THE KING’S BUSINESS
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. . . call the pdor,” etc. A child was per mitted to ask "just” whom she pleased to her party. All the little hoodlums in the neighborhood came. Mother remonstrated in private, Mary pleaded Jesus’ words. The guests were had to the bath, and scrubbed and bartered—like Hans Breitman’s “ I dink so fine a barty N efer.coom :to a het dis year.” . That the incident amuses us is proof of its Strangeness. Our holiday spreads for street Arabs, and the down-and-outs are good—but: how far short of the meaning of the Lord. 2. Why W e Should Do This. That we may not be “ r e c o m p e n s e d Social func tions are largely in the discharge of “ society debts,” our social “ quid pro quos.” All is a selfish round. “ You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours.” Worldly ways are differ ent from heavenly. Aren’t they? Those that adopt them shall be recompensed With a seat at the supper in the Kingdom. IV. A B eatitude (v. IS). A man at the table said, “ Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the Kingdom of :God.” True! but that man would have thought it bitter bread were it set before him. He who does not like the bread of the Kingdom now will not then. If one prefers the leeks of .Egypt here, he’ll long for garlics there. W e must not imagine that because heaven is heaven it were heaven to all. Nor that because we would be happy in the heaven our heart conceives, we would be in the heaven God prepares. ' V. T he P arable of the G reat S upper (vs. 16-24). , 1. The Rejecting Rejected. To teach the above (see on v. IS) Jesus spoke our par able. “A certain man” —had they but known that this “ certain man” who made the great supper was the Son of Man who sat at their’s ! “ A great supper”^ - Great: (1) be cause of Him Who gives it. (2); Because of the great preparation for it. (3) Be cause of the great cost of it. (4) Because of the great provision for it. (S) Because of the great company who will sit down at
man was brought in for bait; for so “the wicked plotteth against the just’’ (Ps. 37 : 12) ; they knew the way of Jesus—to pity the poor. The man had “'the dropsy.” Jesus said,^Ts it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” “ They held their peace.” Hypocrites ! “ Si lence gave Consent.” Conviction brought no contrition. They hated the Light, pre ceptive and personal (John 3 :2 0). He “ hebled him.” He hallowed the Day by Tibblmg'the dropsy. We may heal,; if not the body, “ the. mind diseased5’ on the Sab bath. II. C hoosing P laces ( vs . 7-11). 1. Pride Has a Fall: Custom graded seats and honors. Christ saw guests crowd in g:for; “ chief seats" . (R. V .). Jesus said, Do not take the chief Seats, lest a more hoiiorable man be bidden, and the host should.' sayi ‘Give this man placé,’ and you, with shame begin to take the lowest place. It is no disgrace to take the lowest place, blit great shame to be thrust into it. When you see •a man take the chief sêat, you see a'man: in “ the seat o f'thé scornful (Ps. 1:1), and he deserves scorn. Chief sfeats ate for (intrinsically) chief men. A worthy man canilot be in an unworthy seat ; the man honors the place. The chief seat was where Jesus isat, yet we are sure He took the lowest, and that the host did not say, “ Friend, go up higher.” Cardinal O’Connor demanded the chief seat at the Governor’s banquet,' The Governor called the feast off, when he should have called the prelate down. 2. When Modesty Has a Lift. Take the lowest place and the host may say, “ Friend, go up higher.” “And thou shalt have glory in the presence of all.” It is no honor to take the highest place, but glory to be put into it, 3. The Highest Seats. These are in the banquet hall of the Highest. There are such seats prepared for them that are pre pared for them (Matt. 20:23). C an ÿou W A IT ?' ' III. T he P referred G uests (vs. 12-14). 1. Whom To Ask. Ask "not thy friends
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