The Pulpit Commentary — Luke — Volume 2 — Section 51

Ver. 11.-The Father'11 Mme. By the Father's home we commonly mean the heavenly home, the sphere where the nearer and more immediate presence of God is realized. But heaven once included earth-earth was once a district of heaven. God meant this world to be a pa.rt of his own home; this, but for the separatin<> force of sin, it would be now; and this, when sin has been cast forth, it will be again~ And it is propPrly regarded as a home because the relation in which God wished its inhabitants to stand toward himself was that (and is that) of children to a Father. The truest picture, the nearest statement, the least imperfect representation of that relationship, is not found in the words, " A certain king had subjects," or " A certain proprietor had servants (or slaves)," but in those of our text," .A certain man had sons." Nothing 8 0 adequately represents God's position toward us as fatherhood, or our true position toward him e.s sonship, or the sphere in which we live before him as the Father's home. This family relationship means- I. His DWELLING WITH us. God's dwelling with us or in us is very closely asso- ciated with his Fatherhood of us (see 2 Cor. vi. 16- 18). The ideal human father is one who dwells under the roof where the family resides; who is at home with his children, maintaining a frequent and a close and intimate intercourse with them. Such jg God our Father's desire concerning us. He wishes to be near us all and near us always; so near to us that we have constant access to him; that our free, fuU, happy, unconstrained " fellowship is with the Father; " that it is the natural and instinctive thing for us to go to him and make our appeal to him in all time of need. IL liis CONTROL OF otra LIVES. God's purpose is to direct the lives we are living, to choose our way for us, even as a father for his children; so that we shall be going where he sends us, be doing his work, be filling up his outline, be walking in the path his own hand has traced. III. Hrs EDUCATION OF OUR SPIRITS. Our children come to our home with great ea.pa.cities, but with no power. It is our pa.rental privilege to educate them, so that their variolll! fa.culties----physical, mental, spiritual-shall be developed, so that they shall gain knowledge, acquire wisdom, exert influence, be a blessing and a power in the world. God places us here, in this home of his, that he may educate us ; that, by all we see e.nd hear, by ell we do and suffer, we may be taught and trained for noble character, for faithful service, for an ever-broadening sphere. IV. HIS PARE1''TAL SATISFACTION WITH us. Perhaps the most exquisite satisfaction, the very keenest joy which fills and thrills the human heart, is that which is born of pa.rental love; it jg the intense and immeasurable delight with which the father and the mother behold their children as these manifest not merely the beauties of bodily form but the graces of Christian character, and as they bring forth the fruits of a holy and useful life. God meant and still means to have such parental joy in us; to look on us, the children of his home, and be gladdened in his heart more than when he looks on all the wonders of his hand in field and forest, in sea and sky. It is our docility, our affection, onr obedience, our rectitude and beauty of character and of spirit that constitute the source of his Divine satisfaction. The children of the Father's home' are dearer and more precious far than any marvellous things in e.11 the breadth of his universe. Thill! God's thought concerning our race was to establish a holy family, himself the Divine Father; we his holy, loving, rejoicing, human children; this world a happy home. That wa11 his thought in creation, that is his purpose in redemp- tion. To its blissful realization the best contribution each one of us can make is to become his true and trustful child, reconciled to him in Jesue Christ, living before him 11,very day in filial love and joy,--C. cm. xv.1-32.] 'l'HE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE. 53