Middletown transcript., 1914-04-04

chief Pharisee," 14:1.
!. An Honorable Promotion, w. III.
The spirit of humility here empha-
sized by Jesus is not that of COM
mending the man who piously, osten-
tatiously, takes the low seat, and then
is angry If he is not promoted; the
man who says mo" and is angry if he
is taken at his word. These words
are not only to be applied literally but
have wide scope and embrace all
the followers Of Christ in every walk
of life. The sincere evidence of this
spirit is proof Of the nearness Of the
disciple to the life Of his Lord; see
Phil. 2:S, 6, and Matt. 1874 Men
scramble for position and power to
be obtained at the hands of other
men. Jesus, the keen observer, saw
men striving in this house, and criti-
cizes such conduct. Lest haply,"
twice repeated. gives US the clew to
this section. Guests are not to seek
the higher seats, Test haply" more
worthy ones should appear who ought
to occupy them.
Real Hospitality.
II. A Holy Recompense, wv. 1914.
The man who makes a feast invites
those who can return his favor or else
thereby pays his obligations to So
ciety. Not so the members of the
kingdom Matt. 6:1-6, 1919. Re
compense" is here the key. Those
who are needy cannot make any ma
terial recompense and the one who
gives the feast does not need any
other recompense than that of the
gratitude of those served and the ap-
proval, well DONE" from the king
This does not forbid the interchange
of hospitality and courtesies but does
warn US lest in our elaborate feasts
we overlook the poor, but worthy
ones. In the kingdom, hospitality con-
sists Of desire to give rather than
to get. There is no hope of reward,
no possible repayment, therefore In
vite those most. sorely in need. This
is revolutionary and seldom fully
manifested, yet there is no finer joy
than that to be found in providing for
those who are in need, rather than
in over-feeding those already gorged.
Jesus thus rebuked his host as well
as the unseemly guests.
III. A Heavenly Invitation, w. 15-
24.-One of the guests seems to have
been impressed with the words of
Jesus and exclaimed, Blessed is he
that shall eat bread in the kingdom Of
God" He seemed to realize that the
conduct Jesus was speaking of was
to be found only there. In answer our
Lord gave US this parable of the great |
supper in which he describes an at
mosphere like that created by his host
and the guests there present. By this
parable he replies to this man, con-
trasting the admixing of an ideal and |
being willing to be governed by that |
ideal. (a) Those who refused. This |
was a great supper" a time of great |
joy and many were invited, see Gal.
4:4, s; Matt. 3:2; Mark 1:14, Is. All |
men had to do was to come" Isa.
55:1; Matt. 11:28; John 1887; Rev.
22:17 There we're three who made
excuses, yet all three refused the in
vitation. The first ". 18) was the
man whose property stood in his way
(1 Tim. 4:1O; l Tim. 69). The sec
ond allowed a dumb OK, that might
have received attention later, to take
precedence over the glad feast. Do
mestic demands and goddess home ties
are used frequently by the evil one to
- h. |
third excuse ". 20) was still less JUS
tifiable, for this man should have
brought his wife with him. 1t was her
place as much as his to accept the
invitation. However, to spurn Gods
invitation does not mean that there
shall be any lack of guests, see John.
I'll and Matt 21:31. (2) Those who
this Invitation (vv. 21-24).
Thus to be spurned made the master
of the house angry" ". 2D. God
does not excuse those who lightly
slight the invitation of his infinite
grace and urge such paltry excuses.
The master then turns to the out
casts of Israel, the publicans, sinners,
harlots, Luke 1872, 9, 10; Matt 21-31.
Note (a), it was an urgent invitation,
Ego quickly" the need was great
This was an IS. o. S." (save ouz
souls) message. Our L'rd came to
seek the morally halt, blind and lame.
Luke 1910. (b) The servant obeyed,
lid as he was told. (c) Those hidden
came, yet there was room" The
Lord was not satisfied to have empty
,ables and so sends out second CALL
This time the servants go into the
highway and hedges"-to the Gen
lies, Acts 1916, Al; Rom. 11:11.
Even so are we to go, not only to
he lost sheep of the house Of Israel, ]
o those Of the home land and circle, |
,ut to the "uttermost arts of the
earth"
Gods Method. !
This is Gods method of filling )
Empty churches. If we wear out con- :
ecrated shoe-leather during the week /
nen will not forget us on the Sab
,ath. and guests will always be found
or Gods table. "Compulsion" ". 2S) i
indicates intense, earnest effort in
bringing men to Christ QI Cor. $40; !
Jol. 1928; II Tim. 4:2). Men should :
10 reluctant only through a sense Of
heir unworthiness, which is in reality T
heir greatest possible fitness.
Here again the question Of host and
uest is thrust upon US. In society
7e ask our friends and rich neighbors,
est haply they bid US in turn, or re- !
,ay by making some other recon- :
iense. Our hospitality is quid pro h
uo business. Thus there is set be-