Returning to the Homeland
Pastor Tan Thai · Jan 28, 2017
This Lunar New Year sermon uses the theme of homeland to lead the congregation to reflect on the heavenly homeland promised in Scripture to those who receive Christ. The pastor explains that no matter how precious an earthly homeland may be, the heavenly homeland is incomparably better and is already being prepared by God for all who believe in Him.
The sermon opens with warm, nostalgic images of the Vietnamese homeland: lullabies from different regions, folk poetry, and the beloved song 'Tình Hoài Hương' by musician Phạm Duy. The pastor evokes the congregation's memories of their birthplace, their mother's voice, and the countryside, setting up the central theme: every person carries a deep longing for home.
From the lived experience of Vietnamese refugees who left their homeland seeking freedom and a better life, the pastor transitions to the central theological theme: Scripture teaches that there is a heavenly homeland far superior to any nation on earth. Drawing on Hebrews 11:14-16, he explains that people of genuine faith do not place their ultimate hope in the homeland they left behind or currently inhabit, but instead set their hearts on the heavenly homeland that God has already prepared for them.
The pastor cites Revelation 21:1-4 and John 14:1-3 to describe this heavenly homeland: a new holy city where there is no more death, pain, or mourning, and where God Himself will dwell with His people forever. This promise is placed against the backdrop of earthly reality: history shows that no nation prospers forever, and even in the world's most powerful countries, people still face suffering, loss, and broken relationships.
The sermon also presents the pathway to becoming a citizen of the heavenly homeland, drawing on Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, Ephesians 2:8-9, and Titus 3:5. The pastor emphasizes that salvation does not come through good deeds or merit, but entirely through God's grace received by faith in Jesus Christ. As a further illustration, he introduces Blaise Pascal's famous wager as an accessible invitation for unbelievers to seriously consider the choice of faith.
The sermon concludes with New Year's blessings, in which the pastor uses the words of 3 John 2 to pray that the entire congregation and guests would prosper in all things and be in good health, even as their souls prosper. This closing blessing ties the joy of the Lunar New Year celebration together with the Christian hope of a better homeland awaiting all who receive Christ, reminding the audience that the deepest longings expressed in every New Year's wish find their ultimate fulfillment in the heavenly city God has prepared.