The Pulpit Commentary — Luke — Volume 1 — Section 347

Ver. 31.-Service and sufficiency. It hae been mnch debated whether God ehonld be rPpreeented as the Sovereign or the Father of mankind. It has been but a foolish strife; it hae been another case in which both disputants have been right and both wrong. God is the Sovereign of the world, and a great deal more than that ; God is the Father of men, and a great deal beside. He is a royal Father, or a fatherly King. 'l'he Lord's Prayer might have taught us this: "Our Father ... thy kingdom come." God is to ue all and mncb more than all both these human relationships represent, only that one pre~ente him in one aspect and the other in another. Here Christ invitee us to think of him ae a Sovereign; and we look at- I. THE KINGDOM OF Goo, of which we may become citizens. "Seek ye [the citizen- ship of] the kingdom of God." Jesus Christ launched a perfectly new idea when he spoke of thie kingdom. In hie mind that was nothing less than a universal spiritual empire; a kingdom of peace, righteousness, and joy, wide as the world and lasting as time; a kingdom to be established without forming a regiment, or shaping a sword, or fashion- ing a crown ; a kingdom of God, in which all men of every land and tongue should own him as their rightful Sovereign, should cheerfully obey bis righteous laws, should dwell together in holiness and in love. II. THE ALLEGIANCE WHICH IS OUR SACRED DUTY. Christ summons DB to citizen- ship. He ea.ye imperatively, "Seek ye the kingdom;" and he bid~ ns seek entrance into it "rather" than pursue any earthly objects, rather than be anxiously concern- ing ourselves about temporal euppliee. He indicates that this is something which has the first claim on our thought and on our endeavour. And so, indeed, it has. For God is that King (1) without the exercise of whose sovereign power there would be no other kingdom, no subjects, no liberties, no riches, no honours, in fact, no being ; (2) to be disloyal to whom is the lowest depth of ingratitude, is the deliberate aban- donment of the most boun<len duty, the guilty severance of the most sacred tie. Being what he is to all men, and having done what he has wrought for all men, he rightly demands of us, through Jesus Christ, our fealty, our loyal service. To respond to this summons of the Saviour and to become citizens of the kingdom of God, we must offer him something more than tbe honour of the bended knee, or the tribute of the acclaim- ing voice, or the service of the dutiful hand; we must bring the homage of the reverent spirit, the affection of the loving heart, the submission of the acquiescent will. And out of this inward and spiritual loyalty will proceed the praises of the tongue and the obedience of the life. Seeking the kingdom means a real returning of soul unto God and a consequent devoting of the rest of our life to his service. III. CHRIST'S PROMISE OF SUFFICIENCY to all loyal subjects. "All these things shall be added unto you." It is well for the world that there is not attached to the service of Christ any very valuable and attractive treasures which are of this enrth. If there were, we should have the Church choked with insincere and worldly m.in,led members, paying ae little devotion as they thought necessary for as much enjoyment and pros- perity ae they could reap. Christ has mercifully saved us from this calamity; but he hae not found it needful to leave us without a provision for our need. 1. He has made present happiness an attendant upon virtue, and virtue is an appanage of piety. 2. But he has given ue a promise and a pledge in our text. He assures to those who enter his holy kingdom not, indeed, luxury, not a large measure of prosperity and eujoyment on an earthly ground, but sujficiene1;. They who yield themselves to him and who live in hie service may be well assured that they will want "no g,,od thing;" nothing thl\t would really make for their well-being will he withhold. AU resources are at his d;spc1al, and he will see that bis children are supplied. (1) Let none be kept out of the kingdom becauile they dread social or pecuniary evils; Go_d will shield nnd eave them. (2) Let none who are in the kingdom despond, though c1rcumst:moos are against them; at the right moment God will appear on their beb~f; "goodness and mercy will follow them all the days of their life," and attend them nght up to the gntos of the heavenly city.-C. 352 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE. [os, 11:11. 1-59,