During more than forty years of professional flying, I’ve had the privilege of serving as pilot for some very interesting people. One of them was a highly successful doctor and inventor—a brilliant man, financially prosperous, and a devout Catholic. His faith was important to him. In fact, his own son was a priest who had eventually been elevated to the office of bishop.
One day, while we were sitting together in the aircraft, something happened that I hadn’t planned. I sensed the Spirit of God prompting me, and before I had time to soften the words or reconsider them, I simply blurted out, “But Doctor—have you been born again?”
He seemed almost surprised by the question.
“Yes, of course,” he answered. “I love God. I’m a faithful Catholic.”
I looked at him again. “But Dr. Jerry, have you been born again?”
He later told me that the question followed him all the way back to his hotel room. He couldn’t shake it. So he opened his Bible, went to the concordance, and began searching until he found the passage in John chapter 3, where Nicodemus came to Jesus.
Nicodemus was no atheist. He wasn’t an immoral man who wanted nothing to do with God. He was a devout, highly respected religious leader. Yet when Jesus told him, “You must be born again,” Nicodemus didn’t understand. How could a grown man possibly be born a second time?
As Dr. Jerry read those words, something began happening inside him. For perhaps the first time, he realized that being religious, loving God, and faithfully practicing his faith were not the same thing as experiencing the spiritual rebirth Jesus described.
Dr. Jerry got down on his knees beside that hotel bed. And there, after reading John chapter 3, he began to weep over his spiritual condition. He surrendered himself completely to Jesus Christ.
What happened afterward was extraordinary.
I have rarely known anyone whose life changed so dramatically. It was as though I was looking at a different man. The transformation seemed almost immediate, but its impact lasted for decades. What God began in that hotel room eventually ricocheted outward, touching lives far beyond anything either of us could have imagined that day aboard the airplane.
Much like the apostle Paul, Dr. Jerry didn’t simply acquire a new religious interest. He became a changed man. And from that point forward, his life became a legacy of Christian faith and service.
And to think—it began with one simple question:
“Have you been born again?”
I was honored to make a video recently about running from God.
Jesus spoke about a young man who left his father’s house, squandered everything he had, and eventually found himself hungry, broken, and feeding pigs.
But then, something changed.
The Bible says:
“He came to himself.” —Luke 15:17
He woke up.
He finally saw where his choices had taken him.
And then he made one of the most important decisions of his life:
“I will arise and go to my father.” —Luke 15:18
That’s where we left him.
But today I’d like to share what happened next in this young man’s life.
Because maybe you’ve made some wrong turns too.
Maybe you’ve wandered away from God.
Maybe you’re carrying things inside that nobody else knows about.
And perhaps you’ve wondered:
Would God really take me back?
That’s what I want to share with you today.
The prodigal son didn’t just think about going home.
He took action. He got up.
Jesus said:
“And he arose and came to his father.” —Luke 15:20
That’s important.
Thinking about leaving the pigpen wasn’t enough.
Feeling sorry about being there wasn’t enough.
Knowing his father had something better wasn’t enough.
He got up.
He turned around.
And he started toward home.
That’s a picture of what the Bible calls repentance.
Repentance is more than feeling bad about something you’ve done.
It’s a change of heart and mind, that results in a change of direction.
You’re going one way… and you turn.
Jesus said:
“Repent, and believe in the gospel.” —Mark 1:15
And sometimes that turning requires humility.
Look at what happened to this young man.
When he first left home, he apparently thought he knew what he was doing.
He had money.
He had plans.
He had confidence.
But now he’s walking home with nothing.
No money.
No accomplishments to show his father.
No impressive explanation.
He couldn’t say, “Dad, look how successful I’ve become.”
He had nothing to bring except himself…
and his repentance.
He had already rehearsed what he was going to say:
“Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.” —Luke 15:18
Notice what he didn’t do.
He didn’t blame his father.
He didn’t blame his friends.
He didn’t blame the famine.
He didn’t make excuses.
He simply admitted:
I was wrong.
That’s humility.
And humility is something every one of us needs before God.
King David understood that.
After David sinned terribly, he discovered that what God desired wasn’t an outward performance.
David wrote about:
“A broken and a contrite heart.” —Psalm 51:17
That’s what God is looking for.
Not perfection.
Not excuses.
Not religious performance.
An honest heart.
And maybe that’s where you are today.
