I Want To Go Home

Reading from Hebrews 11:1-16

People get homesick, whether they’re going off to summer camp, joining the military, off to college, or just getting married and moving out; people get homesick. (Others of us get sick of home).

What or where do you consider ‘Home’?

· Maybe it’s where you are from or where you were born.

· For many it’s where mom and dad are.

· For others it’s wherever they currently live.

· Some would say “home is where the heart is.” It may even be all of the above.

· Lot’s wife didn’t want to leave here home.

o Genesis 19:26 But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.

· Daniel and his friend were taken from their homes.

o Daniel 1:3-4 And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king's seed, and of the princes; 4 Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.

· The Prodigal son ran away from home.

o Luke 15:11-32

§ (Preached in 2015)

· The Children of Israel longed to return home though they had a hope for a better home.

o Exodus – the people murmured against Moses

· The heroes of the faith longed for a better home.

o Hebrews 11:16

What is it that causesa person to want to return home? The Heart does! Which gives credence to “home is where the heart is.”

What is it that God longs to possess? Our heart.

· Matthew 6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

· Home is where you feel loved and you feel safe.

Why do we have a Homecoming Celebration? (Try to get an answer)

· Are we hoping to build the church by getting folks back?

· Do we long to see some that have long since moved on?

· Do we just need a reason to fellowship, aka to eat?

Do any of our reasons for having a Homecoming glorify God?

· Instead of hoping to build the church by getting folks back,

o Why not evangelize the community?

· Instead of longing to see some that have long since moved on,

o Why don’t you go see them?

o Did you invite people to come today?

· Instead of gathering to eat physical food,

o What if we all just came every Sunday and had Gospel fellowship while feasting on the word of God?

The purpose of a Homecoming Celebration should be to remember past blessings of God and the people that came before who gave their lives to the glorifying of the Lord, and to the furtherance of His Kingdom.

Considering yet again, “home is where the heart is”, consider the words of the Psalmist.

Psalms 27:4 One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.

That is eternal life, and to receive it “ye must be born again.” Jesus said so. He said, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3.

Again, the heroes of the Faith longed for a better home. Look at Hebrews 11:13-16.

13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

· See here that we are not of this world. We too are strangers and pilgrims. That is why Jesus said, “In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” John 14:2-3. Heaven is our home.

o This is the promise we have from our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Heaven is our promised land.

14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.

· It says they declared plainly, leaving non doubt in what they believed.

· What say you? Do you not confess that you are strangers and pilgrims headed for a heavenly home? Do you testify of your love for the Saviour, longing to be with Him?

15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.

· If they had dwelled on the things of their past, then they might have longed for them. It is the same for us.

· Truly if you believe your home is here on earth you might indeed long to stay here.

16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

· We need to be homesick for our heavenly home and not our earthly home.

· I’m fearful of getting started on the latter part of the verse.

And yet, If you haven’t sought to see Jesus in the here and now, why do you pine away suggesting that you long to see Him in the hereafter? I promise you this, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3.

Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of elderly people longing to see Jesus who have lived a life dedicated to Him. I understand this.

I’m speaking more to the lost, and backslidden professing Christians than to anyone else.

People lay on their death bed declaring they are ready to go see Jesus, when they can’t tell you the last time they opened a Bible, or when they went to Church in hopes of hearing from this same Jesus. They kept oversleeping; they couldn’t get up and get ready. (Excuses growing into habits).

I’ve seen half dead saints come to church when far more healthy professors of Christ lay comfortably in their beds catching up on their sleep.

We are commanded by the word of God to SEEK GOD! Hunger and thirst for righteousness. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God…” the Bible says.

Look at what Jesus said in Luke 13:24-28. (I know you not).

If you are a born-again child of God, then you are living the hereafter life in the here and now! And there should be some evidence of your having been born-again!

Where is your fruit ye professors of the faith? Can you testify of the goodness and grace of God? Can you tell me what Jesus has done for you? And can you tell me what you have done for Jesus?

Someone who is about to die will say things like, I’m getting ready to go home” or I’m getting ready to meet Jesus.” Well, whether you are on your death bed or not, you had better be getting ready to meet Jesus!

The phrase, “I’m ready to go home” implies that you are ready to return to somewhere you once were. John 15:19 seems to imply that we were once of this world and not necessarily of another world/place.

John 15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. When HE chose you out, you were born-again meaning you were born from above! Thereby born in a new place, a new home, a heavenly home.

John 17:16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. We are not of this world only through the blood of Jesus Christ and the Grace of Almighty God!

Ecclesiastes 12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

We all come from God in some way or another - In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. Genesis 1:1-2.

All things are created by God. In other words, we are not of this world. This is not our home. The longing of our heart should be for that place where our Heavenly Father is.