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T HE K I N G ’S B U S I N E S S
QUESTIONS (1) Did th e Pharisees desire to honor Jesus? (Luke 11:37) (2) W hat was in th e h earts of the Pharisees? (Luke 11:44-45) (3) Did Jesus sometimes answer a question by asking another? (Matt. 21:23-27) (4 ) W hat practical lesson did Jesus teach concerning hum ility? (Prov. 25:6, 7) (5) W hat is the precedent of honor? (Prov. 15:33) (6) Does God despise hum an pride? (1 Pet. 5 :5 ) (7) Is th e re any special v irtu e in retu rn in g compliments? (Matt. 5:46-47) (8 ) W hat should our a ttitu d e be towards th e needy? (Rom. 12:13-16) (9) W hat blessed promise is th e re for those who m inister to th e needy? (Isa. 58:7, 8) Hum ility or meekness is the opposite of pride. “Meekness" comes from a He brew word meaning “ broken,” broken in spirit and in h eart. “Hum ility” comes from a L atin word DEVOTIONAL m e a n i n g “ the COMMENT ground,” or near Dr. P . W. F a rr. th e ground. The violet is the sym bol of meekness among th e flowers be cause it is so n ear the ground. The poet F aber sings, “The violet in the mossy wood Scarce bends its plian t form , While overhead the autum nal wood Is thund ering in th e storm .” Throughout th e Scriptures a pre mium is placed on meekness and pen alties are pu t on pride. Unto th e meek th e promise is given th a t they shall be guided in judgm ent and ta u g h t the way of th e Lord. Psalm 25:9. The engrafted word is to be received w ith meekness. Jas. 1:21. Those who oppose th e tru th are to be instructed in meekness. 2 Tim.
Jesus follows the parable w ith a wholesome message to th e host, and a •valuable lesson for us all. This mes sage is a body blow to th e waste of w ealth in our social customs and func tions. The everlasting round of din n ers which demand more dinners, and still m ore dinners creates a system of robbery for which the participants have to pay a heavy price. Remember Jesus is now a guest and does not mean to deny th e pleasure of social gatherings, b u t is making a com parison between w hat is good and what is best. There is a delightful m inistry fo r believers in friendly fellowship, bu t functions designed for th e display of furnishings and food, to be retu rn ed by a like display are w hat th e Lord is warning us against. Why waste th e tim e and means for a re tu rn ticket? Why no t en tertain some who can never re tu rn th e compli ment? Why not remember the poor? The Lord is evidently speaking of those social customs of which the foundations are laid in selfishness. Why does th e Lord leave th e poor amongst us? Is it to te st us? Is it to prove us? Is it to give us an oppor tu n ity to m inister? The poorest people in th e world are the sp iritually poor. W hat an opportunity we have for min istry! (John 12:8 f. c.) “F o r th e p o o r a lw a y s y e h a v e w ith y o u .” W hat a solemn tru s t is this,— the Bread of Life, th e W ater of Life, th e Milk of the Word, th e Cream of which is th a t our Lord has prom ised to come again and ta k e us to Himself, a t the resurrection of th e ju st— th e first resu r rection. (Rev. 20:6) “B lesse d a n d h o ly is b e th a t b a th p a r t In th e firs t r e s u rre c tio n ; o n su c h th e se c o n d d e a th h a th n o p o w e r, b u t th e y s h a ll b e p r ie s ts o f G od a n d o f C h rist, a n d s h a ll r e ig n w ith h im a th o u s a n d y e a rs .” (1 Cor. 15:23) “B u t e v e ry m a n in h is o w n o rd e r; C h rist th e firs t f r u its ; a f te r w a r d th e y th a t a re C h rist’s a t h is com in g .” Let us pass th e cream!
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