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THE KING’S BUSINESS
and then urge their paltry reasons for so doing. The second man was kept from the supper by “business ;” and quite paltry busi ness at that, business that could have been just as well postponed until another time. The demands o f business is the excuse many urge today for not coming to Christ, but no other business can be so important as the business o f coming to Christ. This man’s excuse well illustrates the absurdly trifling character o f the excuses men make for not coming to Chrisf. God’s order is, the kingdom first and business afterward (Matt. 6:33). The last man’s excuse was domestic demands. Domestic ties or the love o f some godless woman keep many a man from Christ (cf. Matt. 10:37; Mark 10:29, 30; 1 Cor. 7:29-31). A recent mar riage by the Mosaip law would have excused the man from war or being Charged with business (DeUt. 24:5), but this was a feast and not war, to which he was bidden. Those who refusé the Gospel invitation do not seem to understand to what they are bid den. There is an increasing disrespect in the tone o f the excuses. Not one was suf ficient. No excuse for not coming to Jesus is sufficient. None o f these men were kept away by anything sinful in itself. munday, January ç. Luke 14 : 2 1 - 24 . ' All these excuses were reported to the “master o f the house,” and all our excuses are reported to God. How absurd and wicked they must sound to Him. The mas ter o f the house was angry. That is the way God feels toward our excuses. He showed his anger by recalling the despised invitation and giving it to others (v. 24; Acts 13:46; Matt. 21:43). God’s feast will not lack guests because some despise it. And now the invitation goes to the “ streets and lanes” o f the city. The modern church reads it “to the avenues and boulevards” of the city. By those who are in the “streets and lanes o f the city” Jesus means the out cast o f Israel, publicans, and sinners (Luke 19:2, 9, 10; Matt. 21:31; Luke 15:1). The invitation was urgent, “Go out quickly.” Here is Christ’s own commission to the minister o f the Gospel : ( 1 ) Where to go—.
“ streets and lanes;” ( 2 ) To whom go— “the poor, and maimed, arid blind, and lame.” (3) How to go— “quickly.” The classes invited were the .very last the rich menwould invite to their homes, but these are the very ones God invites, morally poor, maimed, blind, halt also (Matt. 11:5, 2; 9:13; Luke 19:10; 1 Tim. 1:15). To a true servant o f Christ nothing so recommends a man as his need. The servant did as he was told. Not every minister ¿ f Christ today could say regarding God’s orders to go out in the streets and bring in the poor and the maimed, the blind and the halt, “Lord, what Thou didst command is done.” But even "yet there is room." Blessed words, heaven is a large place with room enough for all (cf. John 14:2; Rev. 7:4-9); If any do not enter, it will not be because there is no room for them there, but because there is no room in their hearts for Jesus. The Master was not satisfied as long as the feast was not full: God would have a full feast. If some will not come, He will invite others. Heaven will not be a lonesome place, “that my house may be filled." Now the servant is sent “ into the highways and hedges,” - i. e., to the Gentiles (cf. Acts 13:46, 47; Rom. 11:11). For us today the lesson is, go to heathen larids, yes, and deso late places,at home. Our Lord in this para ble teaches us how to fill empty churches: go into the streets and lanes and bring in the poor, lame, blind, and maimed, and then go into the-highways and hedges. Among the poor and unfortunate, guests may always be found for God’s table (Mark 12:37; Luke 15:1). Constraint, i. e., earnest effort,, was -to be used in bringing them in (cf. 2 Cor. 5:20;. 6 :1 ; 2 Cor. 5:11; Col. 1 :28; 2 Tim. 4 :2 ). They would be reluc tant through a sense o f unworthiness, but need and a sense o f it constitute fitness for "a place at God’s table. Monday, January 10 . Luke 14 : 25 , 26 . W e see the immense popularity o f our Lord at this time in the multitudes- that went with Him, but‘the multitudes did not realize what was involved in .the true fol lowing o f Him. The sight o f the multitudes
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