The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-04-15
SABBATH SCH00A.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOkR
APRIL 10.
Lesson Text: "The Lost Found"
Luke XIV. 11-24-Golden
Text: Luke XIV, 10
Commentary.

Commentary.
II. "And He said, A certain nan had two
sons In our last lesson we saw the mes
sengers bidding the people to come to the
least, but In this chapter, which Is all one
story In several parts, We see the great first
and continual seeker of men showing US
how 1t should be done. We see the love OF
Christ In the shepherd, the !eye Of the Spirit
In the woman with the candle, aRd the love
son. The lost sheep suggests ourinclinarion
TO go astray; the lost money. our deadness to
sense Of our condition; the lost son, our
selfshness, ingratitude and rebellion, while
the elder son makes US think q the self
righteousness and lack Of sympathy Of some
Christians.
-. "He divided unto them his living"
The younger sons request. which led to the
fathers doing this, Indicates greater re-
gard for the goods that for the father, more
thought Of possessions than OF God. 1t Is
the proud. self willed spirit Of insubjection
and OF independence OF Got. the I. me, mine
spirit that wants Its so called rights. God
sometimes lets such spirits have their own
way that they may In due time see them
selves.
IS. "There wasted his substance with riot
Gus living" This is briefly the story Of the
younger son who took sill he possessed into
tar country. Illustrations may be found In
Cain, Esau. Absalom, Manasseh, and can be
seen in the lives OF those about US who live
only for themselves and the present world.
IA. "He began to be In want" Those who
forsake the only fountain Of living water will
soon find that their broken cisterns can hold
no water Ger. H., 13); that all that Is under
the sun fails to satisfy and Is only vanity
and vexation Of spirit (Eccl. l., IA; H.. 11),
und that there Is longing In the soul still
unsatis1ed.
Is. "He sent him unto his fields to feed
swine" See son OF a wealthy father join
ing himself to citizen OF far country. The
world is in its thoughts and ways far coun-
try from our heavenly Fathers home, and
in chapter xix. IL, the heavenly country Is
spoken OF as far country from this world.
When We receive the Lord Jesus Christ as
(John l., ~: Pbil.!ii.. 20, R. w..
16. "No man gave unto him." BE would
fain have sought to satisfy his hungry body
with the swine's food, and there was nothing
better for him, for no man cared for him.
Those who have turned from God to feed on
the husks that this world offers are indeed
in dire distress. Whether the prodigal
makes US think Of the sinner as one ofthe all
who wandered through Adam s. sin, or Of the
saved soul who has for the time being wan
dered away from God, the facts are the
same.
II. HE came to himself" A man must
get TO the end OF himself before he thorough
ly comes to himself. and when he does thus
come he finds himself q very poor subject. It
was the thought Of his fathers home and
plenty contrasted with his own poor condi-
ton that brought him to his senses. One has
said that II some one had given him a cup OF
coffee and a sandwich he might have been
longer in coming to himself.
1S. Il will arise and 20 to my father"
The one great separating thing between God
aud man Is sin. Your iniquities have sep
arated between you and your God, and your
sins have hid His face from you'' Qsa. lix.,
q. The first returning step Is sense OF our
sin and confession Of the same q John l.,
g. We cannot truly say my Father" In ref
erence to God till We become His children;
hence some think that the prodigal repre-.
sents backsliding rather than penitent
sinner coming to God for the first time. but
there are lessons here for each.
10. "And am no more worthy to be called
thy son." It is an excellent thing for us
when we have come to see that we are "no
more worthy" that In us-that Is, In our
fesh-dwelleth no good thing (Rom. vii,
1S), for as long as we think that there Is
particle Of good IN US we cannot appreciate
the Lord Jesus as we should. Better thoughts
OF Jesus, as revealed in the Word OF God,
will cause US to see our unworthiness. Com
pare Isa. VI, s; Job Kill, S, 6; Dan. T., 8.
20. "And he arose and came to his father,
It was good thing to say, ~ will arise"
but It was far better to arise and come. Many
say the first who never do the last. 1t was
when he arose that the father saw him afar
off and ran to meet him. Jesus, who knew
fha fot thar'o hon VI hpra cviy II a
ture Of His love to the erring and His well
come for them when they return. See Jer.
ILL.,, 1914; Hos. xiv, l., 2.
2l. "Father, have sinned against heaven
and In thy sight and am no more worthy to
be called thy SON. That was as far as he
got with what he had thought to say. Com
pare verse 19. It Is great thing to be Ser
want OF God and Of Jesus Christ our Lord,
and In one sense we cannot seek anything
higher, but our relationship to God Is In
Christ, that of children and heirs from. will,
16, 17). and until we see and enjoy this rela-
tionship we cannot well serve.
70. "Bring forth the best robe and put it
on him." What royal welcome from the
father whose love he had so sighted and
whose possessions he had wasted. 1t
seems impossible, but our Lord here shows
forth the Fathers heart toward every return
ing penitent, and as we have said, none knew
the Fathers heart as Jesus did. for He was
"God manifest in the flesh" and He could
truly say, HE that hath seen Ne hath seen
the Father" (I Tim. ILL.,, 16; John xiv. 81.
29. Let US eat and be merry" The best
clothing. token Of endless love, and abund-
ance Of food with great joy. II the son had
said, Father, I am more thankful than can
tell, it would have only been right, but to
see the wronged and Ill treated father show
ering such love upon the penitent son and to
hear him say, "Let US eat and be merry, D." is
more than human love as ordinarily seen.
May we know and believe such amazing love
as manifested in our Lord Jesus Christ, and
hearing Him say to us the words Of Canti-
cles v, l, let us reply with the words OF Isa.
lxi., 10.
"a. "Anl they began to be merry" And
have not finished yer, for the joy over the
penitent sinner Is uuenllng. See verses Z
and 10 and compare lisa. xXxY., 10, and Rev.
VIII, II. as suggestive OF the eternal joys OF
the redeemed. But whatever we may now
know of these joys as revealed by the Spirit
we know only in part until with all the re-
deemed we shall see somewhat Of the breadth
and length and depth and height of His love
(Eph. ill.,, 16. 1U.-Lesson Helper.