The Brinkley argus., 1914-05-01
LESSON FOR MAY 3
THE PRoDiGAL SON.

THE TROPICAL SON. LESSON TEXT-Lnkc 15:11-32.
 GOLDEN TEXT-T win arise and go to my father. and will say unto him, Father, have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight" Luke 15:1S.
 The parables of Jesus are marvels of unity and condensation, yet no nee essary detail is omitted This, per haps his most famous, is no excep- tion even though it does carry dou- ble lesson. Who thinks of the older brother when this story is mentioned? Though designated the Story of the Prodigal," we need to remind our selves that the word "prodigal never once occurs in the story. The open ing sentence speaks of father and of two sons. It is really the parable of a perfect father, the unveiling or the true heart of God. Against that background is set off a self-centered son lacking in natural affection. ALSO alongside the 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 see 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 Gentiles 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" ~. 12) though neither son had right to demand partition of his estate. At the bot torn of the sons request was desire to have his own way-to be independ- ent of God. He did not go away from home at once, though his heart was already in the far country"
 I. Into the Far Country, w. 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 it's trail, for when he had spent all' he began to be in want" There are many attractive things about this young man, but those qualities were perverted, they lacked control, they were good servants but bad task masters. It is not always physical, temporal want that comes to the sin ner, there are deeper and more in- tense longings-soul want and soul hunger. These always come to the soul away from God. Being in want does not mean that mans will has been subdued. Some prodigals in the most abject temporal need are as proud as Lucifer, and boast of their rebellion. So he joined himself to citizen of the country" He did not belong there-the citizen did He was set to the most degrading task inn aginable for a Jew-feeding swine.
 Like a Lost Sheep.
 II. The Home Coming, w. 17-24. The first step was for the son to stop and really think. That is where sal vation 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 for companions, no food for his suss tenance. He saw his value He was more important than the servants of bis fathers home. He saw his fath- CTS love, already manifested in what believe that when he left home he had the fathers urgent plea to re- turn. He saw way to escape from his present position. All of this after he "came to himself" Before that, impenitent, he was morally insane. now he has reasoned, Isa. 1:1S. With his reasoning also came the deter imitation to make full confession. T will say unto him." not alone con. fess his need but the fact that he had sinned This is the only way for a sinner to come to God, Ps. 32:3-5; John 1;9; Luke 1S:11-14. He did not stop with resolving but he arose and came to his father" V. 20. He ex- pected to apply for servants posi- tion. but never had the opportunity for the father saw him "a great way on" and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him." Notice the kiss of recon ciliation was given before he even had chance to confess. In his confes- sion his first. thought is that he had sinned against God and then against his earthly father. The father had not once forgotten him; he had com passion" even though the son was un- merciful to himself and to all of his loved ones. The father kissed him before he was washed or otherwise made presentable.
 Neither of the sons are perfect but he who uttered the parable was him. self the true son of the father. He never departed from his father, wasted his fathers substance, nor