Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-19

their sins.-Matthew. i.21.
Christ's attitude toward the spiritual
and social outcasts was demonstrated
by His calling Matthew to be a member
of His apostolic band. The ScribeS and
PhariSees, who were active leaders in
the religious life of the Hebrews. re-
fused fellowship with the publicanS.
who were considered to be traitors to
Israel and sinners because they did not
wish their Righteousness to be polluted
by social intercourse and fellowship
with Him. They had erected a barrier
of caste that shut out the publicans and
sinners. They felt that the Lord by
accepting their invitations to be their
guest was violating every proper social
and religious standard for a public
teacher of religion. They protested
against the Masters association with
the publicans and sinners. who were at
tracted by the wlnsomeneSS of Christ
and the sympathy of the Lord Jesus
toward them.
It was in defense of His accepting
the hospitality of these wealthy and
renegade Hebrews that the Master
spoke the words recorded in Luke's
gospel in the fifteenth chapter justify
ing His attitude toward the lost. Cen
tt,ries before His birth it had been pre-
dicted of Him that He would be a
savior of His people They were look
ing for a Messiah who would be a po-
litical leader and through whom the
nations prestige and grandeur would
be restored. The messenger of Jehovah
informed the shepherds keeping watch
in the fields near Bethlehem the night
that our Lord was born that He was
to be savior. Simeon recognized Him
as such when He was presented in the
temple as child. Christ in His parable
of the lost sheep, which is closely inter-
woven with the two other parallels of
the lost. the lost coin and the lost son,
generally called the prodigal son and
that of the elder brother, points out
that He was fulfilling His divinely given
commission by such fellowship and as
: ISOLATION. for He came to seek and save
the lost"
Missionary Motives.
In the group of parallels concerning
the lost, which some consider to be one
parable, the Master outlined the princi-
pies that governed His attitude toward
the group of men who were hated and
held in contempt by His critics. He took
the familiar figure of the shepherd, who
dominates Palestine, to justify His eff
forts to save the lost. They illustrated
the principles that govern men and
women in their search for their lost
property The shepherd loves his flock
and they love him, because they know
him and can depend upon his protect
ing care. The shepherd will not hest
tate to give up his life or risk his life
to save his flock. Jesus sees in this an
Illustration of the motive that prompted
the Heavenly Father sending Him to
seek and save the lost. If a sheep neg
lects to look up and keeps eating, fol-
lowing the grass of the fields, that sheep
will be missing at night and unable to
find its way back. The practice of the
shepherd leaving the balance of the
flock in the fold, SO that he could seek
the one lost, was quite common. He
would keep up the search in the sparse
ly settled sections. looking for the stray
sheep until it was found. So He came
seeking to save the lost The Father
was unwilling that even one should
perish.
| Love is the outstanding motive for
the Fathers gift of the Lord Jesus. He
loved the world so much that He gave
His only begotten Son that whatsoever
believeth upon Him should not perish
but have eternal life The saving OF
the lost brings Joy among men, but the
saving of lost souls fills heaven with
songs of rejoicing. The sheep. whose
; nature was responsible for its being
lost was sought. The coin that was lost
by the laws of gravity. illustrating cir
cumstances beyond its control, was
, sought until found The one who de-
, liberately asked for his portion anC
spent it all in sinful living was not
sought. He came to himself and was
welcomed when he returned. There is
a little irony in the Masters reference
! to the elder brother. for 1t meant. with
! out doubt, those sanctified and blame
less men who were unwilling to be soiled
by contact with sinners, even if they
were members of their own race and
nation.
When Christ redeems a sinful man
he becomes new creation. He gives
up his old bad habits. He lives daily in
accordance with Gods wishes and rec
ognizes his obligation to help men OF
every creed, color or country, for whom
Christ died. He recognizes that Jesus
saves men so that they can help Him
save the world. The germ of the modern
! missionary movement is found in the
Masters teching concerning His mo-
, tiveS for seeking to save the lost When
the Word became flesh. God entered hui
manity with a purpose OF saving the
lost in sin.
The Worlds Savior.
Jesus not only broke the barriers
/ within the nation. but He removed
those between nations by tasting death
for every man. There was rejoicing In
the decisive action by the Senate Tues
day in reference to the Kellogg treaty
to outlaw war, but the eminent Secre-
tary of State, whose name goes down
on historys pages in connection with
this treaty, recognizes that the real
power that will make it effective among
nations will be due to the life of our
Lord, the Prince of Peace. He met
death upon the cross to save men OF
, every race and nation. Christ died for
the ungodly of all centuries and coun-
tries that the fellowship broken by sin
, could be restored and renewed. God
commendeth His own love toward us in
that while we were yet sinners Christ
died for u.s." Gods own desire to save
men was manifested in the death of
our Lord Jesus.
Christ died not only to save His
friends, but to extend the benefits of
His death for sinners to His enemies.
While He died for the sinner, the one
who wishes to enjoy the blessings of His
, salvation must repent like the prodigal
and seek forgiveness. pardon and power
, to live the Christian life from the
Father in His name. Jesus died to Sc
, cure salvation for us, but we demon
tn an. 20 ", Hin, o,,r