Address—A. Larson
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For him like that, we've sung it frequently in Kentucky.
And many souls have been warned in the singing of this hymn.
And it has brought comfort to the hearts of those who believe.
We know there's a bright and glorious HomeAway in the heaven time.
We've done of the rules of life.
And of the freed of gold, and of the joy of thy seed.
So the night we would have others.
To come into the joy that the believer possesses through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
In one of the southern cities.
A couple of brothers are so oftentimes to go to the jail.
To speak to the prisoners.
And him books are used in the past out.
And sometimes the request is made.
For any hymn thy would be desired on the part of those that are in the jail.
And they often like the thing. What a friend we have in Jesus.
Or perhaps the choice one is darkly and kinderly Jesus is false.
Old sinners come home.
But on one occasion.
There was a smart man in the prison.
And he suggested that he would like to.
Everything I want to go home.
Of course we didn't sing that because we didn't know it.
And evidently it's a foolish popular song.
And it could be that that's the kind of song that some of you present tonight. It might be singing.
But his request did suggest the subject.
And tonight, let us consider from the Scriptures.
Till men not wanted to go home.
We'll turn to the 15th of Luke, verse 11.
The Lord Jesus.
Speaking.
And he said a certain man had two sons.
And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me.
And he divided unto them his living.
And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together and took his journey into a far country.
And there wasted his substance with riotous living.
And when he spent all their rules of mighty famine in that land.
And he began to be in warmth.
And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country.
And he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
And he would then have filled his belly with the hearts of the swine, Did he?
And no man gave unto him.
And when he came to himself, he said.
How many hired servants of my father's have read enough and despair, and I perish with hunger?
I will arise and go to my Father, and will say unto him, Father, I sinned against heaven, and before thee.
And am no more worthy to be called thy son. Make me as one of thy hired servants.
And he arose and came to his father.
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But when he was, he had a grade way off. His father saw him and had compassion and ran and fell on his neck.
Kiss them. And the sun said unto him, Father, I sinned against heaven.
And in my sight, and I'm no more worthy to be called thy son.
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 chews on his feet.
And bring hit her 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 mirrored.
Isn't this a lovely story of God's grace?
The delight of the Father's heart to bless the repentant soul.
He's a young man.
He chooses to go away.
And in him.
Let us think that we see at least.
A partial history of the human race.
However.
We must remember that broad statement that all inclusive word of Roman Free that all of sinned and come short of the glory of God.
But here is the man that wanted to get away.
He resisted the restraints of hope.
He became perhaps rebellious.
And he exercises his own will and follows the path of disobedience.
And after a little time, he finds himself in a far country.
Sin leaves anyone far away from God.
And let us be warned tonight that if you pursue a pathway of sin, my young friend, you'll have your regrets in the bitter end.
You may live to see your regrets in this life even.
But all the bitter remorse of an endless hell.
Will be worse than regret experienced in this short life.
The younger said to his father, Give me the portion of goods that falleth to me.
And he divided unto them his living.
And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together.
Naturally like to do.
Gather things together for ourselves.
And he gathered all his possessions together.
Perhaps he condensed it into ready cash.
And he packed his luggage cases.
And he?
Availed himself of transportation and he set out on that journey to the far country.
The human race has departed from God through sin and disobedience.
This young man went away so that he could indulge himself.
In a life of willfulness.
He gathered all together.
And took his journey into a poor country.
Or there's another that has taken a journey.
We see in the word how one time he was at Capernaum.
And the next day a widow's son was to be buried at me.
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And he walked overnight, perhaps 25 miles, in order to be present when that funeral procession was going outside the city.
And there he could speak words of comfort to that widow who had lost their only son, and he could speak words of power, and say unto that young man arise. And he gave him back to his mother.
But that was only a part of a longer journey that he'd taken for you and for me.
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
That though he was rich.
Yet for our sake he became poor, that we through his poverty might be rich.
All that embraces that journey that he took in leading the courts of glory above, all the way down into the sin cursor and finally to the cross where he became poor.
