Luke 15:11-32 And he said, A certain man had two sons:… "He came to himself." This implies his former mad and insane state. The sinner's condition is one of madness. I. MADNESS IS THE DERANGEMENT OF THE INTELLECTUAL POWERS. II. IN MADNESS PASSION RULES INSTEAD OF REASON. III. MADNESS IS CONNECTED WITH STRANGE DELUSIONS. IV. MADNESS WILL BE PROVED BY THE OBJECTS OF CHOICE AND REJECTION. A sane person prefers good to evil, safety to danger, etc. A madman has no just idea of things. He trifles with peril, sports with danger, rejects the good, and chooses the evil. V. MADNESS WILL BE MANIFEST FROM THE CONVERSATION. It is either violent, incoherent, or insipid. VI. MADMEN ARE UNINFLUENCED BY COUNSEL. How true of sinners! Parents have counselled — "My son, if thy heart," etc. Friends have counselled — "Come thou with us," etc. Ministers have counselled; the Holy Spirit has counselled, etc. Yet sinners will not hear. VII. MADMEN THINK ALL OTHERS MAD, SAVE THEMSELVES. Mad infidel, says all believers are mad; mad drunkard, thinks the sober are mad, etc. Worldling thinks the heavenly-minded Christian is mad. Festus, Paul. Even of Jesus they said, "He has a devil, and is mad." VIII. MADMEN ARE DANGEROUS TO OTHERS. IX. MADNESS IS OFTEN FATAL IN ITS RESULTS. Application: 1. Spiritual madness is self-procured, therefore wilful and altogether inexcusable. 2. Spiritual madness tends to the death of the soul. Eternal woe. 3. For spiritual madness there is one grand efficient remedy, and one only, the glorious gospel of the blessed God, salvation by faith in the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ. 4. The application of this remedy invariably brings sinners to a right state of mind. (J. Burns, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: And he said, A certain man had two sons: |
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