God Waiting on the Porch: Come Home for Christmas

Devotional

Day 1: You already have your inheritance

Home is not just an address; it’s where you live with the Father who has already placed an inheritance in your hands. Before any wandering, He entrusted you with gifts, breath, relationships, and the open door to His peace. You didn’t manifest this life; it was placed in your lap by love. Even if you feel far, you have not been disowned; you can turn your heart toward the porch right now. Let today be a quiet yes to receive what has already been given and start moving toward home [34:03].

Luke 15:11-13 — Jesus painted a picture of a father with two sons. The younger demanded his share before his dad died, received it, packed up, and moved far away. There he burned through everything on reckless choices.

Reflection: Where are you living like a spiritual orphan, and what is one concrete way you can practice receiving the Father’s peace today?

Day 2: The grass isn’t greener; come to your senses

We believed the grass was greener, that life would be better if we just crossed the fence. Chasing the next rush promises happiness but usually only helps us forget we’re sad. Like the young man in a distant land, hunger reveals the lie. Contentment grows when we stop leaving fish to find fish and instead give thanks for the water we’re already in. What if you came to your senses today and turned your feet back toward what truly satisfies [41:42]?

Luke 15:14-19 — When the cash was gone and a famine hit, he took a humiliating job feeding pigs, so hungry that pig food looked good. Then he woke up to reality: even hired workers at home had more than enough. He planned to go back, admit his wrong, and ask to be treated like a servant.

Reflection: Name one “if I just…” desire that’s fueling restlessness; what small act of contentment will you practice this week in its place?

Day 3: Don’t let shame keep you away

Shame loves to whisper that you don’t belong at the table anymore. But God isn’t weaponizing your failure; He is inviting you to bring it into the light He already filled with grace. Friends in the family of God are still saying, “Come back,” because home is where wounds get healed. You are not the exception to mercy; you are the reason mercy came looking. Take one small step home today, not to prove anything, but to be embraced [38:46].

Romans 3:23-24 — Every person has missed God’s mark; none of us stands tall by our own record. But God freely puts us right with Himself through Jesus, releasing grace we did not earn.

Reflection: Where has shame kept you from prayer or community, and what is one simple reach-out you can make today?

Day 4: Christmas is God closing the gap

While you were still a long way off, God saw you and ran. Christmas is God’s sprint down the driveway—Jesus taking on flesh to close the distance you could never cross on your own. The welcome is not a lecture; it’s a robe, a ring, sandals, and the feast of belonging. Let yourself be found, lifted, and celebrated, because this is what the Father loves to do. Receive His nearness today as the gift it is [49:03].

John 1:14 — The eternal Word became human and moved into our neighborhood, letting us see God’s beauty up close—overflowing with faithful love and solid, reliable truth.

Reflection: When you picture God coming toward you, what do you see on His face, and how could that reshape the way you pray tonight?

Day 5: Be bold: help someone find the driveway

These stories were told to people already walking with Jesus so they would join the search. Someone you know is still far off—skeptical, hurting, or quietly numb—and God is waiting on the porch for them. Love does not pile on shame; it opens a conversation, sets another place at the table, and points down the driveway with hope. Ask for boldness to invite, to listen, and to walk with them at their pace toward home. Picture the celebration their return will spark, and take your next gentle step today [53:48].

Luke 15:1-7 — Jesus said a shepherd with a hundred sheep will leave the ninety-nine to look for the one that wandered off. When he finds it, he lifts it onto his shoulders, calls friends together, and celebrates. Heaven rejoices like that over one person who turns back to God.

Reflection: Who came to mind when you pictured the driveway, and what low-pressure, specific step could you take this week to help them move one step closer to home?

Sermon Summary

Christmas is undeniably here, and with it comes that familiar storyline so many of us love—the journey home and the joy of reconciliation. That longing is not just a movie trope; it’s the heartbeat of Luke 15. Jesus tells three stories—the lost sheep, the lost coin, and a son who wanders—so we’d see ourselves and God more clearly. The prodigal asks for his inheritance and runs. The shock is not just his betrayal, but the father’s grief—and then his relentless love. As a dad now, that part hits different. It’s not just about a bad choice; it’s about a broken heart, and a father who doesn’t shut the door.

