The Joy of Going Home

When a son or daughter that has somehow become broken with their mom and dad comes to themselves and goes home, there is joy in the camp. This great story of the prodigal returning to the Father’s House is a central story of the New Testament. There is a similar story in the First Testament and that story is about Jacob returning to Bethel and his home. These two stories make our Bible a unique Book. The word house is in the Bible in 1,734 verses. When you add houses, household, and home; you find 1,974 verses. Eighty-eight times it is the “House of God” and church or churches are listed one hundred and five times. The home and the House of God are absolutely the central location for joy and happiness in Holy Scripture. There are dysfunctional homes and they mar almost everyone that passes through them. There are churches where false doctrines and divisive ministries or members have turned into confusion. Nothing is sadder than dark homes and confused churches.
Let’s all of us listening to this sermon make a difference in our houses or churches. Great men, who give themselves to be pillars in God’s house or compassionate husbands and fathers in their homes, are a rare breed. Let’s create great houses and great churches, and then pray and labor for a multitude coming home. A church is blessed when new blood, new converts, turn from their past and come home. When this happens, do not be an elder brother like the prodigal’s brother that raved about the joy of his wayward brother coming home.

4 thoughts on “The Joy of Going Home”

  1. Byron

    Dear Brother,
    We needed that, that going Home Joy is also a longing, thank you again for such an urgent message for the prodigals, when I was young, I too strayed from the arms of our Father, He was there, arms wide, yes, we will praise Him for eternity w/o tire!

  2. Ed Wood

    Hello Pastor Joseph.

    There is a particularly apt passage in Hebrews 11:13-16 to which I think goes along with the theme of this commentary. It not only expresses a feeling of never quite feeling completely at home or “fitting in” down here on Earth, but explains it as well.

    For me personally, it put into words something I always experienced, but until reading this passage for the first time many decades ago never could understand or articulate.
    I expect many other Christians have had the same experience.

    It occurs to me also that this “estrangement,” for lack of a better word, is only increasing as we watch the world around us spiraling obliviously into the growing darkness. More and more do we have the sense that we are “just passing through” on our way toward our real home.

    When we finally arrive, God will welcome us and one day even have us stand with Jesus at his Second Coming, something Job himself captured in these verses long, long ago:

    “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth. And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God, Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes behold, and no another; though my reins be consumed within me.” Job 19:25-27

    So, I suppose the best thing we can do while we’re here is to show others how to get home, too, by following the directions found in John 14:4-6, even if most will reject them.

    For those who do listen, though, we’ll be doing them the greatest favor imaginable.

  3. jaimie

    Dear Pastor Chambers,

    Herein is my story as well, we were well off, raised in the better part of my city, white washed walls and see proof fences. We partied with the Temple Treasures, our own bodies and a whoredom that was never satisfied. Poor folk never really understand how the rich suffer, seeking wealth and pierced through with many sorrows. Just like the Word tells us they would.

    We were distant and inattentive to real life problems simply sheilded by money. Foolish hearts racing and hurrying to do evil. Fancy educations and bright futures for many but only few may not make it. Big lives, little Miracles, We’re all Bought and Paid for.

    So what is this Church thing all about? Laodecia

    Yet inside we were empty, we were afraid of dying, those things that haunt us we called demons. We hide behind pills or booze or whatever to escape. Then we call upon Jesus

    So what is this Church thing all about? Bethel

    Yet we want to sin no more and search for truths, seeking his face. We learn who our Bretheren are and come to know our gifts and our place in the body.

    So what is this Church thing all about? Hebron

    We know his voice and that of those who are in Spirit and Truth. We look up to search for his call and Share our Supper of Remembrance.

    So what is this Church thing all about? Love

    God Bless my Christian Bretheren
    jaimie

  4. Barbara Bliss

    Each day I look forward to your message. How true it is that we are not at home, that we feel like mere travellers in this land. This brought back to my mind the old gospel song, “I’m Longing for Jesus to Come Back…I long for Jesus Christ my King…to come and take me to that home beyong the skies…up there where angels shout and sing.” Sometimes I feel like our very longing may help propel us when Jesus calls.