Let's take our Bibles and again
turn back to Luke 15. We now consider possibly one
of the most beautiful revelations of God's mercy set forth in this
blessed parable of our Lord, a parable that he gave to his
people because it was given unto them to know the mysteries of
the kingdom of God. This young boy had exhibited
the natural tendency of the carnal heart. He wanted to be separated
from his father. Man by nature wants to be separated
from God. He desires the bankruptcy of
all that is good. He doesn't want it. This young man felt as though
that he could earn his own way, and that's man by nature. Man by nature refuses to bow
to the Lord Jesus Christ, to kiss the Son. And the thought
of Almighty God being angry doesn't bother him. But oh, in the midst
of this boy's bankruptcy and foolish thinking and pride in
himself, pigs food and loving it. I just can't get enough of this.
And the Scripture says he came to himself. Repentance was granted. That's how a sinner comes to
himself. Not by anything. that this boy did or any other
sinner could do. Nobody can give themselves a
new mind. Nobody gives themselves a new
heart. I'll give you a new heart, the Lord said. And for the first
time in his life, spiritually this is what this parable is
all about. The reclaiming, the calling out,
the bringing to the Lord. The objects of His mercy for
the first time, this boy had a mind that thought upon that
which was right. And his mind immediately went
back to the only place of security. The only place of comfort. The only place of true joy. His Father. His Father. His Father's house. That house
of joy. That place of love. That place
of true security that man originally forfeited in the garden. And
that boy, verse 17, he came to himself and he said, how many
hired servants of my fathers have bread enough and to spare,
and I perish with hunger." Well, I thought that he was just
eating. I know what fame means. He was
enjoying that. He was loving that. It's great
stuff. Oh, but when Almighty God calls
a man out of darkness, all of a sudden, he says like the Apostle
Paul, that which was profitable to me, I consider dumb. This is refuge. That which I
one time joyfully embraced, that's hovel slop. I don't eat that. I don't have
any enjoyment in that. I'm starving. This is not sustenance
to me. That's the speech of a new man. He gives, he turns from, he's
not going back. He's not going back by the grace
of God. And this boy remembered his heritage. He said, how many hired servants
in my father's? That's my father. That's the
speech of a believer. I have a father. He's my father. I didn't know
that. I never realized that. He realized
his plight. I'm hungry. I'm hungry. I've got to have some food. I've got to have the bread of
life. I've got to have the good bread. I've got to have Him. And I don't doubt for a second
while he was holding in his hand the husk. And now, I'm starving. Verse 18, I will arise and go
to my Father, and I'll say unto Him, Father, I have sinned against
heaven and before Thee, and am no more worthy. to be called
thy son, make me as one of thy hired servants." Was that just a passing thought?
Was that just a whim all of a sudden? Just kind of for a minute there,
just kind of have a little thought, maybe I ought to go back. Was he just stoning ground here? that rose up quickly, in just
a few minutes was going to wither. That is the confession of a new
heart. I know that. I know that. Here's one that absolutely is
making the confession of life. Let me ask you this. Was it? I know God's people are made
willing in the day of God's power. I know that God's people, when
God calls them out of darkness, they truly are brought down. Zacchaeus? Come down. That says a whole lot more. He
was up in the sycamore tree. I know that. But I tell you,
he was humble before God. Brought down. This boy says,
I'm going to go back to my father and I'm going to tell him, I've
sinned. I've sinned against heaven. I've
sinned against God. And I've done it right in your
face. I've done it arrogantly. I'm a sinner. And there's no
worthiness in me. And I'll take the lowest place. Just make me one of your servants. David said in Psalm 84.10, For
a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. Obviously, without
being in his courts. I'd rather be a doorkeeper in
the house of my God than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. than
to dwell in the place of self-righteous religious husks. And how do we know that his confession
was true? Look at verse 30. And he arose
and he came to his Father. All that the Father giveth me