The way through his poverty.
Made to be rich.
Or there's nothing to equal that story.
Here we find it in God's Book, and that's why you can safely believe it and depend upon it the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
For grace and truth came by him.
And by grace, are you saved?
Through faith.
But here we read that this young man.
Soon found himself in the four countries.
He doesn't worry about it now.
He thought everything would be all right.
And we usually hope for the best. And we usually think of our ways the right way.
And.
There he wasted his substance with riotous living.
We don't give it a list of the various sins that he committed.
But it's summed up in this statement that he wasted his substance with riotous living.
Oh, that was a terrible life, wasn't it?
He indulged himself in the places of sin for a season.
But you know, there's an end to that sort of thing.
Oh yes, you come to the end.
You can't go on forever in sin.
When sin first came into the world.
The angels were placed with the flaming sword to guard the way of the Tree of Life, lest man could get back into that garden and need of the Tree of Life and live in sin forever.
They must pursue its course. It must be completed. It must have an end. It must be taken away.
The old Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world.
Our judgment will come in to do that, but tonight the judgment has not arrived.
It's not yesterday of judgment, or it could come shortly, very soon.
The door of grace is still open, and now is your opportunity. This is the night that you ought to accept the Lord Jesus as your own personal Savior. You should not delay another moment, for time is short. Life at best is very brief. The coming of the Lord draws nigh, and the master of the house will rise up and shut through the door.
And then you'll be left outside.
That will be worse than this poor country that we're reading about here.
We need it all. He exhausted his resources.
And something else takes place.
There arose a mighty famine in that land.
And he began to be in warmth.
He was becoming needed.
And he looked around for employment. His money is gone.
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There's a famine in the land.
He's in rags and ruined now.
And he seeks something to do.
And he's forced to join himself to a citizen in that far country.
Who sent him in his fields to faith twice?
A pathway of willfulness and disobedience leads to many unpleasant things.
This was a very unpleasant task that this young man was assigned.
No doubt he despised what he had to do.
He was sent into the fields to feed swine.
That is very distasteful that this young man for likely was a Jew.
But that's the way it goes.
In my lifetime through observation.
We've seen, we've observed the history of different souls.
Of those who've gone on for the Lord.
All those who've gone on for themselves.
Oftentimes we are called upon.
To assist.
To conduct the services of someone that has died has been called away from the walks of his life.
And.
Oh, it's a very much easier task.
To speak when one has gone on for the Lord who has made his calling and election sure, and you have no doubt about where that individual has gone.
But sometimes it's otherwise to judge how the earth will do right?
But you cannot speak as freely as you would like to.
Now we have this young man joined to a citizen of that country, feeding swine.
And always wish that he could have something to satisfy.
His desires he would fain have filled his belly with a hust of destroying.
And no man gave unto him.
Oh, he would have been quite willing to have taken anything, but his friends had deserted him.
Perhaps they grouped around him, they flocked about him when his funds were sufficient, but now he reached the end of his resources. He did not for country alone.
And there's a Maya sermon on the land and what can he do?
Except to experience.
That distasteful work that was given to him as he observes the swine, and he was so hungry, so famished, that he fain would have eaten or they, and still no man fell to his soul. His friends had deserted him.
Then we read.
When he came to himself.
All there was a day of realization.
There was a time when his thoughts turned homeward.
He looked back from whence he comes.
And all you need to weigh this story well.
This is given by the Lord Jesus. It's the part of the parable that you get in the 15th of Luke.
When he came to himself.
All that's a good moment in the history of a soul.
Oh, tonight.
If you've never come to the Savior before.
If you've never realized your need of him.
This is a time.
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To come to yourself.
To realize your need as a Sinner.
He was thinking upon what was back home.
Or the planet that was in the Father's house.
And he mused, and he thought, and he made this statement, How many hired servants of my father's have read enough and despair, and I perish with hunger?
Othavo Zoo perished with hunger.
To suffer the needs of food for the body.
And many do in this world.
But it's worth to not have the bread of life.
