Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-31

/ '.The Two Foundation
| CONNECTIoN.-on the nth of March
| we had lesson from the sermon on the
| mount Matt, v,a3-4s}. After two weeks.
| one for review and one for temperance, we
| return to continue our studies in the ser
| mon. The student should read the inter-
| vening passage, chapter vii to Z, II.
PROPHETS oversees 1b-20).-Jesus cau-
/ tions his disciples against unworthy persons
| who may assume the ministerial office Such
| there were under the old dispensatlon
| Ger, xxiii:D. Jesus appears to have re-
| ferred to them In his last discourse John,
KID. In our lesson he describes them, call
| ing them wolves and Paul predicts later in
| his ministry that many such after his de-
| parture would destroy the flock (Acts, Xxx:
| 29). 1t is most distressing fact that all
| through the centuries, under every form Of
| the church, unworthy men have insinuated
| themselves into the sacred Office. This has
| been the most serious obstacle to religion.
| Jesus here tells how these men may be
| known, namely, by their fruit. This he IL
lustrates by the product of the trees, and
declares that In like manner men are to be
| judged by the frattage of their lives. (John,
| xv:S9
| OBEDIENCE (verse 2D.-In those
| days prayer was wellnfgh universal, for
| religion was the common profession of all.
| It would have been considered a reproach
| for one not to claim to be religious In some
| way. Men were not urged to join the
| church-they were born into it. And pray
| er, at least in form, was therefore, an ex-
| ercise to be expected of all as much eat
| Ing or sleeping. 1t will be remembered that
| the Pharisee prayed duke, xviii:fD. go
| long as men said their prayers 1t was gen
| orally supposed they were all right. But
Jesus corrects this notion. A man may
/ pray, saying, Lord, Lord" repeating the
q and N-atyl
| be accepta BILE to God. 1t might be a mere
| form Or habit (Hosea, viil:2) Jesus re-
| ferred to this in another instance Matt,
| xv:S). While sincere prayer is highly pleas
/ ing to God, conformity to His win is neces-
| sary (Rom ii:13). Obedience Is, there
| fore the measure of the man, priced above
| all outward acts Of devotion q Sam, XIV:
70 Indeed, the whole purpose of the divine
| government and Of the kingdom which
| Jesus set up is to bring men into subjec-
| ton TO God Matt. WHO.
| PROFESSION (verse 22).-The neces-
! sity of obedience has been strangely over
| looked Men have substituted for 1t all
sorts of so-called religious performances by
| which they have expected to promote their
reputation and gain favor. Besides this ex-
ercise of prayer they have engaged in serv-
| ices of a professional character, Chief
among which Is the work of teaching, called
prophesying under the old dispensation The
office of prophet was sought by many as
| highly honorable and filled by many who
y.
| fore, pays His attention to these persons.
| He represents that some of this profession
| shall appear before Him in the judgment
| pleading their service in this capacity and
mentioning the fact that they had cast out
| devils and done wonderful things. There
| were many pretenders of this sort in the
| times of Christ and of the apostles (Acts,
xix:13), and Jesus deemed It necessary to
| let the apostles know what he thought of
| them.
REJECTION (verse 2s).-The earthly
| side of life is frequently made attractive.
| Men fill positions, obtain honors and go
| round and round with certain prescribed
| functions, thinking themselves to be i'm
| portant In the structure of society Those
| who look on. perhaps applaud and envy.
| In not few cases there is much striving
| to know who shall be greatest in these
| coveted earthly relations. But the other
| side of llfe-the heavenly and eternal
presents all things in new light. There
| titles amount to nothing. The man is judged
| by his character and his deeds Matt,
xxv:45), sometimes completely reversing
all the estimates made here. This fact is
! presented by our Savior in this sermon
Having referred to those who had filled
| the position Of teachers and who, on that
| account. claimed His favor. He declared
| that He would disclaim all acquaintance
| with them. All the time they had been at
| work on the earth 1t was without his ap-
| pointment sanction. They had deluded
| themselves with the idea that they were
| In His employ, to be met at the end with
an open rejection. Furthermore, Jesus de-
clared that He would expel these men
| from His presence workers of iniquity.
| Christian ministers do well TO heed these
| words.
| FOUNDATION (verse 24).-Up to this
| point the teaching of Jesus was In the alb
| stract He uttered great facts and princi-
| pies designed to regulate the conduct of
| the apostles. He now proceeds to illustrate
| His teaching, selecting for the purpose what
| is well suited to make an impression upon
| any mind. The hearer and doer of His say
| ings is nkened unto a man who built his
| house upon a rock. The foundation of
| building must ever be matter of great
concern. Nothing be f1rmer and more
| enduring than a rock Why this compari-
| son between the rock and the sayings of
Jesus. The answer is easy. Jesus was d.
| vine His words contained the truth John
| ia:2) without any mixture of error. The
| truth pertained to the unseen realities of
| the other world which abldes forever G.
| Cor iv:1S) Whoever allies himself with
| the truth as spoken by Jesus, therefore
comes into relations with those things that
| shall abide In the midst of a perpetually
| changing world. where phenomena con-
stantly declare that nothing Is permanent
| 1t is well for man to occupy his mind and
| order his conduct according to the immuta-
! BILE teaching OF Jesus.
| SECURITY Verse %. But why Is It
well? Jesus illustrates still further. call
| ing attention to the house upon a rock. The
| rain descended, the foods came, the winds
| blew but the house fell not. When the
|