June 5, 2011
The Journey Home: Part 1 — The Hardest Lesson Learned
Luke 15:11-32

Sunday Morning: Daybreak & Refresh

Core Ideas:

• Key introduction piece to each lesson:

The focus is on our long journey to find home. This basic beginning point:

• I remember going back several times to look at the house where our kids did a lot of their growing up. Amazingingly, the same basketball goal up on the garage, same color & trim, same trees just a little bigger, but that wasn't OUR house and it sure wasn't our home! Amy Grant sang a long time ago, "
• If these walls could speak!" But those walls couldn't speak, but the memories in my head and my heart speak! The ones I love who made that house a home still speak!
• There is a deep longing, an ache to go home, to find home, to experience home — to go to that illusive place some know, many missed and all of us long for. Augustine said it well centuries ago: "Our Hearts are Restless Until They Rest in You." We are on the long journey home, and we all need to know that there is real, loving, strong but tender, Father wanting to help us home! Despite Hollywood wanting to write good fathers out of every script, despite the failure of some fathers, despite the imperfection of every father, there is a yearning in all of us, for God to redefine what it means to be Father and help us find our way home to the party of grace.

• Major concepts
   
  1. The hardest lesson to learn is this: give up everything — every claim, everyone, every accomplishment, every experience, every dream — to follow Jesus and his kingdom and find our home in God, our perfect Father.

     The key verse is this: Luke 15:17-19 — Whe he came to his sense, he said, "How many of my father's hired servants have food to spare, and her I am starving to death. I will go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants."
     
     Keller's Key quote!
     
     We recognize that the servants in our father's house have it better than we do on our own and in charge of our own lives!

  2. Read Whole Text: Luke 15:11-32; then tie in the beginning and intro the series by repeating the phrase, "There was a man who had two sons" — 2 groups, 2 sons, series of lost things, search for what is precious, joy at the lost being found ... except one key exception that means everything!
     
     Make commitment from folks to read through it twice each day for three weeks!
      
  3. In some ways, it is easiest for those who are farthest away to find their way home because they realize what it is they have lost. They are ready to surrender everything to come home!
     Struggle with this being cheap grace! But three warnings needed here:
     1. Some, many, never make it back from rebellion.
     2. Father pays the cost for both!
     3. Wasted time and burned in memories!
     
     [Danny & Mike & Jackson over resentment against those who have lived it up.]
  4. The Kingdom of God is a Party! along with a related piece — great resource on celebration
  5. Cool and the Gang's "Celebrate Good Times"
     Celebrate good times, come on! (Let's celebrate)
     There's a party goin' on right here
     A celebration to last throughout the years
     So bring your good times, and your laughter too
     We gonna celebrate your party with you.
     Celebration
     Let's all celebrate and have a good time!
     Audio & Lyrics on YouTube

Call to Action:

• We can become a "were"! As in "that is what some of you were" — 1 Corinthians 6:9-11
• Read the story twice each day and keep asking these questions:
1. How am I like the younger son?
2. How am I like the older son?
3. Do I know this Father?
• Look at those who came to Jesus and ask ourselves a few questions?
1. Do we draw these folks to us — to our church, to ourselves?
2. Why or why not?
3. Do we throw a party when God's lost children come home?

SH!FT Elements:

• LIVE_holy
• Understanding holy living as not adhering to a set of rules, but reflecting the character and compassion of God in my life and rejoicing in the blessings of being the Father's child!

Key SoHills Emphasis:

• VBS
• Mission Trips — Japan, Tuscalosa
• One Assembly

Key Scriptures:

• Luke 15 for use in sermon
• Revelation 19:5-9 suggested for use in communion
• Note: Because the passage is so long and will be read each of these three weeks, we will not have another Scripture reading, but will ask that the Communion Scripture and idea be followed!

Communion Focus:

• See Scripture above: this feast anticipates the great feast to come: the wedding supper of the Lamb and the bride, Jesus and his church
• Matthew 8:11 Jesus talks about the great feast of all people when we go to be with God.
• We remember Jesus death &mdash he is the Lamb that was slain. But we remember in anticipation of the great coming feast. We remember his death till he comes! We anticipate the great and joyous feast that awaits us!

Drama, Media, & Connecting Pieces:

• Pre-video: Love to get some welcome video from old, fatherly types like Bill Kirkpatrick, Bill Merkel, Borden Manly
• Video or Drama Piece: TBD — something that focuses on the lost being found. The piece we used at Christmas in 2010 or 2009. I will try to find it.
  1. Prodigal — play in the background as sermon is preached?
  2. The Prodigal — scheduled for long play in service

Sunday Evening: Sundown

• Title: Imitating our Father Eph. 4:32-5:14

• Speaker: Stephen Corbett

• Prayer & Eph. 4:32-5:14: Nathan Tinkle

• Communion Devotional: Joe McKissick

• Song Leader: Glen Wallace

• Closing Shared Reading: 1 Corinthians 10:32-11:1