The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1914-04-25

ual hope conferred in themselves and
they turned eagerly to one who was
unqualifiedly honest with them though
at the same time he set up heart
searching conditions. What a con-
trast! The grumbling theologians,
criticiZing and pickering, grieved that
he should demean himself by. such
them the truth of the fundamental
purpose of Gods attitude toward these
who eagerly sought to hear" by CIV
ing them these parallels. In the first
two, the sheep and the coin, we see
divine love seeking the sinner; in the
third, the prodigal, We see the sinner
seeking the father. Christ's idea OF
goodness consists in saving the bad.
The Pharisee holds aloof. Christ goes
out from among the Pharisees and
among the outcasts.
True and False Shepherds.
u. Tho Lost Sheep, w. 4-7-The
shepherd Is God the son John 10:11,
IL; Luke 1910. He is the True
Shepherd," the Pharisees were false
ones. This adds point to the parable;
see the Old Testament rebukes for the
same, Ez. 34:7-10; Zech. 11:16-17; Jer.
sos. The lost sheep belongs to the
fold, but was out of place. These
outcast ones were still Israelites and
the backsliding Christian still belongs
to the fold. A sinner is lost sheep.
He is away from the care, the protec-
ton. the guidance Of the shepherd and
is torn, bleeding, and ready to die
One such lost one will call forth the
shepherds utmost endeavor to save it,
far beyond the care lavished upon
the ninety-and-nine already safe In the
walton, and he keeps up the search
until he finds It," This does not
mean that all will be saved, see John
1872, IL R. ", but every sheep that
is astray he will find. Once found 1t
rests upon his shoulders, Is kept by
his power, Pet LIS. Over 1t he and
the father rejoice, Wv. %, "a, 80.
There Is here the evidence of the in-
terest in the flock which is incom-
plete and the interest Of the owner
as well. The safety Of the lost one
God rejoices more over the sinners
salvation than does the sinner him
SELF The neighbors also rejoice and
so do the angels in glory. All rejoice
with me-" contrast this with the at
titude of the Pharisee. =, We see here
a revelation Of the matchless strength
and tenderness Of God which is on the
one hand a rebuke and on the other
a comfort to the publicans and the
sinners. What a suggestion Of peril
and sacrifice is suggested in this story
and what a pean Of Joy is sounded at
its close.
Work Of Holy Spirit.
III. The Lost Coin, w. s-1o.-These
three parallels are a unit In the fact
that they reveal the attitude of God
toward men who are In their deepest
need. Each is the story of something
UcluA lOoI anu tlC ldSb tudt IL in
found The first Is a revelation of the
son. the last Of the father. while this
central one sets forth the work OF
the holy spirit through the church
Rev. 22:17; Eph. 5:25. One of ten
coins in this woman's marriage neck
lace is lost, hence the incompleteness
The spirit will not rest until it is
found, nor should the church. The
woman takes her lamp-the word OF
God, Ps. 119:1O5; Phil 2:15, 16-and
sweeps the house. 1t hiss been sug
gested that sweeping usually stirs W
a dust and that some are likely to
object So the world will object when
the church Of the living God begins to
\ stir up a dust and they are annoyed
at any eager search for the lost ones
Acts 1876. The woman Is a sugges
ton to US in that she sought dill
gently" until the lost coin was found
Then she, too, calls in her neighbors
that they may rejoice with her. Does
the church keep up a like search
And do we know anything about the
10Y" of the holy spirit? Gal. 5:22
Thess. &c. Over the wellbeing Of
the home the woman watches and
again the search is in the interest Of
the owner, and in the interest Of the
household. Like, the other parable
the final note Is one Of Joy.
w. Summary.-The chief value o.
these two pictures Is in their revela
ton of the work and interest of the
son Of the spirit. The crowding mul
titude of publicans and sinners, hello
In contempt by the Pharisees, Jesu.
viewed as lost ones. Appalling a!
this suggestion is, yet the sheep be
longed to the shepherd and the coli
was the property Of the woman. Thi.
suggests the dignity and value of mel
and the tragedy Of their condition
Knowing all this and understanding