Sermons on Biblical CharactersChappell, Clovis Gillham
Religion
Sermons on Biblical Characters
Chappell, Clovis Gillham
Bible -- Biography; Sermons, American -- 20th century
Why then did the Master label him with this ugly name? It was not
because he had a prejudice against him. Jesus was no soured
misanthrope. He was no snarling cynic. He did not resent a man just
because he had made a success. He was not an I. W. W. growling over
real or fancied wrongs. No, the reason that Jesus called him a fool is
because no other name would exactly fit him.
It is well, however, that the Master labeled this picture. Had He not
done so you and I might have been tempted to put the wrong label on it.
We might have labeled it "The Wise Man," or some such fine name. But
had we done so it would have been a colossal blunder. Had we done so I
am persuaded that the very fiends would have howled with derisive
laughter. For when we see this man as he really is, when we see him
through the eyes of Him who sees things clearly, then we realize that
there is only one name that will exactly fit him. Then we know that
that one name is the short ugly one by which he is called--"Fool."
But why is he a fool? In what does his foolishness consist? Certainly
it does not consist in the fact that he has made a success. He is not
a fool simply because he is rich. The Bible is a tremendously
reasonable book. It is the very climax of sanity. It is the acme of
good common sense. It never rails against rich men simply because they
are rich. It no more does that than it lauds poor men because they are
poor. It frankly recognizes the danger incident to the possession of
riches. It makes plain the fact that the rich man is a greatly tempted
man. But never is he condemned simply because he is rich.
The truth of the matter is that riches in themselves are counted
neither good nor bad, neither moral nor immoral. The Bible recognizes
money as a real force. What is done with this force depends upon the
one who controls it. Money is condensed energy. It is pent-up power.
It is lassoed lightning. It is a Niagara that I can hold in my hand
and put into my pocket. It is a present day Aladdin's lamp. If I
possess this lamp a million genii stand ready to do my bidding.
Whatever service I demand, that will they do, whether that service look
toward the making of men or the wrecking of men.
In case I live for self they are able to assist me in all my selfish
enterprises. They can provide a winter palace in the city and a summer
palace in the mountains or down by the sea. They can adorn my walls
with the choicest of paintings. They can put the finest of carpets
upon my floors. They can make possible tours abroad and private boxes
at the theatre. They can search the treasure houses of the world and
bring to me their rarest jewels. They can give me a place among the
select four hundred, with whole columns about myself in the society
page of the Metropolitan Daily.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account