THE RETURN JOURNEY
W. Dickson
Philippians 2: 7–11; Luke 15: 17–20; 17: 11–19; 24: 50–53
The gospel is preached because man has departed from God. If man had not departed from God there would have been no need for the gospel. I want to speak tonight of the return journey. It is wonderful that there is a way back to God, and that is part of the gospel—the return journey. I do trust that many will start on the return journey tonight.
Before we speak of your journey, we should speak of the most wonderful journey that has ever been taken in the annals of time. That journey was from the manger to the cross, through death, and to the glory. Without that journey the gospel could never have been preached. Men write autobiographies recounting their travels, sometimes in very lengthy books, but the most wonderful journey the world has ever witnessed is related in these four verses of scripture. It says in the gospels that He was weary on that journey (John 4: 6). He sat at Sychar’s well, weary with the way He had come, weary with the journey that was taking Him to the cross, but He went that way in grace. Think of the steps in that journey, “taking a bondman’s form, taking his place in the likeness of men; and having been found in figure as a man, humbled himself”. That was so different from the movements of men; they strive to take an upward journey to fame and glory in this world, but the journey Jesus took was a journey downward to the cross. Was that cross the terminus of that journey? Oh no, it was not the terminus but a turning point in the journey. Ah, that wonderful turning point!
After the work had been done by Jesus, after He had shed His blood and atonement had been made on the cross, “God highly exalted him”. Think of the journey up to heaven—‘Received in glory bright up there’ (Hymn 350). Does your heart thrill when that hymn is sung? It further says that “God … granted him a name, that which is above every name “. That word “name” means fame—the fame of Jesus. Think of the vast number who are heralding the fame of Jesus, who are rejoicing to tell it forth. Then in verses 10–11 it speaks of every knee bowing. That is yet to come. What a sight it will be—tier after tier of beings bowing the knee to Jesus! Will you bow to Jesus now? If you bow to Him now you will join the vast heavenly company who will acclaim His fame in a day yet to come.
Now we turn to this well-known scripture in Luke 15—a young man on a return journey. He came to himself—now has everyone here done that? Have you come to yourself? I think that means repentance, coming to yourself. Have you come to a judgment of yourself? If you have taken that wayward outward journey into the world, there is a way back through faith and repentance. He said, “How many hired servants of my father’s have abundance of bread, and I perish here by famine. I will rise up and go to my father”, He did not say, ‘I will rise up and go home’. No! He spoke of his father. The Father is God in grace, the character of the dispensation. The son “rose up and went to his own father. But while he was yet a long way off, his father saw him”. I have often wondered how many storeys there were to this house and pictured the father climbing to the top to get a clear view of the road, because it says, “But while he was yet a long way off, his father saw him”. Have you any doubt about the reception you will get if you take the return journey? The Father is looking for you and is waiting to welcome you. You will get a wonderful welcome because He wants you in His own house. He will cover you with kisses. But the welcome and the blessing all resulted from the journey that Jesus took, that journey to the cross. There would have been no welcome, no kisses, no best robe, ring or sandals had Jesus not suffered and died on the cross. God is a gracious God, full of grace, but righteousness required the death and blood-shedding of Jesus before these many blessings could be dispensed. The best robe, the ring on your finger—how many a dear saint has been thankful for, and comforted by, that ring—the Father’s unchanging, endless love. With the sandals on, the service of God in the liberty of sonship will be your portion, and the crowning blessing—to eat the fatted calf.
What could that be but Christ, the food of the believer, the Man who glorified God and gave effect to His counsels of grace?
From Luke 17 I want to speak simply of these ten leprous men. Somebody might say, ‘Luke 15 does not apply to me because I returned to the Father a long time ago’. That may be so, but perhaps Luke 17 applies to you. There were ten lepers cleansed but only one returned to give God the glory. The Lord Jesus asks, “But the nine, where are they?” Could I ask that question in this room at this time—Where are the nine? Has every one here returned to give glory to God? These persons were Christians as we would speak. The Lord says, “Go, shew yourselves to the priests”. Every converted person is a testimony in the world to the grace of God. May I ask the question, Are you one that has come back, or are you amongst the nine? Oh, make that return journey and give glory to God! God in His wondrous grace has blessed you. Do not remain amongst those who, so to speak, go their own way and live as worldly Christians. Nothing can be so empty as worldly Christianity, because it is neither Christ fully or the world fully.
In Luke 24 Jesus led His disciples out as far as Bethany. It has been like Bethany today, the home of love; it is a wonderful experience to spend a time at Bethany. As Jesus was blessing them He was carried up into heaven. It does not say He went up; He was carried up; as if heaven said, ‘We delight to have Him back, the Father’s beloved Son’. He was carried up in joyous acclamation to heaven. Now this is what I want to speak about, “And they, having done him homage, returned to Jerusalem with great joy”. Have you returned to Jerusalem?
Jerusalem in this passage means the place where God is praised; as it recounts, they “were continually in the temple praising and blessing God”. Can I appeal to everyone here to make that journey? Certainly make the return journey to the Father’s house, and certainly return and glorify God, but they returned to Jerusalem. These disciples knew there was a place where God could be praised. They were there continually. I do not think there is much happiness in being a Sunday Christian. God does not look for Sunday Christians. He wants persons who are continually praising and blessing Him. These things are only realized in the power of the Holy Spirit. God gives the Holy Spirit to fill your heart with peace and joy, to rejoice in His wondrous love in coming in in the Person of Jesus. May you take the return journey and find a place in His house praising and blessing Him. May you do it tonight.
Preaching at Warrnambool
1 December 1985