In this sermon on Luke 15:20, Charles Spurgeon addresses people who are under conviction of sin and genuinely seeking Christ but feel they're "a great way off" from God because of their past sins, ongoing struggles with temptation, and inability to exercise faith—people who fear they might die before finding salvation, lose their convictions again, or be rejected by God when they finally approach Him. Spurgeon reassures seekers that God isn't the harsh, severe being many imagine, but rather like the father in the parable who was already watching for his son from a distance, ran to meet him while he was still far off, embraced him before he could even finish his apology, and welcomed him home with joy instead of punishment. He promises that anyone truly seeking Christ will never die before finding Him, won't lose their convictions this time, and will be received with compassion rather than wrath, since God sees their first tears and prayers with intense interest and rejoices over even the smallest signs of repentance. The sermon concludes with a warning not to trifle with convictions by returning to worldly entertainment, illustrated by the tragic story of a young man who died at a ball after abandoning his pursuit of salvation.

Sermon delivered on February 7, 1858.