Maybe you’re saying:
Dale, you don’t know what I’ve done.
No, I probably don’t.
Maybe you’ve made decisions you deeply regret.
Maybe you once walked closely with God but wandered away.
And now you’re ashamed.
Maybe you’re wondering:
How could God possibly take me back after everything I’ve done?
Well, look at what Jesus said happened next.
This is one of the most beautiful pictures in all of Scripture.
The young man is walking toward home.
I wonder what was going through his mind.
What will Dad say?
Will he reject me?
Will he even let me through the door?
Remember, this young man had dishonored his father.
He had squandered what his father had given him.
He was coming home from a pigpen.
His clothes were probably filthy.
He had nothing to offer.
But Jesus said that while the son was “still a great way off,” his father saw him.
And then Jesus said the father:
“Had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.” —Luke 15:20,
Don’t miss that.
The father ran.
The son was coming home expecting judgment.
But the father ran toward him.
That is the picture Jesus gives us of the heart of God toward the sinner who repents and turns toward Him.
God is not standing in heaven saying:
Clean yourself up first.
Fix everything you’ve done.
Then perhaps I’ll consider you.
No.
You come to Him honestly … humbly.
You come repentant.
And you come through Jesus Christ.
There’s something else here I don’t want you to miss.
The father apparently had been looking.
Jesus said the father saw his son while he was still “a great way off.”
I love that.
Maybe the son thought he was making the journey home alone.
But somewhere ahead…
his father was watching for him.
And maybe somebody listening to me needs to hear that today.
You’ve wandered a long way.
But God hasn’t forgotten where you are.
You may have stopped thinking about Him.
He has not stopped caring about you.
You may feel unworthy.
Come home anyway.
You may feel ashamed.
Come home anyway.
You may have failed again.
Come home anyway.
But come honestly.
Come repentantly.
Come ready to surrender your life to Jesus Christ.
The religious leaders of Jesus’ day had trouble understanding this.
They criticized Jesus because He received sinners.
Luke tells us that tax collectors and sinners came near to hear Him, and the religious leaders complained:
“This Man receives sinners.” —Luke 15:2
They intended that as criticism.
But what a wonderful truth it contains.
Jesus receives sinners.
In fact, that’s why Jesus told the story of the prodigal son.
He wanted us to understand something about the heart of God.
Jesus said there is:
“Joy in heaven over one sinner who repents.” —Luke 15:7
One person.
Think about that.
One person turns around…
and heaven rejoices.
That one person today could be you.
When the prodigal finally reached home, the father didn’t say:
“You’ve embarrassed me. Get out of my sight.”
He didn’t say:
“Go live with the servants for five years and maybe you’ll earn your way back.”
Instead, the father called for the best robe.
He put a ring on his son’s hand.
He put shoes on his feet.
And he celebrated.
Then he said:
“This my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” —Luke 15:24
The father received him as his son.
Now please understand something.
Jesus wasn’t teaching that sin doesn’t matter.
It matters tremendously.
The son had to turn around.
He had to leave the pigpen.
He had to humble himself.
He had to come home.
But when he came…
he discovered the heart of his father.
And that’s what I want you to discover.
Maybe you’ve spent years running from God.
Maybe you’ve tried to clean yourself up before coming back.
Maybe you’ve thought:
When I become a better person, then I’ll come to God.
Don’t wait.
Come as you are.
But come ready for Him to change you.
You don’t take a shower before you take a shower.
You come because you need to be made clean.
And spiritually, we come to God because we need what only He can give us.
Forgiveness.
Cleansing.
Restoration.
A new beginning.
And ultimately, we need Jesus Christ.
So if God is dealing with your heart right now, don’t harden your heart.
Don’t say:
Maybe next year.
Don’t say:
After I fix a few things.
Don’t say:
Someday.
The prodigal said:
“I will arise.”
And he arose.
Maybe today it’s time for you to do the same.
Get up.
Turn around.
And start toward home.
You may have wandered a long way from God…
but God has not stopped loving you.
This week, we want to thank our new recurring donors, Frank and Jackie, for choosing to faithfully support us each month, and our faithful partner, Ron, for standing with us throughout the years.
Every gift through Join the Mission helps us create these videos, provide books and resources, and share biblical truth with more people. We’re truly grateful to have you standing with us.
Remember—Jesus is coming again.
And people… He’s coming soon!
