Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1914-04-03
INTERNATIONAL.
SUNlX'SCNN
LESSON
(By E. O. SELLERS, Director Of Eveuing
Department. Thc Moody Bible Instis0re,
Chicago)
LESSON FOR APRIL s
cHRlsTss TABLE TALK

CHRISTS TABLE TALK
LESSON TEET-Luke 14:7-z4
GOLDEN sTExT-"Everyoac that exaze-
eth himself shall be humbIed: and he thAe
humbleth himself shall be exalted LEslee
14:11.
This lesson is connected directly
with that of two weeks ago. the
events occurring in the house OF she
chief Pharisee," 14:E
I. An Honorable Promotion, wv. T7E-
The spirit of humility here empA1
sized by Jesus is not that OF c0lx
mending the man who piouEEy, ostea
tatiously, takes the low seat, and Their
is angry if he is not promoted; the
man who says mo" and is angry If fss
is taken at his word. These words
are not only to be applied literally bes
have q wide scope and embrace a&
the followers of Christ in every pga6a
of life. The sincere evidence of tisis
spirit is proof of the nearness OF the
disciple to the life of hts Lord; see
Phil. 2:3, 6, Z and Matt 1874 Mes
scramble for position and power CT
be obtained at the hands of other
AlCh 0Codo, lnC hCCn OUSN@A Ffr opA'F
men striving in this house, and c1Tti-
cizes such conduct. Lest hAplys
twice repeated, gives US the eIew tU
this section. Guests are not to seek
the higher seats, lest haply" naors
worthy ones should appear who ought
to occupy them.
Real Hospitality.
u. A Holy Rccompense, wv. t2-a&
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 tise
kingdom Matt 6:1-6, 16-1S). RE
compense" is here the key. Those
who are needy cannot make any ma
terial recompense and the one wfrr
gives the feast does not need anT
! other recompense than that Of the
| gratitude of those served and the ar
proval, well DONE" from the king,
| This does not forbid the Interchange
of hospitality and courtesies but does
warn us lest in our elaborate feasta
we overlook the poor, but worthy
ones In the kingdom, hospitality coz
sists of a desire to give rather than
to get. There is no hope of reward
no possible repayment, therefore frs-
vite those most sorely in need This
is revolutionary and seldom fs1sF
manifested vet there IS no fineT foS
than that to be found in providing fer
those who are In need. rather thax
in over-feeding those already gorged-
Jesus thus rebuked his host as we'll
as the unseemly guests.
III. "A Heavenly Invitation, w. rs
/ 24.-One of the guests seems to have
been impressed with the words OF
Jesus and exclaimed, blessed is hs
that shall eat bread in the kingdom OF
Cod He seemed to realize that the
conduct Jesus was speaking or was
to be found only there. In answer oMr
Lord gave US this parable of the grea1
supper in which he describes an ar
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 Gz1f
IA, s; Matt. 3:2; Mark 1:14. is. All
men had to do was to come" Iaa-
55:1; Matt. 1928; John 1881; Rev
.22:1T. There were three who made
excuses. yet all three refused the in
vitation. The first (v. 1S) was ths
man whose property stood in his war
(II Tim 4:10; Tim. 6:9). The sec
ond allowed dumb OK, that might
have received attention later. to take
precedence over the glad feast Do
nestle demands and goddess home ties
are used frequently by the evil one 10
keep men out of the kingdom The
third excuse ". 20) was still less ius-
tifable, for this man should have
brought his wife with him. 1t was her
place as much As his TO accept the
invitation. However. to spurH Gods
invitation does not mean that there
shall be any lack of guests, see JOhn-
Iii and Matt. 21:31. ca Those wko
accepted this invitation wv. 21-s4Y.
Thus to be spurned made the master
of the house angry (y. 2i). 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
sasts of Israel, the publicans, Sinners
harlots, Luke, 1872, 3. 10; Matt. 21-3L
Note (a), ii was an urgent invitation,
"go quickly" the need was great
This was an IS. o. s." (save oslr
souls) message Our Lord came 10
seek the morally halt, blind and lame.
Luke 1910. (b) The servant obeyed.
lid as he was told. (c) Those biddeH
came, yet there was room" Tbs
Lord was not satisfied to have empty
tables and so sends out second CALI
This time the servants go into the
highway and hedges"-to the Cen
s!les, Acts 1S:46. AT; Rom 11.1I-
Even so are we to go. not only To
the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
% these of the home land and circle
but to the ''uttermost parts of the
earth"
Gods Method.
This is Gods method of filing
smpty churches. If we wear out con-
aecreted shoe-leather during the week
J men will not forget us on the Sab
bath. and guests will always be found
for Gods table "Compulsion' (v- 239
indicates intense, earnest effort iW
bringing men to Christ (TI Cor. 5:7e.
Gel 1928; II Tim. 4:3). Men shonic
be reluctant only through sense oE
heir rnworthiness, which is in reality
heir greatest possible fitness.
: Here again the question Of host ana
guest is thrust upon US. In society
We ask our friends and rich neighberz.
est haply they bid us in turn, or RE-
pay By making some other recon-
pense Our hospitality is a quid pre-
quo business. Thus there Is set be-
'ore Us the blindness of human hearts
in the excuses they make in answe-