Daily public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1892-191?, 1896-04-11
The SUNDAY SCHOOL.
International Lesson for April ia, isee--
Parable of the Great supper = lake
1Ai16-2A.


now Ieady.-Luke H:17.
THE SEcTIoN.-Read Luke 1915 The
Incidents recorded In the chapter may be
used to Illustrate the lesson text as fol-
lows: V. l6 receives light from two other
| references to feasts, 0) the advice given
IN VS.. I'll, and 90 the persons invited in
va. 12-14; the excuses, vs.. 1920, are vain,
| While the real reasons are found In the
| cross, vs.. 26-S3; the new invitation, vs..
G.2S Is illustrated by the invitation in
vs.. 1914; the exclusion, v. "a. is illustrated
| Ly the comparison to bad salt In VS.. 81, 30.
Read, also, the similar parable in Matt
| 2S;i-14.
TIME.-Probably in December, j. d. %,
or January. A. ID. 30,
| PLACE.-m a pharisee's house ~ Perea,
on the way to Jerusalem by the fords Of
tie Jordan near Jericho.
LESSON NOTES.
[.-THE GOSPEL FEAsT.--Vs IS, TO-
Jesus was present as a guest at sup
PER, or evening dinner, in pharisee's
house. And when one of those who sat
A. the supper heard of the blessing
Christ had just said belonged to the
ones who invited the poor and neg
hcted to their feasts land moved by
the delightful feast ut which they were,
suggesting the nobler feast), said to
Jesus: blessed is he that shall eat
Tread in the kingdom of God" Per-
haps he felt assured that himself and
the other Jews were sure of that bless
irg. Then Jesus spoke the parable of
the lesson to show this jew that while
his thought was right, yet that he and
! the others were unconsciously refusing
! to join in that feast. So He represents
Col the Father, who prepares every
| good for His children and invites them
! to come and partake of His blessings,
as man who made n great supper.
N.-THE INvITATIoN.-Vs. 16, IA
preliminary invitation went out in or
/ der that the persons invited might have
! time TO arrange their affairs so as to
leave the time of the feast open, and to
make all necessary preparations. Then
they could have no reasonable excuse
for not going to the feast. The pri-
mary application was to the Jews who
were learned in the Scriptures. 1t in
Guided all Gentiies who had been
willing TO learn from this special
nation whom God had been train
| ing as the means of redeeming the
world. In our day the guests represent
those who have had special advantages
in Christian training, or who know of
the blessings.
In the east it is still customary, not
only to give an invitation some time
beforehand. but to send announce
mcnts at the proper time to inform the
invited guests that all things are ready.
For each of us all things are ready: the
| atonement made, the mansion pre-
pared, the Father willing to receive,
the angels waiting to welcome, the
doors open, the Holy Spirit present,
duties awaiting. 1.-THE servant" repre-
sents not only Christ, but also the
whole order or class of Gods messen-
gers.
IIl.-THE INVITATION Rejected
VS.. 1920. When the invitation had come
they had accepted it, but now the
servant was come they all began to
make excuse" The Greek word is the
exact equivalent of our "to beg off,"
They gave no real reasons, but rem
dered the most plausible excuses they
could find. The first excuse was on
account of property. The man who
gave it lived, as do all in that country,
in village. He had bought farm and
must needs go and see it," not look il
over, but see to its cultivation. The
second excuse was that of business.
Ibis man had bought five yoke of oxen
and he wanted to prove them. His
oxen could have waited, but he made
his plans so as TO have an excuse. Tho
third excuse was that of domestic
duties and enjoyments. lie had mar
ried n wife," lie could not take his
lIide TO feast of men, nor did be wish
10 leave her at home. But he knew all
this beforehand, and could easily have
arranged to be present, had he so de-
sired Note that all were hindered by
the wrong use of right things. There
was 40 real incompatibility between
the true enjoyment of farm, merchan-
disc or wife, and accepting the invita-
ton; nor is there any bet yecn disciple
ship and the fullest use and tluest en-
joymcnt of earthly good.
IV.-THE WIDER INvIrATIoN.--V.9 1-24.
When it, was made known to the master
that none of those who had been in
vited would come he command his
servant to go Out "into the streets and
lanes of the city, and bring in the poor,
and the manned, and the halt, and the
blind" In tho east, rich in beggar,
opulent in misery, without poorhouses,
or hospitals, or other organized means
Of caring for'and lessening misery, and
with laws and social organism multi
plying it, such II throng as is here de-
scribed may be often seen in the city
streets or squares. But still there was
room. No one will ever be shut out of
the Kingdom Of God for want of room.
The highways and hedges were without
the city walls and refer to the Gcntiles.
The compelling force was argument,
persuasion, love, entreaty. They were
to overcome the reluctance which these
| poor creatures would feel at so unex-
Pected an invitation to the feast Of
great lord. 1t was too good TO be true.
The final teaching, is that the masters
house will be filled. Heaven will not
\.