearsed the speech he would give the moment he saw his father: “Father, I have sinned against Heaven and against you.  I’m no longer worthy to be called your son.”

         Scott was incredibly nervous.  After all, he had horribly insulted his father.  Dad was probably still mad.  Scott could picture it in his mind – walking up to the house and Dad sending someone out to say, “Your father doesn’t want to see you.  Go away.” 

Would Dad yell?  Would there be a three hour lecture?  What would happen when Scott got home?

         I’ve spent a lot of time asking questions and listening to people who are running from God.  This is one of their big fears:

· How will God respond when I come back?

· Will God forgive me – or does He just want to punish me?

· All these bad things that have happened– what if God is doing them to me?  What if they are not just the consequences of running, but the wrath of an angry God?

· If I return to God, what will I say?  What will I do? 

· What will God say?  What will God do?

· Is God waiting with a hammer to punish me? 

· Is God going to pile on to make sure I learn my lesson?

I want to answer that question - what you can expect from God when you come home.  We pick up the story in verse 20:      

20“…But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him..

…and said, “Good night boy.  Where have you been?  You need to take a bath.  You are nasty.  Get away from me.  You smell like pigs.”  That’s not how it went. 

…he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

         Every day, with hope in his heart, the Father stood on the porch, watching and waiting.  Dad knew his son had to return home if he ever wanted to experience real joy again.  

Then, one day, the heartbroken father saw someone limping toward the house, his feet blistered from a long walk.  At first he thought it was a stranger, but as the figure drew close, he realized it was his son.  The father jumped off the porch and ran down the road to welcome him.  He threw his arms around his son and held him, never wanting to let him go.  Dad wept, not tears of sorrow, but tears of joy.  What a beautiful picture of God’s love for you.

         Scott was stunned.  Instead of being rejected by his father, he was accepted.  At that moment, it dawned on him: Dad’s love had never changed. 

Just like the father in the story, God watches and waits – for the moment you decide to return to His presence, His love and His blessings.  God is waiting for you to come home. 

         The father didn’t just stand on the porch with his arms crossed.  As soon as he realized it was his son coming back, he took off running toward him. 

God doesn’t say, “Sorry, you’ve got to get all the way back and make everything right – then I’ll love you again.”  God is not only waiting for you, God meets you on the road. 

Song: Time and Time Again https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jkD3b44llo

The moment – the very moment you turn your heart towards Him, He runs to you.  I call it, “Aggressive Grace”. 

Aggressive grace seeks you out.  Aggressive grace pursues you.  This is not just a place where grace is received, it is actively, aggressively given.  We aren’t aggressively angry.  We are aggressively forgiving.

If you are sitting by someone who invited you, this is why they asked.  It’s not enough to say, “If you show up, we’ll love you.”  We have to do more than that.  The person who invited you loves you with an aggressive, acting, seeking, never giving up grace, just like the Dad in Jesus’ story.

         The father ran to Scott.  Dad didn’t make Scott walk the rest of the way alone.  Instead, Dad walked the last mile with him.  Remember – this all happened before Scott even gave his little speech.  He hadn’t even said “I’m sorry” when Dad walked home with him, arm in arm. 

         You fear that walk – the walk home.  “I’ve messed up and everybody knows it.  How will I ever walk back in church?  How can I ever ask for prayer?”  Scott, didn’t walk alone.  And, you won’t walk alone. 

When you decide to come home: God meets you on the road.  You don’t have to figure out what to do, what to say, or what to fix.  Your loving Heavenly Father brings you home.  God loves you.

         I know – that almost seems too simple.  But, God loves you the whole time.  He loves you even when you rebel against Him.  He loves you when you leave.  He loves you when you are living your way instead of His.  He loves you when you realize you are miserable without Him.  He loves you now.   Romans 8:38 says:

Rom. 8:38…I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

         God loves you. 

         Listen to what one of my friends wrote:

I don’t deserve grace but God says I do. I am not worth a second chance but God say I am. I find it amazing that even when we choose to walk so far from Him, even when we choose to participate in negative, disgusting behaviors, He chooses to love us. He chooses to love me in my nasty stinking sin. He chooses to love me in my redeemed life too. His grace, His forgiveness is truly amazing!

· “But, Pastor Rod, you don’t know what I have done.” 

· God loves you.

· “You don’t know what I have said.”  God loves you.

· “I’ve done so much”.  God loves you. 

· Won’t you please come home? 

SONG: Pride of a Father   https://youtu.be/SCFX6bobXMI

PRAYER

         Scott and his Dad stood and hugged.  Finally, when all the tears were cried, Scott said the words:

         21‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 

         I wonder – would it have gone that way if Dad hadn’t run out to meet him?  I don’t know but, the principle modeled is that repentanceis in response to love.  That’s not always the way we think.  Unfortunately, we tend to love people after repentance.  God loves people to and throughrepentance.  His unfailing love and kindness leads to repentance.  Romans 2:4

“…God’s kindness leads you toward repentance…”

         God’s kindness leads to repentance – not the regret, guilt or shame that play on repeat in your mind.  Condemnation is not from God – it is His kindness that leads to repentance because where condemnation reject, kindness welcomes.

