GOD’S WORD FOR OCTOBER 9

We are using Charles Spurgeon book, “The Risen King.”  It’s a collection of well chosen excerpts from Spurgeon’s  “Easter” sermons in devotional form, put together by Jeff Medders.   Pastor Spurgeon lived from 1834 to 1892  in London, England, and had a unique gift of understanding and showing the depth of our faith.  Thus, his reverential title as the Prince of Preachers.   Even though we’re not in or near that season, every day is a good day to focus on Christ’s sacrifice and victory for us!

THE PRODIGAL SON

Luke 15:20-24

“And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.  And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’   “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.  And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry;  for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.”

Let’s see what our Lord wants to teach us about God’s heart by His parable of the prodigal son.

The father “saw” his son.  There is a great deal in the word “saw.”  He saw who it was, saw where he had come from, saw the pig-worker’s clothes, saw the filth on his hands and feet, saw his rags, saw his repentant look, saw what he had been, saw what he was, and saw what he would soon be.

Friends, God has a way of seeing  men and women that you and I cannot understand.  He sees right through us at a glance, as if we were made of glass.  He sees all our past, present, and future.  “but while he was still a long way off, his father saw him.”  It was not with icy eyes that the father looked on his returning son.  He saw a sinner long before the sinner saw him.

We see that the prodigal’s father ran.  Slow are the steps of repentance but swift are the feet of forgiveness.  God can run when we can scarcely limp, and if we are limping towards Him, He will run towards us.  Dear reader, God has compassion on the woes and miseries of us sinners.  We may have brought our troubles on ourselves, but nevertheless God has compassion upon us.  The compassion of God is followed by swift movements.  He is slow to anger, but He is quick to bless.  He does not take any time to consider how He shall show His  love to returning prodigals – that was all done in the eternal covenant.  He has no need to prepare for their return to Him – that was all done on calvary.  God comes flying in the greatness of His compassion to help every poor, penitent soul.

Notice how the father “embraced him and kissed him.”  The kindliness of God towards repentant sinners is very great.  He seems to stoop from His throne of Glory to embrace a repentant sinner.  God embracing a sinner!  What a wonderful picture!  Can you imagine it?  When God’s arm is around our neck and His lips are on our cheek, kissing us much, then we understand more than preachers or books can ever tell us of His loving kindness.

Then the father graced his son with new clothes.  There was a robe – the dress of a son, and of a son who was beloved and accepted.  Have you noticed how the son’s confession was met with the robe?  The sentences match each other thus:  “Father, I have sinned” … “Bring quickly the best robe and put it on him.”   So the Father covers all our sins with Christ’s righteousness.  He puts away our sin by crediting to us the righteousness of Jesus.

As the festival was about to begin, the prodigal needed a fitting and festive garment.  It would not have been right for him to feast and be merry in those rags.  The father put the best robe on him that he would be ready to take his place at the banquet.  So, when the repentant sinner comes to God, his or her past is not only covered by the righteousness of Christ, but they are  prepared for the future blessedness which is reserved for the pardoned ones, and then they are fitted to begin the rejoicing at once.

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Luke 15:10

Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.

Psalm 103:12

As far as the east is from the west,

So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

Romans 5:18

Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.

1 John 1:9

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Isaiah 1:18

“Come now, and let us reason together,”

Says the Lord,

“Though your sins are like scarlet,

They shall be as white as snow;

Though they are red like crimson,

They shall be as wool.

Ephesians 2:4-5

“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,  even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),”

Acts 3:19

Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.

Colossians 1:13-14

He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,  in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

Galatians 2:20

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

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