1585 The Joy of Coming Home

God has an encouraging word for you and me today through the Bible-based preaching of Dr. Don Wilton on today's edition of The Encouraging Word.

In these next few moments, Dr. Wilton's message, The Joy of Coming Home, is in some ways inspired by the joy of getting back together. In these next few moments, you'll hear the very first time we've been able to gather again as a worship service. We'll be gathering in Barnett Park, spread out over seven acres, but thankfully being able to come back together to see each other, even from a six or eight foot distance, and worship the Lord together.

Perhaps you have been feeling that sense of disconnectedness, even if you can't be in the park with us. Right now, we would love to pray with you, and for you, we're connecting at tewonline.org. And while you're there, sign up for the daily Encouraging Word email from Dr. Don.

That's tewonline.org. Sign up for the email today, and you'll be receiving it tomorrow. Let's connect. And now, The Joy of Coming Home by Dr. Don Wilton. I'm going to be reading from Luke's Gospel and Chapter 15. If you have your Bibles with you or a means by which you can follow along in God's Word, I always encourage you to do this. Jesus told a most amazing story, and it was a real story. This actually happened. Some of you are going to say to me, how do you know that it actually happened? The reason I say that is because Jesus never had, never had the reason to concoct a story, to make up something. Jesus is truth. And when he told us this story, he was speaking about you, because you are here. He was talking about me.

I'm here. That's how much God loves you. And if you hear nothing today, I want you to know how much the Lord Jesus really loves you.

And we often use that wonderful passage in Romans, God is working all things together for the good of those that love him. That includes a virus. That includes a road accident. That includes your alcoholism. And I'm talking to you today because God is speaking to you. It includes your battle with that addiction. It includes the struggle that you have being faithful in your marriage.

It includes where you are today. God allows things to happen. He causes all things to come together. And you and I are not here by accident today, and you are not listening to this by mistake. In fact, you did not decide to come and to listen. You did not decide to come here today. God brought you here. You did not decide to tune in to stream live.

You are about to switch this off. Something stopped you. God did because he loves you. And this is what Jesus said in Luke chapter 15 and verse 11. It was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, Father, give me my share of the estate. So the father divided his property between them.

Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, and he set off for a distant country. And there he squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe virus that, I beg your pardon, severe famine that came across the whole country. And he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating. But no one gave him anything. When he came to his senses, he said, how many of my father's hired men have food to spare?

And here I am starving to death. I will sit out and I will go back to my father and say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I'm no longer worthy to be called your son.

Make me like one of your hired men. So he got up and he went back to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him. And he ran to his son and he threw his arms around him and he kissed him. The son said to him, Father, I've sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. But the father said to his servants, quick, bring the best robe and put it on him.

Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For the son of mine was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found.

And so they began to celebrate. I want to speak to you just for a few moments on the joy of coming home, the joy of coming back. I'm going to invite you today to come back home. I'm going to invite you today to come back to God.

I'm going to invite you today to take hold of this one who loves you so much. I want us to consider this relatively young man's life. Four things. Number one, he had it all. No doubt about it.

Bible tells us he had everything. Reminds me of me. Reminds me of my own life. It reminds me of our life together.

It reminds me even during a period of time like this when we look back and how readily we understand what we once had. He had it all. The second thing that we must consider is that he took it all. Something deep down inside of this young man began to dwell up. He said, I want what is mine.

All of a sudden his own self became the center of all that he owned, all of his possessions. I want. I want more.

I'm not content. A spirit of discontent entered his heart. Right there in the midst of all he had, the Bible says that he went to his father and he said, give me, give me, give me.

I want it all. And he took it all. Consider this man, what he did with it. Bible says he went into a far off land. He left his father's house. He went to another place and he spent it all. He took what was his, put it in the center of his own universe.

And the Bible says that he lived lavishly. He took what was his and he said, I'm going to do it my way. I'm going to live according to what I desire. I'm going to throw caution to the wind. I'm no longer going to consider the value of investment. I'm no longer even going to consider the consequence of my actions. I'm just simply going to take what is mine because it's mine. And I'm going anywhere I want. And I'm least of all not going to have my father's house telling me what I should do. I will no longer be accountable to anybody. And I no longer have any interest in community. And as to my spiritual connectedness, I'm going to lay everything aside and I'm going to walk away.

And I'm going to take what is mine. And that's exactly what he did. He had it all and he took it all and he spent it all. And as a result of that, verse 14 tells us he lost it all. He ended up in the bottom of a barrel. He ended up with nothing. And ultimately, he ended up with nothing in his heart. This young man came to a point, yes, where evidently he lost all his financial backing, his means of income, the ability to live and to live lavishly. But most of all, he lost his meaning. He lost his purpose. He lost his way. We have a picture here of a young man who was lonely, isolated in a far off distant land, trying to eat off the dregs of society, receiving very little help. Because hitherto up until that point, he genuinely believed that his possessions were the key to his friendships. And as soon as those possessions were gone, his friends fled.

