The Elbert County tribune., 1914-02-20

GOLDEN TEXT-"Every one who shall
confess me before men. him shall the
Son OF Man also confess before the angels
II God."-Luke 12:a
The first verse of this lesson indi-
Gates the character of this period in
the life of our Lord which we are now
studying. 1t was time of thrilling
interest and of intense excitement. A
time when the crowds were SO great
that they "trode one upon another"
This may have resulted from the
preaching of the seventy; but we OF
today can see what Jesus then saw,
that this interest was only superficial
and transltory. So it was that the
Master turned first of ALL to his dis
ciples lest they be deceived by this
seeming popularity.
Hiding tho Truth.
I. The fear of losing a reputation,
w. 2, 3. The Pharisees made great,
pompous claims at their being re-
ligious. A hypocrite is one who hides
behind mask. one who is a play
actor 1t is pretence instead of reali-
ty. Therefore, IL one is not real his
fear of losing his reputation is increas-
ed in direct ratio to the extent of his
deceit. The principal error of these
Pharisees was that they hid the truth
and at the same time refused to be
ruled by it themselves. Jesus de-
mands new publicity ". p of serv-
ice and in the presence of this vast
crowd denounces this hypocrisy as be-
ing sin. He also says plainly that what
they had been saying in darkness will
be proclaimed from the housetops.
Our Lord compares hypocrisy with
1eaven in that 1t is the product of cor
ruption. 1t works secretly. 1t infects
the whole mass. $50 hypocrisy will
effect our whole life and conduct.)
This leaven is sour spreading cor
ruption that changes the whole charac-
ter OF a man. 1t cannot be hid. No
amount of care can effectually cover
our deceit. We may. for a time, hide
our sin from men, but God knows and
in due time will publish it abroad ".
81; 1. Tim. 5:24
Warned by Jesus.
II. The fear Of death, w. 4, 7. Such
publicity will and always has led to
and SO Jesus calls his
disciples to courage, charging them
that they fear not those who have
power over the body, but rather to
fear him whose power is over the
soul. Notice the manner of address,
my friends, fear not" Intimacy and
courage are suggested. Look up the
many times the Scriptures admonish
us not to fear. l. John ALB. Satan and
man ". 81 have power over the body.
but they cannot touch the soul. The
Christian. however. needs not to fear
man or Satan, lisa. 51:12, Rom. 8:31,
for the angel of Jehovah (the Lord
Jesus) encamps about them that fear
Jehovah Cps. 34:D. Paul tells us that
to depart from this life is again, Phil.
1:21; ii. Cor. 5:8. We have. therefore,
no cause to fear the death of the body.
One only, God, has the power after
death, to cast the soul into hell ". 81.
He it is who gives US a suggestion of
awful consciousness of the soul, and of
the body as well. when they are in
hell, Matt. 1928. Jesus has warned
us and we are to warn others that they
avoid that which was prepared. not for
man, but Off the devil and his angels.
Matt. 25:41. Is there a hell? Yes!
Else Jesus was deceived or has de-
liberately deceived us. Thank God,
however, that as man Is of more
value than sparrow, SO God has pre-
pared better things for those who
place their faith in his son.
III. The fear Of making an open con-
fession, w. e-12. With such a tender,
beautiful assurance of Gods care over
US 1t would seem unnecessary for
Jesus to admonish his followers about
confessing him before the world Yet
such is the persistent hardness and
the natural timidity of the human
heart that the Master. in mercy, warns
his followers. Rom. 1873, 10. Our
Lord looks beyond his disciples to the
dispensation of the Spirit and de-
clared that men. speaking against him
would be forgiven, but that those who
slander, detract and heap vituperation
upon the Spirit would commit a sin.
blasphemy. which could not be for
given. Moreover, In that dispensa-
tion of the Spirit. no matter how much
men might suffer. or be in danger,
they would be taught by that Spirit
what they ought to say, w. IL, IL.
The one who commits this sin, de-
liberately attributes to the Devil what
he knows to be the work of the Spirit,
Matt. 12:22-32. 1t is deliberate
choice of darkness and the heart is SO
hardened as to preclude repentance.
There Is no desire for repentance.
Those whom Jesus calls to proclaim
the truth concerning the Kingdom of
God may depend upon a cooperation
Of the. Holy Spirit which will make
them fearless of all opposition. The
death Of the body is but an incident.
As we receive the Comforter and