THE K I N G ’ S BUS I NE S S brings down fire from heaven, causing the image to speak (Rev. 13:13), but the power is not from God. God can not accept any work, at any time, from any one, who has not accepted Jesus Christ and His blood-offering. Jesus must be called “ Lord” and He must actually be Lord, if service is to be done to His glory. All work must glorify the Son of God as Saviour and Lord. “ I never knew you” is a sol emn ending to a merely professional life. He knows His sheep (John 10:14), but He does .not know these false teach ers. The name of the Lord was upon their lips, but their hearts were far from Him. Discipleship is not a merely profes sional thing; a merely nominal thing. One may be officially baptized and re ceived into the church; may be very orthodox and be very busy with “ church work” and yet hear Him say, “ Depart from Me,” How sad to know that He who now says with out stretched arms, “ Come unto me,” will then say, “ Depart from me.” Are we sure that we know Him, whom to know aright is life eternal? Are we sure that He knows us and will say, “ Come, ye blessed of my Father?” (3) WISE BUILDERS, vs. 24-27. “ Built his house upon a rock.” Character is here set forth in the figure of a house. The first and im portant thing about a house— a per manent dwelling— is a good foundation. Here two houses are seen in con trast. Both are subject to severe tests. Storms come. The elements combine in hurling their strength against the houses. Sand will be undermined by ¡the water. The winds will work havoc with the structure. Temptations and trials visit the children of men from above and from beneath. The world, the flesh, the devil, how they beat upon our houses! How can they stand if they be not imbedded in the Rock? At . Stanford University a massive
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■words, and whose lives seem lovely and lamb-like, but whose teaching is tinctured with the poison of asps, and who delight in the destruction of the old paths and ancient landmarks. These wolves find their way into the schools and colleges, often to the pulpit. They are destructive, not constructive. ’They are real aviators, for they leave their dupes “ up in the air.” They rob them of their faith and leave them ship wrecked. •“ Beware of them,” says the King. If we did not find these wolves with us we might well doubt the Scrip tures. Their presence is the proof of the inerrancy of the Word of God. The test of these teachers, is the fruit of their doctrines. Instead of grapes and figs, you get thorns and thistles. The thorns tear and wound, and the thistles multiply and choke out the good seed. The history of the church can be traced in the sorrow and suffering thajt has been wrought by these enemies of the King. “ Every tree,”— no matter what kind of a tree, if it bringeth not forth good fruit, is destined for the fire. The fruit of a good tree is love, joy, peace, etc. No tree can bear the fruit of peace save one whose roots are deep down in the doctrine of the inerrant Word of God; the virgin birth of Jesus Christ; the atonement through the shed blood of the rejected King and His physical resurrection from the grave, and His coming again in the glory. ( 2 ) WILL OF THE FATHER, vs. 21- 23. “ He that doeth.” All acceptable work which is done for the King must be done by the will of the Father. Many are prophesying in His name now, claiming cures for all sorts of maladies, but their work is in the power of another king than Jesus. He will say, “ I never knew you,” to these self-deceived and Satan-deluded teachers. - “ Many mighty works” is no certificate of character with the Lord. Satan certifies the anti-christ, . and
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