30 October

Bible in 365 Days

Luke 14-16

Luke 14

Nothing escaped the notice of Jesus. He saw the guests in the house, and their method of procedure in seeking the chief seats. As He watched, He enunciated two great truths of social application. First, He criticized those seeking precedence; and, second, He criticized a hospitality which was extended in the hope of recompense.

One of the guests, moved by the word of the Master, exclaimed, "Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the Kingdom of God." In the parable that followed, the Lord revealed the divine action in the establishment of His Kingdom, and showed the reluctance of the human heart to fulfill its condition.

When Jesus left the house where He had been entertained, He was followed by great multitudes, to whom He uttered, perhaps in words severer than on any other occasion, His terms of discipleship. These were severance from every earthly tie in order to follow Him, and an actual fellowship in the Cross. This was the occasion, moreover, on which He gave the reason for that severity. It was that the work of God which He had come to accomplish was building and battle. It was necessary that He have those on whom He could depend to complete the building and win the battle.

Luke 15

Our Lord's attitude toward the sinning multitudes aroused the hostility of the Pharisees, and to them principally He uttered the great discourse of this chapter, consisting of a threefold parable. In its entirety it constitutes a wonderful revelation of the divine heart.

In the first phase, that of the Shepherd, the aspect of grace in the work of the Son is revealed. In the second, the aspect of grace is revealed in the work of the Spirit. The third phase of the parable necessarily unveils the heart of the Father. It shows unending love for the sinner following him to the far country, waiting for his homecoming, and then shining out in the welcome. The divine love is the theme throughout. Love goes to the wilderness. Love continues to seek. Love welcomes home.

The story ends with the account of one of whom we ever speak as the elder brother. It is at least significant that he is not called so in the narrative. The prodigal is spoken of as brother to this man, but he is ever called the "elder son." His attitude forfeited his right to be called a brother. Nevertheless, his story reveals the possibility of living in the father's house and failing to understand the father's heart. This was the failure which characterized those who criticized the work of our Lord.

Luke 16

The Master had a lesson to teach His disciples on the subject of earthly wealth, and He made use of this unjust steward for purposes of illustration only. The element in the action of the steward which our Lord commended was of foresight and singleness of aim. It was in this connection that He uttered the memorable words, "Ye cannot serve God and Mammon." The whole force, of course, is on the word "serve." When God is served, Mammon is used beneficently. When Mammon is served, the claims of God are ignored.

In this same connection our Lord gave the account of the life and death of two men, throwing clear light on the life beyond. That is seen as connected with, and growing out of, the life here. It is of great importance that it follows closely the teaching concerning Mammon. One of the most radiant of its lessons is that if a man have wealth it is a positive sin for him to use it for his own luxury and ease and remain unmindful of the want and needs that lie at his very gate. Money possessing a man is the direst curse, for it hardens his heart and paralyzes his noblest powers. The money of a God-possessed man is a blessing, for it becomes the means of expressing his sympathy with his fellows.