South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-04-04
q 3 q . . = 3 p p
= SEVEN MINUTE SERMON ,
x ON THE GOLDEN TEXT >
D BY OUR OWN PREACHER -
4 u q d y = Il + = y y =

Lesson: Christ's Table Talk.-Luke
14:7-24
Golden Text: Every one that exalt-
eth himself shall be humbled; and he
that humbIcth himself shall be ex-
aited.-Luke 14:11.
EXALTATION AND ABATEMENT.
1. Our Moral Disposition Il Under
Our Own Control To deny free Will
is 90 deny consciousness; if we can
not control our own moral disposition
then there cannot be any morality be-
cause the word itself implies RESPONSE
bility. II we are the creatures Of cir
cumstances, then vain are the laws
cf God and man. If heredity and en-
v!Yonment are the creatures alike OF
circumstances, conduct and moral
quality, then there is no such thing as
responsibility. The philosophers who
advocate this theory do so in spite OF
their own experience that they are
responsible for their conduct. Every
sinner knows of his own knowledge
/ that he is 10 blame for being a sim
ner, and that he could have been
/ Christian If ne had so minded. The
/ proud and the naughty are so from
/ choice. and not because they have
been made so by circumstances over
which they have no control. They
may. by taking the proper steps, be-
come humble, Christ-like followers Of
God. and enjoy the glorious exalta-
/ ton OF the sons of God. 1t is this re-
! sponsibility for our own dispositions
and conduct which makes sin so sin
I full, and which takes away the posi-
bility of bad men blaming their luck,
their circumstances or their parentage.
?. Standardization Brings Humilia-
ton. Boosting and pride are two Of
the most contemplate sins. That some
F., men and women who move in good So
I'cietv and enjoy some degree of educa-
| tion, who wear good clothes and dwell
| in fine houses, are guilty of these hui
/ initiating sins is known by everybody.
Pride is both sin and folly of the worst
| kind. 1t is sin because it is acting a
fraud, trying to palm off on the people
\ what is not so, trying to appear bet
ter or greater or richer or wiser than
the facts warrant; it is folly because
it deceives no person but ourselves.
man who pretends TO be greater
than he really is. is "A laughing stock;
a woman that dresses like a peacock
and struts like that vain bird, is de-
suised by all right-thinking people.
and frequently by those who do not
think right on other things. and more
particularly by persons in her own
class. She is a butt for the laughter
and sarcasm of all who know her. As
a rule we pass for what we really are.
and it is vain and foolish to try and
palm ourselves off upon the public
as other than we are, Pride is life
long lie, that some people live.
3. There Is Need for Us to Be
Humble. The best of us have nothing
TO boast of. 1t is by the grace and
mercy of God that we are what we
are. and have what we have. If we
are better off than others. if we have
more education, if we have better
homes, as a rule there is no particu-
and deserve Gods just judgment.
There is not one of us who has not
been untrue to himself in the past,
whatever by the grace of God we may
| be at present. Not one of us who
does not need to pray the publican's
| prayer, God be merciful to me a
sinner" Even those who live the
nearest to God know only too well
; their need of humility and that they
should walk softly before God. Will
liam Wherefore. the great liberator
! of the slaves. said when dying, with
regard to myself. / have nothing 10
urge but the publicans plea, God be
merciful to me a sinner" Those vain
philosophers who find fault with Jesus
for teaching humility show either
ignorance of moral qualities of eX-
treme malignity against Jesus Christ
: Jesus states in the text, "He that
/ humbleth himself shall be exalted
and it is true.
, 4. Gods Appreciation IL the Highest
ExaltatiOn. When il comes TO NOR
ais spiritual character, or truly spir-
! itual experience, the way to go uT
is first 10 go down. He that hum
bleth himself shall be exalted WheI
a man takes his proper position, un-
1 Gerstands his limitations. sees how
I little he is. and takes the lowest seat
God then promotes him TO the highes
seat in the higher class. No man
J IL is said, is "a proper judge in his owr
$ case even in human affairs, and thi:
I is the principle upon which legal ties
timOny is based. But this princi pie
is especially true as between God anC
our souls, God alone can permanently
exalt us. We cannot crown our
, selves with exaltatiOn and honor; i
is character. or in other words Goo
), in our character, which crowns MAJ
: with glory and honor Humility give
God the opportunity of exalting us
u and in the last analysis mans posi-
I ton for time and eternity, is wha
n God makes il. Let us not then trouble
y ourselves about honor and TenOwn, o
care what people may think about us
but let us only be concerned abou
s loving God and serving him faithfully
r. loving little children, helping our fel
:. lows. and the God OF all the earth vii
u place upon our head a crown of glory
and a diadem of beauty, OF which NJ
man can ever rob us. Let us now fee
our own lttleness, humbling our
selves before God.
d Copyright, 1914. by Z. s. Davidson.