The Church That Was Worth Coming Home To

The Church That Was Worth Coming Home To

Text: Psalm 122:1–9

Theme: Homecoming Sunday

Big Idea: The church should be a place where God's people rejoice to gather, remember God's faithfulness, pray for God's work, and love one another.

Introduction

Today is a special day.

It is Homecoming Sunday.

For many of us, Homecoming brings back memories. We remember people who have sat beside us in these pews. We remember Sunday School teachers who invested in us. We remember pastors who preached the Word of God. We remember songs that were sung, prayers that were prayed, weddings that took place, babies that were dedicated, people who were baptized, and loved ones who have gone on to be with the Lord.

Some of you have been coming to this church for decades.

Some of you grew up here.

Some of you were saved here.

Some of you were married here.

Some of you have buried loved ones from here.

And some of you may be visiting today because you haven't been back in a long time.

That's why I love the idea of Homecoming.

Because homecoming reminds us that where we come from matters.

But there is something even more important than remembering the church we came from.

We need to remember why we came.

We didn't gather today simply because this is a building.

We didn't gather because of a name on a sign.

We didn't gather because of traditions.

We gathered because God has called His people together.

Psalm 122 begins with one of the most joyful statements in all of the Psalms:

“I rejoiced with those who said to me, ‘Let’s go to the house of the LORD.’”

— Psalm 122:1, CSB

David didn't say, "I have to go to church."

He said, "I rejoiced."

There was something special about going to the house of God.

And on this Homecoming Sunday, I want us to think about this:

What makes a church a place worth coming home to?

Because buildings get older.

Programs change.

Pastors change.

People change.

Generations come and go.

But there are some things that should never change.

So today, I want us to look at four characteristics of a church worth coming home to.

Absolutely. I think that will make the sermon much more consistent, especially since you're going to be putting each point and subpoint on its own slide.

I would keep the material we've already developed, but organize it like this:

The Church That Was Worth Coming Home To

Psalm 122:1–9

Big Idea

The church should be a place where God's people rejoice to gather, remember God's faithfulness, pray for God's work, and love one another.

1. A Church Worth Coming Home To Is a Place to Rejoice

Psalm 122:1

A. We Rejoice Because We Have Been Saved

We were sinners, but Jesus saved us.

We were lost, but Jesus found us.

We were separated from God, but Jesus reconciled us.

We didn't earn it; Jesus paid for it.

B. We Rejoice Because We Don't Have to Walk Alone

Life is hard, but God gives us His people.

The church encourages us.

The church helps carry our burdens.

We don't have to face life's difficulties by ourselves.

C. We Rejoice Because God Is Still Working

People are still being saved.

Lives are still being changed.

Children are still learning God's Word.

Prayers are still being answered.

God isn't finished with His church.

2. A Church Worth Coming Home To Is a Place to Remember

Psalm 122:2–4

Here I would divide the material into three very natural subpoints:

A. We Remember Those Who Came Before Us

This fits everything we said about:

Those who prayed.

Those who gave.

Those who served.

Sunday School teachers.

Choir members.

Deacons.

Pastors.

Parents and grandparents.

Faithful people who invested their lives in the church.

Key thought:

We are standing on ground that somebody else prepared.

B. We Remember What God Has Done

This takes the sermon from simply remembering people to remembering God's faithfulness.

God answered prayers.

God saved people.

God sustained the church.

God carried the church through difficult seasons.

God has been faithful through every generation.

Key thought:

Homecoming isn't just about remembering what happened here; it's about remembering what God did here.

C. We Remember So We Can Move Forward

This gives Point 2 a forward-looking finish.

We shouldn't live in yesterday.

Yesterday's victories can't become today's excuse.

The God who worked then is still working now.

We can thank God for the past while trusting Him with the future.

Key thought:

We remember the past with gratitude, but we face the future with faith.

3. A Church Worth Coming Home To Is a Place to Pray

Psalm 122:6–7

This one also divides very naturally:

A. We Pray for Our Church

Pray for its ministries.

Pray for its leadership.

Pray for its families.

Pray for its future.

Pray that Christ will always be honored here.

Key thought:

The church's future doesn't ultimately depend on us—it depends on God.

B. We Pray for Our Community

Pray for the lost.

Pray for families.

Pray for children.

Pray for those who are hurting.

Pray for opportunities to share Christ.

This makes the church look outside its walls, which is important.

C. We Pray Before We Try to Fix Everything

This gives you the practical application section:

What if before we complained, we prayed?

What if before we worried, we prayed?

What if before we criticized, we prayed?

What if before we made plans, we prayed?

Key thought:

A praying church is a dependent church, and a dependent church is a powerful church.

4. A Church Worth Coming Home To Is a Place to Belong

Psalm 122:8–9

And this is probably the strongest place for three subpoints:

A. Home Is Where People Know You

They know your name.

They know your family.

They know when something is wrong.

They know when you're hurting.

They know when you're celebrating.

Key thought:

Church isn't supposed to be a place where you are just another face in the crowd.

B. Home Is Where People Miss You When You're Gone

Somebody notices when you're absent.

Somebody checks on you.

Somebody calls.

Somebody asks about your family.

Not because of attendance numbers, but because we care about people.

Key thought:

When somebody is missing, the church should feel their absence.

C. Home Is Where People Help Carry Your Burdens

Galatians 6:2

“Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” — Galatians 6:2, CSB

When somebody hurts, we hurt with them.

When somebody rejoices, we rejoice with them.

When somebody falls, we help them back up.

When somebody struggles, we don't kick them while they're down.

Key thought:

That's what a church family does.

The progression is now really strong

It gives you a clear movement through the entire sermon:

1. REJOICE

What God has given us

2. REMEMBER

What God has done

3. PRAY

What we need God to do

4. BELONG

How we live together

And then the conclusion brings everything together:

A church worth coming home to is a church that rejoices in God's salvation, remembers God's faithfulness, prays for God's work, and loves God's people.

Thank God for yesterday.Serve God today.

Serve God today.Trust God for tomorrow.

Trust God for tomorrow.