THE WAY BACK HOME

THE WAY BACK HOME

In Luke chapter fifteen we find a story that Jesus told that we call, “The Prodigal Son.” The story is a very moving story about a wayward son and how he came to his senses and returned home to his father.

I want to discuss the process of him returning to his father.

In verse eleven Jesus said, "A man had two sons.” he went on to say that the younger of the two sons wanted his share of the inheritance. The father co-operates and divides it between the two sons.

In essence, the younger son was saying, that the father might as well be dead; that he didn't care about his personal relationship with his father at all. The only thing that mattered to him was the inheritance. He wanted his independence and shortly took off took off to a far country.

He spends his whole wealth, and soon begins to be in need because of a famine. The son did not have much foresight, or knowledge of the consequences of his actions.

He ends up feeding pigs. Picture this, a Jewish young man feeding unclean pigs which his family was forbidden to eat under the laws of Moses. On top of all this his boss must not have provided for his employees basic need for food. and no one in the country would give him any food, and he was so hungry that he was tempted to eat the pig's food.

It was at this point that the young man hits bottom, and comes to his senses.

How many of us have had to watch family members and friends hit bottom? I have even ask God to raise the bottom for some of my loved ones, because I couldn't imagine them going any lower. The sad fact is that many prodigals will not make a change in their lives until they bottom out.

1. The way back home begins when he comes to his senses.
God will allow a wayward child to suffer from the consequences of their sins so they will come to their senses.

God is not an enabler. Enablers hinder a person from bottoming out so they might come to their senses.

2. The way back home starts by making a decision, he decided to return home and throw himself on his father's mercy.
Change always start with a decision.

This young man had come to his senses and now he was going home to his father. He knew that his condition would never change unless he returned to his father.

This is so true for the those wayward sons and daughters of God who have hit bottom, they need to realize that it is in the returning to the Father that they will find what they really need.

3. The way back home is through humility, the young man had become humble.

The Young man said to himself, “I will tell my dad that I am no longer worthy to be called your son, and I am going ask him to make me one of your hired hands.”

He thought to himself, that least if his father does disown him, that being one of his servants is still far better than feeding pigs and going hungry.

He wasn't making any demands anymore, he just wants to be back home.

Have you left the Father?
Have you been living far way from him in the world?
Have you found that living in the world has left you empty?

Maybe you have found yourself in a situation that you could have never imagined.

You still remember how it was when you were with the Father, but you think in your heart, “there is no way he will ever take me back after what you have done.”

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1John 1:9 )

If you read through the Story of the prodigal in Luke 15, then you will see that his father not only received him, but restored him, not as a hired hand, but as his son.

This is all a picture of how the Father will also receive and restore all his wayward children who come back to him.

Prayer
Father God, I am just like that wayward son, I have treated you with contempt, and I have wandered into the world thinking it was there that I would find what I wanted. It was all a lie. I have finally come to my senses and I am coming back to you. I confess my sin and realize that I do not deserve anything but judgment for the way I have been living. You are faithful and just to forgive me of my sin and to cleanse me of all unrighteousness. I thank you for receiving me and restoring me. In the name of Jesus, with thanksgiving I pray, amen.