Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1914-03-19


last week wherein we observed
Jesus worked his miracle Of healing
upon the woman ". 13). and they
were put to shame" v. II. With this
fact In mind 1t Is easy to reconcile
the principles advanced by the two
different parallels. viz, the fact of
intense opposition on the part of his
enemies. and that Of rejoicing on the
part OF his friends.
Symbols Of Evil.
The faithful servants Of an absent
but expected Lord are to watch for
him that they may give him suitable
welcome when he comes. This king
dom Is to be outwardly prosperous
and grow to that extent that 1t shall
be a shelter to the birds, which rep
resent the nations, Eek. 17:23. But
at the same time there Is to be an in
ward growth as we'll. one of leaven
(yeast. putrefaction. See /. Cor 8: ST.
also Gal. 5:S. 9. A mustard seed thus
growing large Is abnormal: the birds
are symbolic of evil; SO Jesus teaches
us here as elsewhere Matt. 1924
800. that the kingdom is to be Of a
mixed character. an intermixture Of
good and evil. opposition and victory.
History has abundantly fulfilled these
predictions, though at the time Jesus
uttered these words nothing seemed
more improbable than such a suggest
ed development. either of outward
prosperity and power. or of such a
possibility Of finding evil within.
Common Question.
u. Who shall be saved, w. 22-3o.
What is more natural in view of these
thoughts than to ask this question, a
question that Is a most common one
still. Notice, he die not answer In a
way to satisfy idle curiosity, but d.
rected each to his own duty, to see II
they themselves had entered the king
dom rather than be concerned about
how many are to be saved. The sec
ret then is still secret. He told
them to Strive" contend earnestly
to enter in. Soon the door will be
shut, now they are able to enter. then
not at all. He is the door" John
1893. There is one form of work
which is essential to the salvation of
the believer. see John 500. Works"
altruistic service. is an essential part
or Christianity, being an evidence of
faith, James 2:17. 18, but altruism ia
not the whole Of religion as some
seem to imply. We do not drift into
the kingdom. Acts 1922; /. Cor. 9:24.
27; Heb. All: Pet. 1:1O. All one
needs to do to be lost is to do moth.
Ing. To be saved calls for an hon.
est, earnest effort. Jesus again sug-
gests his return as he reveals the
kind Of seeking which fails to find an
entrance. In another passage Matt.
7:13, 1D Jesus states this same
thought. The way of unrighteousness
is broad. easy to follow and many
walk therein. Whereas the way OF
life Is narrow. straight. and few
choose to follow it. To be even so
as to have eaten and to have
drunk In his presence. or to have lived
on the same street, will not suffice,
and Will not merit an entrance. In
another connection Matt 25) Jesus
taught that even IL admission Is
claimed on the basis Of actual service
rendered there was still lacking one
thing. viz, the Lords knowledge Of
them. To be casually. superflcially
with him is not enough-they
did not know him. Many Of our
first" people will then be last"
when that door is closed, and they
find themselves without. Blessed ia
he that cometh in the name OF the
Lord"
Word and Work-the two W's.
You'll soon get spiritually gorged If
1t Is all word and no work, and you
will soon be without power IL 1t Is
all work and no word II you want
to be healthy Christians. there must
be both word and work."-D. l..
Moody.
III. Warning about Herod, w. al
'5. Why the Pharisees gave Jesus
his warning Is hard to tell. They
we're not interested in his safety par
and perhaps only wanted to
righten him and thereby limit his in
tuence and activity. see Neh. SOIL;
Amos 1912, IL. There is no doubt,
however, Of the truth OF their words
Ind we know that Jesus never need
essly incurred danger He had his
work to do and could not be killed
Until it was done, John 1850. The
mention OF the usurper called from !
Iesus revelation ~ bio connoa.sxo,