SUNDAY READING.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 16521, 23 August 1919, Page 9

SUNDAY READING.

A sermon proa died in trie AV hit cloy Memorial Church by the itov. J. Napier Milne. THE DEVIL’S “IF.” Matt. 4. 2-7; “And the tempter came and said unto Him, If . . .” “AVhen the tempter came to Him.” AVo marvel that the tempter should «imc to Him at all. He was the Son of God before all worlds. From the commencement to the, close of His earthly career Ho could stand amongst His fellows with the tearless challenge upon His lips, “Which of you convinccth mo of sin?” - In His nature was no combustible material ready to Haro fort It at. the touch of temptation. There are moral struggles for which men are themselves responsible. They pursue them out of the past, they are tho results of old indulgences, the penalties of previous defeats. But no shame of ignoble compromise or of haunting guilt rested upon the spirit of Jesus. Ho was without spot or blemish or any such thing. Tho Prince of this world came and had nothing in Him.

In wli.it spnso then, yon may ask. did His temptations partake of tiio nature of reality? Since evil was not attractive to Him. how could he bo said to have gone into the battle? Was His encounter in the wilderness nothing more than a sham fight? Ido not think so. A thing may he morally wrong and yet present and promise advantages wiiich may appeal strongly to the sajntliest of men. A godly merchant, for example, sees that if only ho will lower his flag a little he may bo-

come wealthy in a very short time. Ho would like to become wealthy for right ends. Ho thinks of the added comforts ho might bestow on his dear ones, and the many benevolences ho might practice if only he had money. Hut, as tho prics of material affluence, in this instance, means the loss of honour, ho determines that- material affluence at such a coat will never ho his so long as the world standeth. Docs that illustration help us faintly to understand honour Lord could bo tempted? He could not- hut seo tho advantages of the courses suggested to His mind. He was an hungered and craved for food. By turning stones into bread Ho would save a valuable life—His own. Ho desired that people should be convinced that He was indeed tho Son of God, tho Saviour of the world. By showing that the .Father took care of Him al-

ways and in everything, he could successfully achieve this end. lie longed to win the, kingdoms for Him Who was King over all. By adopting a policy of popularity it could be done without the shedding of a single tear or tho expenditure- of one drop of blood. Ho felt the attractions of the advantages proffered; Ho resisted the God-dishon-ouring methods.

The tomptor came to Him, tho evangelist tells us, alter Ho had fasted forty days and forty nights. Tho whole period was ono of severe strain, but it was not till Ho was faint with long abstinence that He was -assailed with the temptation to turn stones into broad. The- devil trades upon our weakness. Ho looks round tho city of Mansoul to seo if there- bo any unguarded place. Nor all the King’s horses, nor all the King’s men would induce some of you to tako strong drink. There is no craving in your nature for wine. You have always done without it, and, convinced that it is a cause of widespread misery and evil, you mean always to do without it. But perhaps you want to bo somebody in society. You will be tempted to'put on airs. You will bo tempted to put on and display. Or you arc ambitious to be ncff._ Honey is very attractive to you. What you have to fear is that you shall be wheedled into doing something very mean or low-down m tho name of thrift or of business; what you have to fear is that you shall bo tempted to donate for benevolent and religious purposes a mere pittance where you ought to give with a largo and a liberal hand.

Yes, tho tempter slinks out of sight in my moments of strength, when tho light of tho other land js on my face and tho joy of Heaven is in my heart. Ho comes to me when I am lonely and weary and depressed; when things have gone wrong in the homo, when trade is dull and money scarce, when, instead of appreciation I receive only ingratitude, criticism and unkindness. If I will but listen ho promises to show mo the easy way out of it all. The coward! •and yet wo often treat him like a gentleman, giving full and due consideration to Ids ignoble suggestions. The tempter came and said “If . . .” “Beware of tho temptation,” says ono, “which comes with an ‘if’ in its mouth.” “If Thou bo the Son of God, command that these stones become broad.” “If Thou bo tho Son of God, cast Thyself down.” “Suspicion may bo the beginning of ruin. Suspect your sonsbip and you aro undone at once. For a moment begin to wonder if you are. really a child of Cod and tho battle is half-won by the enemy.” Times of lowheartcdncss come to ns all, but onr divine relationship is not a. question of the barometer. The Ancient of Days does not change with the weather. Tho mountain mist may invade your homes, but it cannot sap their foundations. . When tho air has cleared again every stick and every stone and every star and every tree and every blade of grass will bo found in its place.

