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The Home Coming
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Jesus told of a story of a man who had two sons.
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Luk 15:11 Then Jesus said, "A man had two sons.
Luk 15:12 The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So the father divided his property between them.
Luk 15:13 A few days later, the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country. There he wasted his possessions on wild living.
Luk 15:14 After he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need.
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The younger son decided to take his share of the inheritance and spend it in wild life style. Shortly after he spent his money, there was a famine in the country
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Luk 15:15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs.
Luk 15:16 He would gladly have filled himself with the husks the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
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The younger son was living in a deprived state.
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Luk 15:17 "Then he came to his senses and said, 'How many of my father's hired men have more food than they can eat, and here I am starving to death!
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He starts thinking about the times when he was back at home, how he had all that he needed and here he had nothing and no one even cared.
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Luk 15:18 I will get up, go to my father, and say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and you.
Luk 15:19 I don't deserve to be called your son anymore. Treat me like one of your hired men."'
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He understood that what he had done was shameful and hurtful to his father. He wanted to return home but didn't know how he could be accepted by his father after all he had done to him. He rehearsed his lines of how he would appologize to his father and then ask him to accept him as a servant. |
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Luk 15:20 "So he got up and went to his father. While he was still far away, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, threw his arms around him, and kissed him affectionately.
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The father was waiting all these years anticipating the day his son would return. On seeing him a far off , he ran to meet him. There he hugged and kissed him affectionately
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Luk 15:21 Then his son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and you. I don't deserve to be called your son anymore.'
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His son was reciting all that he wanted to tell his father, how he had sinned against him and how he was unworthy to be his son. It is so beautiful how the father forgave him and didn't even wait for his son to complete his explanation.
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Luk 15:22 But the father said to his servants, 'Hurry! Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
Luk 15:23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let's eat and celebrate!
Luk 15:24 For my son was dead and has come back to life. He was lost and has been found.' And they began to celebrate.
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The father celebrated, at his son's home coming, saying his son was dead and now alive, he was lost and now found. There was this burst of affection that the father was waiting to show his son, to tell him that he was well accepted no matter what he had done. He was just happy that he was back |
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It is the same way today, many people think that God's waiting with a stick to make them feel bad and condemn them. But that's so far from the truth, He's waiting for each one to return home, to forgive their past, and not even bring it up again. You might think your unworthy to be associated with Him, but He says come back, be my child and let us celebrate together.
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The Bible says "That God desires that all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth." 1 Timothy 2:4
God's desire is that man would have evelasting life
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him may be saved.
Man's position when he rejects God's invitation
John 3:18 He that believeth on him, is not condemned: but he that believeth not, is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God.
John 3:19 And this is the basis for judgment: The light has come into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light because their actions were evil.
John 3:20 For everyone who practices wickedness hates the light and does not come to the light, so that his actions may not be exposed.
John 3:21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that all may see that his actions have been done in God."
Deutronomy 30:19 "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life..."
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