Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-26
GIVING UP ALL FOR THE
KINGDOM.
Matthew, xix.1-29.
Golden text-"Lay UP for your
selves treasures In Heaven.
Matthew, vi20.

Three Of the greatest perils confront
ing modern civilization are found in the
lesson assigned for this week. Divorce
touches the family, which Is historically
the single source to which can be traced
all the synagogues and temples Of Juda-
ism and all the churches of Christen-
dom. The rapid increase OF divorces
among us strikes at the foundation OF
civilization. The neglect of bringing the
children to the Lord for His blessing Is
another serious defect in our modern
life that has a tendency to destroy the
home life because 1t fails to furnish
the rising generation that religious In
struction and development that God
expects parents to give to the chill
dren intrusted to their care and train
ing. Finance plays large part In the
problems that men are seeking to solve
All three-divorce, children and finan-
cial perils-are in the section of Mat
thew'S gospel assigned for our study.
We considered the Masters attitude
toward children q few weeks ago, SO
that we can pass over that portion with
the reminder that the first duty we owe
to the children within our midst Is to
see that they are brought to the Lord
for His blessing. Our personal influence,
daily life and the education of the child
should all help to develop the spiritual
life of the little ones whom Jesus loves.
Their interest should be the paramount
considering an appeal to the court to
sever the matrimonial bonds.
The problem Of divorce was. one OF
the questions that the Masters enemies
sought to use In an effort TO entangle
Jesus. 1.-TWO of the great teachers, both
Pharisees. and living but a little befors
Jesus, took opposite ground on this ques-
ton, Shammai holding that a man
ought to divorce his wife only If she
were guilty Of adultery, Hillel teaching
that he might do it for anything in her
his dinner" They knew the Masters
attitude upon this controversial subject
for He had stated 1t to them. Evidently
they were hoping to bring down the
wrath of Herod, for Jesus was now in
Perea, upon Jesus, just as Herod had
acted toward John the Baptist for the
prophets position upon divorce. If they
failed in arousing Herod, they expected
that they would involve the Master in
controversy with some of the Rabbinic
Schools. Jesus In His reply sided with
the. stricter view of Shammai, yet He
went farther than the great rabbi, fol
fact Of human nature that makes mar
riage inviolable.
The Peril of Riches.
The love Of money, according to the
Scriptures, is the root Of all evil. We
need to remember that 1t Is not money
but the love of 1t that the Bible con-
dennis This Is apparent in connection
with the question which rich young
man of high social and religious posi-
ton asked the Lord Jesus on His jour-
ney through Perea on his way up to
Jerusalem. From human standpoint
this man was nearly perfect, yet he felt
that there was a. lack somewhere in his
life, or he would not have asked OF
Christ the question that he did, what
shall do that I may inherit eternal
llfe?"
Although he was ruler in the local
synagogue and of the highest social
rank, he was seeking to find a way SC
that by using his money or doing some
thing he could earn the privileges OF
Heaven. In other words, he was seek
ing to establish his own righteousness
thinking that he could purchase the
privileges of Heaven by his own doings
No one can earn eternal life by any
good actions. Our noble deeds may
reveal that we have bsen born again