Evening star., 1928-02-04

children Of God. even TO them
that believe on His name.-John
/: IL, IL.
No man ever achieved greatness with
out creating enemies. Jesus. whose life
and labors were filled with love for
His felloWmcn, paid the penalty i'm
posed upon all eminent pioneers and
emancipators OF humanity. His own
family considered Him insane. His
malicious enemies spread the report
that He was in league with satan. His
success and increasing popularity with
men were responsible for these wrong
views concerning the Master and the
cause OF the opposition made by His
friends and foes in their belief.
Family Misunderstanding.
Our education. environment and ex-
perience mold our thought. 1t was so
in Christ's day. Not only the friends,
who came down to 'Capernaum to see
something of Him and His work, but
the members of His family. when they
saw that Jesus was so busy that He
could not take time to eat came to the
conclusion that He was crazy. Their
worldly spirit prevented their under
standing the spiritual service and sac
rif1ces that the Lord made in His efforts
to help men, who crowded into His
apartments at all hours seeking healing
and conference with the brilliant
Teacher and Healer.
We have praise today for the hero
who sacrifices his life to save some one
in danger or has willingly offered to
make the supreme sacrifice for the
glory of the nation upon the battle
Gnl1 n
the mission field, where his life can
count five times as much as here for
the Lord. an effort is put forth by
friends and family to restrain the one
who has heard the call to make his life
living sacrifice. which Paul declares
is our reasonable service Our COM
mercial age approves the master OF
millions who has sapped his strength
to secure money. yet 1t condemns the
missionary who would give his life 70
save the souls of men. They think
they are mad, Just as the friends OF
the Master considered Him to be insane
and tried to take Him by force away
from His work.
Possibly they may have heard some
thing in Nazareth of the plans of His
enemies to destroy Jesus. Out of their
love for Him they sought to save His
life b. suggesting that the One, who
had mastered demoniacs and icsant
was beside Himself" This was met
by the Lords statement that gives all
who viii do the Fathers will a right
TO claim relationship with the Lord
Jesus, Are we any truer to Him than
the dear ones from Nazareth who mis-
understood the Master because they
lacked faith? We prove our faith bS
N fyH-a Ntln he
Savior in our daily life and labor?
Malignant Unbelief Exposed.
Our criticism of others is a revela.
ton OF our own character The hostile
scribeS testified to the miraculous work
OF Jesus by the slanderous suggestion
that they attempted to scatter secret
ly among the people. He hath Beelze.
bub. and. by the prince OF the devils
Casteth he out devils" They testified
to the fact that they could not explain
the works OF the Master by the charge
OF trickery. for He cast out demons
in such manner that His work coulc
not be questioned They revealed their
malignant unbelief by their slanderou'
and absurd charge that He was In
league with Beelzebub. the ay god
who was believed to have sent the
plague OF flies. which communicated
horrible and filthy diseases among the
people.
Christ could not afford to allow such
slanderous suggestion TO gain foothold
among the people. so He promptl
charge TO come TO the front There. in
the presence OF the multitude. Jesu;
met the hostile scribeS upon their owll
ground and mastered them with their
own weapons. His defense proved tc
be an aggressive attack. His argument
was simple and strong. II hardly
needs any comment. He demonstrated
the absurdity of their accusations by
the question. How can satan cast out
Satan?" The division of the devils
dominion meant the dissolution OF his
power. Matthew gives q longer &C
count and several important features
that ought TO be considered In connec-
ton with the study of this lesson.
Jesus agreed with the scrihes con.
corning the personality OF the evi
spirits at work in this world. He
points out, according 10 Matthew. hal
His work was the reverse of theirs
and He charged the scribes 10 be doins
the work OF Beelzebub He warned
them against their malignant unoeliei
by pointing out the peril Of their com.
mitting an eternal sin by their shutting
their eyes TO the fact that Jesus was
doing His work through the presence
and power Of the Holy Ghost, In their
malignant antagoniSm. Jesus warned
them that they had been committing
hlaSpheny. and unless they quit they
were fastening toward certain doom.
When one deliberately commits the
Vac I'D ~ q Gtv
OF a series Of "Self-hardening and de-
pravtng acts" The sin is an eternal
and "unforgiven because the sinner Is
fixed in impenitance. and his s,iffened
will cannot bow 10 receive pardon"
Nazareth Rejected Christ.
II was short Journey from Caper-
naum. the thriving city on the Sea Of
Galilee. 10 Nazareth. among the hills,
where Jesus had spent His life from
carly ooyhood until He left It's charmed
circle 10 enter upon His public ministry
in response 10 the urge Of the Holy
Spirit, He had returned there before.
but was rejected At the opening OF
His third evangeiiStic tour, He soeS
back 10 the community. determined 10
make one more effort 10 Win the men
and women with whom He had been
associated ever since He had returned
from Egypt as young boy, Evidently
He had some there ahead OF His
disciples To spend few days alone
with His mother and the members OF
the family, The Apostles followed Him
and went with Him 10 The regular
synagogue service on the Sabbath
When lie commenced 10 preach. He
recognized the presence cf changed