Homecoming

“In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”  —Luke 15:10

I attended two different homecomings this past week. One was Oakland Church’s 100^th Anniversary Homecoming. We rented a large tent and invited former pastors and son/daughters who had gone into the ministry from Oakland back for a few days of reunion, worship, and celebration. We made old fashioned apple butter in two copper kettles on an open fire the week before to serve on homemade bread. A special meal Saturday night, in addition to the bread and apple butter, included vegetable soup made that day according to the ancient Oakland recipe.

In the services, we had testimonies and preaching by returning pastors and a special visit from Rev. Richard and Wilma Jean Burns’ son, Doug portraying an early Methodist circuit-riding preacher. God’s Matches, a 1970s youth choir led by David Michael Ed reunited for Saturday’s service.

The second homecoming occurred as I conducted a funeral service for a dear friend who was also my wife’s uncle. When I first met Mel, he was not walking with the Lord, and his living arrangements were not the best. Darlene and I decided to simply accept him, her aunt, and the situation in love. A fast friendship developed and the closer the two of us became the closer Mel grew toward the Lord. I had the privilege of conducting their wedding a few years later and became a faithful prayer partner for them.

As I led the funeral service last week, I got to meet his family, share our common love for Mel and celebrate our common hope in Jesus Christ as our resurrection and our life. The Bible describes a coming banquet where Jesus Christ, the Bridegroom and His Bride, the Church, enjoy a tremendous reunion dinner together (Revelation 22:17). The funeral service was truly a celebration of a glorious homecoming for Mel.

Both of these homecomings reminded me of another party described in the scriptures. In Luke 15, Jesus tells three stories about lost things that are found: a sheep, a coin, and a son. At the end of each parable, a party is thrown because that which was lost had been found. Jesus says, “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10). After we announced that God’s Matches would be singing at our Centennial Homecoming, I received many testimonies of persons who came to faith through their ministry.

As God drew Uncle Mel closer to Himself, Mel found a little church in New Bethlehem and began attending. The pastor guided Mel in turning his life over to the Lord. I was not there when Mel prayed the sinner’s prayer, but later, we had many conversations about the Lord and the common faith we shared. Mel’s life and his new found faith late in life remind me that there was once a party in heaven for me, too. When I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Savior and stepped over the line to faith, all the activities in heaven stopped, maybe only for a moment, and a party was held in my honor. Wow! God loves you and me that much. It sure puts life, death, and homecomings in a different light.