Pastor Brian preached a powerful Easter sermon drawing a parallel between The Prodigal Son and Jesus’ disciple, Peter. The common thread between the two stories echoes the same refrain, Welcome home, let’s throw a party.

No matter who you are, where you’ve come from, what you’ve done, or what’s been done to you—there is a home (and a party) that you are being welcomed to through the life of Jesus.

On earth the concept of home is temporary at best, but in God’s kingdom it is a permanent place of security, safety, and hope through Jesus. There is a hope that was found in the tomb where hope should not have been found.

Home is wherever Jesus is.

Grow Together

Read this from the Bible together:

Luke 15:20-24  
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. 21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 “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. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

John 21:7-8  
7 Jesus’ favorite disciple told Peter, “It’s the Lord!” When Simon heard that it was the Lord, he put on the clothes that he had taken off while he was working. Then he jumped into the water. 8 The boat was only about a hundred yards from shore. So the other disciples stayed in the boat and dragged in the net full of fish.

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Some key statements and questions put forward that are important for us to talk about…

But the father said to his servants, Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. How did the Father respond to his selfish, wasteful, lustful, and disrespectful son? What do you think would’ve happened to the son if he had never gone home? What if you knew you would be welcomed home in exactly the same way?

He put on the clothes that he had taken off while he was working. Then he jumped into the water. The boat was only about a hundred yards from shore. So the other disciples stayed in the boat… The other disciples stayed in the boat to gather the fish—Peter did the irrational thing of jumping into the water to be near Jesus the moment he saw him. Do you have a rational or irrational response to being near Jesus?

Peter had unconfessed sin between him and Jesus. Does your sin compel you to draw near to Jesus as soon as you possibly can, or do you finish your work, duty, obligations (anything really) before coming to him when sin comes between you?

Next Steps

In Brian’s recounting of The Transfiguration, he mentioned that Peter’s motivation to build a camp for everyone was to be with Jesus forever. How often is your daily motivation to simply be with Jesus?

When Peter heard that Jesus was alive he was the first to the tomb and the second to go in.Do you tend to wait for others to experience the hope of Jesus before you experience it for yourself? Do you follow Jesus or do you follow Jesus followers?

All Jesus does for his disciples is cook them breakfast. There is no dialogue after the disciples reunite with Jesus except for the command, “Come and eat!” What does this tell you about the heart of Jesus? In what ways have you made being a Christian more complicated than allowing Jesus to provide a home-cooked meal for you?