shall come to me. And him that cometh to me I will
in no wise cast out." How do you know that God Almighty gives
sinners a new heart? They leave. Come out from among them. Be
separate, saith the Lord. How do you know When God has
given a man or woman life, they do not stay in false religion. They leave. Forgetting that which
is past, I press forward to the mark of the high calling of God
in Christ by the grace of God. I ain't
going back. He's on His way. But when He was a great way off, I tell you, the Lord's sheep
are naturally in a far country, a great way off. But they're
not so far that He doesn't see. God gives a man or woman a new
heart. Oh, what have I done? What have
I done? You ever had to go and make it
right for somebody? Oh, the closer you got, you thought,
oh, I hope this goes well. I have been so foolish. I have
been so stupid. What have I done? How could I have thought While that boy was yet a great
way off, his father saw him and had compassion on him. That's
the Lord's glory. Show me your glory. Show me what
you think. I will have mercy on whom I will
have mercy. And I will have compassion on
whom I will have compassion." That Father, as our Heavenly
Father, this parable right here, honors Christ, speaks of Christ. That Father yearned for that
boy. And He was moved with sympathy
and pity and compassion. And as that Son came, The Father ran. He ran. He ran hastily. He ran with course. He ran on
purpose. He ran as you run a race. And He fell on His neck. And
He kissed Him. He kissed Him earnestly. He seized
and embraced Him with affection and compassionately, exceedingly. Excellently, mightily, particularly,
intensely. That's the words. He kissed him
and he kissed him and he kissed him and he held him. And while
the father was kissing him and just holding him and embracing
him and all over kissing him, that boy tried to talk and he
said in verse 21, the son said unto him, Father, I've sinned. I've sinned against heaven and
I've sinned in Your sight. And I'm just not worthy anymore
to be called your son." Oh, if we understood something
of the depth of His love, and while we're Confessing in the
feeling of hurt. Just how? How could I treat him
like this? How can I be so disrespectful? How can my mind wander as it
does? How can I do this? How can I be of sin? Here's a
boy that's got a new heart. And he's talking to his daddy.
He's talking to his father. And while his father is embracing
him, Oh, behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed
upon us that we should be called the sons of God. Behold, what
manner, what manner, what sort of, and also, manner means how
long. Behold, how long. I've always
loved you. I have loved you with an everlasting
love. I gave my Son for you. I forsook my Son for you. Oh, and as the objects of God's
mercy are made to come to themselves, willing by constraining grace,
broken, confessing their unworthiness, the Father showers them with
the kisses of His mercy for Christ's sake. And while that father is
kissing that boy and caressing that boy, and that boy is trying
to talk to him and tell him what he's done and how he's not worthy
anymore, and that father turns and doesn't even say anything
to the boy. No record that anything was said
to that son. He turned and he said to the
servants, you bring forth the best robe and put it on him. And put a ring on his hand. And
shoes on his feet. You bring hither the fatty calf
and kill it. And let us eat and be merry. You rode this boy in righteousness. You put the ring, the signet
of his sonship. You put shoes on his feet, the
gospel of God's grace, the gospel by
which he is taught, by which he walks, by which he is kept. Bring forth the fatty calf, the
calf of sacrifice, that ever-living, ever-viewed sacrifice of our
Lord. And let us eat. Let us feast
on the merit of Christ and be merry, be happy, rejoicing in
His worthiness and His mercy, on grace toward sinners for His
sake, rejoicing in Him. who has finished the work of
redemption, Almighty God shows mercy justly, compassionately,
lovingly. But his wrath has been satisfied. The law has been honored. Christ
has been exalted. The Lamb has been slain. The
blood has been shed. And when I see the blood, I'm
going to kiss you. I'm going to kiss you, and I'm
going to kiss you, and I'm going to kiss you. Why? Why do all this? Verse 24, For because this My
Son was dead, and He's alive again. He was lost. He found. They began to be merry, rejoicing
in heaven. Hallelujah is under the grace
of God. Oh, what joy! God's people behold. But in the midst of great rejoicing, our Lord who continued this parable,
