THE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
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“T h en to o k M ary a p o u n d o f o in tm e n t o f s p ik e n a rd , v e ry co stly , a n d a n o in te d th e fe e t o f J e su s , a n d w ip ed h is fe e t w ith h e r h a ir ; a n d th e h o u se w a s filled w ith th e o d o r o f th e o in tm e n t.”. (2 ) THE HOME AND HEART OF HIS FOES, 11:42-44, 53-54 Here is a contrast. Read carefully from v. 37 to v. 54. Jesus is in th e , home of a Pharisee. (37, 38) “A n d a s h e sp a k e , a c e rta in P h a ris e e b e so u g h t him to d in e w ith h im ; a n d he w e n t in an d s a t dow n to m eat. A nd w h en th e P h a ris e e sa w it, h e m a r v e lle d th a t h e h a d n o t firs t w a s h e d b e fo re d in n e r.” Jesus is an invited guest. He fails to go through the rabbinical order of senseless forms and ceremonies, and this, evidently, purposely th a t He may have a text for the occasion, (v. 39) “ N ow do y e P h a ris e e s m a k e c le a n th e o u tsid e o f th e c a p a n d th e p la tte r ; b u t y o u r In w a rd p a r t is fu ll o f ra v e n in g a n d w ic k e d n e ss.” He calls th e ir atten tion to the fact th a t though the dishes m ight be clean, th ere was plenty of d irt in th e closets of th eir hearts. The house m ight be decent, bu t th e ir h earts were defiled. T ithing w ith them took th e place of tru e testimony; It is easier to tith e m int th an to be tru e to th e Master. P ride and place-seeking are always sat isfied w ith a synagogue seat. (Acts 8 : 2 1 ) “T h o u h a s t n e ith e r p a r t n o r lo t in th is m a tte r ; fo r th y h e a r t is n o t r i g h t in th e s ig h t o f God.” * (1 Sam. 16 :7 ) ' “F o r th e L o rd s e e th n o t a s m a n se e th ; fo r m an lo o k e th on th e o u tw a rd a p p e a r an ce, b u t th e L o rd lo o k e th on th e h e a r t.” I t is a trite bu t tru e saying, “You can fool some of the people all the time, and all the people some of th e time, but you cannot fool all the people all th e tim e” and to th is should be added, “You cannot fool God a t any tim e;” . ' How heart-searching was th is message of th e Christ to th e Pharisees! How He laid bare th e ir hypocrisies! They magnified petty things and minified precious things. They were punctilious about the outside of the p latter, bu t careless concerning th e ir souls.
The Lord would gladly have over looked the soil on th e ir hands if th ere had been no soot on th e ir souls. Their fath ers m urdered the prophets. Their sons bu ilt sepulchres for them . Then they put th e Lord of glory to death and persecuted His followers. They were as diabolical as some of th e opposers of the tru th today, who shu t up the kingdom of heaven against men, neither going in themselves, nor suffering them th a t are seeking to en ter in. God w ants less pious fro th and more practical Christianity. Most any of these Pharisees would have been glad to serve on a building comm ittee for the erection of a sepulchre, bu t they stoutly resisted th e effort of the Holy Spirit to effect a personal house cleaning of dead men’s bones. God pity th e teachers who pretend to know th e way of life, and have them selves lost th e key of knowledge. Long prayers, long garm ents, loud professions of piety, ostentatious giving, may fool the public for a season, but for all such th e re rem aineth a “woe!” God searcheth th e h eart and trie th th e reins of the children of men to give every one according to the fru it of his doings (Jer. 17:9, 10). He is not mocked. Jud as found it so, and so did Dives when he lifted up his eyes in torm ent. God wants men w ith clean lives, kind h earts and righteous minds, and He will give these to those who surrender themselves to Him. If a man th ink eth him self to be something when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself, bu t he does no t deceive God. QUESTIONS. (1) Would Jesus be a welcome guest in your home a t any tim e? (2 Kings 4:8-10) (2) Would He find you*a "M arth a” or a “Mary” ? (Psa. 90:12) (3 ) W hat was the secret of M artha’s disposition? (John 6:27)
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