Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1914-08-29


Jesus spoke the
kSsssss.xss - parallels in this
chapter in answer
to the Pharisees and scribes who
murmured and said, This man re-
ceiveth sinners and eateth with
them" Yes, he did, and he does;
that is our encouragement and our
hope. Let us use the story by way
of application.
Rejection.
Nothing the father had was good
| enough for the younger SON. The IA
Tiers will was too strict. his ways
| too serious, his home too solemn. This
| is not life-I Will not abide here, but
1 will use my personal liberty and
be a man. What a weakling is he
who cannot endure or enjoy the will
| of him whose chief concern Is about
| the welfare of his son. God pity the
man who spurns his fathers love,
turns his back upon home, and goes
into the far country. He may go
| only around the-corner, but away from
| the fathers love and care is indeed
! the far country. knowing the end of
| that man, if he persists in his wilful
waywardness and wickedness, it is
| easy to write his epitaph: He went
out, and 1t was night" and for such
IAN one there is the b1ackness of dark
ness forever. Beware of the first will
| full rejection of your father, and the
| first step away from home. The
news from the far country may be al
| Turing, but you are on the down-grade-
Reflection.
The fascination of the far coun-
try faded away upon close contact
| with it; the music which charmed
| the youth soon turned into discord !;
| the mirage which lured him from
home disappears and leaves only the
| desert; for this prosperous young
man, with many friends while he had
| money, but now bankrupt and bereft,
| there is not even the shadow of a
great rock in a weary land. And
| when he had spent all there arose a
mighty famine in that land; and he
| began to be in want. And he would
fain have filed his belly with the
| husks that the swine did eat: and no
man gave unto him."
q perish with hunger" And no
man gave unto him." he was denied
the very husks that the swine did
eat. Could any Jew come to greater
degradation than feeding swine? And
then find no profit. not even support,
! In his service. Does not sin pay
/ Is there pleasure IN ''life?" May we
not sow wild oats? Yes. sin pays
but in it's own coin: the wages of sin
is death. Whatsoever man soweth
that shall he also reap.
Resolution.
Thank God there is a way back
home.
a. In the heart. Il viii arise and
| co. Dissatisfied, disappointed, de
| spairing, near to death, perhaps, the
| vision glorious of what he has missed
| by his own wiIful rejection now fills
| his mind and stirs his heart Even
| servants in the fathers house have
more than I have, and 1 perish with
hunger These dead sea apples were
| beautiful to the eye but ashes to the
taste. 4 will arise and go, and say. -
| But, further, resolution also.
b. In the habit: And he arose and
| came" Resolution of heart is not
enough Many a prodigal has been
sorry for his sinful condition, but
| has died amid his sinful surroundings
You may be sorry when wealth and
| health and hope are gone and still
die in that far country. II will arise
| and 60 and he arose and
came" That was his salvation from
the human standpoint; and it win be
! yours.
Reception.
When he was yet great way OF
his father saw him." You have never
| been as homesick as the father has
been son-sick- And now, at last we
see the wistful look upon the face
we can hear the welcome loving in
the voice, we can see the tears in the
eyes. we can feef-the very throbbfns
of the heart of God Dear friend
this is not q story to be told; it is ar
| experience of the soul to be realized
by every one who comes to- God
through faith in Jesus Christ YOU
| may have been wilfu1 wasteful and
wretched; but God loves you; hs
woos you by the Holy Spirit; he call.
you IN tender tones that sound OF
above the din of the far countryR"Oh
prodigaI child. come home" Come
now. and find the reality and the in
comparable bliss of the fathers wei
come. the kiss, the robe, the ring, the
shoes. the feast For this my soz