THE KING’S BUSINESS
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.(Ch. 23:34; Rom. 5 :6-8-10). This is the law, of- Christ’s Kingdom regarding ene mies; and in the power of the Spirit it is possible to keep it. Curses are to be re turned with blessings, insults with prayers. Our Lord meant us to take this literally. Happy is 'the man who does. Non-resist ance to personal injuries is our Master’s method (Ch. 23:64; John 18:22; 1 Peter 2: 21-23). As to our rights; God will look after them. Our only concern should be obedi ence to His Word. To every one that asks we should give. They may not be worthy, indeed they may be rank frauds, that mat- ters not, we are children of One who is kind “to the unthankful and unholy.” But it is to be carefully noted that Jesus does not say “give to everyone that asketh.ffie very thing he asks." Some say we should take it lit erally, and so\we should, but if we take it literally, let us take it literally, really liter ally, just as it says. While ,we should be careful not to fall short of what is written, we should also be careful not to go beyond what is written. That Jesus did not mean that in every case we should give everyone just what he asks, is evident from the reason He gives for the commandment, viz., “And ye shall be sons of the Most High” (v. 35). But the Most High does not give us every thing we ask for. He does give to everyone that asketh (Matt. 7:8), but what He gives to them that ask Him is “good things” (Matt. 7:11). Although oftentimes what men ask of us seems good to them, it is not really good“ for them, e. g.-, money that would be spent in buying whiskey is not a good thing to give, but we should give to every asker, even the unthankful and un worthy. Monday, November 8. Luke 6 :31-38. To sum up all that has been said about loving our enemies, and praying for them that despitefully use us, and not resisting those who would do us evil, and giving to everyone that asks; whatsoever we desire that other men should do to us, that is what we should do to all others. Notice carefully that this precept of our Lord is not merely
Kingdom of God (Ch. 8:24).' Those who are hungry and unsatisfied with what they get from this world will be filled with the higher good: of the kingdom. Those ,who now weep because of earthly sorrow will'; soon laugh because of heavenly consolation. Persecution in all its varied forms- is not something that we should grieve over, but something that should lead us to rejoice, yes, to “leap for joy;” ,for this persecution only means that great reward is being pre pared for us in heaven. How little most of us realize this when the hour of persecution really comes. In verses 24 to 26 we find words of warning to the rich and popular. Jesus goes on to call those unfortunate whom the world calls happy. The rich have had their good ’things in this life, but in the next life, the life that never ends, while the' poor are comforted they will be tormented (cf. Luke 16:25). If one has the misfortune to be rich now, the Bible plainly tells him how to prevent the doom of riches (1 Titus 16:10; Luke 18:22; Acts 4:2), To be full now means to be empty hereafter, and worldly laughter means eternal grief. We all naturally long for the applause of all our fellowmen, but Jesus says, woe to us when we get it. The fact that the world applauds us proves that we are not right with God. A God-hating world will not applaud one who is at one with the God it hates ( John 15:19, 20). The whole sermon is intro duced by a very graphic touch: “He lifted up His eyes on His disciples.” Evidently Luke got his account from some eye witness who never forgot the scene. Sunday, November 7. Luke 6 :27-30. Jesus begins this section of His sermon by saying; “I say unto you which hear." Not all that were listening to Him really heard, and today not all that read His Word really see. , “Love your enemies,” says Jesus. That command was not original with Jesus (Ex. 23:4, 5; Job 31:29-31; Ps. 7:4; Prov. 27:17; 25:21, 22)', but it came from Jesus’ lips with new definiteness, new meaning, new power. It had in His own life its own most wonderful exemplification
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