December 3

11 I And he said, A certain man had two sons:

12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.

13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with not so living.

14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in war.

15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

16 And he would turn have filled his belly with the hustle that the swine did eat; and no man gave unto him.

17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have

bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee.

19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

20 And he arose, and came to his father, But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had composed, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

21 And he was said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.

22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:

23 And bring hither the fated calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:

24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

25 Now his elder son was in the field; and as he came and drew high to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fated calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. 28 And he was angry, and would not go in; therefore came his father out, and entreated him.

29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment, and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends. 30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fated calf. 31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. 32 It was used that we should make merry, and be glad; for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

The three parables in this chapter fall into two sections, each setting forth separately one-half of a great truth, and both in combination exhibiting the whole. 1. The first two parables illustrate conversion on its Divine side. Christ had to seek these lost publicans and sinners in order to find them. 2. The third parable illustrates conversion on its human side, and was intended to imply that these publicans and sinners would never have been received by Christ unless they had sought Him. 3. The three parables combined illustrate conversion on both its Divine and human sides, and, consequently, the complete truth: God seeking man, and man seeking God; and the two-fold search rewarded, by God and man finding each other.

1. "Observe God's welcome to the repenting. (1) The tenderness of God is wonderful. He 'had compassion.' Great reason had God to be angry with that sinful creature, with me, with you, but He 'had compassion.' (2) How willing God is to succour! 'His father saw him, and had compassion, and ran' to welcome him. 'Ran,'—willingness is too feeble an epithet to denote the impulse. There is eagerness in 'ran.' God is hastening to save and bless. (3) Pray do not overlook God's readiness to accept and pardon just as you are. 'Saw,' 'had compassion,' 'ran,' 'and fell on his neck, and kissed him.' 2. Now turn to behold how God lavishes His affection on the accepted penitent. The father is not going to treat his son as an 'hired servant.' God's forgiveness must be God-like. God's love is always greater in experience than in our most sanguine wishes and brightest hopes. 3. Listen to God's exhortation to His universe to share His joy. 'Bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat and be merry.' 'Merry' is an old Saxon word. Its meaning has somewhat narrowed and lowered in our later tongue. 'Be merry,' here, in the original is 'rejoice.' A feast betokens gladness among all nations. The occasion is great, and great is to be the exaltation."—Bishop Alexander.

Closet Promise.—He delighteth in mercy.—Micah vii. 18.

"Return, return, thee to thine only rest, Lone pygm of the world, Far erring from the fold By the dark night and risen storms distressed; Liar, weary lamb, the Shepherd's anxious voice, And once again within His arms rejoice

"Return, return, thy fair white fleece is soiled, And by sharp brists rent— Thy little strength is spent; Yet He will pay thee, thou torn and spoiled, There, thou art cradled on His tender breast; Now, never more, sweet lamb, forsake that rest."