Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-11
Sunday School Lesson
BY
Rev. Hugh T. Stevenson.

He was brought face TO face with
want by a mighty famine that made it
impossible for the prodigal youth to OBJ
tain food. He had spent all and re-
jected the helpfulneSs of his fathers
home by quitting his old home. Under
TIE pressure of poverty he became q
servant of a despised alien, who gave
him a job to feed swine. His earnings
in that despised work were not .suffl-
cient for him to obtain the food he
desired. In his hunger many times he
desired to eat the swine's food. No
helping hand was extended to him. The
CAV companions who had enjoyed his
wine and gay parties had no interest in
the ragged swineherd. His sin had
brought him, as all sin will bring us,
to ruin The depths of his depravity
filled him with despair and despond-
ency over his condition. He had vir-
tually through his desire for liberty been
brought to slavery. 1t was due to his
his folly and sinful use of his posses
Sions that che came to himself"
The Way of Life.
Rejecting upon his condition filled
the prodigal with remorse as he re-
called the conditions in his fathers
home, where the servants were better
off than he was. He saw his mistakes
and determined to return home, &C
knowledge his iniquity and seek a place
as a servant; for he considered that he
was no longer worthy to be called q
son by his father. In this picture Of
the prodigal's mental life one sees the
development Of his repentance. There
| was an awakening Of his conscience, oi
understanding, of sensibility and of the
will" Home looked different now thar
when he chafed under its restraints
His thoughts Of his father made hin
| certain that he would have food and
! happiness II he would return, confess
his sin and acknowledge that he was M
! longer worthy to be considered anC
treated as his son.
True repentance is marked by a quit
| ting of former sinful acts and seekinG
of new relationship with God. Hi
soul was stirred by remorse over hi
sins and filled with the urge to return
| home. He started back a changed man
| full of humility and self condemnation
| His faith In his father was seen in hi,
return and determination to confess hi
sin, whether he was welcomed or not
! He returned In humble spirit, ready
to take lowly place as q slave.
The Master has encouraged many 9
sin-Sick soul to return to the source o.
grace and mercy by his picture of how
the father recognized his prodigal sor
when he was a great way off, in spite
| of his rags. He did not stop with
| merely seeing him, for he fastened Il
meet him and fell upon his neck anC
kissed him" In spite of his waywarC
| life, the prodigal was the fathers sol
and he longed for him to return FreeC
| from his affectionate fathers embrace
the prodigal son confessed his sin anC
asked for the place of a servant in thu
home. While he may have deserved NJ
higher place, his father forgave tn,
prodigal because he loved him.
! The father proved the complete for
! gtveneSs by ordering four things for hi
soma new robe, signet ring, sandals
and feast. His son must have on
robe Of Righteousness and not of sin
! The ring re-eStabliShed him In tn
home, for it gave him authority to &C
IN his fathers name. The fact that h
ordered shoes or sandals for his fee
reveals that he was not welcomed as
servant, for they never wore anything
upon their feet, but as son. The de
clslon to make a feast showed tn
fathers joy over the return of the los
son. 1t meant q glad some coming an,
welcome from the father, Just as ever
sinner is assured Of Joy in Heaven owe
his return. There Is q sad side TO tn
parable in the action Of the elder sor
which the PhariSees recognized was
| picture of their attitude toward pub
! licanS and sinners" with whom Chris
associated In an effort to save them