523. LUK 15:17, LUK 15:20. THE PRODIGAL SON. (SKETCH II.)

Luk_15:17, Luk_15:20. The Prodigal Son. (Sketch II.)

"And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee," &c.’97Luk_15:17, Luk_15:20.

We have seen in our last discourse the prodigal in his original state of happiness, in his wanderings, and in his utter wretchedness. We have now to contemplate him under the favorable circumstances, which took place at the very crisis of his misery and distress. Far from home. In a degraded service. In utter destitution. Without friends or sympathy in his misfortunes, and exclaiming, "I perish with hunger." But the darkest part of his career is now passed; his misery drives him to reflection, for observe,

I. Reason resumes her dominion. "And when he came to himself." His course had been one of madness, insanity, delirium. Was it not so to throw off the paternal yoke of wisdom and love? Was it not so to trust to his own inexperience? Was it not so to go out into a far and unknown region’97without object, or counsellor, or guide? Was it not so to waste a life’s substance in a few years? Was it not so to become the companion of harlots and thieves? Was it not so to be indifferent to his affairs, till ruin stared him in the face; Surely all this was evidence of the direst infatuation, the most obvious madness. All sin is madness, the opposite of sound reason, of true wisdom.

(1.) To reject and despise God.

(2.) To prostitute the powers of the soul to evil.

(3). To neglect the great end of life.

(4.) To be indifferent to our own welfare.

(5.) To disregard the certain solemnities of death, judgment, and eternity. But the prodigal came to himself

(1.) For behold, he stops in his career of vice to consider. He now soliloquizes with himself.

(2.) He now thinks of the home he had despised. "How many hired servants," &c.

(3.) He now perceives distinctly, and confesses frankly his own condition. "I perish with hunger." In these we see the first indications of the return of a good understanding and a sound judgment. Happy sign, when the sinner pauses and begins to consider. Men perish because they do not, they will not consider. Consideration is the herald of repentance and the harbinger of reformation.

Observe,

II. The resolution which he adopts. He determines,

1. On an immediate return to his forsaken home. "I will arise," &c.; Luk_15:18. It is evident from the very language he employs, that this resolution is the result of deep conviction, and that it is decisive. He goes no longer in the way of sin and death. He has already repented, changed his mind, and changed his position; his face is now set homewards. His eyes are in the right direction; his mind is made up. He resolves to return, and do so at once. How necessary is such a resolution! For the want of it many have wavered and halted until the door of hope has closed. Let such a resolution be formed in connection with earnest prayer, for the Divine help, in firm confidence that God will give grace for its performance. Avoid self-confidence; let the broken and vain resolutions of untold myriads warn you not to trust in yourselves.

2. He resolves freely to confess his sins. "And will say, Father, I have sinned," &c.; Luk_15:18. His confession is frank and ingenuous. No attempt at palliation. Not one word in self-defence. Not the least attempt to extenuate. "I have sinned." By my ingratitude of Heaven’s disobedience. I have been foolish, base, and wicked. My career has been one of madness, and self-degradation, and infamy. I now see it, know it, feel it, deplore it, and confess it. I hate myself for it. I am full of self-loathing and self-condemnation. "Against Heaven;" against its goodness and righteous claims. "And before thee." With fool-hardihood and shameless presumption. How striking and full this confession! How the very purpose of it must have relieved his wretched, guilty spirit!

3. He resolves to be. content with any place in his father’s dwelling. "And am no more worthy to be called thy son," &c.; Luk_15:19. He had forfeited by his infamy the family name. He had no claim to be reinstated in his original place, having squandered the portion allotted to him. He is willing to become a servant. Better far to be a servant of his father than the servile herdsman of swine. He would be satisfied with this’97deemed himself worthy of nothing better. Such are the feelings of the sin convicted soul. The soul is prostrated in the dust. The least of God’s mercies is earnestly desired. Willing to be any thing or to do any thing for the Lord.

III. The course which he promptly carries out. "And he arose," &c.; Luk_15:20.

1. Immediately, without delay. At once. He did not defer it to another season. His misery, his danger, urged him to action. His feelings were intense, so that at once "He arose," &c. How many have perished for want of immediate action! Their views have been correct, convictions have been experienced, resolutions formed; but then, delay has followed, and these delays have been increased, until the harvest has ended, and until the day has expired, until it has been too late. "To-day, therefore, if ye will hear his voice," &c. "Behold, now is the accepted time," &c.

2. He persevered in his homeward course. He resolutely set out, and retraced his steps. He allowed nothing to divert him from his purpose, and though he had wandered far, he stayed not until he drew near to the land he had forsaken. Hindrances to the repentant sinner will be presented. But the course of penitential return must be pursued; the language of the soul must be, "Hinder me not." The ears must be closed, as in the case of Bunyan’s Pilgrim, and the cry must be, "Eternal life! eternal life!!"

Happy change! He now enters on the region of hope. But another discourse must open to us his paternal reception.

We ask, in conclusion,

(1.) How many present know the prodigal’s repentance, in their own experience?

(2.) Who will now consider his ways, and turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart?

(3.) There must be repentance, or inevitable death.

Autor: JABEZ BURNS