This story is our story. We’ve all betrayed our inheritance, and yet we already have our inheritance: everything we have and need for real life—peace, presence, and a way home—has been given by the Father. What keeps us from coming back? Often it’s not logic; it’s shame. Shame isolates. It convinces us we don’t belong with the very people and the very God who are ready to welcome us home. The prodigal finally comes to his senses and realizes the grass isn’t greener; it’s just louder. The lie of “I’m just doing what makes me happy” only numbs; it never heals. Sometimes we don’t even chase greener grass—we just stop tending our lawn altogether. We ignore the stuff we know we should face—our habits, our health, our spiritual life—because ignoring feels easier than repenting.

But the Father sees us “a long way off,” runs toward us, and closes the gap. That’s what Christmas is: God coming in Jesus to meet us on the road, not with a list of failures, but with a robe, a ring, and a feast. If you’re far from God today—by rebellion or avoidance—He’s already on the porch, eyes on the road, ready to run. And if you’re walking with Jesus, this isn’t just about you. Jesus told these stories to disciples so they’d carry the Father’s heart to others. Someone in your life is still down the driveway. Be bold, be gentle, and invite them home.

Key Takeaways

1. You already have your inheritance Everything in your life that truly sustains—peace, grace, and access to the Father—is gift, not achievement. When we live like it’s already ours, we stop hustling for what can’t be bought and start receiving what can’t be lost. Gratitude becomes resistance against envy, anxiety, and scarcity. The Father’s house is open now, not later. [34:03]
2. Shame keeps us from home Shame convinces us we are our worst moment and keeps us away from the very community and God who can heal us. It is not conviction; it’s a counterfeit that isolates and corrodes hope. The Father doesn’t weaponize our guilt—He removes it with embrace. Walk through the door shame says you can’t. [38:14]
3. The grass isn’t greener Chasing “what makes me happy” often swaps meaning for momentary relief. Sin offers anesthesia, not wholeness; it helps us forget we’re sad instead of making us whole. Coming to our senses means admitting our pursuits are underdelivering and turning toward the only joy that lasts. Contentment grows where repentance waters the lawn. [39:51]
4. Christmas is God closing the gap We don’t climb to God; He runs to us. In Jesus, God moves first—entering our distance, carrying our sin, and inviting us back into family. The incarnation is the Father sprinting down the driveway with a robe and a ring. Christmas is the proof that grace travels faster than our wandering. [49:03]
5. Invite others home with bold love Jesus told these stories to followers so we’d share the Father’s heart. Someone in your world is still “a long way off,” and your invitation may be the porch light they need. Speak without condemnation, but with courage and clarity. Join the Father’s joy in helping them find the way home. [51:42]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[27:35] - Christmas is here, movies and fun
[30:03] - Feeling far from home
[30:29] - The thread of reconciliation
[31:21] - Lost sheep and lost coin
[32:00] - Prodigal son begins
[33:32] - Humanity and inheritance redefined
[35:04] - Reading it now as a dad
[38:14] - Shame that keeps us away
[39:51] - The grass isn’t greener
[43:33] - Ignoring the lawn of the soul
[46:23] - The Father runs to us
[49:03] - Christmas: God closes the gap
[51:42] - Invite the lost home
[52:48] - Picture the porch; pray for boldness

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
- Luke 15:1-32

Observation questions

In Luke 15, what patterns show up across the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son stories? What keeps getting repeated?
In the prodigal story, what exactly does the younger son ask for, and what is shocking about the father’s response (vv. 12-13)?
What details mark the turning point for the son (vv. 14-19)? What words or phrases signal that “he came to his senses”?
List the specific actions the father takes when he sees the son “a long way off” (vv. 20-24). What do these actions say without words?

Interpretation questions

If the father gives the inheritance before death in the parable, what might that suggest about how God gives and when grace is available (vv. 12-13)? How could “already having” change a person’s posture toward God and life? [34:03]
If shame isolates and keeps a person away from the very presence that can heal, how is shame different from true conviction? What fruit does each one produce over time? [38:14]
If the son discovers that the grass isn’t greener (vv. 14-19), how does that expose the lie that “I’m just doing what makes me happy”? In what ways does false “happiness” act more like anesthesia than healing? [42:23]
If the father runs and closes the gap (vv. 20-24), how does that shape an understanding of Christmas as God moving first toward humanity? What view of God does that correct? [49:03]