Do not eat of that bread that cometh down from heaven.
Oh, he was perishing with hunger.
He began to realize his needs. He came to himself.
And he said I will arise and go.
Through my Father, and will say unto him, Father, I sinned against heaven and before thee, and I'm no more worthy to be called Thy Son. Make me as one of Thy hired servants.
And he acted upon his decision. He arose and went to the father. He retraced his steps. Perhaps it took him longer.
But he knew the direction, he knew the place, and he returned.
And what is taking place back home?
What is going on there? Oh, he knew that the Father's house was a place of plenty.
And so it is when we think of it as being the Father's house above. It's a place of plenty.
And 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.
All this should touch your heart tonight.
Just think of the love of the Father's heart and how glad He is to bless the soul that will come to Him.
He was looking down that road in the direction of the experience, in that direction from when St. airing land would return.
And oh, how his heart must have leaped with joy when he saw way down at the end of the road. Almost.
That first manifestation of life, of some moving objects. And as it comes closer and closer, he realizes the person, and then he sees that it's that young man returning.
The father was looking that way.
And heaven is looking at your way tonight. That's the purpose of this meeting. That's the reason we have this word open tonight.
Heaven is looking your way. Heaven desires your blessings, your blessings.
And they are blessing for you. Oh yes, there is blessings for every soul present here tonight. For the Lord Jesus has been in this world and gone to the cross in order that the way to the Father's house might be open to you.
When he was there at railway office, father saw him and had compassion and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.
And the sun said unto him, Father, I came.
Oh, why not come to that simple fact in your history tonight? You'll never get blessing without it. And who is it that has been sinned? I have sinned.
We just as well face the fact.
What is true? And we read it in God's words, I have sinned.
Against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.
He didn't finish his statement, didn't he? He's interrupted, but the father said to his servants. Only he was going to request that he would get in as a server and in that way satisfies hunger. But Oh no. The father interrupts, but the father said to his servant.
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Rainforest Success Robe and put it on him.
Or he didn't have to put the rope on himself.
There He is, and the Father says bring forth the best rule that was ready. He didn't have to send out for it. There's nothing like Him tonight. The work is completely done by the Savior of sinners on Calvary's cross and the best robe of heaven.
I'll wait your succession of things all the night. If you will say I sinned. If you come to this decision, it will arise and come.
Oh, what a welcome away to just think of this reception that this young fellow God.
Oh, it's the joy of the Father's heart to welcome this interview. God loves the world.
And he gave his son.
That you might be saved to faith in Him. Bring forth the best robe and put it on him. Put it right on his hand. Everything's done for him. Everything's been done for you. Why not accept it? There's nothing like oh, there's nothing like this in all the world.
Put the robe on him and put a ring on his hand to put shoes on his feet. Bring him to the padded caravan killers.
Let us eat and be married or he couldn't go into the house until the traffic calf was killed. And there's no salvation apart from the debt and blood from the setting of the precious blood of Christ. The calf was killed, blood was shed in order that this young man might be sustained and the owners sustainment that we can have.
Is through what's right our Savior has accomplished.
Their children's cross as he died. The dust or the unjust.
Who bring us to God.
Only comes from the father welcomes him. Oh, he didn't say get the gun.
Or he didn't say he deserves the heat. You must have so many stripes. All he said. Put the best globe on him and all tonight that best robe is for you. That ring is for your hand. There are shoes for your feet. There's everything that you need. There's a padded cast. And there's the joy that begins.
In the Father's house.
Can you miss this? Can you afford it? Can you pay the price?
Oh, what a price you'll have to pay if you neglect this great salvation that God has provided so freely to me. It was costly for Him.
It's free to you.
This young man wanted to go home. He found out my experience, the bitterness of steam and its consequences.
Perhaps you say this is not a picture of me?
Or you may not have gone to the extent indicated here, but you've got a heart that would take you in that same direction. You could go to that same extent. You have that willfulness within your head and within your heart. Have you ever been disobedient? Have you ever wanted to get away? Have you ever tried to have your fling in this world? You have yourself that you'd like to.
