Coming Home

I love going home to my “old stomping grounds”, as my parents like to say. It’s wonderful to go and see familiar, friendly places, and even to smell the difference in the air. But most importantly I love the reception that I get — it is always a warm, loving embrace and the words, “I’m so glad you’re home!” I know that this isn’t the norm for many people, and I do feel blessed having grown up in a loving home with two parents who were always there for me. It wasn’t perfect, but it was genuine and full of love.

In Luke 15, Jesus tells a parable about a son returning home and the reception he receives. It’s a familiar story, and one that many people know, even those who aren’t followers of Christ. Even though the son had basically run away turning his  back on his family, He was still welcomed home warmly by his father, much to the displeasure of the older brother who had stayed home. And because it is so familiar it is easy to quickly skim over it, but in doing so we miss out on so much of what God is trying to teach us. This parable is a wonderful picture of the Gospel, and so it is good for us to slow down, take it all in, and allow the message of forgiveness, grace, and love to fill our whole vision. For that reason we’re going to use the next three weeks to look at the story, each week focusing on a different character in the story — first the prodigal son, second the older brother, and finally the Father. To help you prepare for this series read over Luke 15 a few times. Read it slowly and thoughtfully, meditating on the message Jesus is sharing with us, and come prepared on Sunday to enter into the story. Our gathering begins at 6pm.

Pastor Mike