WE take tonight the third of the series of addresses on the Prodigal Son. The subject is to be “The Father’s Kiss,” and I propose to consider
1. ON WHAT GROUND COULD THE FATHER KISS THE PRODIGAL?
2. WHAT LESSON DO WE LEARN FROM THE FATHER’S TREATMENT OF THE PRODIGAL?
3. WHAT EFFECT HAD THE KISS UPON HIM?
1. On What Ground Could the Father Kiss the Prodigal?
The father’s kiss had a very great meaning. What was it? I believe it was a forgiving kiss. I believe it teaches us that God is a forgiving God, and that notwithstanding the fact that most here have sinned for years, yet God’s kiss of forgiveness can be yours tonight. I believe that to be the very truth.
But our first point is, On what ground can it be done? You say it was love. I think it was more than love; it was yet God’s kiss of sovereign grace; that is, unmerited favor. Did he deserve forgiveness? No. Do you deserve forgiveness? No. So we read in Romans 3. verse 24, “Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” God does not act towards us according to our deserts. He acts in sovereign grace.
There is a story of a missionary who was hated by a native of the place he was working in. One day the native found the missionary’s daughter, a little girl, alone in the woods. He took her, and with the hatchet he was carrying, he cut off both her hands. Many years after the girl was alone at home, and a man came to the door. He said he was starving, so she told the maid to give him a good dinner. She sat and watched him eat it, knowing all the time that it was the man who had cut her hands off. After he had finished she let a cloth fall, and then showed him her arms.
That was grace, acting towards another (and that an enemy) in love when he did not deserve it. Scripture says we are enemies of God by wicked works; yet God loves us, and in His grace forgives everyone who comes to Him believing in the Lord Jesus Christ. Yes, God is a “God of all grace” so must act in grace toward man.
But there is another thing which characterizes God. He is faithful and He is also just. As it says, “A just God, and a Saviour.” In 1 John 1, verse 9, it says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” God does not only forgive on the ground of grace but also on the ground of faithfulness and justice. The prodigal confessed his sins, and was forgiven; and God can forgive you your sins, and will, if you confess them; but remember, when He forgives, He is faithful in doing it.
I want you to think of the words of the Lord Jesus Christ when He was hanging between two thieves, hated by man, suffering from the most intense agony, and being mocked by the very ones He came to save. Just listen to His words: “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:3434Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. (Luke 23:34).)
God forgives in faithfulness to the dying request of His own Son. The forgiving kiss is on the ground of divine faithfulness. But God also forgives on the ground of divine justice. Rom. 3:26,26To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. (Romans 3:26) tells us that He is “just, and the Justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”
Again we turn to the Cross to see God’s justice. He cannot pass over sin, although He desires to bless the sinner, so we see the just and holy God punishing His only begotten Son on the Cross of Calvary, thereby making a divinely just ground on which He could forgive every soul who comes to Him for mercy and forgiveness. You and I who have been forgiven can say, “It is because Jesus was punished instead of me.”
Many years ago a ruler made a law that for a certain offense the culprit should have both his eyes put out. The first to break the law was his own son. He had a great desire to forgive him, but knew he could not be just in doing so. He therefore gave sentence that one of his own eyes should be put out, and one of his son’s. The ruler’s justice could not then be called in question. Yet his love for his son was shown by his bearing half of the punishment. God’s justice and love are shown by His own Son bearing all the punishment.
We see then, GRACE, FAITHFULNESS, AND JUSTICE are grounds on which God forgives sins. Now I say, Are you forgiven? Have you received the Father’s kiss? Have you learned, in the Father’s arms, that His heart yearns over you, and that, notwithstanding the tremendous cost, He can freely forgive you? If not, look at Calvary, and see what it cost Him there. Have you a son, one you greatly love, perhaps an only son, the joy and pride of your heart? Ask yourself the question, “How should I feel if I saw my son taken by my very enemies, and spat upon, smitten in the face, crowned with thorns, receiving many stripes on his bared back till all the flesh was torn and bleeding. Then taken by these same enemies, and laid down on a cross, and both hands and feet nailed to the cross, which is then lifted and dropped into a hole in the rock, and your son left there to die a death of the most awful suffering it is possible to bear. If while suffering thus you heard your son cry, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do,” what would you do?
The God who will forgive you if you come to Him tonight saw His well-beloved Son taken by those with hearts like yours and mine, spat upon, smitten in the face, crowned with a crown of thorns, and then a stick brought down upon His head. Also given many stripes on His bared back till all the flesh was torn and bleeding. And then those wicked hands nailed His to a cross.
“Oh! make me to understand it.;
Help me to take it in;
What it meant to Thee, Thou Holy One,
To bear away my sin.”
Then the cross was placed into a hole in the rock, and when God heard His cry, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do,” His grace went out towards those guilty men in forgiving love, in divine faithfulness to the dying request of the Blessed Saviour.
Yet for Him to forgive on a just ground He had then to turn from the Son of His love, and put the very sins He was going to forgive on His Son, so that the punishment should be borne by Him instead of by us. The greatest suffering then, that the Saviour suffered was in the three hours of darkness, when God forsook Him, and judged Him in our stead. It was God’s justice led Him to judge the Lord Jesus. It was also God’s justice led Him to raise Him from the dead. Death could not hold Him after His work was done.
“Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy Name.” God can forgive now, and the risen Saviour is the testimony that it is done on the ground of divine GRACE, FAITHFULNESS and JUSTICE.
