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THE KING’S BUSINESS
Sunday, January 2 . Luke 13 : 18 - 2 1 .
most important engagements, to convey to others the precious truth we ourselves learned from God. One came to Jesus with an exceedingly important question, “Are there few that be saved?” The question seems to have been asked, as so many theological questions are asked, out o f mere speculative curiosity, therefore He did not deign a direct answer, though He had answered it elsewhere (Matt. 7:13, 14). In the present case He directs the man and all those about Him to do their own duty rather than to seek t d find out just how many will be saved. Jesus did tell them that many would “seek to enter in and not be able,” and in that connection bade them “strive to enter in.” It is evident from these words o f our Lord that there will be no entering in without earnest effort and conflict. No one ever drifts in (Acts 14:22; John 6:27; 1 Cor. 9:24-27; Phil. 2:12, 13; Heb. 4:11; 2 Peter 1:10). All one has to do to be lost is to do nothing, but to enter in there must be earnest effort. The easy going form o f godliness so often found in our churches will not take any one into the kingdom o f God. “When once the master o f the house is risen up and hath shut to the door” these easy-going religionists will find themselves on the outside. W e must “strive,” (i. e., contend, fight) to enter in. Especially should we strive in prayer (Rom. 15:30; Luke 21:36). The opportunity for entering in will not always remain open. It ends when Christ rises up and shuts to the door (cf. Matt. 25:10; John 8:21). He may rise up and shut to the door at any moment. When it is too late there will be much knocking and crying, “ Lord, Lord, open to us.” Those who are altogether careless in this day o f opportunity will be altogether eager in that day o f judgment, but it will be too late. There will be a pleading of privileges enjoyed, but they will only increase the doom. No merely outward connection with Jesus saves. There will be only “weeping and gnashing o f teeth” (great sorrow and impotent rage) in the world to which they depart. There are many o f our “first” people who will be the “last” people in that day.
W e have already studied the parable of the grain o f mustard seed and the para ble o f the leayen, in our notes on Matthew 13:31-33, and will only summarize the teaching, here. The kingdom here means the kingdom o f God in its outward mani festation on earth. The first parable sets forth the marvelous outward growth o f the kingdom from smallest beginnings. As in Ezek. 17:23, 24, the birds of heaven repre sent the nations which were to come and take shelter in the branches o f the out wardly manifested kingdom o f God, as has proven historically true. Along with the outward growth, however, another growth is taking place:_ “leaven” (or yeast, the product o f putrefaction) within. Leaven is everywhere in the Bible a type o f corrup tion (see ch. 1 2 : 1 , and many other places). W e have an inspired interpretation o f the parable in 1 Cor. 5:6, 7 (cf. Gal. 5:8, 9). The woman in the parable represents the apostate church. She mixes the leaven o f false doctrine (Matt. 16:6, 12) in the chil dren’s bread, and the whole doctrine o f the church becomes leavened. History has abundantly fulfilled the prediction o f these two parables. The church had a marvelous outward growth; the nations o f the earth came and took shelter in its branches, but at the same time the whole life and doc trine o f the church was corrupt. The king dom did not become leaven, but it was leav ened, and the reformation became neces sary. Nothing seemed more improbable when Christ uttered these words than the fulfillment o f the things that He predicted, but they have been fulfilled to the very letter. Monday, January 3 . Luke 13 : 22 - 30 . Jesus was journeying to Jerusalem to make atonement for sin upon the cross, and then to be received up unto the Father (Luke 9:51). It 'Was by far the most important journey o f His life, but He taught as He journeyed on toward Jerusa lem: if we are like Him we too will ever seek opportunities, even in the midst o f our
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