Or you need to make the same decision.
You need to say I sin. You need to come to the Father.
Come and receive everlasting life.
Now let's notice briefly as we turn to the epistles of the Philippians.
Something of the other individual, no doubt. He's an older one. Philippians, chapter one.
Verse 21.
These are the words of the Apostle Paul as he writes to the Philippians. He'd been there preaching the gospel. Souls have been saved. They believed on the Lord Jesus Christ. There was a meeting in that city and he writes to them, he's in prison now. He's been saved about 25 years himself. And he writes to these Christians that Philippi, and he says to them, is it right for me to live his Christ?
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Oh, it wasn't that way with the young man.
He wanted to live for himself. And who are you living for? Are you living for yourself or crying? You can't live for Christ until you come to Him, until you own your needs and your sinfulness and receive him by faith in the heart. But here's the beloved apostle, and he says for me to live is Christ.
And to die is gain. Can you speak of the future in that way?
If you died, would it be gained to you or torment that couldn't be gained?
For Paul, it would be gain. It would be more Christ.
But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my laborers. Yet what I shall choose I want not, for I am in the Strait betwixt 2 having a desired department to be with Christ, which is far better. He has a desire to depart and be with Christ, which was very far better.
He wanted to go home.
He known the Lord now for 25 years or more, and he'd been over much rough sailings.
Oh, he was beaten with the last. She was beaten with Rod.
And he was in shipwreck.
And in many difficulties in the way, in perils at the scene and perils in the wilderness.
Or he's seen the roughness of life.
Oh, he knew the blessedness of the Savior's love. He had perfect peace and confidence as to the future.
And he was in the straight matrix too. He'd like to stay a little longer for the good of the Philippians, but all he knew for himself that it was very far better to depart and that he was right. How did it turn out?
Well, he discerned that he would be left a while, and he was left.
About four years.
Now, how would it be with you Christian friends, fellow believers, if you knew that you had only four years more? What would you do with those four years?
If you knew that you had only four months more, how would you like to spend those four months? And let's bring it down to four weeks.
To four days.
To four minutes.
4 seconds and 14 people die in four seconds.
They leave the walks of this light.
Our falls start to be useful to those Philippians and to others doing those four years that he had left and in the time of his departure team.
And he was taken home. How would it be with you?
Or won't you come tonight?
These are verities, these are certainties. Just think of these two men. Did they make mistakes or it was wise for this young man, though he was forced to it to say I will arrive and go to my father and say I think and all, you know, realize that he'd been.
He had a robe, you know.
As a religious man.
Oh yes, indeed, he was a Hebrews. A Hebrews. He was a Pharisee. He was religious and attaching the law as the concerning righteousness. He was blameless.
And perhaps there are those here tonight that think all is well because you know the verses in the in the papers, in the Sunday school papers, because you come along to the meeting and because your folks have been associated with the meeting so long.
But that won't do. Religious practices and exercises will never save a soul.
Only Christ can save the soul.
Be sure that you have Christ. Be sure that you make this decision.
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And come.
To the Savior, the Lamb of God.
And be able to sing the wanderer will know moral.
The lost one to the full hath come. The prodigal is welcome home.
All Lamb of God to thee, so clothed in rags by sin defile the Father did embrace his child.
And I am pardoned to reconcile the old Lamb of God indeed.
It is the Father's joy to bless.
His love has found for me. Address.
A robe of thoughtless righteousness.
O Lamb of God, in thee.
And now my famished soul is fair.
Feast of love for me is spread. I feed upon the children's breasts.
All Lamb of God in me.
The only way is through the Lord Jesus, the Lamb of God. He's the way to the Father's house.
And you must honor the Son in order to honor the Father.
You can't bypass the sun. You may bypass Spring Zeal or Bloomingdon or some other city on the good highway, but you'll never be able to bypass the broad stunt. You must have him to be safe. And oh, why not? Tonight the eyes thin and honor God stunts to confessing him as Savior and Lord.