2. What Lesson do we Learn from the Father’s Treatment of the Prodigal?
We see in that treatment five important points. “His father saw him.” I think the lesson for us is that God is looking down on each one here tonight, watching you. Think of the position you are in; if away from Him. Or have you said, “I will arise.”
Whatever it is, He sees you, and is ready to meet you as soon as you put your decision into practice; and, remember, from what we have already had before us, that His heart is full of love while He looks down upon you now.
“He had compassion.” Yes, as we have just said, loving compassion, not a bit of hatred; nothing but kindness shining from the God of all grace, causing Him.
3. To run. Can it be true, such haste, such desire to show to this returning sinner the love of His heart of hearts? Yes, he “ran,” we read. It brings to our minds the scriptures:
God is “ready” at this very moment to run towards you, and give you the knowledge of His forgiving love. Why not come to Him now, and learn the lesson in a practical way, of that precious truth, he “ran”?
4. He “fell on his neck.” What must have been the feelings of that prodigal son when he had those arms around him? Why, all his fear was gone in an instant. What a lesson we learn from this, a lesson never to be forgotten, to learn that God is for us, and not against us.
“He saw us ruined in the Fall,
Yet loved us, notwithstanding all;
He saved us from our lost estate;
His loving kindness, oh how great!”
5. He “kissed him.” The Father’s kiss speaks volumes to the poor returning sinner. Yes, God kisses poor sinners, those who have hated Him, and wronged Him and His love times without number. Just think what a lesson that kiss teaches us.
Two little boys at Oxford, some time ago, were fishing in the river, and accidentally they both fell into the water. A young man was passing at the time, and plunged in after them. He was not a very good swimmer, but managed to bring them both to the bank safely. He then found himself in difficulties. The more he struggled the worse it was, with the sad result that he was drawn under the water and drowned. It was discovered afterwards that the boys’ fishing-line was twisted four times round his right hand, and the hook had caught in his clothes.
The news soon reached his father and mother, who, of course, were greatly distressed; also his brother, who came home soon afterwards, but he was comforted when he heard that the boys were saved.
A few days later, two little boys were seen following close behind the coffin. After the funeral, the father of the brave lad, whose body had just been lowered into the grave, came up to the two little boys, and gave each one a kiss, and blessed them.
There was present a young man, a Christian, who that evening was to preach the gospel not far away. He, went as arranged, and standing before his hearers, said, “I saw today what I have never seen before, a man kiss two boys who caused the death of his son.” He then told them about the funeral, and showed that that is what God is doing now, kissing any who come to Him believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, notwithstanding the fact that they have caused the death of His Son.
It made a great impression on his hearers, one in particular, who was one of the worst men in that place. After the meeting this man came up to the preacher, and said, “Does God kiss like that?”
“Yes,” he replied; “if you come to Him in faith believing on the Lord Jesus Christ.”
He replied, “I will come to Him now.”
May God grant that your decision may be the same. The result will be that you will know forgiveness, and learn the lesson taught by the Father’s kiss.
Our last point is
3. What Effect had the Kiss on the Prodigal?
Let us see what he did immediately after he had received the kiss. It reads, “The son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.”
You see he at once owns himself (1) a sinner; (2) unworthy; (3) helpless. Notice that he left out what he had intended to say: “Make me as one of thy hired servants.” When he owned himself a SINNER, UNWORTHY and HELPLESS, he owned the truth. And when you own yourself a SINNER, UNWORTHY and HELPLESS, YOU will own the truth about yourself, which will be of great blessing for you, for then you will be glad to be occupied with God; and His wondrous mercy having won your heart, you will desire to thank Him for such great love. It is when we really see God in all His perfections that we are able to see what we really are in His presence. There is nothing like the perfect love of God to show us our unworthiness. A picture of God’s heart will do wonders.
It reminds me of the story of the girl who left her mother, and went to London. She wrote regularly for a time, then gradually left off writing, till at last the letters stopped altogether. She had got into bad company, and was living a life of sin.
Her mother came to London to seek for her, and finding a missionary who worked in the worst parts of London, asked him if he could help her. He said he thought he could, but only on the condition that she procured a hundred copies of her own photograph, and wrote under each, “Mary, I love you still; come home.”
He then told her that she must allow him to take these photographs into the low parts of the city, and hang them up in the saloons and other places where her daughter might possibly see it; and he hoped by so doing to find where she was.
This was a hard thing to ask a mother to do, but she loved her child so much that she would do anything to get her back again. Off to the photographer’s she went, and as quickly as possible returned to the missionary with the hundred photographs. These were taken, and put up in the haunts where the fallen girl might come.
Not long after, this girl came into a saloon, and caught sight of the photo on the wall. Going over to it she saw at once the familiar face. “My mother,” she said to herself, and then read the words underneath, “Mary, I love you still; come home.”
This was more than Mary could stand. She went out of the place at once, and made straight for home. She found her mother waiting to receive her, and there in her mother’s arms received the kiss of forgiveness. That photo and those loving words did it.
May God open the eyes of wandering sinners here and now to see His own picture in this portion of Luke fifteen, and give you to hear Him say, “I love you still; come home.” If you do, it will be the most blessed moment of your life.’
We have seen that God’s gracious, loving treatment of returning wanderers is on the ground of GRACE, FAITHFULNESS AND JUSTICE. Because of the death of Christ for you, He now stands with arms outstretched waiting to receive and forgive you this very moment. Linger not, but come now, and you will be able to say, as one did to a Christian who, after a Gospel meeting asked him if he was saved, and his reply was, “I saw God holding out His arms to receive me while you were preaching, and I came into them tonight.”
My earnest prayer is that God will save you all, so come now, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake.
C. A. S.