The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1912-04-02

humbleth himself shall be exalted" Luke
| N1l.
This lesson Is connected directly
with that Of two weeks ago, the
events occurring in the house OF the
chief Pharisee," 14:1.
|. An Honorable Promotion, w. 7-11.
The spirit OF humility here empha-
sized by Jesus is not that of COM
mending the man who plously, osten-
tatiously, takes the low seat, and then
is angry II he is not promoted; the
man who says mo" and is angry If he
is taken at his word. These words
are not only to be applied literally but
have wide scope and embrace all
the followers of Christ in every walk
of life. The sincere evidence of this
spirit is proof Of the nearness OF the
disciple to the life of his Lord; see
Phil 2:3, 6. and Matt 1874 Men
scramble for position and power TO
be obtained at the hands OF other
men. Jesus. the keen observer, saw
men striving In this house, and criti-
cizes such conduct Lest haply,"
twice repeated gives us the clew to
this section. Guests are not to seek
the higher seats, Test haply" more
worthy ones should appear who ought
to occupy them.
Real Hospitality.
n. A Holy Reeompense, w. 12-t4.
The man who makes feast invites
those who can return his favor or else
thereby pays his obligations to so
ciety. Not so the members of the
kingdom Matt 6:1-6, 1919. Re.
compense" is here the key. Those
who are needy cannot make any ma
terial recompense and the one who
gives the feast does not need any
other recompense than that OF the
gratitude Of those served and the ap-
proval, well done" from the king.
This does not forbid the interchange
of hospitality and courtesies but does
warn us lest I'm our elaborate feasts
we overlook the poor, but worthy
ones. In the kingdom, hospitality con
sists of desire to give rather than
TO get. There is no hope of reward,
no possible repayment, therefore In
vite those most sorely in need This
is revolutionary and seldom fully
manifested. yet there is no finer JOY
than that to be found in providing for
those who are in need, rather than
in over.feedlng those already gorged.
Jesus thus rebuked his host as well
as the unseemly guests.
~. A Heavenly Invitation. w. 15-
24.-One of the guests seems to have
been impressed with the words OF
Jesus and exclaimed BLESSED is he
that shall eat bread in the kingdom OF
God" He seemed to realize that the
conduct Jesus was speaking of was
to be found only there. In answer our
Lord gave us this parable Of the great
supper in which he describes an at
mosphere like that created by his host
and the guests there present. BY this
parable he replies to this man, con
trasting the admixing Of an ideal and
being willing to be governed by that
ideal (a) Those who refused. This
was a great supper" time of great
Joy and many we're invited, see Gal
A, 3; Matt. 9;2; Mark 1:1i, 10 All
men had to do was to come" lisa.
55:1; Matt. HES; John 1887; Rev.
22:17. There were three who made
excuses, yet all three refused the in
vitation. The first ". 1S) was the
man whose property stood in his way
OI Tim. 4:10; | Tim. 500, The sec
ond allowed a dumb OK. that might
have received attention later, to take
precedence over the glad feast Do
nestle demands and goddess home ties
are used frequently by the evil one to
keep men out of the kingdom. The
third excuse ". 20) was still less JUS
tiflable, for this man should have
brought his wife with him. 1t was her
place as much as his to accept the
invitation. However, to spurn Gods
invitation does not mean that there
shall be any lack of guests, see John.
Ill and Matt. 21:31. (2) Those who
accepted this Invitation wv. 2l-2D.
Thus to be spurned made the master
of the house angry" ". 2D. God
does not excuse those who lightly
slight the invitation of his infinite
grace and urge such paltry excuses.
The master then turns to the out
casts of Israel, the publicans, sinners,
harlots, Luke 1872, 3, 10; Matt. 2l-31.
Note (a), 1t was an urgent invitation,
ego quickly" the need was great.
This was an IS. o. s." (save our
souls) message Our Lord came to
seek the morally halt, blind and lame,
Luke 1910 (b) The servant obeyed,
did as he was told. (c) Those hidden
came, yet there was room" The
Lord was not satisfied to have empty
tables and so sends out a second call.
This time the servants go into the
highway and hedges'--to the Gem
tiles, Acts 1916, AZ; Rom. 11:11.
Even so are we to go, not only to
the lost sheep of the house of Israel,
to those of the home land and circle,
but to the "uttermost parts of the
earth"
Gods Method
This is Gods method of filling
empty churches. If we wear out con-
.