The Coolidge examiner., 1936-04-03

PRIMARY TOPIC - How Jesus
Kept the Sabbath.
JUNIOR TOPIC-A Great Invita-
tion.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR
TOPIC-The Excuses We Make.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT
TOPIC-Our Response to Christ's
Invitation.
In this chapter Luke pictures
Jesus freely mingling with his fell
lowmen in worship and social inter-
course. While thus freely mingling
with his fellowmen, he was aware
of their inner hostility to him and
set forth under the parable of the
great supper the sinful folly of men
who reject his gracious offer of sal
walton.
|. The Great Supper ". 16).
This great supper represents
Gods gracious provision of saliva
ton through the vicarious atone
ment of Jesus Christ. Christ him
self declared that he was the
bread of life. AS bread is to the
physical body, so is Jesus Christ to
the soul. It is called supper be-
cause it is the last meal of the
day. Jesus Christ's sacrificial death
is Gods last effort for the salvation
of men. The one who misses sup
per goes hungry through the night;
the one who neglects and rejects
the gracious offer of salvation in
Jesus Christ shall forever perish.
1t is a great supper because its pro-
vision was made in the counsels of
the eternal Godhead. 1t was
wrought out by the Son of God and
avails for the salvation of all races
and kindred and tongues. There is
no one whose sinful condition de-
bars him from this precious feast.
II. The Gracious and Urgent In
vitation (vv. 16, 10.
These words, Come; for all
things are now ready" reveal the
attitude of God toward a SHINING
race. Truly it is not the will of
God that any should perish, but
that all should come to repentance.
His servants have been going up
! and down the world for thousands
OF years saying to men dead in tres
passes and sins, perishing for want
of the bread of life, "COme; for all
things are now ready" God is nev-
er behind time. There is absolutely
nothing lacking in his provision for
needy souls. The only thing de-
manded of the hungry and dying
world is that it accept his urgent
invitation. Mans responsibility is
to receive Jesus Christ. All who
accept his invitation are assured OF
a welcome around his table and an
abundance Of that which will salts
fy the soul.
III. Mems Attitude Toward Gods
Gracious Invitation wv. 1920.
"They all with one accord begar
to make excuse" They feigned a
willingness to come, but their eX
cuses showed that they were com
pletely absorbed in selfish interests
and, therefore, disregarded the in
vitation of the divine Host. This
is vivid picture of the reception
which men are everywhere giving
the gospel.
/. The first one was taken uI
with the buying of land. On this
account he begged to be excused
Supper time is a poor time to go tC
see a piece of ground. Besides, hi
had already bought the ground and
therefore, he was under no neces
sity of going to see it at supper
time.
2. The second man desired to bt
excused in order that he might tes
yoke of oxen which he ha(
bought. Supper time is not prop
er time to test oxen. Then, too, HI
had already bought them; there
fore, there was no urgency in test
ing them.
3. The third excuse was perhaps
the flimsiest of all. In all proba
bility his wife would have been glaC
to accompany him. 1t is to be nOte(
that the excuses made are plaus
ible, as they concern things tha
are right in themselves. 1t is righ
for a man to have land, have oxen
and live with a wife but when thes
legitimate interests crowd out Coz
and the things of the Spirit, the.
are to be ignored.
w. Guests From the Highway
and Hedges (vv. 21-24.
l. The anger of the master of tn
house ". 2). 1t should not be for
gotten that God, while great il
mercy, is capable of anger towar
those who reject his mercy. 1t i
great mistake to remove ange
from the character of God. To re
ject his mercy exposes to his ferc
anger.
2. The Lords house filled wv. q
23). The places of the very one
who were first hidden were file
with other guests, some of ther
poor and helpless. from the lane
and streets Of the city, and other
the vagrants from the highways.
8. The awful condition of thos
O., Tho ,nnrtn, q