Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1920-10-31
LESSON NOTES
The Narrow and the Brond Ways Matt


In these two verses our Lord presents
us mental picture of two roads and
two gates, We soc u narrow gate. for
this w the meaning NJ the word "slir H."
not straight These two English words
though rounding exactly alike are en-.
'irelv different In their original mean.
inc. "Strait" comes from the Latin. nnd
m"nns marrow We use IL for straits ~
water. Here the picture In ~ a city with
a narrow gate difficult To enter.
The next picture IN of abroad gate.
wide open. easy To enter with a broad
road that leads to H. The ore city with
its little gate represents the spiritual
life here and hereafter. the kingdom ~
haven. both IN IT, present and It's future
manifestation. u " the way OF life. The
other city and road represent the oppos.
tie, The city ~ that OF destruoti ton. The
bread gate IN easy to enter. and inviting:
the wide road that leads to It IN easy
90 follow requiring little effort The
Lord Snw that many are found I'm this
broad road. going through the easy gate.
IL requires no effort 20 be- lost We
simply follow tho line ~ least resist.
ance on the other hand the road that
leads Co life ne embodied In tho kingdom
IN difficult II requires an effort. Man
does not drift into salvation. OF course
h. docs not save himself by his own
works. That IL not the point here. bat
20 follow out the teachings II Jesus In
all their meaning. both personal tris;
IN him and development OF character
through him. requires earnest and con.
tinucd effort.
The pictures are only too true to life.
our observation and experience alike
show us how true ms well as vivid *
this description. II finds lts application
IN n thousand different ways. Strong
drink has been To many the broad nnd
raAy road that leads To- destruction and
resistance Ia the snpctte Tor drink and
the overthrow ~ the business ~ max.
INK ard selling strong drink has indeed
becn the difficult path.
Warning Against False Teachers u59A
In this section our Lord continues his
picturesque teaching. This time the
warning ~ against false teachers There
are plcaty To- help us walk the easy
read that leads 10 death. They come
protesting 20 be- Gods mcssangcrs but
their mouths are fun 81 lies aud half
truths. which are often worse than lies
Jesus secs n picture 81 great cruel
wolf. neatly dressed up In the skin of
a lamb. and initiating its voice. So Il l.
with false teachers There was never
CRIME ~ black that could not be dressed
IN an appearance Of either excuse ~
positive gond. Take the liquor traffic
again. II has come with the plea of per.
snnal liberty u has said intoNicanis are
needed. as medicine. as food. az are IN
some other way promoiivc &c pleasure
and good. but tho wise have detected
the raycnous wolf. who has devourcd the
sheep by millions aud wrecked and ruin.
I'd homes beyond possible computation
Stili In his picturlng our Lord gives
us the test. lie Slys we shall know them
by their fruits. What good do they do. |
these false teachers? Jesus sees a pic. |
ture OF "a foolish man going 10 n thorn
bush To gather grapes. ar Ia a thistle |
for figs. The man who seeks Tor hanpl
ness In the wine cup II getting thorns |
INSTEAD of grapes Arain our Lord secs |
n picture. which Is In the good and had |
trees The sound. healthy tree produces |
sweet and wholesome fruit. hut the dis |
used and evil tree brings knotty, |
wormy rotten. unwholcsnmc fruit. The /
lesson lies even deeper. II IN not In the |
nature 81 good tree. whose body IL
healthy to produce had fruit. and II /
II no, IN the natur" Of rotten. dccayed. |
unhealthy tree 10 produce nutritious.
palaiablc fruit This teaching " true cv.
crywhcrc. and again finds illustration
IN the nunm huNlnfNN. Nnnt ms been
the fruit ~ making and selling alcoholic
drinks? II has perverted the minds and 1
corrupted the soults of uncount.d mil.
lions II IL has ever done any gond ns a
medicine. which IN doubtful. .ha; little
good II No offset and overwhelmed hy its
incalculahlc harm. that Il IN not worth
counting. What shall be done about q?
Tho Master gives us the rcincti" The /
tree that docs no; bring forth good fruit,
IN yondcr orchard In cut down. Its proper
place iR not In the grounding growing.
hut burning In the fire. Its destructive.
ness should he devoted to destruction.
Parable 81 the Two Builders tsts0
With another telling picture Jesus
concludes his wondrous Discourse. lie
has heen telling ~ those who were real
and II those who were unreal In their
religious profession and life. lie makes
final distinction between them by re-
ferring 10 their attitude toward his
teachings One class are thosc who hear
and heed and practice what he has been
saying. The" are those who have found