our Lord speaking, He concludes the conversation
It was taking place between the father and that son. Now, it turns to a different
conversation. Verse 25 to 32, Now his elder
son was in the field, and he came and drew nigh to the house,
and he heard music and dancing, and he called one of the servants
and asked what these things meant. And he said unto him, Thy brother
is come. And thy father hath killed a fatty calf, because
he hath received him safe and sound." And he was angry and
would not go in. Therefore came his father out
and entreated him. 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. But as soon
as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with
harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatty calf, and he said
unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have
is thine. It was meet, it was fit that
we should make merry and be glad. For this thy brother is dead
and is alive again, was lost and found in the midst of great rejoicing. This elder boy, now here's the
other son. A son that belongs to the Lord. In creation, all souls are mine. And here's this boy, and he says,
I hear of your mercy toward this rebel, your son. He didn't even acknowledge that
he was his brother. I'm hearing of the showering
of your wealth upon him who was wayward, rebellious, But is there
no regard for my faithfulness? Doesn't my efforts count for
anything? Two truths in closing. Number
one, there's resentment from the world because of God's sovereign
grace. John 15, 19. The Scripture says, If ye were of the world, the
world would love his own. But because you are not of the
world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the
world hateth you. This is your son, the one that
wasted all of your wealth. Righteous living. You showed mercy. And I've been here all these
years. And I've worked hard. And I've been faithful. He was angry and would not go
in. You know why? Because he wasn't guilty. in
his mind. I'm not guilty. He didn't need forgiveness. He didn't need mercy. In his
mind, he deserved everything and got nothing. Christ Jesus
came to this world to save sinners. sinners. You find a sinner. Brother Scott used to say, you've
found a precious thing because there are so few of them. There's
a lot of elder sons who have been faithful. It amazes me. The Scripture says, he would
not go in. Therefore, came his father out. Oh yes. He came unto His own,
and His own received Him not. He sent His Son into this world. Almighty God has graciously sent
the Lord Jesus Christ. And I'm preaching this gospel,
and hear me well. Whosoever will. Let him come. Let him come. Somebody said,
I thought you said it was by sovereign grace. It is. It is. And I preach whosoever will,
and Almighty God gives a man a new heart, and he wills. And
he comes. Leave a man to himself, he will not Go in. But no blame will ever be laid
at the feet of our Lord. He came out and entreated him. Entreated him. Many are called. Few are chosen. Whose fault is
it? Because that boy right there
wouldn't go in. Whose fault was it? You know. It was his fault. Whose fault was it? because he
would not go and eat of the fatty calf. Whose fault was that? Whose
fault was it because he would not go in and make merry? Whose
fault was it because he found no joy in his son and his brother
that was lost and now was found? Was dead and now is alive. Whose
fault was it? He said unto his son, Thou art
ever with me. All that I have is thine." It
was fit that we should make Mary be glad. For this thy brother
was dead, live, lost, found. These last verses are written
to show us that God is never to be blamed. Men say it's God's
fault. Has God Almighty created this
earth? Does the earth, does creation not declare? Does the handiwork
of God not declare that Almighty God is all-powerful? Does this
earth not proclaim, set forth God's grace, God's mercy, God's
power to mankind? Who's fault? Is the gospel of
Christ, the message of redemption, Is it not being set forth in
the ears of men today? Do we not readily proclaim this
morning, if any man thirsts, let him come
to Christ and drink? Drink. What reason do you have
to refuse. Is your filthy rags of self-righteousness
worth that much? Unless the Lord gives you a new
heart, they are. And you'll hold on to them, and
you'll hold on to your profession of so-called good works and free
will decision, and you're going to perish. Come to Christ. There is no hope
but in Him. Lord bless these words. To the
glory of the Lord Jesus Christ and the good of your people.
Amen.