By Gipsy Smith
Luke 15:1, 3 -- "Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him... And he spake this parable unto them."
These three wonderful stories which Jesus used, as recorded in the 15th chapter of St. Luke's gospel, were specifically used by Him to teach two things: first, that God is seeking His own and wants to find His own; and second, that when His own have sense enough to come and confess their sin there is joy in Heaven.
That is the great moving truth of the stories. You remember that when Jesus was receiving the Publicans and sinners the Pharisees said: "This man receiveth sinners and eateth with them."
And Jesus said, that any man who would submit his life and soul and heart to the will of God, and turn from sin to God would be saved. That is the substance of these stories.
I think I said here the other day that when the sheep went astray a man went after it -- the owner -- and he sought it till he found it. When the silver went astray, a woman went after it -when the son went away, nobody went after him, because there is a difference between a sheep and a man; there is a difference between a piece of silver and the soul of a man that has to live forever.
The sheep isn't responsible, or a piece of silver isn't responsible, but a man is. The man is a moral agent; he has a free will; he has a privilege of choice; he has a power to say "No" and the power to say "Yes." He may be lifted to heights ineffable or he can descend to depths unutterable.
When the sheep went away, the owner went after it. When the silver got lost the woman searched for it. Jesus told the story, remember. He told it perfectly, and He is teaching that repentance of the New Testament kind is such a beautiful thing that when a man does repent there is joy in Heaven.
And the son went and joined himself to a citizen of a far country after he had spent all. After he had wasted all his substance in riotous living he joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into the fields to feed the swine, and that was about the most humiliating thing to any Jew in the world.
After spending his money with the citizens of a far country, he was sent out into the field. You area good fellow as long as your money lasts, as long as your health lasts, but let your money go and let your health go, and will they want you?
Yes, you love me today, or say you do, but if I were to make one mistake and step down, the same crowd that applauds me today would crucify me tomorrow. Don't you forget the crowd that shouted "Hosanna" to Jesus one day, and "Away with Him!... Let Him be crucified!" the next day.
The people are with you just as long as you please them; the public is with you just as long as you serve it; the public is with you just as long as you satisfy it. The people are for you as long as you are their idol. But you turn around and do one thing wrong, and the service of years, the goodness of years, the consecration of years, the attempts to help others, are all forgotten in one mistake, in one step-down.
Don't forget that, and when he had spent all, and had begun to be in want, somebody sent him in the fields to feed the swine. The world treats you like that, and you know it does.
As long as you serve it, it will applaud you. But wait until your bloom is gone, the light has gone from your eyes, until the elasticity has gone from your step, wait until your hair turns gray and your money is gone. The world paid him to get out of its sight and the world will serve you in the same way if you lean upon it. And when he was sent out to feed the swine he came to himself. "How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger." His first notion was that he was hungry. And God got at him through his stomach. He came to himself and no man comes unto his father until he comes to himself.
"I will arise, and go to my father, and will say unto him, I am no more worthy to be called thy son; make me as one of thy hired servants."
The test was in his promising to be a better sort and in getting up and going -- walking all the way home -- he didn't ask anybody for a ride. And he didn't ask his father by letter or phone or by telegram to send the old family chariot for him. He didn't say, if you will make a great fuss over me, I will come. He just felt weary and homesick, and tired and hungry, and wasted and sick, and he tramped all the way with bleeding feet and a wretched heart. And the story doesn't tell you that .his father got a company of his neighbors and went to hunt for him. Real repentance makes a man come home. And no man comes home himself when he is carried. No man repents until he comes home to his father.
But you say the father ran to meet him? Yes, when he saw him coming, and he will run to meet you when he sees you coming. "But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him." Oh! the compassion of the Father when He sees you coming. And when you come, Jesus says, "Joy shall be in Heaven." And I am glad He put that in.
And the poor tired lad said, "I have sinned," and, mind you, those words from his lips meant more than any from yours or mine. They were original then. They had not become stereotyped or hackneyed. "I have sinned and am no more worthy to be called thy son." But he didn't get it all out. The father didn't let him. He was ready to say, Make me a servant, I don't ask for my old place in the family, I don't ask for my old place at the board. I am not worthy. I don't ask you to let me sleep in my old, little room. I am not worthy of that. I will do anything, only let me be near enough to see your smile and to have the assurance that I have forgiveness, and I am willing to be a servant. That is the kind of repentance that brings salvation to the heart, when we are prepared to lose everything in the world, in order to get the smile of God and the approval of our conscience, and freedom from the guilt of the past. That is why the story was told, to show you how to get right with God.
If there is joy in Heaven, there is joy in earth, and I thank God over one sinner that repents. Some one may ask, "Where was his mother?" I don't know where she was. The story doesn't tell us that. But I know that wherever she was there was joy in her heart. He had a mother -- I am sure of that.
Jesus makes no reference to the mother of the Prodigal because she had nothing to do with his homecoming, or the reconciliation between him and his father. What He is teaching is that a poor lost sinner can find his way back to a pardoning God without any human interference. And when boys come home as the Prodigal came, and the mothers are anywhere around, there is joy.
If there is a man or woman here this morning that has not come home, God help you to come home today. Jesus waits for you. And you know, if you don't come now, while the days of grace are flowing through your city, when will you come? God is speaking to you through me. When will you come if you don't come when He calls you? He wants you to come home -- will you do it? The coming belongs to you, the joy of pardon and the restoration will be yours when you have the sense to humble yourself in a full surrender at the foot of the cross. You will then hear Him say, "Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him." I have seen the best robe of a rose. I have seen the best robe of a morning that breaks over the cliff-tops of eternity and creeps through the gates of gold without a creak on their hinges. I have seen the best robe of lovely valleys kissed into glory by the sun's first rays. I have seen Nature decked in glory and I have looked into beautiful faces and brilliant eyes. But, my brethren, "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him."
My brother, the best robe is for you. The robe of a Saviour's righteousness. The robe of eternal loveliness. "Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him."
He wants to give you the best robe. Are you worthy of the best? He is worthy of the best you have. He is getting the best I have. The very best. But it is poor. So short of what I would like my love for Him to be. It is so little and what I want to give Him is such a lot. My service is so poor and cold! What I would give Him if I had it.
Are we ready to give Him all we have this morning, all we hope to be? I am!
"My life, my love, I give to Thee,
Oh, Lamb of God, who died for me.
Oh, may I ever faithful be,
My Saviour, and my God."
