The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1914-04-02
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson l.-Second Quarter, For
April 5, 1914.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Text of the Lesson. Luke xiv, 7-24.
Memory Verses, 10, 14GoIden Text.
Luke xiv, 11-Commentary Prepared
by Rev. D. M. Stearns.


Memory Verses, 10, 1+GoIden Text.
Luke xiv, 11-commentary Prepared
by Rev. D. M. Stearns.
As He ate bread In the house of one
of the chief Pharisees on the Sabbath
day He not only healed a man who
had the dropsy xiv, 10. but He had
special message for the guests and
then for the host and later for one OF
the guests who had made an interest
ing remark. Oh, how He did live be
fore God and seek the souls of men,
fearing no ones frown and desiring NJ
ones favor To the guests He taught
humility, for then as now there WAS
often a desire for the best place that
could be obtained. Humility is a rare
virtue, and few there seem to be who
in lowliness of mind esteem others bet
ter than themselves phil ii, 81. There
was only one who was perfect in hu
mility and lowliness, the speaker on
this occasion, and He could truly say.
81 am meek and lowly in heart" Matt
Il, 29). Exalting self is like anti
christ Dan. ri. SO; III Thess. ii. 4 Rev
xiii. .. g., but renOuncing self is Christ
like. for He made Himself of no repu-
tation and took upon Him the form OF
a servant Phil. ii. I, s.. See also verse
II of our lesson.
His message to His host was in ref
erence to a future rather than "a pres
ent recOmpenSe. How common it is
to be kind to those who can return the
kindness, to invite those to enjoy our
hospitality who can return the invita-
ton. How much of social life is filled
up in this way? This may seem al!
right for those who know no better
way. But when in church work. sup
posed to be the Lords work, people
act as if money could be obtained only
by giving a present equivalent in the
form of a lecture or an entertainment
or something to eat, does it not all
seem contrary to our Lords admOni
ton to this host: My own intense con
victiOn is that giving or living only for
a present equivalent is all wrong, and
| have proved in a ministry of over
I'LL lndl lLlc lONC VI Ill Isl anu
the need of those who never heard of
it will cOnstrain people to give freely
to help make Him known and gladly
await the recompense in His kingdom
in connection with the resurrection OF
the just
1t does not appear from the Scrip
lures that believers are rewarded at
death, though it is a common saying
that he or she has gone to his or her
reward. The truth concerning the dead
in Christ is that they rest from their
labors and their works do follow them.
coming again REV. xiv, Is; xxi, II;
Pet V, A. Here is a plain reference
in verse IA of our lesson to the differ
ence between the resurrection of the
just and the unjust That there shall
be both is written in Acts xiv. 10. but
between them is just us plainly writ
ten in Rev. Xxx, 3, q. The hour of John
V, %. does not conflict with this. for
the hour of John V. %, has already
lasted nearly 1900 years. and that of
verses -, %, may easily cover the two
resurrectionS ut the beginning and enG
| of the thousand years.
His mention of the resurrection o!
the just seems 10 have led one OF the
guests to remark. 'BleSSed is he tua;
shall eat bread in the kiugduu o.
God" Verse lJJ. which he evidently
1SSpy.iltnl with fin.
led our Lord to speak of the great
supper and of the way the Invitations
were treated and of the excuses whi'h
men will make rather than Accept the
invitation. He seems to reply to the
remark of the guest that men are more
interested i'll property and i'll earthly
enjoymeutS than in the things of the
Kingdom.
The things unseen and eternal are 50
unreal to most people that things seen
and temporal hold all their attention
Contrast the way of the believers in
IL Cor. iv. II. Is The redemption
which leads to the kingdom is deScrib-
ed as a great supper fully prepared.
and the invited ones haye only to come
and enjoy it. 1t is probable that the
invitations of this chief of the Phari-
sees. in whose house they were. had ali
been accepted eagerly. but the invita-
lions of which our Lord spoke were
treated far otherwise. The great sal
walton has been fully prepared by the
life and death and resurrection of the
Lord Jesus. nothing can be added to
it: but oh. the cost of it all to the
Father who gave His only Son and to
the Son who gave Himself! And all is
offered freely, for the free gift OF
God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our
Lord I'VE are justified freely by
His grace through the redemption that
is in Christ Jesus" (Rom. vi. %. r. V:
iii, 24). How often we hear Him say
Gomez from Gen. vii, to Rev. xxi
II; notably in lisa. i. Is; Matt, ri. Is
and how frivolous are mems excuses
when compared with the importance
of the salvation offered them and the
glory of His kingdom.
i have heard of one man who WAS
led to accept the great invitation 10y
the remark. ''There will be no excuses
at the bar of God" Meantime, the
devil, the god of this world is bnsily
binding the minds of them which be-
lieve not lest the light of the glorious
gospel of Christ. who is the image of
God, should shine unto them I'll Cor.