When I asked some of my friends to share their stories about running and coming back to God, one of my questions was: “What made you come back?”  One of my really good friends replied with a comment that brought tears to my eyes.  She wrote:

Short answer on why I came back is you.  You really loved me back and were a genuine friend.  You’re the real deal. 

         What an honor to be part of loving someone back to God!  Youcan do that.  You can be part of demonstrating His love - even while people are far away!

I wonder if while he was away, Scott ran into people who reminded him of his Dad.  When he interacted with them, he remembered what it was like at home.  

I want to be someone who reminds people on the run of their Heavenly Father’s love.  When they interact with me, I want them to remember what it was like to be home.

         Scott said his speech.  What you expect the father to say is:  “I told you so.  That’s what happens when you leave home.  That’s what happens when you hurt your Dad.  That’s what happens when you don’t follow my advice.  I told you so.  I told you that was going to happen.  You should have listened to me.” 

That’s what we do, isn’t it?  If your kids mess up, and admit it, you follow with a really long lecture.  “See where it got you?  I’m going to let you come in this house, but first, what did you learn?” 

         I wonder - How often do we lecture prodigals to make sure they learn the lesson that is the reason they came home in the first place?  Listen to this story:

I went to my sisters that night - long story short there was a bad situation that happened with fighting, drinking, and police. Considering I had neverencountered anything like that, I cried like a baby for several hours.  I was terrified. My parents said nothing when they picked me up lol. I think they figured I was already getting my spiritual whooping from the Lord.  

         Sounds like wise parents. 

         Scott’s father didn’t lecture him.  His response was remarkable – a beautiful picture of the love of a father – and our Heavenly Father.  The son began his speech, “Father, I have sinned…I’m no longer worthy to be called your son”.  In response, Dad started giving orders to his servants:

22”Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him.  Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.” 

Rather than the son becoming a slave and waiting on the father, the father had the slaves waiting on his son.  All the privileges of sonship were restored.

         It’s important to realize – the blessings were not restored until repentance occurred.  God has wonderful blessings for you as His child.  But, when you choose to walk away from the house of the Father, the blessings are no longer yours.  Things go wrong.  You make horrible financial decisions.  Relationships fail.

         If you have run from God, you may assume since you no longer experience His blessings, that He no longer loves you. That’s not true.  God’s blessings are separate from His love. When you run from God, He still loves you.  His love never ends and always pursues you. 

You lose the blessings when you run, but when you return, God’s blessings are restored.  His plan for your life is still intact.  When you come home, God restores you. 

You assume God wants to punish you or bless you less because of your rebellion.  Not God!  God says, “You are my son.  You are my daughter.  You are my child whom I love.  Welcome Home!”   

         You can be in ministry.  You can sing in the choir.  You can work in the parking lot.  You can be on a prayer team.  You can be a member of our church.  You can be a pastor in the church. God restores you.  All we do is affirmHis restoration.  You are whole and complete – like you never left. 

Angie wrote:

Some amazing Christ-like people opened their arms and their hearts to accept me and my family.  What felt like a slow crawl back to the cross of Christ was actually the beginning of a journey that would eventually lead me to the loving embrace of my True Father.  The healing took time but I quickly grew back into a daily walk with Him.  I found myself leading worship on Sundays and teaching a bible study group.

         Another friend wrote:

…after that I turned to the Lord full force and the funny thing is, I became even more passionate than I had ever been in my walk with God and he showed himself so very strong to me.  In fact it was one of the BEST seasons I've experienced in my walk.  I was so uncomfortable trying to be in the world!  God helped me realize that there is an insurmountable safety in the arms of God and that the world has nothing but discomfort, death, and temporary "fun".  I thank God for drawing me back…

Dad continued:

23Bring the fattened calf and kill it.  Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

When you make the decision to come home – to return to your Heavenly Father, there is a celebration in heaven.  If you are offended by shouting and celebrating, you’re going to have a tough time in Heaven because every time someone comes home, Heaven throws an all-out, crazy exciting, out of control party. 

God celebrates when you come home!  No matter what you have done or how far you have gone, it’s a celebration!

We should do the same when someone comes back to Jesus.  It should kick off a crazy, wild, excited celebration - with laughing, shouting and tears of joy because someone has come home! 

If you have been running from God, now you know what to expect.  That’s how God will respond and that’s how we will respond.  We will love you, encourage you and celebrate your decision to come home. 

Welcome Home Party before and after services – Décor, Cupcakes, Doughnuts