Welcome Home son ( a funeral Service) Luke 15:17-24
Good evening we are all here to to mourn the passing of Tatang. But more importantly to celebrate and thank the Lord Jesus Christ, for the life that He gave Tatang, and the time we shared his life, Truly God has given and he hath taken away… blessed be the name of the Lord.
Message:
I look at Tatang and see not is going away from us but more than that—His coming home to our Father Jesus Christ. Let us not look at today as he died but it is today that He is living, a better life more than us no doubt, he is today celebrating, laughing, smiling, while we are crying. Ill tell you why in a while the reason “Tatang” is in a much happier place than us.
In the bible we see the story entitled the “The Parable Prodigal Son”. Its in Luke 15, where Jesus told this story.
The story starts with a man having 2 sons, and the youngest son asks for his treasure.
He goes leaves his home, his father and leaves His Dad. – Inubos ang pera, nambabae, nag-inom, the bible says he spent his money in riotous, living—You know what, is we contextualize the story, we find out that we are the Prodigal son.
God loved us and gave us freedom – but we left him, lived as though we had no father, sinning, hurting, drinking, etc. – “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:6
I. Remember “all of us” – left God!
Money doesn’t last, friends, even our bodies don’t last.
Waking up one day, with no money, no friends, beside pigs , eating the pigs food. V, 17Nang manauli ang kaniyang kaisipan, sinabi niya: Ang aking ama ay maraming upahang utusan. Sagana sila sa tinapay samantalang ako ay namamatay dahil sa gutom. 18Tatayo ako at pupunta ako sa aking ama. Sasabihin ko sa kaniya: Ama, nagkasala ako laban sa langit at sa iyong paningin. 19Hindi na ako karapat-dapat na tawaging anak mo. Gawin mo akong isa sa iyong mga upahang utusan. 20Sa pagtayo niya, pumunta siya sa kaniyang ama, ngunit malayo pa siya ay nakita na siya ng kaniyang ama at ito ay nahabag sa kaniya. Ang ama ay tumakbo at niyakap at hinagkan siya.
Illustration: Tatang, I went in the ICU and when I held his hand, he was crying, i said “sabi naming ni Inang, masama sa inyo umiyak”(its not good for you to cry said your wife), then he stopped crying, I started telling him “Jesus loves you” kailangan mag trust ka sa kanya (You need to trust Jesus). Dahil love ka niya(Because he loves you). He loves you that he even died for you. All you need to do is gawin siyang Diyos at Savior ng iyong life. He cried, I stopped and we prayed. – Like the Prodigal son, Suffering makes us turn towards him.
II. The Prodigal son came back to God
The Prodigal Son, went home, humble, probably crying. He didn’t expect his Father to forgive him. But he will still try.
20Sa pagtayo niya, pumunta siya sa kaniyang ama, ngunit malayo pa siya ay nakita na siya ng kaniyang ama at ito ay nahabag sa kaniya. Ang ama ay tumakbo at niyakap at hinagkan siya.
21Sinabi ng anak sa kaniya: Ama, nagkasala ako laban sa langit at sa iyong paningin. Hindi na ako karapat-dapat na tawaging anak mo.
Truly si Tatang died but today he is with Jesus in heaven, he was lost but now he is found and today he is with the loving Father where there is no more death, nor sorrow, nor mourning. And all those who made Jesus Christ Lord and Savior, Do not despair for we will be with Him someday and Tatay will be waiting for us.
III. There is Rejoicing in Heaven when His children come home
I believe, when he passed away God our Father, was waiting for him, tumatakbo(running), lumuluha (teary eyed), at Nagsasabing (saying) anak welcome home! People, look at the text, God was waiting all along for those who turned away from Sin and returned to Him.
22Gayunman, sinabi ng ama sa kaniyang mga alipin: Dalhin ninyo ang pinakamainam na kasuotan at isuot ninyo sa kaniya. Magbigay kayo ng singsing para sa kaniyang kamay at panyapak para sa kaniyang mga paa. 23Magdala kayo ng pinatabang guya at katayin ito. Tayo ay kakain at magsaya. 24Ito ay sapagkat ang anak kong ito ay namatay at muling nabuhay. Siya ay nawala at natagpuan. Sila ay nagsimulang magsaya.
Dear Brothers and Sisters we should be excited for now—He is waiting for us and we will have a heavenly reunion.
The Lord has given and the Lord has taken away--- Blessed be the name of the Lord.
