Luke 15:11-32 And he said, A certain man had two sons:… I. LET US FOLLOW THE SINNER IN HIS REBELLION. In this part of the picture we shall perceive that sin is vicious in principle, ruinous in operation, and ever multiplying its destructive issues. (1) SIN IS VICIOUS IN PRINCIPLE. 1. What is the unexpressed but fundamental axiom of all sin? A human being exists to pursue his own gratification, without regard to the will of God. That is it. 2. The younger son acts out the rule of life ascribed to him. For observe, the employment of the resources of existence for self-indulgence he claims as a right. "Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me." 3. Now definite plans for self-indulgence follow. His notions of life and felicity are not a theory, but meant to be a practice; and he does his best to be ready for it. 4. Notice, next, the haste of sin. "Not many days after, the younger son gathered all together." It might have been the most sublime and hallowed enterprise in the world. The rapidity of his movements must not be attributed exclusively to the impetuosity of youth, but to the precipitancy of all sinful passion. 5. Remark, finally, here, the presence of God is "unfriendly to sin." "And took his journey into a far country." Banishment from home would have been accounted a great hardship, if it had been enjoined as a duty. The toils and perils of the road would have occasioned no little murmuring, if his hard travail had contemplated any other end than selfenjoyment. He is eager to swallow his indulgences, and equally anxious to be beyond his father's eye and all the restraints of home. "Let me alone" is the impatient cry of sin to all remonstrance. "A far country" is always the coveted paradise of fools. II. SIN IS RUINOUS IN OPERATION. "And there wasted his substance in riotous living." III. SIN IS EVER MULTIPLYING ITS DESTRUCTIVE ISSUES. There is no standing still in good or evil. The wheels of human progress never rest on their axles. 1. Instead of attaining to happiness, he is overtaken by poverty. 2. Now Providence fights against him. Nature is in the universal league against transgression. 3. He is already feeling the pinch of wrong-doing. "And he began to be in want." The fruit of evil deeds is revealing its poison. He finds himself in the grasp of premonitory pangs. 4. Observe next, that the old principle is to be worked in new ways. "And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country." You see that he has not become a citizen himself. He is still a stranger. He cannot absolutely settle down out there. No. A man cannot find entire satisfaction in a life of self-enjoyment without God. With nothing but worldly things he cannot attain to rest. 5. He now sinks to a lower level of degradation. A swine-herd! 6. Take notice, further, that the swine-herd is prepared to accept his shame. "And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks which the swine did eat." Ever since he left his father's house his inclinations have descended lower and lower. He tried to fill, to satisfy himself with them, but he could not. They merely stayed his hunger. There was a bitterness in their flavour which something in his palate nauseated. The pleasure of eating was gone. The food of a beast cannot satisfy the soul of a man. 7. Last of all, his schemes of felicity and methods of relief are all overturned together. "And no man gave unto him." It does not mean, that no man gave him swine's food. The swine-herd had the care of the husks, and ate plenty of them, but he could not enjoy them. "No man gave unto him" what could satisfy and bless a human soul. Man is the highest creature in the world; but if you seek your happiness or your deliverance from misery at his hands, you must end in failure. "Citizens" out in that country, "far" from God, could not surround a prodigal with the good which a father's love at home can alone supply. "No man gave unto him," because no man had anything to give. II. LET US WATCH THE SINNER IN HIS REPENTANCE. There are four elements of repentance here requiring analysis. 1. REFLECTION. "And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare!" Sin creates a sort of moral insanity. While spurred by appetite and in the race after indulgence, the mind is actuated by a species of frenzy. "I perish with hunger!" There is the memory of a better past in that exclamation. This same recalling of brighter hours bows the spirit into the dust. "This is truth the poet sings, That a sorrow's crown of sorrow is remembering happier things."Bygone years to a sinner, however in his beginning, is a glance up an ascending incline towards sunnier days. 2. RESOLUTION. "I will arise and go to my father." He no sooner discerns his hapless state, than he determines to leave it. You are to imagine him prostrate, brooding in indecision or despair. But he will lie no longer in inaction. He protests, "I will arise," and he rises. 3. RECOGNITION OF GUILT. His resolution, while unenfeebled by hesitation, was not formed in insensibility to his evil. He sees most distinctly the relation of sin towards God and towards himself. (1) The relation of sin towards God. "I have sinned against heaven." Evil insults the purity and despises the love of God. It destroys His moral order, and spurns the felicity which He offers. (2) The relation of sin towards himself. "And am no more worthy," etc. His sense of ill-desert is real and deep. 4. RETURN TO GOD. His was no empty vow. III. LET US BEHOLD THE SINNER IN HIS RESTORATION. 1. NOTICE GOD'S RECOGNITION OF THE EARLIEST BEGINNINGS OF PENITENCE. "When he was yet a great way off, his father saw him." He had not seen his father, but "his father saw him." Unconsciously to the son, the love of the father has been drawing him all the way. If he had lost the image of his father from his memory, he would never have attempted to return. 2. OBSERVE GOD'S WELCOME TO THE REPENTING. (1) The tenderness of God is wonderful, He "had compassion." Great reason had God to be angry with that sinful creature, with me, with you; but He "had compassion."(2) How willing God is to succour! "His father saw him, and had compassion, and ran" to welcome him. "Ran," — willingness is too feeble an epithet to denote the impulse. There is eagerness in "ran." God is hasting to save and bless. (3) Pray do not overlook God's readiness to accept and pardon just as you are. "Saw," "had compassion," "ran," "and fell on his neck, and kissed him." 3. NOW TURN TO BEHOLD HOW GOD LAVISHES HIS AFFECTION ON THE ACCEPTED PENITENT. The father is not going to treat his son as an "hired servant." God's forgiveness must be God-like. God's love is always greater in experience than in our most sanguine wishes and brightest hopes. 4. LISTEN TO GOD'S EXHORTATION TO HIS UNIVERSE TO SHARE HIS JOY. "Bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat and be merry." "Merry" is an old Saxon word. Its meaning has somewhat narrowed and lowered in our later tongue. "Be merry," here, in the original is "rejoice." A feast betokens gladness among all nations. The occasion is great, and great is to be the exultation. "Let us eat and rejoice." The father does not ask his household to be glad and he himself remain only a spectator of the universal delight. It is, "Let us eat and rejoice." It is God's own joy that He would have His creatures share and proclaim. (Bishop Alexander.) Parallel Verses KJV: And he said, A certain man had two sons: |
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