Application questions

Live from inheritance, not for it: Where is there pressure to hustle for peace, worth, or approval that God already gives? What is one concrete gratitude practice this week that could fight envy or scarcity (e.g., a daily list, a thank-you text)? [34:03]
Walk through the door shame says you can’t: Is there a room, group, or relationship you’ve avoided because you feel like your worst moment defines you? What’s one step back toward community—today—not later (text, confession, showing up)? [38:14]
Name the “greener grass”: What specific pursuit has promised happiness but is underdelivering right now (purchase, habit, relationship, secret)? What would repentance look like in the next 48 hours—replace it with what, and who will you tell? [39:51]
Stop ignoring the lawn: What area have you been avoiding because it feels easier not to think about it (health, finances, porn, alcohol, prayer, Scripture, conflict)? Choose one small, clear action for this week (appointment, plan, accountability). [43:33]
Let the Father close the gap: When confession feels scary, how could you practice receiving the Father’s embrace? Try praying the son’s words (vv. 18-19) and then imagining the Father running to meet you—no list of failures, just welcome. Do that tonight. [46:23]
Turn Christmas into movement: Since God moved first, what first move will you make toward someone you’re estranged from (call, coffee, apology, invitation)? Set a time and write the first sentence you’ll say. [49:03]
Invite someone home: Who in your world is “a long way off”? Name one person. What is one bold but gentle next step—an invite to service, to dinner, to share your story, or to pray with them? Put a date on it and ask a friend to pray for courage. [51:42]

Sermon Clips

And the book of the Bible we're looking at today, in Luke chapter 15, the whole book of the Bible is about reconciliation and finding the lost. The book of Luke chapter 15 gives three different parables. Three different parables that share the same theme. The chapter starts with the parable of the lost sheep. You might have heard it before, where Jesus is saying that, hey, his relationship with us is, like, as a shepherd. And if he has a hundred sheep, if one of them goes astray, of course he is going to go find that one lost sheep, even though there's 99 others. [00:30:58] (40 seconds) #Luke15FindsTheLost

This story being a parable, this is meant to be a metaphor for all of us. This is meant to be a metaphor, so this is not just a story about a son. This is a story about humanity. Now, this is all of us. So in this story, the son betrays his inheritance. But if this story is really about humanity, then in reality, we've all betrayed our inheritance. [00:33:03] (28 seconds) #ParableForAllHumanity

And now, reading this scripture, realizing, man, if my son did that to me, I'd be gutted. I'd be absolutely gutted. But it's because of how much I love my son. When you read this story, don't just recognize the betrayal of the son, but recognize the grief of the father, because it's just that much more meaningful when the son eventually comes home. [00:37:12] (31 seconds) #GriefAndLoveOfTheFather

We've all betrayed our inheritance. The only question is, how long are you going to keep running from God when you know that you know that you know you're meant to be home with him? What's actually keeping you far away from God? I think the number one thing is shame. Shame, this thing that, like, God doesn't want for us and doesn't plan for us. [00:37:54] (24 seconds) #ShameKeepsUsAway

I don't know the amount of times we'd go like launch at a new lake and immediately start catching fish right away, and then be like, Wow, this is great. I wonder what's over there. And then we leave, go to the other side of the lake, not catch anything, realize, Well, that was dumb, and then go back, and then all of a sudden you're catching fish again. Here's the thing, we do this all the time. [00:40:15] (21 seconds) #LeaveFishToFindFish

Even when our life's great, we start thinking, Hey, I wonder what's over there. And then it turns into a little bit of a contentment issue, and it starts to be like, Okay, I wonder what's over there. I wonder what would it be like if I was able to afford that bigger house or that nicer car, or what if I just made 10 or 20K more, like just a little bit. [00:40:37] (22 seconds) #ContentmentOverComparison

My life would be more fun, or my life would be better if I just dot, dot, dot, fill in the blank. Here's the thing. We know this doesn't work. Even on a small scale, we all know this doesn't work. We have all sat down and be like, I can finish the pie-to-pie scream. Like, it doesn't work. You feel miserable. Nobody in the history of humanity has ever pigged out at McDonald's, and two hours later been like, I feel great. I feel amazing. No, we know that it doesn't work. We know when we're just chasing, like, short-term happiness, short-term enjoyment, that it doesn't work. [00:41:10] (39 seconds) #ChasingShortTermPleasureFails

It's because he started chasing lies that his life would somehow be better if he was, here's the lie, if he was just doing things that make me happy. I'm just doing what makes me happy, right? Why should I stop sleeping around? It makes me happy. Why should I stop getting drunk? It makes me happy. Why should I stop getting high? It makes me happy. It makes me happy. I'm not hurting anybody. Why should I stop? It makes me happy. That's the lie. Because those things don't make you happy. They just make you forget that you're sad. [00:41:56] (39 seconds) #ShortTermPleasureIsntHappiness

