FOUND Part IX: The World is an Orphanage

Pastor Dan's sermon from 4/27/2008
Scripture Reference: Ephesians 1:4-5; Romans 8; John 1:12-13
Click here to listen.

There has been a tiny bit of confusion based on a few funny remarks from this past week's sermon concerning my desire to spend time outside of my home. I was poking a little fun at myself concerning how I am a homebody. I commented on how I like to be in the comfort of my own home. Now, this has the possibility to be misconstrued so I want to clear a few things up just in case you were wondering.

I am a person who likes the comfort of home--just like most normal people. But home does not necessarily mean only my address. I like to be in familiar environments. This means around friends, family, favorite vacation spots, favorite social spots etc. What this does not mean is that I only want to spend time with my wife and children at our primary residence and no one else. My family loves to be around people whether in our own home or theirs. The best times we have are with friends and family!

I love spending time with people. I love being in big groups of people. I love going out and having a great time with family AND friends. I enjoy the company of other people in my home and going to their home for dinner, lunch or just to shoot the breeze.

Why am I writing this? Because I was thinking about my homebody comments and believe they could be taken the wrong way. Besides, I might be missing out on a few dinner invitations because of them and Lord knows I love a good meal.

My point in the illustration was about that terrible feeling of homesickness. Once you get it there is nothing that can solve it except a return trip to home. I wanted to illustrate the point of the spiritually orphaned who are homesick yet have not yet been found. Hopefully this is something we can all identify with. We love the familiarity of home and when God FINDs us, that sickness is gone and replaced with the warmth of a familiar place--the arms of God.

When we are adopted by the God the Father we no longer have this homesickness to the degree that we had it before. That sin that entered the world through Adam alienated us from God. But God out of his mere good mercy and pleasure elected some to everlasting life and entered into a New Covenant with them so that he might adopt them as his sons and daughters. Adoption means that God is once again as familiar to us as a father is familiar to his children. What a wonderful God we serve!

So yes, I do like to hang out in other places outside of my own home...just as long as I get to go back home at some point in the future. Being home is a wonderful thing.