"I'm Coming Home"
“I’m Coming Home”
Luke 15:11-20
On Friday, July 11, 2014 Sports Illustrated reported the exclusive story, that Lebron James, the four-time NBA MVP and two-time NBA champion, made his choice to return back to the Cleveland Cavaliers, simply stated: “I’m Coming Home.” http://www.si.com/nba/2014/07/11/lebron-james-cleveland-cavaliers
ESPN, the worldwide leader in sports, reported the story with the song “Coming Home” by Diddy Dirty Money featuring Skylar Grey as she sings the captivating hook, “I’m coming home, I’m coming home – Tell the World I’m coming home, Let the rain wash away all the pain of yesterday, – I know my kingdom awaits and they’ve forgiven my mistakes – I’m coming home, I’m coming home, – Tell the World that I’m coming home!” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-ImCpNqbJw
These three words, “I’m coming home” have created such a stir in the hearts of culture that I have decided to share this biblical blueprint by blogging on the juxtaposition of James, Basketball’s Premier Superstar and Jesus, Biblical account of the Prodigal Son.
Our hermeneutical and homiletical heavyweights have always hinted at what theologian, Karl Barth said in Time Magazine, published Friday, May 31, 1963 ‘to take your Bible and take your newspaper, and read both. But interpret newspapers from your Bible.” http://www.ptsem.edu/Library/index.aspx?menu1_id=6907&menu2_id=6904&id=8450
With this in mind let’s peruse the pericope for the following points, principles, and perspectives:
Luke 15:11-32 – Parable of the Lost Son – “I’m Coming Home”
- Left Home – (vv12-13) – Why did he leave in the first place? Was it Pressure from People?
- Lived High – (v13a-14a) – What did he gain for leaving? Pleasure? Prosperity?
- Life Happens – (vv14-16) – What happened in his life? Purpose for our Pain!
- Looked to the Hills – (v17-20) – Who did he turn to and What did he learn? Perspective
In this familiar story we can identify with the prodigal son because we all have left home, either physically, mentally or spiritually; lived high by obtaining a lot of titles, toys and even treats but truth be told life happens and we loose sight of the goal for the gold and finally we find G_D as we look to the Hills. Psalm 121:1-2 “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, …”
