Welcome Home
Notes
Transcript
11 And he said, A certain man had two sons:
12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.
13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.
22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:
24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
Title: Welcome Home
Key Verse: “But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him…” (Luke 15:20)
There are three words every soul longs to hear: Welcome. Home. Child.
Even when you are the first time guest in someones home, we commonly say; “Make yourself at home!”.
But the beauty of this story is that one that grew up in the home, we still welcomed home!
No matter where you’ve been, what you’ve done, or how far you’ve wandered from God, WELCOME HOME!
Today’s I am preaching to the wanderer, the weary, the wounded, the confused, the ashamed, and the returning.
I am simply saying: Welcome Home.
I. THE DISTANCE WAS REAL — BUT THE DOOR WAS NEVER CLOSED
I. THE DISTANCE WAS REAL — BUT THE DOOR WAS NEVER CLOSED
Luke 15:13–14 - The younger son left home on purpose. It wasn’t an accident.
He walked away. He rejected his father’s wisdom. He followed his own desires.
But hear me → Distance does not destroy sonship.
He wasted:
Time
Money
Potential
Opportunities
But he could not waste -
The one thing he could not spend was his Father’s love.
The Father never changed his posture - he was anticipating the return of his child!
II. THE TURNING POINT — “HE CAME TO HIMSELF”
II. THE TURNING POINT — “HE CAME TO HIMSELF”
17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
This was a conversation he had with himself! - his thoughts!
Restoration doesn’t start in the pigpen— It starts in the mind and heart.
Why do ppl only wake up when they hit rock bottom? Human nature…
If he would have had the right conversations with himself from the beggining, he could have avoided the pigpen!
If he had had the right conversations somewhere along the journey, he could have avoided the pigpen!
POINT: WHEN YOU FAIL, YOU DON’T HAVE TO END UP IN THE PIGPEN!
When he finally got his thinking right, he said: “I will arise and go to my father.”
The enemy will tell you:
You’ve gone too far.
God is tired of you.
You’ve disappointed Him for the last time.
The family wont accept me.
But the Father says: Just come home.
The father was waiting on the front porch!
WELCOME TO THE FRONT PORCH!
Old proverb that says the journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step!
III. THE FATHER RAN
III. THE FATHER RAN
20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
This is the heart of the gospel.
The father did not wait for:
Explanations
Apologies
Proof of change
He ran!!!!
He embraced.
He kissed.
He covered.
This is not the picture of a God waiting to punish.
This is a God who ran to rescue.
The Father is faster than your failure.
His mercy outruns your mistakes.
IV. THE ROBE, THE RING, AND THE SHOES
IV. THE ROBE, THE RING, AND THE SHOES
Robe = Identity restored - Is 61.10
Ring = Authority restored - Esther 8.8
Shoes = Sonship restored - Eph 6.15
The Father didn’t restore him halfway.
He didn’t make him a servant.
He reaffirmed sonship!
God doesn’t just forgive sins — He restores identity.
V. THE CELEBRATION — “FOR MY SON WAS LOST AND NOW IS FOUND”
V. THE CELEBRATION — “FOR MY SON WAS LOST AND NOW IS FOUND”
24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
Heaven does not celebrate perfection.
Heaven celebrates return.
This is not a funeral—it’s a feast.
This is not but shame—but about salvation.
This is not about guilt—but about grace.
Not a returning to judgment— but a returning to joy.
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSION
Today, the Father is not pointing a finger - He is opening His arms.
He is not saying:
Explain yourself.
Earn your place.
Prove your worth.
He is simply saying: Welcome Home.
“Whether you are returning to God, or returning to your purpose, today is your day.”
If you are far from God — Come.
If you are tired — Come.
If you are broken — Come.
If you are ashamed — Come.
Come home.
Welcome home.
