The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914, 1914-04-14

LESSON TEXT--Llilkc 4:25-35.
GOLDEN TExT-ffWhosoever would
shall lose his life for my sake shall find
it, Matt. 1925.
While this discourse is recorded
/ only by st. Luke, still there are many
things mentioned here to which our
Lord made reference on other occa-
sions. Last Sundays Easter lesson
made g. break in the sequence of les
sons we have been following, ana shall
follow for several succeeding Sundays.
Leaving the chief Pharisee's house
wherein he criticized both host and
guests, great multitude" followed
our Lord. Turning, he uttered some
of the severest and yet the most won
derful words that ever fell from his
lips, as we shall see if we follow all
of this part of our lesson series.
Multitude Rebuked.
| I. A Caution, v. 26. On another oc-
casion, John 6:26, Jesus rebuked the
multitude which followed him. This
multitude who pressed about him did
not realize what was involved in a
true following. They were influenced
by the psychology of the crowd, and
did not count the cost. Jesus does not
mean that our discipleship will lessen
our love for our kin (Eph. 5:25, 1881;
| 6:1-4), but as compared with our love
| for him it is aversion. See Matt.
1O:37; Phil. 3:7, 8; Ps. 1925, 26. Aver
sion is to turn aside, and the Master
! told US that those who shall turn aside
thus shall have an abundant reward,
see Mark 10:2S-30. Jesus Christ must
be supreme in Christians affections.
He who freely gave his own self John
3:16, Phil. 2:8) has right to demand
| like devotion to himself, and as
men have approached nearest to such
! conservation he has exalted them.
| The Cross means the shame, sorrow
| pain and death of self and all that lies
in the pathway of loyalty and deyo-
ton to him. II Tim. 3:12, Acts 1922
u. A chaIIange, w. 27-a2. ~ The
| Instruction, v. 81. AS if to make this
caution more solemn, Jesus sets be-
| fore the multitude the manner of his
approaching death and the condition
of discipleship. He here lays down
the first declaration Of the severe
terms of discipleship, but explains
the meaning of his words There is a
new meaning of this passage sug-
gested by the Revised Version of ".
33, $50 likewise" is rendered, $50
therefore" Our Lord does certainly
insist that those who build tower or
conduct war must count the cost; so,
likewise, they who follow him. But
by this change the opposite thought is
suggested, viz, that those who follow
him must do so whatever the cost may
be, (2) The Illustrations. (a) The
builder of a tower, Wv. %, 80, and (b)
The King at war; 81, 80. Too often
we present to men what is to be gained
by Christian discipleship. The gain
does outweigh the cost, but as wise
builders we must present the cost side
of the transaction.
Homely Illustrations.
III. The Conclusion, w. 1885. We
have already indicated the conclusion
towards which Jesus was leading with
terrific logic, and by looking back to
the first verse of the lesson we see
what it was he was seeking to impress
upon the minds of the thoughtless
multitude. Again the Master uses
one of those homely illustrations
gathered from the common expert
ences of life which he employed so
frequently to amplify or to drive home
great truth. There must be quality
| as we'll as devotion to this disciple
| ship. Salt preserves from corruption,
seasons insipidity, freshens and sweet
ems. These qualities are referred to
abundantly by Scriptural writers. Salt
| is highly priced in the East. The
natural man is presented also as be-
ing corrupt, Gen. GIL; 1921; Ps. 1872,
8; Eph. 2:1-3. The remedy for this is
| the active presence of his disciples
| among their fellows. The true dis
cipIe is like salt with a good SAVIOR.
On the other hand, salt that has lost
it's SAVIOR is not even fit for dung
hill, but is thrown out and trodden I'M
aside that disciple of his who has lost
| his usefulness. This expresses our
Lords contempt and scorn of those
who lack, not merely certain kind
of character, but those whose profess
sion and appearance would indicate a
better expectation.
This lesson presents the severity
/ of the claims of Jesus. Irresistibly he
drew the multitudes to himself Wit
! ness the crowd following him as he
leaves the house of the ruler. But he
paused and by his teaching sifted
them, and seemingly made it difficult
to follow him.
What is the purpose of discipleshipi
1t means cooperation. The work OF
the King is to build and to battle, lse
the disciple must WELD both sword
and troWel. He must set aside his in
terests and devote himself and all oil
his strength to the work and the war
fare. We must not, as has been init
mated, allow ourselves to imagine
that these sayings of Jesus conflict
with his tender words about the home
or of men coming to him for rest
Matt. 11:2S-SO). The ultimate end Of
discipleships is that the surging rest
lessness of the multitude shall indeed
find rest in him