The true northerner., 1896-04-15
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON ~, SECOND QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES. APRIL t9.


ory Verses. Is-sO-Goidcn Text. Luke xv.
1o-Commentary by the Rev. ID. NJ.
Stearns.
IL. "And He said A certain man had
two sons" In our last lesson we saw the
messengers bidding the people to come to
the feast, but in this chapter, which Is all
one story In several parts, we SEQ the great
first and continual seeker of men showing
us how 1t should be done We see the love
of Christ I'm the shepherd, the love of the
| Spirit In the woman with the candle, and
the love Of God In the father receiving the
penitent son. The lost sheep suggests our
inclination to go astray; the lost money,
our deadness to sense of our condition;
the lost son, our selflshness, ingratitude
and rebellion, while the elder son makes
US think of the self righteousness and lack
of sympathy of some Christians.
12. "He divided unto them His living"
The younger sons request, which led to
the fathers doing this, indicates a greater
regard for the goods than for the father,
more thought of possessions than Of God.
1t Is the proud, self willed spirit of insub-
lection and of Independence of God, the
| l, 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 themselves
13. "There wasted his substance with
riotous living" This Is briefly the story
of the younger son who took all he pos
sessed into far country. Illustrations
may be found in Cain, Esau, Absalom,
Manasseh and can be seen In the lives of
those all about us who live only for them
selves and the present world.
ii. "He began TO be in want" Those
who forsake the only fountain of living
water will soon find that their broken cis-
terms can hold no water (Jer. H. 13); that
all that is under tho sun fails to satisfy
and Is only vanity and vexation of spirit
(Eccl 1, IA; ii, ID, and that there is a
longing In the soul still unsatisfled.
10. "He sent him unto his fields to feed
swine" Sec a son of a wealthy father
joining himself to citizen of far coun-
try The world is In it's thoughts and ways
far country from our heavenly Fathers
| home, and in chapter xix, l2, the heavenly
country is spoken of as a far country from
this world. When we receive the Lord
Jesus Christ as our Saviour, we become
citizens of heaven John l. 12; Phil ill.,
90, r. W.
16. mo man gave unto him." He
would fain have sought to satisfy his hun
CRY 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 Us one of the all who wandered
through Adams sin, or of the saved soul
who has for the time being wandered away
from God, the facts are the same.
II. "He came to himself" man
must get to the end Of himself before he
thoroughly comes to himself, and when he
does thus come he finds himself very
poor subject. 1t was the thought of his
Fathers home and plenty contrasted with
his own poor condition that brought him
to his senses. One has said that If some
one had given him cup of coffee and a
sandwich he might have been longer in
coming to himself.
IS. II will arise and go to my Father. ~
The one great separating thing between
God and man Is sin. "Your iniquities
have separated between you and your
God, and your sins have hid His face from
you" lisa. lix, %. The first returning
step is sense of our sin and confession
of the same I John 1, %. We cannot truly
say "my Father in reference TO God till
|
that the prodigal represents backsliding
rather than a penitent sinner coming to
God for the first time, but there are les
sons here for each.
10. And am no more worthy to be
called thy SON. 1t 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 flesh--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 Compare Isa. vi, 81 Job
xiii, 3, 8; Dan. X, s.
90. "And he arose and came to his fa-
ther.' 1t was good thing to say, Il
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 the fathers heart
so well, here gives us a picture of His love
to the erring and His welcome for them
when they return. See Jer. Iii, 1914; Hos
xiv, 1, g
21. Father, 1 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. Compare verse 10. 1t is great
thing to be a servant of God and of Jesus
Christ our Lord, and in one sense we can
not seek anything higher, but our rela-
tionship to God Is in Christ that of chill
dren and heirs (Rom viii, 16, 10, and un-
til we see and enjoy this relationship we
cannot well serve.
22. Bring forth the best robe and put
1t on him." What royal welcome from
the father whose love he had so slighted
and whose possessions he had wasted. 1t
seems impossible, but our Lord here shows
forth the Fathers heart toward every re-
turning 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 Me hath seen the Father" q
Tim. iii, 16; John xiv, 81.
80. LET us eat and be merry" The
best clothing, token of endless love, and
abundance of food with great joy. If the
son had said, Father am more thank.
full than l can tell, 1t would have only
been right, but to see the wronged and i'll
treated father showering such love upon
the penitent son and to hear him say,
LET us eat and be merry" Is more than
| o,If III