The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1912-10-24
sY THE REV. JOHN srApLeroN.
Text: Luke sviiI:t4 NE that
hunbleth himself shall be exalted"

hbdih dNhHbNltuBt JESUS US MdhNeT
Teacher. Cryptic In utterance, para.
doxical in meaning. lie Is vital ever.
Given lesson which man needs,
Jesus method OF imparting II was
unique. lie startled and challenged
the attention OF His hearers. aroused
their interrogations. and through the
mental doorway thus opened Of their
own hands, marshaled the truth and
the great God-fact was theirs.
At glance this seems to be
careless and improvldent way OF i'm.
parting life lessons. To wrap up
germ.thought in such language that
from the sspeech-husk nothing can at
first be determined as to its content
would seemingly endanger the recep-
, ton OF the content. but to any who
would thus impugn Jesus pedagogy,
answer can be made that Ills class
in the Kingdoms philosophy gradu-
nted with honors. lie found them
children and left them men. and
when lie gave them His benediction
Il was TO masters In Israel lie gave
Il; masters to whom lie intrusted
the teaching OF the way to all ma
tons. The humble had become ex.
allied.
In His kingdom mourners are
blessed, children are oftentimes
wiser than sages. two mites.
making a farthing. are more
than millions. lie told them that as
God looked on life one lost sheep
was more valuable than ninety and
nine saved ones; that a dissoute Sa-
marian woman was as precious IA
the whole temple hierarchy. that the
seven-worded prayer OF repentance
from Publican. outwelghed all
Pharisaical eloquence. and that the
one inspiration. which alone could
furnish new theme commensurate
In majesty and power and sweetness
for the music OF heaven, or produce
a new throb OF Joy In the hearts OF
the angels OF Heaven. was the trem-
bling. broken prayer for forgiveness
from a child who had lost the home
way.
He changed their viewpoint one
to the other. He told them to re-
joice when they were prosecuted. to
be glad when they were reyiled. He
told them to pick out their worst enc
my and love Him the most. to choose
the poorest beggar and invite him
to be the dinner guest, to give any
and all things to any and all peo-
pie who asked. to save by serving. TO
get by giving. TO be greatest by be-
Ing least
lie puzzled them by prophecy OF
His own death. He was to die. yet
live, be crucifed yet crowned and
the third Golgotha cross OF His
agony and shame was In the ages to
come the FIRST step on the great
world stairs leading up to His
throne. from whence. glorious and
omnipotent. lie should draw all men
unto Himself. These were dark say
ings and difficult for the understand
ing.
In the light OF history. however.
We find these paradoxes are all
startllngly true. Jesus becomes the
reyealer OF Gods way OF working
not alone in the future by way OF
prophecy. but also In the past by
way Of Interpretation. How else ex-
plain David the singer as triumph
ing over black-brooding Saul. the
slayer7 Parallel them-Moses the
shepherd and Rameses the monarch;
Daniel the slave and Belshazzar the
prince-which is the most truly ex-
allied? How do you account for the
luminous brightness OF Peters name
Id Paul's new name as contrasted
With the bloody tarnish OF a Grecian
world-conqueror's record or Ro-
man emperor's tablet-and this after
nineteen centuries? Which is the
most coveted name. Christ or Plate.
Paul or Festus. John or Herodf No
fantasies-these wondrous thought
compelling words OF Jesus-history
attests TO their truth. "He hath put
down princes from their thrones;
and hath exalted them OF low degree.
The hungry hath He filled with good
ty away. lie hath revealed unto
babes His glory and In the darkness
OF their ignorance hath He kept the
wise and prudent"
In spite OF the seeming complex
ity OF these NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
there is key by which they may
be understood. Truth Is simple be-
cause II is elemental. and all these
sayings find their common denomina.
tor In one principle. This principle
is given in both our text and sub
jeot Granting II as premise and
all other teaching OF Jesus becomes
seUuential. II Is that in Gods king
DON the humble selfdenying, tho
me st helpful TO His work and spirit
is In the most direct line Of promo
uon by the King Whether Christ Is
telling the young man 10 sell an his
goods or discussing with Nic0demus
the necessity of "A changed life, or
scoring Peters protest against His
own Calvary sacrifice, or washing
thu feet OF the disciples IN the upper
room. this sermon is being preached
throughout It an. TO be something
In Gods eyes, you must be nothing
IN your own. lie mat Is humble
shall be exalted.