“Arise, shine, for your light has come,
    and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.
See, darkness covers the earth
    and thick darkness is over the peoples,
but the Lord rises upon you
    and his glory appears over you.
 Nations will come to your light,
    and kings to the brightness of your dawn.”

Isaiah 60: 1-3

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The following account is based on Luke 15 and as told by Pastor Melvin K. Eisele.  The message of the story is recalled and painted as I heard it.

You are familiar with the story of Luke, but there is a twist.  If you catch it, what is the message for us as individuals and as a church?  You write the ending.

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A wealthy man had two sons and a daughter. The father gave the son a colorful coat which the son wore almost all the time.  He was so proud of its looks and the cost of the coat.  One day the younger son came to his father and asked him if he could have his inheritance now instead of waiting until later.

The father went to the bank with his son and calculated in his head how much the inheritance would be.  Then he withdrew the money from the bank and gave it to is son.  The father walked slowly and sorrowfully back to his farm as tears flowed down his face.  His beloved son Johnny was leaving home and the father knew that the world had many dangers waiting for him.  But, this was what Johnny wanted.

The day was wasting away. The father returned to his duties and the older son and daughter to theirs.  Before long Johnny came riding up on a bright shiny black stallion that pranced in high steps to show off his beauty.  The son was dressed like a king.  His posture was erect and proud.

Johnny had come back to quickly say his farewells before he headed out to the waiting world and its opportunities.  The older brother and sister helped him pack his few remaining things; all the while trying to tell Johnny that he was making a mistake.  They told him that the father was hurt and troubled over his wish to leave the safety and comfort of his home.

The son pompously  departed the property down the long road leading out into the world. The father, the older son, and the sister waved goodbye.  A remaining tear fell down the father’s face.

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Weeks went by.  Very early each morning the older son heard the opening and closing of the door to the house, but thought little of it.

Each day, the older son would see his father stop his work in the field and look down the long road as if expecting someone.  The opening and closing of the door in the early morning also continued.  Curiosity finally grew strong enough to push him out of bed.  The son walked downstairs and looked through the front window and on to the porch.  There kneeling on the porch in the dark of the young day and looking down the road was his father.  His words were soft, but his sobbing was strong.

Often when caravans would come near the property, the father would rush out to them.  He would eagerly ask if they had seen Johnny.

 “Yes, we have seen him in Babylon.  He is the life of the party! People like him and he is very popular and well-known.”

Occasionally, the father would get reports of the younger son and his eyes would grow bright knowing he is alive and well.

Then one day, another caravan came by and the father, the older son, and the daughter rushed out to ask about Johnny.

“Have you seen my son Johnny?”

“Uh, I am not sure.  He was in the city for a while, but as we passed the outskirts of town near a pig farmer, we saw someone who looked like Johnny feeding the pigs.”

The father and his small family were troubled.  The next day the older son and the daughter went searching for Johnny.  It took them several weeks to find Johnny on the outskirts of Babylon feeding the pigs.  They both encouraged Johnny to come back home, but he was too ashamed to return with them.

“Johnny,  father wants you to come back.  He is greatly troubled. Please reconsider.”

“I have many friends here and cannot return with you. My life is good. Please leave me alone.”

So with heavy hearts the brother and sister began the long ride home to their father and went about their work on the family farm.

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The father began to build houses on the property.  As the builders finished one, he would start them on another.  Much time passed and the father stopped every day to look down the road.  Each dark morning the older brother heard the opening and closing of the door downstairs.  Pretty soon the caravans had no report on Johnny.

The family was worried about Johnny.  The brother and sister thought he would never come home. Their appeal to him had failed. So the long days continued, but the father routinely continued to look.

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One day as they were working under the hot sun, the son and daughter saw their father running towards a small dot off in the distance.  They, too, began to run towards the dot anticipating it to be Johnny.  They youngsters passed their father and reached Johnny first.  He was tattered and the colors of his coat had faded.  He was skinny and dirty.  With his head down cast, he put his head on the shoulders of his brother and sister.  They were overjoyed despite the smell and the feeling of Johnny’s skinny body under the worn-out coat.

As the father came running up to Johnny, he almost fell with excitement.  His face was wet with tears of joy!

“Oh my Johnny.  My dear son!  How I have missed you!”

The strong tanned arms of the father wrapped his arms around the frail Johnny.  He pulled the  dirty smelly head of his younger son to his breast and wept aloud with his son.

The brother and father stepped back to see the scene and wept with them.  Then they rushed back to farm to instruct the workers to prepare a great feast with food and song.

Johnny had returned home!

Johnny said to his father,

“Dad, I missed you.  I have spent all the money you gave me.  I am hungry and ashamed. I have done things that has dishonored you.  I will understand if you want me to continue on.”

The father put his arm around him as they walked the long road back to the farm and the many houses he had built.

“Johnny, you are my son.  All I have is yours.”

“Dad, you are all I have or want. The world was fun for a while, but I now know that your love for me is better than anything money can buy.

After Johnny showered, the father, the older brother, and sister came to his room.  The father laid out a new and even more expensive set of clothing on the bed.  The father gently helped his weak son dress.  Johnny felt the warmth of the robe and the great feeling of being clean. But, most of all, his the sight of his father overcame the hunger from not eating a good meal in months.

That night, the family rejoiced and laughed as they ate the best food around the fire.  Johnny, had come home!  He was dead, but now he is alive!

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Let us take this message to the world.  The love and acceptance of the Father and his family.  The world is dark.  We are to let the glory of the father be upon us.  When the world sees this light, kings will come to us.