The Southern indicator. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1903-1925, 1914-05-02
LESSON FOR MAY 3
THE PRODIGAL SON,

THE PRODIGAL SON.
LESSON TE:NT-i.ui;c 15:11-32.
GOLDEN TENT will arise and go
to my father. anI will say unto him.
Father. have Snnrd against heaven. and
III thy sight" Luke 15:1S.
T4e parallels Of Jesus are marvels
OF unity and condensation, yet no nee
essary detail is omitted. This, per-
haps his most famous, Is no excep-
ton even though it does carry a dou-
bic lesson. Who thinks Of the older
brother when this story is mentioned?
Though designated the "Story Of tho
Prodigal." we need to remind our
selves that tho word ''prodigal' never
once occurs in the story. The open
ing sentence speaks of father and
Of two sons. 1t is really the parable
OF a perfect father, the unveiling OF
the true heart CT God. Against that
background is set off a self-centered
son lacking in natural affection. Also
alongside tho wayward son Is the mis-
erly, selfish one who lacked all the
good qualities Of his brother, but who
was truly a wanderer and out Of har-
mony with God the Father. In the
background we sec the citizens Of
the far country who helped this young
Jew to his place OF want, famine and
degradation. Remember, It is our
Lord speaking to Jews. When the
Gcntfles Of the far country sent him
| to feed swine they insulted him by
! compelling him to get his living
! through an occupation instinctively
| repulsive.
First Fruit Of Sin.
The father makes equar partition
divided unto them" (V. 12) though
neither son had a right to demand
partition Of his estate. At the bot
tom Of the sons request was desire
! 70 have his own way-to be independ-
ent Of God. He did not go away from
home at once, though his heart was
! alEaady in the FAR country"
I. Into the Far Country, Wv. 1916.
, Fun is the first fruit Of sin, and that
the son readily found so long as his
money lasted (Heb. 11:25). But the
consequences followed closely on its
trail. for when he had "spent all' he
regan to be in want" There arc
|
young man, but those qualities were
: perverted, they lacked control. they
wero good servants but bad task
masters. 1t is not always physical.
temporal want that comes to the sim
ner, there are deeper and moro in
tense longngs-soul want and soul
, hunger. These always come to the
soul away from God. BEING in want
does not mean that a mans will has
been subducd. Some prodigals in tho
most abiect temporal need are as
proud as I.ucifer, and boast Of their
rebellion. So he Joined himself to q
citizen Of the country" He did not
belong therc-the citizen did. He was
set TO the most degrading task i'm
aginable for Jew feeding swine.
Like a Lost Sheep.
II. The Home Coming, Wv. 1924.
The first step was for the son to stop
and really think. That is where sll-
walton always begins-in thinking. He
knew he was lost. e. g.. out Of adjust
ment. in the wrong place, out Of his
element and like the lost sheep,
ready to die" He saw his condi-
tion money gone. friends gone. hogs
Tor companions, no food for his sus-
tenance. He saw his value. He was
moro important than the servants Of
his fathers home. He saw his faith
er's love, already manifested in what
had been given him and we fain would
believe that when he left home he
had the fathers urgent plea to re-
turn. He saw a way to escape from
his present position. All Of this after
he "came to himself" Before that,
impenitent. no was morally insane,
now he has reasoned, Isa. 1:18. With
his reasoning also came the deter
mination to make full confession.
II will say unto him." not alone con-
fess his need but the fact that he had
sinncd. This is the only way for a
sinner to como to God, Ps. 32:3-5:
John 10; Luke 13:11-14. He did
not stop with resolving but che arose
and came to his father" v. 20. He ex-
pected to apply for servants posi-
ton, but never had the opportunity
for the father saw him "a great way
off" and ran and fell on his neck and
kissed him" Notice the kiss Of recon
ciltation was given before he even had
a chance to confess. In his confess
sion his first thought is that he had