They weren't to be found. Then the Bible tells us that this young man came to his senses. Verse 17, he came to his senses. All of a sudden, perhaps right there in his desperation, we see this picture. Jesus wants us to know that right there at the bottom of the barrel, at the hour of his greatest need, right there at the point of his own deathbed, the height of his loneliness, we find this young man coming to his senses.

And that's what it takes to. Are you willing to come to your senses? And to come to your senses means that all of a sudden, by the power of the Holy Spirit, you recognize that what you've walked away from is what you need to turn and walk back toward. That there is no greater place to be than right there in your Father's house. And that the greatest joy that you and I will ever experience is the joy of coming home. Jesus shared this story with us because he saw us, because he knows us. He stands here and he looks upon the crowd with compassion. He sees us seated in our chairs. He understands our needs. He recognizes the desperation of our addictions, our battles with alcohol. He recognizes the war that rages within us. And he sees us exactly where we are and he invites us to come to our senses. And today I'm going to invite you to come to your senses wherever you are. And God has been speaking to you.

God has been using this time to share with you just how much he loves you. And so it is Jesus wanted us to know that in this attitude of repentance toward God, this young man stood up and he began to head back in the opposite direction, away from the foreign land in which he found himself and directly toward his Father's house. That's what Jesus said. If you will turn from your wicked way, I will.

I will hear from heaven and I will forgive your sin. But you've got to be willing to get up and come to your senses and turn in the opposite direction and come back home. Jesus calls us to come back home. America, it's time for us to come back home. It's time for us to come back to God.

Indeed, time to come home. I pray that you know that as we interrupt, Dr. Don insists we do so so you know we can pray with you and for you. As we're praying for our country, praying for each other, our phone number is available 24 hours a day at 866-899-WORD.

Feel free to call. We would love to pray with you and for you at 866-899-9673. We also love connecting with great resources. If you haven't been to our website lately, TEWONLINE.ORG, there's a powerful resource about Daniel.

Here's Liz with all the details. This month at The Encouraging Word, we would like to spotlight a new ministry resource, the Book of Daniel DVD. By viewing this DVD, you will experience Daniel like never before.

It is an adventure of faith, courage of conviction and miracles. We hope this resource will encourage you to stand strong in your convictions and to be still and listen for God's instructions, then obey those instructions. Call us at 866-899-WORD and request the Book of Daniel for your gift of $20 or more in support of The Encouraging Word. Thank you for listening today. Again, that's a powerful resource on the Book of Daniel, but know that we're available for so much more, including prayer, right now at 866-899-WORD.

That's 866-899-9673. Now back to today's message with Dr. Don Wilton. I want you to celebrate with this young man as Jesus intended us to celebrate him with joy.

Note a couple of things. When he came to his home, first his father was home. Right there in his home. What was God telling us?

That without him we cannot. God is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. When this young man came home, he came home to where his father was. He came home to his family. There's a beautiful picture here of an incredible family.

The family of the Father, the family of God, yes, with all the different dispositions. Even the other son. You may be sitting next to the other son today.

You might be seated next to the other daughter today. That's why God brings us together. Because he loves us all. Even in our own disposition.

Even in our own struggles. His father was home. Not only was his father home, but his covering was at home. The Bible says that his father ordered that the best clothes should be prepared and placed on the back of his desperate son.

All of us need to be covered. Embraced by the warm embrace of the covering of our Heavenly Father. Bible tells us that when this man who was replete with blessings could have bought any motor car that he wanted to. Could have gone on any vacation he wanted to go. Could have bought any clothes that he desired. That he ended up with nothing. Nothing on his back. Nothing in his stomach.

And nothing in his heart. And he came back home and there was his father. And his father immediately placed on him the covering that would take care of the very essentials of the need even of his human body. It was right there in his father's home. Not only was his covering at home, but his ring was at home. The father turned to the servants and said get that ring.

Put it on his finger. Right there in the house of God. What is it all about? It's the ring of the covenant of God. God has made a covenant with all of those of us who are sinners in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son.

That whosoever believes in him comes into a covenant with him. Nearly 45 years ago I placed a ring on the finger of my bride. And from that day until this day that ring has symbolized a covenant between two people who love one another in sickness and in health.

Until death us do part. And the love born out of that is exemplified by the ring which we wear. And God when Jesus Christ gave his life for us he places that within our hearts. And through the shed blood of Jesus Christ he establishes his covenant with us and places a spiritual ring on our fingers. And the son went home and God placed that ring on his finger and said I am with you son.

I bide in you and you and me. I'm everlasting life. Oh when he came home his food was at home. Celebrate with joy Jesus wanted us to know. This young man came to his senses. Look what happened to him. His father was at home. His covering was at home. His ring was at home.

His food was at home. Bible told us Jesus wanted us to know that when he was on his own there was not even anything for him to eat. Jesus giving us a picture here about what it means to come back home to be part of a church family where the name of the Lord Jesus Christ is high and lifted up because it's right there among God's people in the presence of Almighty God. That you're going to read the word of God and feast upon the word of God. You're going to encounter the Spirit of the Living God who's going to guide you into all truth and your heart and your soul and your mind is going to become strengthened and fortified and nourished by the power of Spirit of God within you. Come back home.

