THE KING’ S BUSINESS
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vant sought to Cast the blame for his failure upon the King Himself, and just so the sinner’s excuses always,condemn God. This man’s excuse did not decrease, but aug mented his guilt, and the sinner’s excuses always increase his guilt. It was a das tardly charge that he laid at His Lord’s door, but men dare repeat it today. He was judged-“ out o f his own mouth.” The sinner’s excuses always condemn himself. The king called him “wicked s e r v a n t h e had regarded himself as simply unfortu nate. The pound that he would not use he lost. I f we use our gifts we will get even greater, if we do not use them we will lose even that which we have. The judgment o f the open enemies was terrific, and the judgment upon Christ’s open enemies at His coming will be terrific (2 TheSs. 1 .7-9). God bears long with His enemies but He will not bear forever. Men are saying today, “W e will not have this man reign over us,” but they must have Him reign In the account as given by Matthew (Matt. 21:1-17) the entering into Jerusa lem and the cleansing o f the temple seem at first sight to have occurred on the same day, but from the account as given in Mark we find that the entry into Jerusalem occurred on Saturday, and the cleansing o f the temple on Sunday. By a comparison o f all the accounts o f all the events o f the last week o f our Lord’s life, we find the entry into Jerusalem could not have occur red on Sunday, and therefore the celebra tion o f- Palm Sunday is founded upon a mistake. It was a trying errand upon which Jesus sent these two disciples. It was a trial o f their faith, but they proved them selves to be disciples indeed by doing pre cisely what the Master told them to do. Doing what our Lord Jesus commands us to do is the supreme test o f discipleship (John 15:14). It was no very great thing that they were commanded to do in this instance, but it is in the little things that our surrender to His will is tested. Though over them or “perish.” Wednesday, February 16 . Luke 19 : 28 - 35 .
a small thing, it required faith in this case to do just as they were bidden. Luke tells us they found everything just as Jesus said (v. 32). We always will find it just as He says if we obey Him. What He says may seem improbable, as in this case, but it always comes out exactly as predicted. The reply that they were instructed to give to any one who questioned their action, “The Lord hath need o f him,” was very brief but very much to the point. The fact that the Lord hath need o f anything is sufficient reason for giving it' to Him. The owner must have been a disciple indeed, as he unquestionably sent him at once when he knew the Lord needed him. Many pro fessed Christians today are not willing to hand over to the Lord anything and every thing He may need. The disciples proved their wisdom by not trying to improve on the Lord s answer when they were ques tioned, but by saying exactly what they had been bidden to say (cf. vs. 31-34). The average disciple is not so wise today; he seeks to improve upon his Lord’s words. Their casting o f their own garments upon the colt for Jesus to sit upon was a procla mation that they themselves accepted Him as King (cf. 2 Kings 9:13). Thursday, February 17 . Luke 19 : 36 - 40 . We pass here from the disciples to the crowd (cf. Mark 11:8). They too, wel comed Jesus as the Messiah, but they did not understand Him. They were unintel ligent in their devotion and so it was short lived. Little dependence is to be placed on popular enthusiasm. The same crowd who we see here crying “ Blessed is the King that cometh in the name o f the Lord,” in a few days will shout themselves hoarse crying, “ Crucify Him, crucify Him.” It sometimes seems as if we would like to have been there to have part in the enthu siasm, but there is coming another day o f permanent triumph and we can have part in that, and until that glad day comes we can in testimony and song pave His way before Him. Such a demonstration as is recorded here would greatly shock some
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