Why Do People Run From God?
1. God’s boundaries feel like restrictions or punishment
2. To prove they don’t need anyone or anything
3. Disappointment with people
4. Poor relationship choices
5. Easier to run than face the results of failure

When We Run, We Leave:
1. The safety of home
2. The security of home
3. The blessings of home
4. The love of home

When We Run From God:
1. We make bad decisions
2. We lose

When We Run From God:
1. We make bad decisions
2. We lose
3. Our plans fail

When We Run From God:
1. We make bad decisions
2. We lose
3. Our plans fail
4. We end up embarrassed and ashamed

When We Run From God:
1. We make bad decisions
2. We lose
3. Our plans fail
4. We end up embarrassed and ashamed
5. We are alone

The Prodigal Son: Lost and Found
1. The Son’s Rebellion
a) The younger son leaves his father, seeking independence and pleasure
b) His choices lead to brokenness, emptiness and separation from the father
2. The Journey Back Home
a) In his desperation, the son realizes his need for the father’s love and forgiveness
b) He returns home, humbled and repentant
3. The Father’s Grace
a) Father runs to meet him, forgives him and restores him as a beloved son
b) The celebration reflects joy over redemption

Easter: Death and Resurrection
1. Jesus’ Sacrifice
a) Jesus willingly went to the cross to pay for humanity’s rebellion against God
b) His death represents the cost of sin and the separation it causes
2. The Resurrection
a) On Easter morning, Jesus rose from the dead, defeating sin and death
b) His resurrection offers new life, hope and reconciliation with God
3. God’s Grace Through Jesus
a) Just as the father welcomed the prodigal son home, God welcomes us into His family through sacrifice and resurrection

Connection Between the Stories
1. Separation From God
a) Like the prodigal son, humanity has wandered away from God in sin
b) Both stories highlight the brokenness caused by separation from the Father
2. The Need for Repentance
a) The prodigal son had to return to his father; we must turn to God through faith in Jesus
b) Repentance leads to restoration in both stores
3. Grace and Restoration
a) The father’s love for his son mirrors God’s love for us through Jesus
b) Easter celebrates the ultimate act of grace – Jesus’ death and resurrection that restores us to God

Come Home To God
1. Like the prodigal son, recognize your need for forgiveness and return to God
2. Easter is a time to rejoice in God’s grace and the new life we have in Christ
3. Embrace your identity as a beloved child of God, living in the joy of resurrection power
4. No matter how far you’ve gone, no matter how long it’s been, you can always come home