Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1904-05-06
lille SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR MAY Is.

LAY LessOB.
|. Leaving home Tvs ll-l3). IL. "a Ger
tain man." The simple, unpretentious be
ginning OF the most beautiful of all TIN
parallels. The man is here the image o
God the rather. 1.-TWO sons" Both ar
Jews. The idea that the elder son repre-
sents the Jews and the younger the Gen
acter the two sons may be said to be rep
sentative Of mankind, for we have in then
examples of two great phases, of aliena
ton from God the elder is blinded b,
et,righteousness, the younger. degraded
by his unrighteousness
II. The younger" He represents open
ly wic led persons, such as the pubiican'
and sinners. He also represents the
thoughtless, careless youth. He was ovel
confident, and could easily be deceived
| Give me-" 1t has been a custom in the
East for sons to demand and receive theiI
| portion OF the inheritance during the
fathers lifetime.
10. Not many days" He had decided
upon his course and FASTENED to be gone
| This shadows fortn the rapidity Q) OF
national and (2) individual degeneracy
Gathered all together" Sinners who go
astray from God venture their all. "Took
his journey. @He was weary of his faith
er's government and desired greater lib
erty. As soon as the bride of restraining
grace is taken off, we are soon gone. The
journey the prodigal took represents the
sinner in his departure from God He
went into "far country" far from truth
and virtue WASTED his substance" So
sinners waste the gifts God has given them,
The worldly life is always a wasteful life
1t wastes body and SOUL life and health,
time, talents and all that is precious and
valuable Sinners waste their Bibles, their
Sabbaths, their religious training, their
heavenly inheritance and get nothing IN
return. with riotous living" In verse
80 we see how low he fell. His body
mind and soul were debased.
H. In distress Tvs. l4.l6). IA. Spent all.
He did not stop until his last dollar was
gone. His passions reigned. This repre-
mercy, favor and love of God, and has
wilfully rejected the salvation of Christ
1t seems that he spent all very soon; the
enjoyment of sin is brief. "a mighty fam
ine" The soul living at a distance from
God, and shut out from intercourse with
Him. will very soon feel its own utter emp.
tiness. A mighty famine will follow. "ln
want" Real want is soul want. The
prodga now felt the effects of his dissi.
pated course. The steps downward were
"apostasy. proAigacy, penalty" See Prov;
"a: "a. The soul has many cravings, and
the pleasures, riches and honors of this
world can never satisfy it.
Is. COINED himself to a citizen" The
same wicked life that before was repre-.
sented by r;otous living is here represent
ed by servie living, for sinners are per.
feet slaves. The devil is the citizen OF
that country; he is both in city and coun-
try. Sinners Join themselves to him to
90 at his bidding John s: 34), and are de-
pendent upon him for their living. TO
feed swine" This was doublv degrading,
and especially so to Jew. "The dcglada-
ton at the end of course of sin is here
represented" shame, contempt and dis
tress are welded to sin. and can never be
divorced
le. with the husks" The husks we're
not the. pods of some other fruit, but the
fruit of the carob tree, used for feeding
swine" He was driven to the extremity
of trying to satisfy his hunger with the
food that was fit only for swine. So sin
ners endeavor to satisfy the soul with
earthly and sensual delights. mo MAJ
gave unto him." Those whom he had
called his friends now deserted him. They
had taken his money and then cast him
aside. Satan's agents do the same to-day.
The saloonkeeper will rob a man of his
money, health and character, and then
kick him out of the back door to die.
LII. The decision to return Tvs. l7-l9).
II. "He came to himself" Sin dethroncs
the reason A state of sin is state OF
folly and mauness, but the madness Is In
the heart Feel. 8: 81.
Is. IL will arise He had left home by
his own free will and he must return in
the same way God compels no one to
do right. "And GO Following the decis-
ion there must be an effort put forth. In
returning to God there is something to do.
Il have sinned." The first thing to do ls
TO make a full confession Of our sins Il
John / O.; Job 80: 81, ?S). Against heavI..
en- Against God. "a id before thee
He had also snned against his earthly
father. 1t is ever token OF the sincerity
OF repentance when one views even the
sins committed against others as transgres-
sions against God.
". The return and the welcome Tvs 20,
Ply. 20. 'He arose." He Immediately did
all of these things that he had decided
upon. "Great way off," He was coming
slowly, in rags, in disgrace, questioning
about his welcome "His father saw him."
The father was ever watching for his re-
turn. So God knows when we start to-
ward Him. Sin has made the distance
great, but as soon as the lost one starts to
return the Father has Compassion. And
with which God receives returning sim
ners. The running to welcome corresponds
to the seeking in our Lords other para
bles 81. 81 have sinned." He makes his
confession personal; he aliases himself
This is always the result of true repent
ance. "No more worthy" All true peni-
tents feel their unworthiness. They are
conscious that they deserve nothing but
DEATH and their only hope is in the mercy
of Christ
V. Forgiveness and rejoicing Tvs. 22-24).
q. ''But the father" The father did not
wait until he had finished his confession.
In this we gee the great affection of the
father and his willingness to forgive. "Said
to his servants" The fathers Joy is full
and he instantly issues orders to celebrate
his return Bring forth quickly (R. W
Let us show at once by. your actions that
the wanderer is fully forgiven and rein
stated. "Put ring on his hand" A sign
of affection and that he was free man.
There is no license given here to adorn
the body, as some have vainly tried to
show. The true standard for such adorn-
ing is given by Paul and Peter Il Tim. 2:
9. 10: Pet. 8: g. A., 49, "Be merry" Be
iovful and happy. The Bible gives the
children of God license to shout for joy.
When Christ restores the wanderer there
is general rejoicing and he is Immediately
treated as son. The best that God has is
given him, and the past is entirely blotted
out. "a. "Was dead" Lost to all good,
given up to all evil. is alive again." Here
was special cause for rejoicing Wha
,,-o,,Jd not no nartaker of this iov3