More Kisses –

Luke 15:20

As pictured in the story of the prodigal son upon his return to his father’s house, when poor, weary sinners come home to God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord God runs out to meet them, falls on their neck, and bids them welcome with kisses…

Kisses Of Restoration

The Father’s repeated kisses mean complete restoration (Eph, 2:11-13). With a kiss, God owns me as his son again (1 John 3:1-3; Gal. 4:4-6). With the kiss of his grace, God answers all my prayers and more. Not only am I accepted as a favored servant, I am accepted as his Son! With the kiss of God upon my cheeks, I am assured that all my lost, forfeited privileges are completely restored.

Kisses Of Joy

The Father’s kisses are tokens of great, abundant joy (Lk. 15:22-24). The angels of God rejoice, because the prodigal, over whom they have watched with great care, whom they constantly protected (Heb. 1:14), has now come home. The saints of God rejoice, because a lost brother has now come home. The triune God rejoices, because the object of his eternal love has returned to his bosom. – He has been returned by the grace of God. Yet, he gladly returns of his own accord (Psa. 65:4). The prodigal himself rejoices. He rejoices in his Father’s great, indestructible love. He rejoices in the fatted calf slain for his soul – the crucified Christ, feasting upon him with an insatiable appetite. He rejoices in the gospel of peace, by which reconciliation is proclaimed in the depths of his soul. He rejoices in the Holy Spirit, the seal of covenant grace, by which he is assured of his adoption. He rejoices in the robe of perfect righteousness – the righteousness of Christ imputed to him, wherein he stands forever accepted.

Kisses Of Comfort

Surely, these kisses from the lips of our Father mean overflowing comfort for the hearts of redeemed sinners. They mean the past is all forgotten. -- The present is all peace. We are immutably “accepted in the Beloved!” -- The future is all secure. At home, in our Father’s house, there is no possibility of expulsion, or of us ever leaving on our own (Jer. 32:38-40).

Once in Christ, in Christ forever! None from Him my soul can sever.

He will never, never leave me, Nor will let me quite leave Him!

Kisses Of Assurance

The Father’s kisses, if they mean anything, mean strong assurance of grace most free. God’s kisses assure us that his mercy, love, and grace are all real. His incessant kisses assure us that his love is immutable, unfailing, and everlasting. His kisses assure our hearts that we are indeed his!

Kisses Of Communion

The Father’s kisses mean intimate communion and complete reconciliation established by grace. Before the prodigal is brought into the fellowship of the family, he must be brought into fellowship with God. Before a sinner comes to the family’s table, he must have the Father’s kiss upon his cheeks. Before there could be any public rejoicing, there had to be some private kissing. Only after he had received his father’s kiss could the prodigal son endure the elder brother’s scorn. But, with his father’s kisses upon his cheeks, the scorn of his own brother is nothing.

Don Fortner