It was a subtle temptation with which our Lord was assailed. It appealed to immediate necessity. Around Him were lying plentiful fragments of limestone. YVby should He not convert one of them into a loaf? It was scarcely in keeping with His dignity as tho Son of God that He should he on tho point of starving. With such powers as Ho possessed, to experience tho pangs of hunger were surely ignoble. What would become of His work if Ho allowed Himsolf to perish for lack of fond ? _ In tho old time before Hi.s Incarnation, God had frequently preserved the life of His people by miracle,. If ever circumstances justified a miracle did they not justify a miracle now? Observe the innocence, even tho benevolence of tho temptation. Hunger is not wrong. It may lead to sin, but it is a natural craving ,-hich asserts it- ; sell irrespective ot all considerations. It was most desirable that Christ should live and do the Messiah’s work. Y\ r as over barbed hook more skilfully baited? Our Lord’s answer tears away the tempting morsel and discloses the sharp catching points. “Man shall not live by bread alone but by every

word that, proceeded! out of the mouth of God." The words do not mean primarily that we have needs other than those of the body, .although that of course is true; they mean that the continuance of life ultimately depends upon the Divine will. hood or no food, unless God says that we are to live, wc shall die. We are not hero because wc. have our four good meals a, day 7; wo are here because our breath is in our nostrils and God Himself keeps it there. “ I'ho tempter came to- Him and said; If Thou art the .Son of God. cast Thyself down: for it is written "lie shall give His angels charge concerning Thro: And on their hands they shall boar Thee up. lost Imply Thou dash Thy foot against a stone.” The war was not ended by one victory. In imagination Jesus was led to the Holy City and pen-bed upon a lofty parapet of the Temple. He pictured Himself leaping from the giddy height and falling unharmed amidst the gaping, won-

doring multitudes that thronged the sacred courts. Had not God promised to intervene? Would not- unseen hands guide Him in safety to tho ground ? And what a. proof if would bo of Hi.s

.Messiahship So prodigious a sign would compel conviction and draw forth delighted Hosannahs both from priests and people. I bid you recall the fact that it was an age that itched for miraculous display. The popular expectation concerning the Christ looked for the performance of dazzling wonders. Why should not the .Master dare the danger to which Ho was invited? Surely Cod would come- to tho rescue with a mighty hand and a stretched-out arm. Our Lord resisted the temptation for two reasons. First, the idea of achieving a success by moans of spectacular display was abhorrent to Him. A gaping wonder could be no substitute for tho faith Ho was anxious to inspire. And Ho refused to be regarded as a more miracle monger. Second, lie discerned in the temptation an appeal to presume upon the Almighty, (in attempt to force God into situations which ought never to be created, an opportunity of getting the Eternal to come forth and show what His promises meant.

The devil cited Scripture for His purpose, but Ho omitted the very important clause, “to keep ihco in all thy ways.” Had our Lord flung Himself needlessly into tho danger, He would have been going out of tho ways in which the Divine protection is promised, and His campaign ns Captain of our salvation would have been commenced by an act of rebellion. “It is written again,” 'said Jesus. Y'on can prove almost anything from the Bible if you fake a snippet from a passage bore and a snippet from a passage there. Ono scripture must be read in the light of corresponding scriptures, or yon may miss tho whole meaning of tho Divine revelation. It is written, and, it is written again, and the two writings must ho intelligently and critically compared. “It- is written again, Thou shah not tempt the Lord Thy God.” Thou shah not presume to make experiments with 'the Most High. Thou shah not run into clangor for tho purpose of testing the. Divine deliverance. Thou shah not get into debt thinking that God will have an opportunity of magnifying Hi.s mercy and will got one of Hi.s saints to pay that debt. Thou shalt not put thyself into foolish situations expecting tho Infinite Bower to free thee from it by a miracle. If you perform acrobatic feats, if you tako the leap without tho Divine permission, you will be I dashed to pieces on tho Temple pave- I ment. “Thou shalt not tempt the Lord | Thv God.” |

YVork out your own salvation as though everything depended upon you. Do not look for an effortless success. A little girl had boon naughtv after the manner of children. Towards bedtime she became very repentant and m her prayers earnestly asked Jesus to help her always to do what was right. On rising from her knees she said to her mother, “Now, Mother dear, I have asked Jesus to make me a good girl, and we’ll just wait till to-morrow and see what He can do.” Not the theology of tho Bible, I fear. The whole responsibility was to be laid on Jesus. But bow frequently wc, who cannot plead tho oxenset of the child, fall into tho same mischievous error. YVo pray to be kept from sin, and then allow ourselves to bo led where sin is sure to lind us. YVo desire to be delivered from evil and then deliberately march right up to its palaces and its gates. YVo fail to resist tho devil and theii blame God for not making us good. YVo run our head against a and then wonder why it is not softened into a pillow or a cloud. “Thou shalt not tempt the Lord Thy God,” but lovo Him and trust Him and co-operate with Him and bo as little trouble to Him as you possibly can. “Me shall give His angels charge concerning thee | to keep thee in all thy ways.” It is a i precious promise, but, mind you are not prosumpuous. “Thou shalt' not tempt the Lord, thy God.”