Homecoming

“Moreover, concerning a foreigner, who is not of Your people Israel, but has come from a far country for the sake of Your great name and Your mighty hand and Your outstretched arm, when they come and pray in this temple; then hear from heaven Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You, that all peoples of the earth may know Your name and fear You, as do Your people Israel…”

2 Chronicles 6:32

What a beautiful promise - And then, of course, we go to Romans 10:13... one of my favourite scriptures:

“For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Maybe as I am speaking to you this morning, my dear friend, you have been in the far country and you are not sure whether Jesus will welcome you back again. I have good news for you! He is waiting for you with outstretched arms just like the prodigal son - which means the one who has been wastefully extravagant, who has lost everything but wants to come home. The Lord says in Revelation 3:20:

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.”

He is waiting for you. It doesn’t matter what you have done, who you are, what colour you are, or what nation you come from. If you sincerely repent (say sorry) and call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, you shall be saved.

Why not do it today? I can hear somebody saying, “Is there any hope for me, Angus?” Well, remember that old story of the man who had fallen?

He went to jail and he wrote a letter back home and he said to his mom and dad, “I am coming back home on a steam engine at 5 o’clock, tomorrow afternoon. If you really want me home, please tie a yellow ribbon round the old oak tree.” Remember the song?

Well, he was sitting on that train. He was so nervous with his little suitcase, being released from prison... as he was coming around the corner, he knew where the old oak tree was, there were a couple of kids in the compartment with him. And he said, “Please look out the window and tell me if you see a yellow ribbon round the old oak tree and then I will know I will be able to go home.”

As the steam engine came around the corner, the old oak tree was standing there. The ex-prisoner didn’t have the heart to look out the window. He said to the children, “What do you see? Do you see a yellow ribbon round the old oak tree?” They said, “No sir, there is no ribbon around the old oak tree but there is a sheet (I get emotional telling you this) and there are clothes hanging from the tree of all different colours. They are waiting for you!”

Oh, folks, today let Jesus wipe away your tears. Say “sorry”, come home, and start a new relationship with Him.
God bless you and have a wonderful day.