COMING HOME FOR VALENTINE’S DAY!
Luke 15:11-32
INTRODUCTION: Lord I’m Coming Home was written by William J. Kirkpatrick in answer to his prayer for a lost soloist that did not know the Lord. The story Jesus told of the prodigal son is a perfect fit to this great hymn. At the end of the story there was great rejoicing because this prodigal son finally came to his senses and came home. The story of the prodigal son was written so that all the prodigals of all time will know that God still loves them and is reaching out to them and desiring them to come back home to Him. God wants you to come to your senses and to want to come back home to Him as your Valentine this year. Even though our Lord has said He hates divorce: Malachi 2:15-16: he had compassion on the woman at the well who had been divorced five times and when she chose Jesus as her Valentine, He greatly used her for His glory.
I. A SON’S BAD DECISION!
Luke 15:11: the basis of this story is about the love the father had for his two sons. The older son was self-righteous and the younger son was rebellious. The younger rebellious brother had a desire to leave home and run his own life: Luke 15:12. Here is the just of the story: we are not robots and our heavenly Father will not force us to serve Him or even to choose to trust in Him. Sadly, many people like the rebellious prodigal son do not want to be close to their heavenly Father.
II. THE TRAGIDY OF REBELLION!
Luke 15:13: this young man wanted out, he had had enough of his father’s rules. He wanted no one over him and he wanted the fast and lose life. There were many things he loved more than his father. This young man threw cation to the wind and wasted all his father’s money in a short time. Luke 15:14-16; Proverbs 13:15. Now wouldn’t you just know it: as his father’s money ran out a famine hit the land. He soon learned he had no money, no friends, and no way to get food to eat. Here is this young Jewish boy feeding pigs and wound up wanting to eat the pig slop. But the good news is that at his lowest point, the young prodigal came to his senses.
III. COMING TO HIS SENSES!
Luke 15:17-20: it was an aha moment for this young man. Now the Bible doesn’t call this an aha moment but that is exactly what it was: Luke 15:17. This aha moment would change this prodigal son’s way of thinking, it would change the direction of his life, it would change his desires and it would change his destiny. All the far country had brought this prodigal was suffering and shame. Now he is thinking of home and the love of his father and the constant supply not only to the family his father loved but even to the servants of his father and how well fed they all were. Our heavenly Father wants to extend to every prodigal His valentine. The day of our salvation begins the day we come to our senses and head home to our heavenly Father. Luke 15;20. Our heavenly Father, just like the prodigal’s father isn’t shaking his fist at us, He is running toward us pulling us close to him even if we smell like pigs and loving us back into His family. Luke 15:21-24. This was not a time of mourning but a time of celebration. This father, just like our heavenly Father wanted to give his son the greatest Valentine ever, full- fledged forgiveness and a warm welcome back into the family. God wants to be our Valentine today. Is it time for you to leave the pig pen of life and return to your heavenly Father?