We all lie to ourselves. We say, oh, okay, well, people like me more when I drink. When I have a couple drinks, I'm more social. I'm more fun. People like me better when I'm that way. But then it turns into, you know what? My spouse really doesn't feel like they're enough. You know who really gets me? My coworker. That's why these are all sin issues. It's because the enemy lies to you about what happiness is. [00:42:35] (28 seconds) #EnemyLiesAboutHappiness

But happiness, like it's pulling you away from God's promises of what happiness actually is. We lie to ourselves thinking that, you know, these are the things that make us happy. But God's promises are so much better, so much greater. Now there's the whole concept, right? The grass being greener on the other side. But I want to tell you this morning. There's like another version of this. [00:43:02] (27 seconds) #GodsPromisesAreBetter

In other words, you know, ignoring you even have a lawn, it's just when you're saying it's just easier to not think about it. And that might be you this morning. You know, it's ignoring the fact, you know, I know that I'm not in the Bible as much as I should be, but it's just easier to not think about that. Or, hey, I have this sin issue that I know is not making my life better, but you know, it's easier to just ignore that and not think about it. That's ignoring that you even have a lawn. [00:45:36] (29 seconds) #DontIgnoreYourLawn

There's two things I love about this part of scripture. First one is this, is that when the son actually gets to the father, the father didn't say like, Where have you been? Do you know how stressed I've been? Worrying about you, thinking about you. What were you doing? I can't believe you did this. I can't believe you did this. I can't believe you did this. He didn't do that. He embraced him. He immediately accepted him back in as a member of the family, part of the home. [00:47:22] (32 seconds) #FatherEmbracesHome

Here's the other thing I love about this. Is that when the son was like coming down, you got to think of the dad, like he's been sitting for years, waiting on the porch, waiting to see his son at the end of the driveway. And when he finally sees him, his son is there at the end of the driveway, the dad, the father, goes to the son. He closes the gap. He runs to the son because he's so excited to see him. [00:47:54] (26 seconds) #FatherRunsToSon

Now remember this morning, this whole thing is not about a son, it's about humanity. So what does that mean for humanity? Remember this morning, from this story, humanity was a long way off from God. Humanity was a long way off from God. We have all been a long way off from God, separated by sin. Whether it was wild living or ignoring we have a problem or just not paying attention to our spirituality. But then God sent Jesus on Christmas to close the gap. Christmas is God closing the gap. [00:48:19] (51 seconds) #ChristmasClosesTheGap

``God coming to earth as Jesus to die on the cross, to detach us from sin so that we can live in the presence of his Holy Spirit on earth and that we can live in his presence without sin for the rest of eternity. That's God running up the driveway to greet us. Him sending Jesus on Christmas Christmas is God running up the driveway to meet humanity regardless of what we were doing with the rest of our life. Christmas is God closing the gap. [00:49:11] (37 seconds) #GodRunsToUs

This sermon today might be about you. You might be a long way from God. Whether that's because of choices, whether that's because of skepticism, whether that's because of hurt, you might be a long way from God. I just want to let you know that he's really excited for you to come home. He's waiting on the porch. He can't wait until you turn the corner to get to the end of the driveway so he can run to you, embrace you, not list off the things that you did wrong, just welcome you back home, welcome you back in the family. [00:49:48] (39 seconds) #ComeHomeHeWaits

He wasn't sitting there talking to somebody who was far away from God. In fact, he was talking to his disciples. He was talking to people who were following him, actually spending time with God incarnate, like spending time with God. There's a reason why he was telling them. There's also a reason why you're hearing this story now. Just as Jesus was telling the disciples, he's telling this to you now. [00:51:07] (26 seconds) #JesusSpeaksToHisFollowers

But there's people in our lives that are far away from God. Yeah, we've been the main character of this story before. We might still be the main character of this story. But there's other people in our lives that are the main character of this story that are far away from God. We're the ones that need to invite them in. We're the ones that need to be able to help get them home. [00:51:33] (31 seconds) #InviteTheLostHome

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God Waiting on the Porch: Come Home for Christmas

Devotional

Day 1: You already have your inheritance

Day 2: The grass isn’t greener; come to your senses

Day 3: Don’t let shame keep you away

Day 4: Christmas is God closing the gap

Day 5: Be bold: help someone find the driveway

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

God Waiting on the Porch: Come Home for Christmas

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