The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1906-07-25
DAILY HOME READINGS.

-, "N@ NV $3.50. f-Kev XIX. I-I6
W.-Prov. tx 10 S-Matt Wi ~
S.-Rev. xxi. sly.
1t was at the feast at the Pharisee's house. YOU
remember that Jesus was surrounded by unbeliev-
ing and unloving men, who watched him that they
might find fault with him. 1t was the Sabbath
day, and he healed the with dropsy reproved
them tor their contention about the chief seats
and taught them how blessed it was and ALWAYS
will be to forget self and call the poor and the
afflicted to share ones goods At the same feast
one who sat at meat made the pious exclamation
about the blessedness of eating bread in the
Kingdom of God;' meaning to say "Yea the re-
compense in heaven, that surely will be great and
precious 10 this Jesus replied in another parable
I. The Great Supper. VS.. 1917. The master re-
plies the supper indeed is great. and the invitation
is free and cordial and urgent; but it is sadly true
that men, Jews and Gentes despise the invita-
ton. How great a supper is that which has been
provided Ill His Kingdom of Grace; the greatest
the world has or heard of. The gospel
from the beginning does not invite to sadness and
gloom, to narrow life Of surrender and depriva-
ton. 1t invites to feast of abundance and of
joys unspeakabe. He "bade many" All the
prophets had been sent to give the invitation, and
to all; not to the rich and strong and happy only
but to the poor and troubled we'll And now
that message has gone out into all the world, and
to every creature. 1t is the gospel bidding of
all dspensations, Come, for all things are now
ready!" What good news it is to all mankind
How large is the provision! How unstinted the
supper! How universal and gracious is the bid
ding!
2. The Excuses VS.. 1927. 1t is a sad exhibition
of the hardness and enmity of the unbeeving
heart. They all with one consent began to
make excuse" Any thought of the great supper
of the love of God would suggest that the bid
ding would be heard with gladness Instead of
that Christ pictures the general refusal and with
disdain. The invitation which God has been
sending from the beginning so marvellously gra-
cious, had been treated with contempt making
excuses, pretended trhng, foolish, sinful beyond
measure. One man talked of his property his
piece of ground" as if it could be compared with
the great supper. Another talked of his business,
the trading i'll oxen. And another told of the
wife he had married, making pretext of his do
nestle affairs. And these the excuses MANY
making to-day--ettng any earthly thing,
However petty and trihing come between him
and his salvation. 1t should be the prompt and
open-hearted acceptance of the mercy of God
first, and its great blessings for time and eternity
and then the property and business and all human
loves and ties
8. The House Filled. vs. 2I-24. God has not
made the great supper in vain 1T will not want
for guests. IF those so graciou5lv bidden the
Israel of Gods choice and love, will not accept,
he will send his invitation to the Gcntlcs Phillip
will go to Samara, and Peter to Antioch, and
Paul to Corinth and Athens and Rome; Christian
missionaries will go to Gaul and Africa and Brit
ain. The Word shall be published in the streets
and lanes of all cities, and in the highways and
hedges of the whole heather world. The House
of Feastng shall surely be filled. Not seat
shall be vacant Many favored shall refuse
and never enter in, but from all lands and the is
lands of the seas great company will come,
and sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob.
The supper of Gods redeemng love is great in
deed And great in this that there shall be in the
banqueting house and under the banner Of love
"a multitude which can number, out Of
every nation and kindred and tonguep