The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1906-08-09
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON coMMeNrs
FOR AUGUST IL.
Subject: The Parable OF the Two
Sons, Luke Nv. f-;s2-GoIden
Text. Mat. Ill.,, = Mcmor,
Verses IL. fS.

7. Leaving home tvs. HID. If
"a certain man" The simple. nm.
pretentious beginning of the most
beautiful of all parallels. The man
is here the image of God the Father
Two sons" The two sons may no
said to be representatives OF man.
kind. for we have in them examples
of two great phases of alienation
from God--the elder is blinded by
self-righteousness, the younger de-
graded by his unrighteousness. ~
The younger He represents open
ly wicked persons, such as the pub
licans and sinners. He also repre-
sents the thoughtless, careless youth.
ID. mot many days" He had
decided upon his course and hast.
ened to be gone. This shadows forth
the rapidity CD of national and (2)
individual degeneracy. Gathered
all together" Sinners who so astray
from God venture their all. Took
his journey He was weary of his
fathers government and desired
greater liberty. The journey the
prodigal took represents the sinner
in his departure from God He went
into a far country" far from truth.
II. In deep distress Tvs. 14-16).
IA. Spent all. He did not stop
until his last dollar was gone. "a
mighty famine" The soul living at
distance from God. and shut out
from intercourse with Him. will very
soon feel its utter emptiness. A
mighty famine will follow. ''In
want Real want is soul want.
IS. Joined himself to a citizen.
The same wicked life that before was
oA ht. r;4
represented by servile living, for sin.
ners are perfect slaves. The devil is
the citizen of that country; he is
both in city and country. ITO feed
swine This was doubly degrading.
and especially so to Jew.
l6 with the husks." The husks
were 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 sinners
endeavor to satisfy the soul with
earthly and sensual delights.
III. The decision to return home
Tvs. 1910.
II He came to himself" Sin
dethrones the reason. A state of sin
is state of folly and madness, but
the madness is in the heart (Eccl.
9:3). Bread enough and to spare"
The lowest in my fathers house has
bread to give to the poor Gods
people are abundantly supplied with
good things. II perish" Sinners
will not come TO Christ until they see
themselves ready to perish. IS. 81
will arise" He had left home of his
own free will, and he must return
in the same way. God compes no
one to do right. And 60" Follow
ing the decision there must be an eff.
Tort put forth. In returning to God
there is something to do. 81 have
sinned." The first thing to do is to
make a full confession of our sins
Il John 1:9; Job 1927, 28.
Against heaven" Against God
Every sin is sin against God. 49,
mo more worthy" He is ready to
humble himself He knows that in
justice his father could shut the door
against him; he pleads for mercy.
~. The return and the welcome
Tvs. 20-24).
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 dis
oAptN' duSoNiOhihb dDOul HIS Wcl~
come. Father saw him" The
father was ever watching for his re-
turn. SO God knows when we start
toward Him. And ran," etc. This
represents the readiness with which
God receives returning sinners. 81.
"The SON said" He makes his con.
fession; he aliases himself.
22. But the father" The faith
er did not wait until he had finished
his confession, &. In this we see 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" Or. V)-Let us show at
once by our actions that the wander
er is fully forgiven and reinstated.
Put ring on his hand" A sign
of affection.
23. BE merry" Be joyful and
happy. The Bible gives the children
of God license to shout for joy. "a.
WAS dead" Lost to all good, given
up to all evil. rs alive again" Here
was special cause for rejoicing. Who
would not be a partaker of this joy?
V. The elder brother Tvs. 25-32).
2S. "He was angry" Our Lord
now holds up to the murmuring
Pharisees likeness of themselves.
AS the elder brother is angry at the
joy which welcomes the prodigal
home from his wanderings, so have
these men murmured at the mercy
with which Jesus has received the
publican and the sinner. "Intreated
him." AS Jesus was then entreating
the captious Pharisees not to spurn
the repenting outcasts. 29, 80 In
these verses Jesus gives, in parable,
the substance of the Pharisaic mur-
murings: We are better than others
and should have great respect and
Difference paid us; but you have left
us and interested yourself in these
publicans and sinners. 81. all
thine" All is within thy reach. X
you do not enjoy my bounty 1t is be-
cause you will not. Notice that the
parable leaves the elder brother on
the outside, stubbornly refusing to
enter.
CelIuIotI ArtiCla