“Going Home”
Luke 15
1Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.
2And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.
3And he spake this parable unto them, saying,
4What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?
5And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
6And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.
7I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.
8Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it?
9And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost.
10Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
11And he said, A certain man had two sons:
12And 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.
13And 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.
14And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
15And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
16And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
17And 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!
18I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
19And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
20And 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.
21And 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.
22But 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:
23And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:
24For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
25Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.
26And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.
27And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.
28And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.
29And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:
30But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.
31And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.
32It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.
Perhaps there is no greater story depicting homesickness than the parable of the Prodigal Son, which also, perhaps, offers us the greatest biblical image of someone returning to their home…
A parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning…set here on earth, it enables us to think of heavenly things, and change our worldly perspective.
Author Henri Nouwen wrote a book about the Prodigal Son that encouraged readers to consider a famous painting about that parable…and imagine the perspectives of all of the individuals depicted within its framework…
What comes to mind when you think of “Home” ?
When you’re “at home,” you take “home” for granted. But when you’re away from home, and you need something that’s at home, it’s aggravating.
There’s nothing worse than getting sick when you’re away from home…you really can’t wait until you can get back home.
Words we connect with the concept of home: Comfort. Food. Rest. Family.
Biblical images of home: Adam and Eve (the first home); Joseph (wanted to go home worse than anything, but never did), Moses (he and the Children of Israel were in search of a home); Job (Lost his home, and everything that comes with a home – but it was all restored to him in the end, because of his faithfulness), …Jesus – couldn’t heal anyone, because of the doubt of the people:
Matthew 13: 54-58 “ And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things? And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house. And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.”
The tragedy of the story of Adam and Eve, is that they had to leave their heavenly home.
The beauty of the Gospel is that we may GO to a heavenly home – if we make our live RIGHT WITH GOD, our FATHER…who loves us…and patiently waits for us - where a feast awaits us at the great dining table of God.
When we pass from this life into the next, we are all going to spend eternity somewhere; (I want you to ask yourself) where will my home be in eternity? Where will my last Homecoming be? In a heavenly place of rest and comfort, with God as my heavenly Father, and Christ as my elder brother? Or will my home be a place separated from God, rest, comfort, Christian friends and family for all eternity? We each have to choose our final address…the saints of God who have gone on before us are waiting for us there, and cheering us on…it’s up to us whether we’ll be reunited with them.
Ezekiel 3:18
When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
Ezekiel 3:20
Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumbling-block before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
Luke 15
1Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.
2And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.
3And he spake this parable unto them, saying,
4What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?
5And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
6And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.
7I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.
8Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it?
9And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost.
10Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
11And he said, A certain man had two sons:
12And 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.
13And 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.
14And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
15And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
16And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
17And 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!
18I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
19And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
20And 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.
21And 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.
22But 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:
23And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:
24For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
25Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.
26And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.
27And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.
28And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.
29And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:
30But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.
31And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.
32It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.
Perhaps there is no greater story depicting homesickness than the parable of the Prodigal Son, which also, perhaps, offers us the greatest biblical image of someone returning to their home…
A parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning…set here on earth, it enables us to think of heavenly things, and change our worldly perspective.
Author Henri Nouwen wrote a book about the Prodigal Son that encouraged readers to consider a famous painting about that parable…and imagine the perspectives of all of the individuals depicted within its framework…
What comes to mind when you think of “Home” ?
When you’re “at home,” you take “home” for granted. But when you’re away from home, and you need something that’s at home, it’s aggravating.
There’s nothing worse than getting sick when you’re away from home…you really can’t wait until you can get back home.
Words we connect with the concept of home: Comfort. Food. Rest. Family.
Biblical images of home: Adam and Eve (the first home); Joseph (wanted to go home worse than anything, but never did), Moses (he and the Children of Israel were in search of a home); Job (Lost his home, and everything that comes with a home – but it was all restored to him in the end, because of his faithfulness), …Jesus – couldn’t heal anyone, because of the doubt of the people:
Matthew 13: 54-58 “ And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things? And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house. And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.”
The tragedy of the story of Adam and Eve, is that they had to leave their heavenly home.
The beauty of the Gospel is that we may GO to a heavenly home – if we make our live RIGHT WITH GOD, our FATHER…who loves us…and patiently waits for us - where a feast awaits us at the great dining table of God.
When we pass from this life into the next, we are all going to spend eternity somewhere; (I want you to ask yourself) where will my home be in eternity? Where will my last Homecoming be? In a heavenly place of rest and comfort, with God as my heavenly Father, and Christ as my elder brother? Or will my home be a place separated from God, rest, comfort, Christian friends and family for all eternity? We each have to choose our final address…the saints of God who have gone on before us are waiting for us there, and cheering us on…it’s up to us whether we’ll be reunited with them.
Ezekiel 3:18
When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
Ezekiel 3:20
Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumbling-block before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
No comments:
Post a Comment