Luke 15:11-32 And he said, A certain man had two sons:… I. HERE WAS ACTION. He had passed beyond mere thought, mere regret, mere resolving; now "he arose." 1. This action of the prodigal was immediate, and without further parley. 2. The prodigal aroused himself, and put forth all his energies. II. HERE WAS A SOUL COMING INTO ACTUAL CONTACT WITH GOD. It would have been of no avail for him to have arisen, if he had not come to his father. Come to God; come just as you are, without merits or good works; trust in Jesus, and your sins will be forgiven you. III. IN THAT ACTUAL THERE WAS AS ENTIRE YIELDING UP OF HIMSELF. His proud independence and self-will were gone. He gave up all idea of self-justification. He yielded up himself so thoroughly that he owned his father's love to him to be an aggravation of his guilt. He also yielded up all his supposed rights and claims upon his father. And he made no terms or conditions. IV. IN THIS ACT THERE WAS A MEASURE OF FAITH IN HIS FATHER. Faith in his father's power, and in his readiness to pardon. V. THIS ACT OF COMING INTO CONTACT WITH GOD IS PERFORMED BY THE SINNER JUST AS HE IS. VI. THIS ACT WROUGHT THE GREATEST CONCEIVABLE CHANGE IN THE MAN. (C. H. Spurgeon.) Parallel Verses KJV: And he said, A certain man had two sons: |
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