The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1906-04-02

Moses recorded in Deuteronomy
comes to climax in "the blessing
and cursing," a faithful showing OF
the way of life and the way OF deatn'
To enforce his teaching our Savior
uses a variety of illustrations, as
jeweler turns gem, that the light
may fall now on this facet and now
on another. Let us carry out MS
closing illustration Of the two founda-
tions, and let us see first, in Matt OIL
to 7:15, what basis of life Christ
points out to us as wholly unsafe. and
warns us away with his clear danger
signal 1t is built Of
/. Pride, vanity, especially In re-
ligious matters (Matt. 6:1-S, l6-lS)-
To trust in our own righteousness Is
like building a house on gas-bags-
2. Insincerity, double-mindedness,
trying to serve, at the same time, God
and anything else (Matt. 6:22-24).
Such foundation is like the unstable
quicksand, as likely to shift one way
as another, to-day toward God and to-
morrow toward mammon.
3. Consciousness Matt 7:l-o),
which is the accompaniment OF pride
and hypocrisy. A man that is always
judging his neighbors harshly Is IKE
a house built upon thorns.
A. Worldliness, the life whose treas
ure is all on earth Matt. G:19-2D. It
is like a lordly mansion with a founda-
ton of wooden boxes. gilded, TO be
sure, but hollow, and certain to col
lapse before long.
S. Unfaith. anxiety for the future,
dependence on ones self rather than
on the loving Father Matt. 6:25-SD.
Such a life of dread is like house
built upon blocks OF ice.
6. Carelessness of holy things
Matt. 7:6), making light" Of great
realities, irreverence. So to live is
to choose a foundation of chaff and
dross
Z. And finally, the following Of evil
builders, who establish our spiritual
life upon these foundations of unright
eousness. Christ calls these false
prophets" (v. 15). "A prophet is one
who speaks under divine influence
a revealer and interpreter of Gods
will, an authoritative religious instruc-
tor, whether speaking Of the past, the
present, or the future. A false proph-
ct was therefore one who pretended
to speak Gods truth. when he did
not; one who spoke falsely in Gods
name. Peloubet's Teachers Com
mentary Which come to you in
sleeps clothing" Wearing the rough
garb of a prophet; with gentle air,
innocent as sheep. But inwardly they
are ravening wolves" These false
teachers are greedy for place, power
or money.
II. What Is the Test OF the True
Foundation?-Vs. 1920. Because the
to unrighteousness are so
subtle, 1t is necessary to have some
test, very plain and easily applied, by
which we may know what to build
into our lives and what to reject.
This Christ gives us with mstchless
force and clearness.
16. "Ye shall know them By their
fruits What are the fruits by which
men are to be known? Here. their
deeds (see VS.. 81, %. 24); in Luke's
report of the sermon Uuke 6:43-45),
their words. Probably Christ men
toned both, and Matthews incom-
plete sketch gives prominence to the
one, Luke's to the other. er."--American
Christ expands and H.
lustra;es the thought. do men gather
grapes of thorns?" "A kind Of acacia,
or perhaps 'thistles.' "--Cambridge BIZ
BILE. "Or figs of thistles?" Rather,
calthrop. a prickly water plant
Bible.
IL. Even So" Just as the kind Of
tree determines its fruit, so does its
tree that is good" /. e.,
sound and healthy, ''bringeth forth
good fruit; but tree that is cor
rupt," !. e.. decayed. "bringeth forth |
evil fruit"
is. Cannot" 1t is inevitable thar
character viii disclose itself in life.
Murder viii out
10. "Hewn down, and cast into the
ire" ITO this day in the East trees
are valued only so far as they produce
Iruit. Cambridge Bible.
20. Wherefore" Because in ali ma
lure like produces like inevitably. and
men are so sure OF It that they cut
bad trees down. knowing perfectly I
we'll that they viii never produce good /
lruit- Christ does not draw from this
parable the teaching that, as a tree
ioes not change its character. so a
nan cannot. for that would be untrue.
That there may be no mistake he re-
beats his teaching. that character is
Known by its results in the outward
ife.
Every tree In Palestine is taxed.
md II any fails to bear fruit II be.
zones an expense and Is cut down.
Every element in our lives thai does
'ot produce good fruit Is { constant
lamage to us.
III. What Is the True Foundation
VS.. 21.23. These verses are the
Ieart OF the lesson. The foundation