Theme: Finding Them, Keeping Them

Text: Luke 15:17-20

Title: Going Home, Another Way

Introduction: One of the most dangerous things a body of believers at a church can do is assume that everyone who comes to church is a Christian.  We cannot assume that everyone who leaves church has made a decision to follow Christ.  I know some have come today with different attitudes, different lifestyles and different issues.  But if you have come here today and you don’t know Christ as your Lord and personal Savior, then today is mighty good day to accept Christ; and, you will not have to leave the same way you came.  You can go home another way today.  This is the purpose of the sermon today—to encourage someone to turn your life around and go home another today.

This text is one of three parables uttered from the mouth of the Messiah.  It is one of three spoken from the lips of the Lord.  It is one of three told by Jesus.  In this third parable that He presents to His audience is about the prodigal son.  However, I must agree with other writers, who believe that this parable is concerned about not just one prodigal son, but two.  The only difference is: one strayed and one stayed.

·        (v.11-12) It was unusual in the Jewish culture for the son to receive any inheritance while the parent lived.  In doing so, the son made a sharp break with his father, his family and the community.

·        (v.13) The son took his part and left.  The father did not go after him

I.                 There Must Be a Reality Check (17)

·        He came to himself.  Dr. B.W. McClendon said, “One of the hardest thing for a man to do is to be honest with himself about himself.”

·        Until he did a reality check he felt like he would be better off to have dined with the swine. 

II.             There Must Be an Act of Repentance (17b-20a) (repent means to have a change of mind)

·        CBT Smith says, “Repentance is a turning from and turning to.” (Isaiah 55:6-7)

·        (demonstrate what repentance is and what it is not)

III.         There Should be a Reception (20b-24)

·        This reception is not one of welcome, but protection, at first.  The father wanted to protect the son from the hostile village.

·        This was an act of emergency because the father ran, and in this culture older men didn’t run unless it was an emergency. (and it is a state of emergency when one makes a change)

·        (v.22-24) It was a party for the son who came home another way.

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