pirit, whom their enemies opposed and blasphemed, would speak through
them; he would teach them both how and what to say, vs. 11, 12. This
promise was not designed to encourage indolence or lack of possible
preparation, but to assure the Christian witness that a divine Presence
would ever give him needed wisdom and strength and grace.

It is a grave responsibility to testify for Christ, but it is the duty of
everyone who bears his name; and in this service he can be assured that
the influence will be measureless, the protection unfailing, the reward
heavenly, the sustaining grace divine.

10. A Warning Against Covetousness. Ch. 12:13-21

13 And one out of the multitude said unto him, Teacher, bid my
brother divide the inheritance with me. 14 But he said unto him,
Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? 15 And he said
unto them, Take heed, and keep yourselves from all covetousness:
for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things
which he possesseth. 16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying,
The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: 17 and
he reasoned within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I
have not where to bestow my fruits? 18 And he said, This will I
do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I
bestow all my grain and my goods, 19 And I will say to my soul,
Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine
ease, eat, drink, be merry 20 But God said unto him, Thou foolish
one, this night is thy soul required of thee; and the things which
thou hast prepared, whose shall they be? 21 So is he that layeth
up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

The parable of the Rich Fool was related by our Lord to teach that riches
neither form the real content nor assure the continuance of life, so that
it is the sheerest folly to seek for gold while forgetting God.

A man had come to Jesus with the request, "Teacher, bid my brother divide
the inheritance with me." The reply implied that the Master regarded his
work as spiritual, and that he was not willing to invade the sphere of
civil law or to usurp the place of regularly appointed authorities, "Man,
who made me a judge or a divider over you?"

Possibly this reply contains a message for the modern day and warns us
against confusing the functions of the Church with those of the State. The
sphere of the Church