Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-08-04
Lessons From
Favorite arables
sermon by
REV. FLOYD W. TOMkINS.
Text: ST. Mark iv. Is, 2s-3e.

|
'"' Lord taught great lessons
trough parallels or stories These
S''F'fN were based upon common ex-
p'' noes so that the people could
'A"l.y understand them. and many of
H'" are 80 beautiful In their telling
81 nature and human life that they
5"Nt made lasting Impressions upon
hr'atians for 1900 years 1t is well
10Y Us TO study them closely and APP
ply iheir lessons TO ourselves The
ny" we study them the richer they
tcone' Being the words OF our
~"rlst. they are infinite in their depth
81 meaning. and the more we examine
tH'h' under the guidance Of the Holy
,r"'t NC richer the messages become.
~ - good plan To use some book.
~ DOCTOR Trenchs Comments Oh
, W' i"tabIes. to help us. for he fur
",S"e" US with certain facts regarding
l'sh'a! life and customs with which
may not be familiar II is well for
- also to find better titles Tor some
~ me parallels than those commonly
vi course. we know that the
lungs given in our Bible are no,
m'pl'ed' but were applied by good men
:" various times who may not have
,"-!zed all our Lord designed TO teach
parable in St Luke XIV for in
,aHce' Is called the Parable OF the
E-ofiEal Son" whereas I, should hc
,iH'd the Parable OF the Loving
AhtT Tor Jesus gave /, TO illustrate
~ ''Ne and forgiveness OF God: and
I parable of the rharisee and the
Iot'can should be called the parable.
Hunihty. We should try to nnd
central truth OF each parable a nd
'a'a take the other lessons in,rodurnd
as auxiliary to it,
mEMoRIZE SOME
OF THE PARALLELS
Is hnc plan TO memorize some OF
vac Pdraeles | once heard a minister
tS'e from memory the parable Of tho
LOVING Father before he preached
scout H. and the recital made IL very
'eaI AS II the Lord Himself were
speaking. So many OF these diviuo
nave verses which have entered
INTO our very lives. The confession O.,
'ae p'odlSal SON. for instance: Il VIII
arse and go 10 my Father" and Tho
''y ~ the Father: Son. thou ar, ever
Vim me: and the prayer OF the Pub
mean IN tho parable concerning humil-
NY God. DC merc!fui TO me- sinner"
ana the voice OF Abraham in the par
H"!f OF the Rich Man and Lazarus:
!! they hear not Moses and the proph-
cts, neither will they be persuaded
iHoush one rose from the dcad"--such
passages bring lessons Of daily ami.
cation IN all our lives
u Is inposs bio to seicc, any Of the
1arab!es as superior TO the Others
though re may have favorites Tor
tney ar" all perfect. being spoken by
IN. Master. hut VIC can take few o,
them and study them as examples for
the study OF all. And first, lie, us
consider the parable OF tho Sower II
shows us how our Lord used The Si-h'S
10 which the people were accustomed
as illustrations TO great truths |, IS
more than likely that He saw - farmer
sowing his seed in the old-fa sh!oueI
way. with ia OF grain hanging iron!
his side and his hand scattering the
seed he walked TO and fro He
called attention TO it and then drew
the lesson Of God sowing the seed OF
truth in our hearts and Satan trying
10 defeat its growth.
TEMPTATIONS OF LIFE
ARE MANY AND VARIED
How real II is TO life. cod puts a
good desire into my heart, hear
,on.thing In church which leads me
10 determine 10 do right And then
come the temptations so out and
forget all about it. or else. / find i,
difficult 10 do right and give up the
struggle. or else again. am so busy
or so full OF pleasures that ! have no
time TO fulhll my good resolution. Per
chance am earnest enough 10 put all
, other things aside and try 10 do right
and then in time I find how blessed IL
Is 10 serve God. The temptations OF
life are many. Little devils are always
waiting for me As rise from my pray
ar hour or as | go out of church. and
theT quite easily steal the though; OF
God from nae. Or | am shallow mind
cd and my prayer makes no lasting
impression. being formal. and the good
opportunity Is lost. Work keeps me oc-
cupied or play cntices me, and all mem
DRY OF church and the hour OF PRAYER
r.
pray against temptation. for 1t comes
III thousand different ways, More
over the ground has TO be prepared
Pillow and harrow must break up IN,
hardness OF my spirit. Perhaps sor-
row and trial alone can make me ten
Ger and ready to listen to God. We
often ask why God permits troubI.
yet II we stop to think, 1t Is so only
mat nc can make up ready TO receive
HIS message. lie had 10 knock Saul
oo"n before he would listen to tho
voice of Jesus saying Thou are me-
scouting Me when ,hou persecutes, NJ.
children IL We really try. Won ana
10 do what God asks Of us we may H..
sure that in the end we shall succsed
and our lives will amount TO SOM
thing.
CHRIST TEACHES US
OUR NEED OF HIM
Christ teaches US our need OF Him
IN Inc palaole. OF humility. The Phari-
sec was satisfied with himself; the
Publican was ashamed Of himself. And
We have there the line drawn by our
Lord Himself between Christianity an,
lnonChristian. II is not morality that
can save u.s. though the Christian nus,
indeed be moral 1t is not good works
that can save us. nor doing certain
Things with machine like regularity
That was what Luther commended for
when he fought against his enemies
In the Reformation. by grace We are
saved, through faith" cried st. Paul. T
am justified and find peace only as
hide my sinful self I'm His precious
blood. Then so out and serve Him to
prove my love and gratitude, not TO
learn Heaven, for pardon and Heaven
are freely given to me through Christs
red EN- ption.
Nothing in my hand I bring.
Simply to Thy Cross | cling"
This parable also teaches US how mis-
taken we arc when we compare our
calves with other people 81 IN, -,