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THE KING ’S BUSINESS
4. The Future Vindication. This is the great cure. Keep the eye on it. Confess Christ; Christ of. the cross; Christ of the old Gospel; Christ the world, and much of the Church, and all of the hypocrites reject. ‘‘First of all, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees.” A true Christian will be a true man. Confess Christ openly, honest ly now, and He will confess you then.
When He comes He comes in bright array And leads- the glorious line, It will be glory then to say, “And He’s a friend of mine.” And oh the bliss in that glad day, In His clear light to shine; While all the world shall hear H im say, “This is a friend of Mine.”
LESSON IX .—March 1. — T rusting in R iches , and T rusting in G od .— Luke 12:13-34. G olden T ext : Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. —Luke 12:34. I. J esus A siced to A rbitrate a C laim to P roperty — vs. 13-15.
the rich, fool’s (1) Plenty; (2) Perplex ity; (3) Plans; (a) for his goods; (b) for his soul; (4) his Prospect. Then (1) How God cut off.his prospect; (2) checkmated 'his plans; (3) and disposed of his goods. S econd : (1) His folly; (2) his sin; (3) his fate. 2. Comment, (a) His folly was in sup posing (1) That his soul could be satisfied with stuff and stuffing; (2) That ease was compatible with the care of abundance; (3) that since he had much he would also have many years; (4) because he failed to get good out of his goods by doing good, which is the only good that gives ease to the soul and transmits “goods” to the ever lasting storehouses. (b ) PIis sin was that he left God out of consideration, either as the Source, the Guardian, or the End of his wealth. He was a practical if not a theoretical atheist. He laid all stress on the personal and possessive pronouns—“I” and “my.” Six times (and that is the number of man—Dan. 3 :1; Rev. 13:18) he said "I.” Four times (and that is the number of the Earth (Isa. 11:12; Rev. 7:1) he says “my.” Yet the parable does not say he produced anything, .but “ his ground brought forth abundantly.1’ A .‘[rich man” he had wrought not with his own hands but his hired hands. Day by day they had toiled, day -.md night God had wrought; from the time He gave “seed to the sower,” until He gave “meat to the eater.” (c) FIis fate . Inexpressibly sad. His “soul,” the only thing that seem ed his own, was suddenly “ required” of
" One of the company,” —It is always so, sublimest discourse on heavenly themes can not displace men’s earthly schemes. This man planned during sermon to get this influential young Rabbi to arbitrate his bus iness with his. brother. The best use men find with Christ and Christianity is to pro mote earthly conditions. Even the I. W. W. quotes Christ when it comes to dividing the inheritance. “ Who made me a judge or a divider over you?"— He does not say that He is not such, but evidently declined to act as such .in that time and case. The way Christ now adjusts such claims is by a change in heart, —so that brothers- cease to demand, or haste to divide, of their own good will. Praise Him—our Brother shares (Rom. 8:17). "Covetousness” —A fearful sin; common as fearful; type of all sin, “I had not known sin except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet’’i-(Rom. 7:7; 1 Tim. 6:10). “Covet ousness is idolatry;” is .“not to be named .among saints,” “No covetous man has any inheritance with Christ.” “ A man’s life consisteth not in the abun dance of things he possesseth.” —Then many fail to apprehend life’s meaning. The ideal of a successful life taught to the boys and sought by the men is to attain material abundance. II. T he .P arable of the R ich F ool . 1. Outline. F irst : We might consider
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