BIBLE
REFERENCE:
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 had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and
he began to be in want. 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 fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat:
and no man gave unto him. And when he came to himself, he said,
How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare,
and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will 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. And he arose, and came to his father.
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. And 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. 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.
Luke 15:11-24
William J.
Kirkpatrick -
Lyrics and
Composer
1838-1921
Born: February 27, 1838, Duncannon, Pennsylvania.
Died: September 20, 1921, Germantown, Pennsylvania.
Buried: Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania.
HYMN
HISTORY:
William J. Kirkpatrick wrote the music to
many of our favorite hymns. Born in Duncannon, Pennsylvania in 1838, William learned to
play musical instruments at an early age and received formal training. He published his
first hymn collection at age 21, but although he issued around fifty books of music in
his life,
he often found it necessary to support himself with carpentry or furniture making,
although he devoted every spare moment to music, playing for churches and writing hymn
tunes.
Even his service with the Union armies in the Civil War was as a musician, fife major to
the 91st Regiment P. V. Not until after the death of his first wife in 1878 was he able
to devote himself full time to music. William wrote the tunes to many favorite hymns:
"We Have Heard the Joyful Sound," "'Tis Sweet to Trust in Jesus," "Redeemed, How I Love
to Proclaim It," and "He Hideth My Soul."
He wrote both the words and the music to the song "Lord, I'm Coming Home".
The story behind it shows him as a soul-winner.
William was song-leader at a camp meeting. The hired soloist had a magnificent voice,
able to put tremendous expression into the music he sang. However, William noticed that
the young man never stayed to hear the sermon.
Afraid that the soloist was not a Christian, William knelt in his tent and prayed long
and earnestly for his soul. The words to "Coming Home" formed in his mind. He wrote them
down and set them to a haunting tune.
I've wandered far away from God
Now
I'm coming home
The paths of sin too long I've trod
Lord, I'm coming
home.
Coming home, coming home never more to roam
Open wide thine arms of
love, Lord I'm coming home.
That evening, William handed the
newly-written words and tune to the soloist. Visibly moved after he had sung them, the
man stayed for the sermon, went to the altar that night and gave his heart to Christ.
The song became a popular invitation hymn in evangelical services, winning many others
beside the man it was written for.
Dear Brothers and Sisters
in Christ,
The parable of the prodigal son shows the true nature of repentance, and the
Lord's readiness to welcome and forgive all who repent and come to him. It tells of God's grace
toward the unrepented and encourages them to return to God.
The great folly of many sinners is that they put their faith in material things to save them. We
need to examine our own lives and discern if some features of our own character are reflected in
this parable.
-
A sinful state is of departure and
distance from God.
And not many days after the younger son
gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country.
Luke 15:13a
-
A sinful state is a consuming
state:
And there wasted his substance with
riotous living.
Luke 15:13b
-
A sinful state is a wanting
state.
And when he had spent all, there
arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
Luke 15:14
-
A sinful state is a vile,
slavish state.
And he went and joined
himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to
feed swine.
Luke 15:15
-
A sinful state is a state
constant discontent.
And he would fain have filled
his belly with the husks that the swine did eat.
Luke 15:16
-
A sinful state is
a state which cannot look for relief from any creature.
And no man gave unto
him.
Luke 15:16
-
A sinful state
is a state of death.
For this my son
was dead,
Luke
15:24
-
A sinful
state is a lost state.
And 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.
Luke 15:21
The prodigal's wretched state, only faintly shadows
forth the awful ruin of man by sin. Few today are conscious of their own state and character and
live their lives without Christ. Jesus Christ is waiting today for you to return to Him and
repent of your sin and confess Him as Lord of your life.
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