A House, a Field, and a Far Country

(Luke 15:11-32)  In the story of the prodigal son Jesus introduces us to three places.  Each place teaches us much about the life God has designed for us to live.

A House – it is here that we meet our father.

1. Love God is love.  (I John 4:8)  The love of God produces the life of God.  A healthy life leads us to the house.  The majority of us experience the life of God in the house of God.  The house Jesus is building is the church.  This is where we discover our identity.  We learn about our gifts and talents.  We meet the family of God and begin building eternal relationships.
2. Clean A house is a clean place in a dirty world.  Everything in life works against keeping the house orderly.  The house will get messed up but we can clean it.  We are cleansed by the Word of God and the Holy Spirit.  (John 15:3)
3. Authority  It is in the house where we begin receiving training for life.  The majority of what we learn about life comes from the house.  Doctors tell us that 50% of what we know we have learned by age 5.  It is in the house where we begin our struggle with submitting to authority.  The devil is always tempting us to rebel against our father.  He knows we are easy victims if he can separate us from our father.  It’s a mistake to reject our father’s authority and leave the house.

The Field – it is here we meet our brother.

1. Work  The field is where we learn to work and it is a dirty place.  It is located between the house and the world.  Don’t be afraid of the dirt.  We will get dirty in the field but we can wash up at the house.
2. Reward  God gives us the gift of life but we will be rewarded by what we do with it.  We are saved by grace but we will be rewarded by our works.       (I Corinthians 3:8)  
3. Brother  Our brother is not our enemy.  Do not waste time-fighting with your brother.  It is in the field where learn we must work together.  The harvest is too great for us to accomplish alone.  Our work determines our fulfillment in life.  It is in the field where we develop the talents and skills we discovered in the house.  It is the field that produces the harvest.  We learn the secrets of unity working together in the field.  We find we must respect and depend upon each other if we are going to accomplish much.  We all accomplish more when we are properly connected to the right people.  We learn the proper season for planting the right seed for a good harvest.

A Far Country – it is here we meet the pig farmer.

1. Filthy The pig farm is a good picture of our filthy world.  It has an unclean nature that defies cleanliness.  (II Peter 2:22) 
2. Rebellion  We should never leave the house without the father’s blessing.  If the father sends us to the far country, we will have a successful adventure.  If we go in rebellion things will not turn out well. 
3. Death  The prodigal said, “I perish with hunger.”  “Sin when it is finished, brings forth death.”  (James 1:15)  In the house we experienced love but we won’t find love in the world.  In the house, the father gave him everything but in the far country, “no one gave him anything.”  The prodigal had been reduced to less than a pig.  Instead of serving his father, he was serving pigs.  This is a picture of what sin produces in our lives.  It’s a living hell.  It is the devil’s intention for us to die here.  The only good solution is for us to return to the house and reconcile with our father.  Our father may send us back to a far country but it will be under his authority and for his purpose.  

Mistakes we make by confusing the three locations in our lives.

If we try to make the house into the field, it becomes a clique.  Too many churches have become religious clubs.

If we try to make the field a house, it becomes dirty.  Too many churches in their attempt to influence the world end up like the world.

If the house follows the world, it becomes carnal.  “The church has become so worldly and the world has become so churchy it is hard to tell the difference.”  (Billy Graham)

If the far country tries to be the house, it becomes religious.  Religious people can be dangerous people.  Government is never a good god!

We need the father to help us balance the house, the field, and a far country.