Come Home (Part One)

Hello friends! :) Over the next few blog posts, I'm going to be sharing a sermon that I recently gave at my church. If you want to watch it, here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/live/7vihqoq77ag?feature=share

 I really was stuck when I was writing it, but God really blessed and helped me to know how to put it together. I pray He speaks to your heart as you read it. 

Have you ever believed one of these statements?

“God could never want to be with me, I am such a sinner.”

“I’m too far gone for God to love me.”

“I’m not good enough, I’m just worthless.”

“I’m not worthy to be called God’s child.”

I think most of us have fallen into believing these lies at one time or another. Maybe we’ve heard that God loves us no matter what, but we have a hard time believing that it’s true. I know I have fallen into these traps before. 

So how can we find the sure, true answers to these questions?

Let’s go to Luke chapter 15. 

Luke 15 starts off with this verse:

“Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.”

This verse speaks volumes about who Jesus is. The vilest outcasts, the worst sinners, were drawn to Him. They didn’t feel condemnation from Jesus, only purity and love. "Those who came to Jesus felt in His presence that even for them there was an escape from the pit of sin."* Jesus revealed the heart of God: longing for the sinner to come to Him, and loving the sinner out of the pit. Yes, Jesus wants to be with sinners! Jesus wants to be with me!!

The Pharisees didn’t get it. They “murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.” (verse 2) 

They didn’t realize that Jesus came for the messed-up, broken people. They didn’t understand why Jesus wanted to be with sinners.

Jesus explained Himself on yet another one of those occasions when the Pharisees were complaining about him eating and drinking with sinners: “And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Luke 5:31-32

Jesus wanted to be with sinners, not so He could hang out with them then leave them the same way they were, empty and broken. Jesus came to heal the broken hearts, to cleanse the sin-filled minds, to redeem the lost souls. Jesus came to be with sinners, so He could save them, and be with them forever!

He came to be with the woman at the well who was tired of the emptiness of all her failed relationships, to show her that there was Someone who would give her the Love that would fill and satisfy her.

He came to be with the woman caught in adultery, who was at her lowest, dirtiest point, to give her God’s forgiveness, to show her that He still had a plan for her, and that He would enable her to live a new, pure, joy-filled life in Him.

He came to be with the tax collectors who cheated the poor and rich alike, and were the outcast of society, to show them that He had chosen them to be transformed into His ambassadors of the free gift of grace to the world.

He came to be with the guy who had so many demons in him that he seemed utterly hopeless and destitute, to set him free from the chains that bound him and give him a new life, full of purpose and hope.

He came to be with the lepers and blind people and sick kids, who were thought of as cursed by God, to show them that they were His precious children, and that even when all hope seemed lost, He had a plan for them and He would give them new life.

So in answer to our first statement, “God could never want to be with me, I am such a sinner” we can gratefully, joyfully say, “God came to be with the worst of sinners, to take their hand and lift them up to Him!”

After the Pharisees started complaining about Jesus’ company, Jesus dealt with the matter as He often did: by telling parables. These parables show us the answers to our other statements! And....

We'll start diving into them next time! :)

God bless you!! Remember, He wants to be with you, and to save you!!

Hope

*I have included many quotes in this sermon that are from one of my favorite authors, Ellen White, and this is one of them. :)