I'm inviting you today to come to your senses my friend. God has a purpose for you and he loves you greatly. But finally and not conclusively his heart was at home. You and I all identify with that to greater and lesser degrees. No place like home. How much we've missed even in a practical sense. Just being able to gather together as a church at home.

How much we missed that fellowship together. How much we miss our homes. The places where we grew up. The things that we identify with. That place where we receive nourishment and instruction and accountability. That place where we grow spiritually in the knowledge and admonition of the Lord. That place where people love us even beyond reason.

I'm inviting you to come to your senses and come back home. In 1997 some football experts even contended that Ryan Leaf quarterback at Washington State was potentially more promising than the quarterback from the state of Tennessee. Brother Manning. They really believed that. Ryan Leaf came from a very fine family.

I've seen pictures of them like you have. Mother, father, brothers. Grew up in a wonderful environment. Hunting, fishing.

Doing things together. When it came to football they were there for him. As he rose up through the ranks of high school people began to say look at that young man.

He's got a lot of potential. Eventually went to Washington State where he excelled. And at the same time at the University of Tennessee Peyton Manning was becoming a household name. And so it was that at the NFL draft of 1998 people sat on the edge of their seats wondering who would be the number one pick. And it went to Peyton Manning. Drafted by the Indianapolis Colts.

Ryan Leaf was number two drafted by San Diego. And so it was this tall strapping young man with every kind of potential you could possibly imagine. How could anybody want anything more than to be a quarterback in the National Football League receiving the kind of payments that he did. He went from living in a beautiful home with wonderful parents.

A great college in the accolades of college life. To every promise you could possibly imagine. Drafted number two by the San Diego Chargers.

And almost from the very first game that he played. His ego took control of his life. Give it to me. The three things that were most important to him were money, power and prestige. That's Ryan Leaf's story.

What mattered to this young man more than anything else. I want to make money. I know you're giving me 40 million dollars a year but that's not enough. I'm worth more than that.

I want to have the power. It was roundly agreed to. One of the catch phrases during his greatest years at Washington State. It was said what was the difference between Ryan Leaf and God.

The difference was that God didn't think he was Ryan Leaf. And this young man began to strut his wares. And he said I'm going to major my life on money making. I'm going to use my money to demonstrate the power that I have. I'm going to rise in prestige because I'm somebody.

And we know the story. And very quickly his emphasis on money, power and prestige began to overtake the things that were fundamental to his life. He began to lay them aside. He began to bomb out one game after another. Lasting only a few short years at San Diego.

Being traded and then traded again. People would come up to him. Coaches that loved him and would say to him Ryan please come back home. And his parents would call him and say son come back home. And his pastor would say to him son Ryan come back home. And God would call out to him and say to him Ryan I love you come back home. Every time someone said no to him he discarded them.

He wrote them off the book. I'm not going to listen to the church. I'm not going to listen to that teacher. I'm no longer going to listen to my parents. I don't care about my home.

All I want is money and power and prestige. And so it was he began to take just one drink. Oh how innocent. What's wrong with that anyway? What's all the fuss?

Everybody else does it. And one drink of alcohol turned to another. He had no idea about his propensity. Before he knew it alcohol was becoming his new God. And so it was that he lost his job and his ego began to take hold. And he found himself in a foreign land. And he was even offered a job.

For him a menial job as an assistant high school football coach. And he even began to steal from the students. To take care of the addictions that he had incurred through painkillers.

And other substance abuse that he had got involved in. He began to turn on his fellow man. And his coaches would say to him Ryan come back home. And his parents would say son come back home. And God was crying out to him come back home. And the inevitable happened.

God said okay I'll cause a virus to come upon you. He stole one too often and they arrested him. And you and I remember the mug shots of that great former number two pick. Star of Washington State being sentenced to prison. Being taken up to jail in Montana. Ryan Leaf tells the story how his life got so low as he sat in the pig pen of his life. That he was want to commit suicide and take his own life. There was nothing else for him. And then all of a sudden he came to his.

Don't talk to Ryan Leaf today. Now probably in his 40s approaching 50 I don't know. He's not a has-been you know. He's a man evidently full of joy. Serving others, teaching others.

He came back home. He said the three most important things to him are. Number one, his spirituality, his relationship with God. Number two, community. That you get through your relationship with God through other believers. And number three, accountability.

Answerability where you answer to one another, to Godly people and above all to God himself. He came home. Are you willing to come home?

Oh if you're ready to come home would you step out in faith? It really is a simple prayer. You can even repeat it right after me.

Lord God I realize I've messed up. But I turn my back on what I've been controlling and ask you to take over my life. I believe you are the son of God. Jesus I believe you died on the cross for me and I ask you to save me. In your name I pray, amen. Oh if you've stepped into that wonderful step of faith with us we would love to help grow you in that faith. Why don't you give us a call? Dr. Don has wonderful free resources available for you right now.

He wants to put in your hands. Call us at 866-899-9673. That's 866-899-9673. That number and more ways to connect are on our website as well. At TEWONLINE.org. 24 hours a day we are here to pray with you and for you. Let's connect. Online. TEWONLINE.org