“But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him” (Luke 15.20.)
Introduction. Brethren, who is it that gives a fair representation of God? The Arminian slanders God (though unintentionally) by teaching that he may promise what he never performs, that he may give men eternal life, but that these men may perish. On the other hand, those who hear the Calvinistic preacher are apt to misinterpret God. They imagine that God is very easily moved to wrath, but not so easily induced to love. O that we could unlearn these fallacies, and believe God to be what he is!
(1) The Position. The man who is ‘a great way off’ has already renounced his sins, and is seeking after Christ to obtain eternal life. The Pharisee is not intended by the description, for he is more than a great way off, as far from God as light from darkness. He has never learned to confess his sin, and is able to feed on the husks. He hopes to save himself by good works. The man who is a great way off is very near the kingdom, for he knows his need and he seeks a Saviour. He is a great way off in his apprehensions. You recollect how you neglected God’s Book and rejected his invitations. Now your sins astonish you. You feel that God would be just in destroying you. Conscience tells you that the most darling sins must be renounced if you would enter the kingdom of God. You know that reformation from sin is one of the first-fruits of grace. But you find that you cannot purge your house of all your lustful pleasures, nor renounce completely the company of the ungodly. You are crying out, ‘Oh, how great is my distance from God! Lord, bring me near.’ You feel that you must believe in him who died upon the cross for your sins. You have searched the Scriptures to find a promise to rest on. You have pleaded for a sign of mercy. May the Holy Spirit repeat the words of the text in your ear!
(2) The Peculiar Troubles. After a life of ease, the Prodigal, by his own vice, is plunged into poverty and labor. He sets about returning to his father. ‘Will my father receive me? Will I be led away by the demon again before I get there? Will I die and stand before God before I receive my father’s blessing?’ Such thoughts cross the mind of the one who seeks Christ and mourns to feel his distance from him. Other men think they shall live for ever, but men convinced of sin, and who seek a Saviour, are afraid they shall not live another moment. The Christian has fancied that his next step might precipitate him into eternal doom. The mass of us need to be startled with the thought of death. How few of you indulge that thought! Do you never think of standing before the Judge? But as for you who feel your distance from Christ, you shall never die until you have found him. You fear that your convictions will pass away, that you will wander farther from God and forget him. Is your prayer about this earnest? Then today the Father falls upon your neck and weeps for joy. “Thy sins, which are many, are all forgiven.”
(3) How the Troubles were Met. ‘The Father saw him.’ Sinner, let this be your consolation, that God sees you when you begin to repent. He saw you pray, groan, and cry. He rejoiced to see the first seeds of grace in your heart. ‘He had compassion on him.’ He felt pity for his poor son. Inasmuch as he has brought you to feel your sin against him and to desire reconciliation, there is no wrath in his heart, only sorrow that you have brought yourself into a state of sin and woe.
Selection from Conclusion. “’He ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him’…if you this day are seeking him aright through Christ, the day shall come when the kiss of full assurance shall be on your lip.”
