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T HE K I N G ’S B U S I N E S S
JANUARY 21, 1923 THE PRODIGAL SON Golden Text.-—Likewise, I say unto you, th e re is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner th a t repenteth. Luke 15:10. LESION TEXT Luke 15:11-24. (Read Ps. 32: Lk. 1:15, 16.) (11) A nd he said, A certain m an had two sons: (12) A nd the younger of them said to his fa th e r, F a th e r, g iv e me the portion o f goods th at fa lle th to me, A n d he divided unto them his liv in g . (13) A n d not m any days a fte r the younger son gathered a ll together, and to ok his jo u rn ey into a fa r country, and there w asted h is substance w ith riotous liv in g . (14) A n d w hen he had spent a ll, there arose a m ig h ty fam ine in th at lan d ; and he b egan to he in w ant. (15) A nd he w ent and joined h im self to a citizen o f th a t coun try; and he sent him to his fields to feed sw ine. (16) A n d he would fa in have filled his b elly w ith the hu sks th at the sw in e , did e a t: and no m an gave unto him . (17) A nd when he came to him self, he said, H ow m any hired servants o f m y fa th e r’s have bread e n o u g h an d to sp ard a and X perish w ith h u n ger! (18) I w ill arise an d go to m y fa th e r, and w ill Outline: (1 ) Selfish Seeking, vs. 11, 13. 7:36-50; Rom. 5:1-11; Gal. 6:1-5; I Tim. say unto him , F a th e r, I h ave sinned a g a in st heaven, and before thee, (19) A n d am no more w orthy to be called th y : son: m ake me as one o f th y hired servan ts. (20) A nd he arose, and cam e to h is fa th e r. B u t when he w as y e t a g rea t w ay off, his fa th e r saw him , and had com passion, and ran, and fe ll on h is neck, and kissed him . (21) A n d the son said unto him , F a th e r, I have sinned a g a in st heaven, and in th y sigh t, and am no more w o rthy to he called th y son. (22) B u t the fa th e r said to his servants, B rin g fo rth the best robe, and put it on him ; and p ut a r in g on his hand, and shoes on his fe e t; (23) A n d b rin g hith er the fa tte d c a lf, and k ill it; and le t us eat, and be m erry: (24) F o r this m y son w as dead, and is aliv e a g a in ; he w as lost, and is found. A n d they b egan to be m erry. be tau g h t by our Lord.
These th ree parables give us a th ree fold aspect of the backslider’s life, and of th e three-fold relation of th e triun e God to those who belong to the family. F irst, we have a sheep, wandering from the fold. This could not mean an unsaved man. The Shepherd is our Lord Jesus Christ who goes out afte r th e w anderer and never re tu rn s until He brings him home, and then th ere is g reat rejoicing. Second, th e re is th e coin lost in th e house. The woman lights a candle and sweeps and searches, u n til sh e finds. Then th e re is rejoicing. This is 'th e work of th e Holy Spirit, through the Word, which is the light.
(2 ) Sowing Wild Oats, v. 13. (3) Serving Swine, vs.. 14-16. (4) Sorrow of Sin, vs. 17-19. (5) Seeing th e F ath e r and Season of Rejoicing, vs. 20-24. Introduction: The P arable of th e Prodigal Son is called “ th e p earl of parables” . It is a princely poem; a prophetic picture of th e sorrow of the backslider, and th e unfailing, unchanging LESSON love of the F a th e r; EXPOSITION and positive proof of T. O. H orton th e fact th a t th e bond which binds the be liever to God can never be severed no m a tte r how strenuous may be. th e strain . The th ree parables in th is chapter should never be severed in our thoughts, for they are one. Our eyes have always been fixed upon th e son in th is parable, which breaks th e harmony and m ars th e beauty of th e tria d of tru th designed to
Third, is our lesson. Here it is the F a th e r, whose unchanging love brings th e backslider to th e home,— God the F ath e r, God th e Son and God th e Holy Spirit, all pledged to the work of re storing the. backslider. DOCTRINAL STATEMENT IN DEED TO
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