Another Parable

“And he spake this parable unto them, saying,” ¹A certain Man had a Son, His only Son, “the only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” ² “This Saviour was the brightness of His Father’s glory and the express image of His person. He possessed divine majesty, perfection, and excellence.” ³ “For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fulness dwell.” ⁴

“All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made.” ⁵ “For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him, and. for Him.” ⁶ “From the be~inning He had shown that His delights were with the sons of men.” ⁷ (“Since He made all things, He made the Sabbath.” ⁸ “Hence it is a constant witness to His existence and a reminder of His greatness, His wisdom, and His love.” ⁹

“From the place of His habitation He looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth. The Lord looketh from heaven; He beholdeth all the sons of men.” ¹⁰ “Oh, pitiable sight! … What path so dark for human feet to tread as that chosen by one who has persisted in having his own way, resisting the holy influences of the Spirit of God! What bondage so terrible as that of him who is given over to the control of the worst of tyrants-himself!” ¹¹ “Bewildered and deceived, they were moving on in gloomy procession toward eternal ruin-to death in which is no hope of life, toward night to which comes no morning.” ¹²
(“Man was originally endowed with noble powers and a well-balanced mind.” ¹³ “It was through disobedience to God’s requirements that these powers were perverted; the affections were misplaced, and turned from the high and holy purpose to a lower aim and to meet a lower standard.” ¹⁴

“And it repented the Lord that He had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him at His heart.” ¹⁵ “But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and, were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.” ¹⁶ “Though corruption and defiance might be seen in every part of the alien province, a way for its recovery was provided.” ¹⁷

And the Son said to His Father, “Father, give Me the portion of goods that falleth Me.” ¹⁸ “All things Christ received from God, but He took to give.” ¹⁹ “In giving up His Son, He has poured out to us all heaven in one gift.” ²⁰ “He gave Him not only to bear our sins, and to die as our sacrifice; He gave Him to the fallen race. To assure us of His immutable counsel of peace, God gave His only-begotten Son to become one of the human family, forever to retain His human nature.” ²¹ “Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable Gift!” ²² (“The provisions of redemption are free to all; the results of redemption will be enjoyed by those who have complied with the conditions.” ²³)

“And not many days after” the Son “gathered all together, and took His journey into afar country,” and there spent His substance on the riotous living. “The Majesty of heaven, the King of glory, left His riches, His splendor, His honour and glory, and, in order to save sinful man, condescended to a life of humility, poverty, and shame.” ²⁴ “He was clothed with light and glory, and was surrounded with hosts of heavenly angels waiting to execute His commands. Yet He put on our nature and came to sojourn among sinful mortals.” ²⁵ “Nothing could have induced Christ to leave His honour and majesty in heaven, and come to a sinful world, to be neglected, despised, and rejected by those He came to save, and finally to suffer upon the cross, but eternal, redeeming love, which will ever remain a mystery.” ²⁶ “Such love is without a parallel.” ²⁷ “And He went and joined Himself to [the citizens] of that country; and [they] sent Him into His fields to feed the swine.²⁸ “He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not.” ²⁹ “The field,” Christ. said, “is the world.” ³⁰ “He went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed by Satan. There were whole villages where there was not a moan of sickness in any house, for He had passed through them and healed all their sick. His work gave evidence of His divine anointing. Love, mercy, and compassion were revealed in every act of His life; His heart went out in tender sympathy to the children of men.” ³¹ “Blessings [flowed] from His lips as the gushing forth of a long-sealed current of rich life.” ³²

“And when He had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and He began to be in want.” ³³ “He was realizing His Father’s frown. He had taken the cup of suffering from the lips of guilty man, and proposed to drink it Himself, and in its place give to man the cup of blessing. The wrath that would have fallen upon man was now falling upon Christ.” ³⁴ “He was treated as we deserve, in order that we might be treated as He deserves. He was condemned for our sins, in which He had no share, that we might be justified by His righteousness, in which we had no share. He suffered the death which was ours, that we might receive the life which was His.” ³⁵ “The sense of the withdrawal of His Father’s love pressed from His anguished soul these mournful words: My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death. If it be possible’, let this cup pass from Me. Then with entire submission to His Father’s will, He adds: Nevertheless not as I will, but as Thou V/ilt.” ³⁶

“It was to save us from the very pride and love of vanity and pleasure which we now indulge, and which crowds out the love of Jesus, that those tears were shed and that our Saviour’s visage was marred with sorrow and anguished more than any of the sons of men.” ³⁷ “Follow Him on His way to the judgment hall, while He is derided, mocked, and insulted by that infuriateq mob. Behold Him clothed in that old purple kingly robe. Hear the coarse jest and cruel mocking. See them place up on that noble brow the crown of thorns, and then smite Him with a reed, causing the thorns to penetrate His temples, and the blood to flow from that holy brow.” ³⁸ “Surely He hath borne our grief’s, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.” ³⁹

“Even doubts assailed the dying Son of God. He could not see through the portals of the tomb.. Bright hope did not present to Him His coming forth from the tomb a conqueror and His Father’s acceptance of His sacrifice… The displeasure of the Father for sin, and its penalty, which is death, were all that He could realize through this amazing darkness. He was tempted to fear that sin was so offensive in the sight of His Father that He could not be reconciled to His Son.” ⁴⁰ “In His dying agony, as He yields up His precious life: He has by faith alone to trust in Him whom it has ever been His joy to obey. He is not cheered with clear, bright rays of hope on the right hand nor on the left. All is enshrouded in oppressive gloom. Amid the awful darkness which is felt by sympathizing nature; the Redeemer drains the mysterious cup even to its dregs. Denied even bright hope and confidence in the triumph which will be His in the future, He cries with a loud voice: Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit. He is acquainted with the character of His Father, with His justice, His mercy, and His great love, and in submission He drops into His hands.” ⁴¹

“And He arose, and came to His Father. But when He was yet a great way of His Father saw Him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on His neck, and kissed Him.” ⁴² “Notwithstanding all the marks of His degradation the Father discerned His own image.” ⁴³ “And sent His servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden.. Come; for all things are now ready.” ⁴⁴ And the Son said unto Him, “I arm Him that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, tam alive for evermore; Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.” ⁴⁵ “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: and bring hither the fatted calf, 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.” ⁴⁶ Amen. “And again, when He bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, He saith, And let all the angels of God worship Him.” ⁴⁷

AMEN

1 Luke 15:3
2 John 1:14
3 2T 200
4 Colossians 1 :19
5 John 1:3
6 Colossians 1 :16
7 PK 211
8 DA 288 9 PP 336
10 Psalm 33:14,13
11 PP 676
12 DA36
13 SC17
14 R&H 3-1-87
15 Genesis 6:6
16 Matthew 9:36
17 DA 37
18 Luke 15:12
19 DA21
20 SC 21
21 DA 25
22 2 Corinthians 9:15
23 PP 208
24 2T 490, 491
25 2T 215
26 2T207
27 SC 15
28 luke 15:15
29 John 1:10
30 Gal 70
31 SG 11,12
32 7T 269
33 Luke 15:14
34 2T 203
35 8T 208, 209
36 2T 206
37 3T 379, 380
38 1T 240-241
39 lsa. 53:4
40 2T 209, 210
41 2T 210, 211
42 Luke 15:20
43 3T 102
44 Luke 14:17
45 Revelation 1: 18
46 Luke 15:22-24
47 Hebrews 1:6