Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1890-08-01
THE PRODlGAL SON.
LESSON V, THIRD QUARTER, INTER
NATIONAL SERIES, AUG. 3.
Text of the Lesson, Luke XIV, i1-24-Com'
Commit Verses, I7-2O-G Golden Text
Luke Ky, Commentary by tho
Rev. ID. VI. Stoarns.

II. "And he said, = certain man had two
sons" This is the beginning Of the third sec
ton of this parable, which is a contnuatior
Of the lesson of last week. The whole parable
teaches the great love of God, the Father
Son and Holy Spirit, for lost, and helpless
and erriug humanity; and tho sympathy OF
the angels with God in His joy over the sal
walton Of the lost
r. And the younger of them said to hi.
father, Father. give me the portion Of good.
that falleth to me. And he divided unto
them his living" The sin is seen in the sons
desire for the things Of his father rather thar
for the father and his love The desire also
for independence of the father and separa
ton from him indicates the ingratitude OF
his heart and his insensIbility to the father.
love and care.
10. And ppt many days after, the younger
son gatheredbu together, and took his jour
ney into far country, and there wasted
his substance with riotous living The first
illustration Of this rebelllous nature in mar
is seen III Cain, who would not submit to the
kind requirements Of a loving God but pre-.
! ferring hi, own way went out from the
| presence of the Lord Gen. iv, 10 to do as
| he pleased. It is seen in Esau, who preferred
mess Of pottago to his God given birth
| right Gen. XIV, 3!-3Il,
ii. And when he had spent all, there
arose mighty famine in that land and be
| began to be in want When we turn away
| from God, who is the fountain of living wa
| tiers, and seek to satisfy ourselves with aught
| else, even with the gifts Of God, We are hew-
ing out cisterus broken csterns that can
| hold no water (Jer ii, 49,, and sooner or later
we shall surely come to want.
10 "And he went and joined himself to o
citizen Of that country, and he sent him into
! hi, fields to feed swine The far country
| into which be went from his own fathers
house and plenty is all about US 1t is this
present evil world which lieth in the wicked
| one Gal j. (; John V, 49,, and which al
lures us away from God. All who IRE I'M
saved are said to be far Off, -" and because Of
their sinful and unclean natures are compared
to dogs and swine lEph. H. 10: II Pot ii, %
1G. "And be would fain have filled his
belly with the husks that the swine did eat
and 10 man gave unto him. First want
then worldly helps, and now beastly appe.
tite
II. "And when he came to himself, be
said, How many hired servants Of my ia
Tiers have bread enough and to spare, and
perish with hungern He had been so full
Of self and self seeking that the Fathers
house had not been much in his thoughts, ex.
cept perhaps as the recollection Of a restraint
which be could not submit TO- But bv bav.
ing his desires granted he has been led 10 sec
somewhat Of the leauus.s Of his soul FPS
cvi. 15,. We read in Cor. V. ). of one being
delivered unto Satan for the destruction OF
the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in thu
day Of the Lord Jesus And in job xxxin
1880, we read Of dreams, visions. sickness
and affection, rs mems usoj nv God vi-l
mon to brinl, bacl, their souls from the nit
to be euliphtencd with the sirht of the living
IS Il Will arise and 20 to NV father
and will saw unto him. Fathe~ | hnvt
sinned against heaven and before thee.
In the story Of the lost sheep and lost piece OF
money we saw the seeking shaphcrl and wo
man with the ight The sheep and til,
money did nothing, the shepherd and woman
did all But here is responsible human
being who has zone astrav like q lost .bcc,
and has been as iuscnsible to his fathers Low,
as a piece of metal
10. And am no more worthy to be called
thy son: make me as one of thy hired ser
wants. lie was unworthy to be called til,
son of such a father when he had plenty an,
wa, living riotuu,lv. or even when he lef
that fathers home, or when he demanded hi
share of the goods But he did not know it
and could not. under those circumstances. hi
made to see il. The only way to humble hin
and bring him to his senses was the way h,
was allowed to take Now he sees his sinful
! ness and unworthiness a, he could not other
wise have been made to see it.
20. And he arose and came to his father
All his conviction. and sense Of unworthiness
, and good resolutions. would have gone TO
nothing Ind he failed to take this ot-u II
niche bo,.,, ro,,,i,od ~ ~, far. co,,,,+,,, an,
, --'' e,,1l 49,,
uieN Oue'c iuil "a CD"' 'N'''H u''H $50 '0oi"
ions but mere Is the saving point lie ARCS
and came And now we shall see the re
q suit.
But when he was vet a great way off hi
father saw HIM and hod commission am
a.,d fon ,,i, ,,.,rI, o,I -; Kim
,. Id"' ""u 'e' va ~ ~ - ''''''
mere - 'ho A-lNt % NOd "ni0n Si'4 - ~"
poor sinner, 'Ihy SINS areforglven; tiny ihlt
4 hath saved thee 60 in peace And to an
other, Neither do | condemn thee 20 an
sin no more - and which saws tn all Hin
that con,e,h INTO mo viii in no wise Gas
u.s. 1',i.'i; 4. 80, ,,.ii, ~. 81 ~
0u, NLuA' w. ~ 80 'Onii 49, - ", 90,
~ Ana the son sa'L uh'o MN, Fa'nei
have snned against heaven, and IN tn
sight, and am 10 more worthy to be Gale
thy SON. This was not all he had intende
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