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THE KING ’S BUSINESS
hast thou stoned the coffee?” “Yea, fath er.” “Hast thou sanded the sugar?” “Yea, -father.” “Then come in and have pray ers.” Or the farmer whose son said, “Fath er, if you’ll let me have your corn-cribs I’ll answer ydur prayers.” (2) By showing him the true and good way. "Give alms” —Would giving alms jus tify and amend for fraud? Many beside multi-millionaires seem to think so .. But Christ can countenance no charity that does not spring from charity; and charity would first make restitution and perpetrate no frauds. All things are clean to the clean (Titus 1:15). The most scrupulous per formance (v. 41) of the forms of worship and morality cannot cleanse the heart or commend it to God; while justice, “the square deal,” honesty nad sincerity are ignored. The minutest duties should be observed, but cannot be regarded by God where "the. weightier matters” are disre garded by man. Though clean without how mean within! The Pharisee with arrogant pride accepted the undeserved applause of the deceived public, and haughtily sought and assumed the honors which consciously he did not deserve. “ Woe” to such. Stripped of their trappings what mean, shivering little souls would teem about us! Under the X-ray of the all-seeing Eye what rotting bones, and running ulcers are momentarily ex posed. What dead, mortifying corpses are under the decorations of the social, com mercial, and political cemetery of this world!
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By Warning Him. “ Woe unto you.” —Proud sham shall ,be shamed. Water cannot quench the fire preparing for such men (Matt. 25:4). Washing cannot save from burning. What is not cleansed by water must be purged by fire—“unquench able” because such fuel, such guilt, is eter nal. And this also—this warning, was to save His host. III. T he L awyers . - 1. “ The Shoe Fits.” A lawyer, an ex pounder of the law, said, “Master, thus saying thou reproachest us also.” “ Us also” —his conscience responded. “Reproach est" —but not in penitence, or he would not have accused the Lord of reproach, .but have humbly accepted the reproof. A way convicted but unconverted sinners have. Now this "us also” —what do you say to it? 2. The Lawyers? Sin. Like the Phari sees’, with this added, that they were also teachers of the law, who added to it (Deut. 4:2; Rev. 22:18). Like all legalists to this day they laid burdens in the road, blocking the gate to the kingdom of grace, nor lent a finger to them themselves. They preached to others— they did not practice what they preached (Rom. 2:17-23). “ Woe un to you .” “ Truly ye bear 'Witness” —The fathers killed the prophets, the lawyers built their (the prophets’) sepulchres. Thus the later generation justified the martyrs and condemned their persecutors; and in turn, persecuting the true, condemned them selves to be condemned by future genera tions.
LESSON VIII.—February 22.— T rust D estroying F ear . —Luke 12-1-12 G olden T ext : Every one who shall confess me before men, him shall) the Son of Man also confess before the angels of God.— Luke 12:8. I. P lain P reaching .
home on the sinner, even a “ruler of the synagogue” ; unmasked hypocrites. It made sinners angry and drew . the crowd. He preached “all the counsel of God” (Acts 20:2). Not to draw crowds hut to deal truly. Doubtless “with tears,” in voice if not eyes (Acts 20:31). Such preaching draws, but is fitting only in the mouths of such preachers.. The man who “plays
1. Our Lord’s Rest Day. Preaching at Synagogue, teaching at dinner, meeting an “innumerable multitude” after noon. His rest was service. It is right to serve on the Sabbath, The Sabbath rest is rest from self. 2. The ' Lord Preaching. Plain talk; called things by their names; charged sin
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