The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1936-02-06
Scripture-Luke 6:S9-49.


Golden Text-Why cali We me
Lord, Lord, and do not the things
which | say?-Luke Gas.
Consider the righteousness of
the Scrlbes and Pharisees. When,
In the summer of % A. d. Jesus
reached the height of his fame on
earth. PhariSaic hostility focused
upon him with the sabbath ques-
ton as the flimsy pretext for their
attack. Two examples are given:
They censured the disciples for
"practicing medicine" when he
cured a mans withered hand at
a sabbath service in the syna-
gOgue.
Contrast the righteousness upon
which Jesus insists. After a night
in prayer, probably on the Horns
of Hattin, he chose the Twelve
Apostles and preached the Ser
mon on the Mount. As he brought
that matchless discourse to a
close, he presented and pictured
the traits and the tests of right
eOuSneSS.
TRAITS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
duke 6: 39-45)
Leadership should exhibit the
traits of righteousness. (l The
first trait is good brotherhood. One
must have sight before he can sue
cessfully lead the sightless; other
wise, he is not a qualified guide as
any pit or pitfall in the way would
sadly show. A teacher must know
more than his pupils; in fact, he
ought to embody in himself
worthy ideal and objective for his
students. Moreover, consistency
is essential, for that leader must
be limp and ineffective who tri-
files over a speck of sawdust in
a brothers eye but is complacent
about a whole sawlog in his own
eye. This is not saying that the
mote should not be extracted, but
it does aver that the operation
cannot be performed by one who
has an Obstructing beam in his
own eye. He must remove the OBJ
Stacle to his own vision before he
can see clearly to get a splinter
out of his brothers eye. (2) The
second trait is good fruit. The
law of the tree is the law of the
man. No good tree bears corrupt
fruit; no good man lives a wicked
life. Any defect in fruit of good
tree and conduct of good man is
exceptional and not habitual. The
reverse is true. The righteous
deeds of the bad man are lacking
in spiritual motive and upllft and
flavor. So we know men by the
fruit they bear. Straight conduct
does not come from crooked char
acter. We never gather grapes
from bramble bush men. 81 The
third trait is good treasure. Note
the good things about a good
man: A good heart as his center
and core; a good treasure as the
possession of that heart; good
output which he brings forth to
share with others; a good mouth
which speaks wisely and worthily
out of the abundance of a good
heart. In contrast there is the evil
man with his evil heart exerting
an evil influence in the world.
TEST o RIGHTEOUSNESS .
duke 6: 46-49)
Discipleship must stand the test
of righteousness. If the Lord be
served, the life will be serene.
Note, therefore: % The Lord
Served. To call Jesus Lord" is ut
terly vain unless he is accepted as
Lord of life in every part and all
the time. Sometimes that name Is
used in mockery but more often
in empty Journalism which is to-
tally disconnected from duty.
There can be no righteous profess
sion without a righteous life. 1t. is
not enough to say Lord; We
must serve the Lord. (2) The Life
Secure. Who alone is safe for
time and eternity? Every one who