We all know our homes well. We know where the door is located, how many rooms we have, and which walls have cracks and chipped paint. We know what we like and we know what we would like to change.

Families are a lot like houses. We know our families well, and we know where the cracks are. We know what has caused hurt, what sin has proven destructive, and what we’d like to change. Many of us would like to rebuild our families from scratch, and yet we can’t. 

So what do we do if we are sitting in the rubble? What do we do if the storms have already destroyed our family? 

Let’s look at two examples of restoration in the home:

Luke 15:11-24

And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.

“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.

“And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’

And they began to celebrate.

How was restoration found in this home, for this family?

Most significantly, there was repentance. There was a genuine turning from the sinful path back to the path that leads to the father.

Also, there was forgiveness. The father, wounded, taken advantage of, with reason to be angry, chose to forgive his son. Instead of closed doors he found open arms. In the place of a cold welcome, he was extended a warm meal. Rather than demanding an explanation, the father ordered a party.

If broken homes are to be restored, we must follow this example and celebrate repentance and forgiveness.

Another Biblical example of this sort of restoration comes just four chapters later:

Luke 19:1-10

He entered Jericho and was passing through. And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way.

And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully.

And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.”

And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.”

And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

How was restoration found in this home, for this family?

The head of the household sought Jesus.

The head of the household welcomed Jesus into his home.

The head of the household repented of his sin and made things right with those he had wronged.

The head of the household found forgiveness and salvation in Jesus Christ who actively seeks and saves the lost.

As we set our hearts on restoration, let me say, we need more leaders like Zacchaeus. We need heads of homes that will seek Jesus, welcome him into their family situations, repent of sin, and find the freedom of forgiveness. This is how shattered foundations are made new.