Middletown transcript., 1914-05-16

also cry. but shall not be heard" Prov.
n:1s.
Verses IA and 10 link this parable
with the teaching of Jesus about cove
tousness and stewardship Verse Is
is a most heart-searehing one. It de-
mands that we look well to the stan
dards by which we measure our con-
duct 1 Sam. 1871 That the teaching
of Jesus was effective is evidenced by
the statement of verse IA. These
Pharisees were naturally cool, cynical,
calculating and their scof1ng shows
that Jesus had probed them deeply.
Their love of money-service of nam.
mon-made them unfaithful in their
professed stewardship. In the inter
vening verses (16-18) Jesus condemns
their attitude Of seeking to justify
themselves in the sight Of men, de-
claring such an attempt to be useless
in the sight Of God The methods men
exalt are an abomination to him No
jot or title Of the law can fail. This
he emphasizes by an illustration about
the binding nature of the marriage re-
latlonship. We get our suggested two
fold division of this lesson from l Tim.
4:8.
Why He Is Condemned.
!. The Life That Now Is, w. 1922.
The revised version for verse 10, now
there was a certain rich man"-indi-
Gates even stronger than the King
James version that this is the story Of
a historical incident. Jesus did not
mention the rich mans name, nor
does he enumerate his moral delin-
quencies. Even morality cannot save
a man from punishment in the next
life. Nor is this rich man condemned
because he is rich. He is condemned
because he sought to enjoy his pleas
ures in this life, squandering his time
and his money upon sensual pleas
ures, ignoring the need of those at his
door. Jesus had just told these Phari,
sees how to use money ". 81, see I
Tim 6:17-19. A wrong use Of money
damns a man. A few paltry charities
or even larger gifts given for ostenta-
b4Ouo play pllA uOL bulllCG.
was, however, no real joy to the rich
man In his life as he sought sensual
satisfaction. Eccl 1:S. Lazarus lying
at the door was living rebuke to his
selfindulgence. Here is another Of
those vivid pictures that not alone re-
veals the misery but makes an indeli-
BILE impression on the mind. It is bet
ter, however, to be beggar, sore and
hungry in this life and go to heaven
hereafter, than to enjoy the pleasures
Of sin for season and be forever in
torment in the life to come. The name
Lazarus means God his help" and is
an indication Of his character. 1t did
not look as though God was mindful
of his own" but the sequel abundantly
corrects such an idea. Poverty and |
distress are not proof that God is dis |
pleased with men, and we believe are
not due to any fault Of God. He prom
ises to supply phil. 4:19) though we
may sometimes hunger Cor. All; II |
Cor. 11:27; Phil. Alp. The dogs were
better friends for Lazarus than the |
rich man though he must have known
who Lazarus WAS ". 24l' as well as
having knowledge Of his ieed ". 25).
Contrast the death of the two. It was
a privilege for the poor man to die,
Phil. 1:21-23, not so for tNe rich man,
going from this life he left all and
had no deposit in the bank Of heaven
to draw upon for the future life, Matt.
1921; Luke 12:20-21. The rich man
had his funeral with leading citizens
as pall-bearers, the poor man was
buried" but angels were his compan-
Ions.
Positions Reversed.
n. The Life Which Is to Come, w.
23-31. Unconscious of the need Of 9TH
ers here the rich man is very much
conscious of his own need in hades
when subject to torment and anguish
There is no need of trying to minimize
Or to explain" nor to deny these
words of Jesus. He'll is for the will
fully disobedient, and was never pre-
pared for man (Matt. 25:4D. On
earth he saw Lazarus "at his gate"
now with Abraham, resting 'in his
BOSOM" Their positions are reversed,
The petitioner is now the rich man
who begs for mercy" though in life
le showed none at all. His plea was
or his tongue; that organ had been
)ampered in life but now it is in mis-
Try, because deprived of earthly salts
action. The solemnity Of this lesson
s very great. AS we have suggested
luke does not call this a parable. 1t
s possible that Jesus auditors knew
he very people Of whom he was speak !
ng, some notoriously wealthy citi- s
en- recently deceased, and some we'll
-nown alms-seeker. For a moment
,ur Lord withdraws the curtain to
ct those about him read the story,
,atch, for an instant, a glimpse. He
hows us that the attitudes of today !.
etermine the destinies of tomorrow
he experience of life beyond death is
determined by the use of the life that
ow is" The gate of heaven is without
ur self-centered life and often takes
be form Of beggar. To wrongly en-
10y our wealth, to live within the
dl6 OI 564hSuu6sS VIII " Inc BdLo
t heaven in our own .ces. If we
ass without that gate Of selfishness d
nd minister, presently we find we h
ave made friend in the life beyond. \
is not the crumbs we give the beg :,
ar, that which we do not miss, it .
lust be self-emptying service and hon u
st efforts to serve and relieve needy y
len. Men do not, Of course, center i.
eaven by philanthropy, that is quite
vident for Lazarus did not have the