The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-07-10
SUNDAY MEDITATION.


SUBJECT: /. CHRIST IS MORE TO Us THAN
sIoNs. ii. The BEING CHRISTIANS In
Wolves CosT AND TRIALS.
!. CHRIST IS ALLIN-ALL.
/. Data.
SITS. Matthews and Luke furnish us our state
ments. (See st. Matt, 81 and st. Luke,
IA %, 26.) Both wrote about A. ID. co. st.
Matthews at Rome and st. Luke at Achaia in
Greece.
Our Savior uttered the words which we now
study early in March, A. ID. 90, or about two or
three weeks prior to his death.
g. Place.
Jesus was going up to Jerusalem for his last
visit there. He went from Ephrou to Perea
and thence to Jercoh, and so OH to the Capital.
He was evidently somewhere on the highway
in his route. We may consider the place was
in Perea not far from Bethabara.
a. Speaker.
The author Of the words which composed
our paragraph for study was Christ. lie was
mighty in speech and deeds. He was an inter
esting Teacher. People loved to hear him.
They were in expectation of some great pOliti-
cal and ecclesiastical movements aud watched
eagerly every great character. Christ attracted
attention by miracles and some probably fol-
lowed him from selfish motives. he Was sure,
however, to mingle with ever wonderful per-
formance of his some essential religious in
struction.
5. Hearers.
Verso % of st. Lnko's account states, "there
went great mnltitudcs with him" Wherever
he wentjn public he drew great crowds about
himself. One such mass of people surrounded
him when he was passing along at certain
point on his FINAL journey to Jerusalem. They
indicated disposition to become his followers.
Christ was frank with them. They had no
thought of the destined tragic end of the life
OF Jesus. They did not comprehend the dan
gers, prosecutions, trials, deprivations sure to
be experienced by every person who adhered
to Christ or took up his cause. lie set them
right.
g. Christ is Supreme.
In st. Luke, II 26, we are taught 10 hate
our relatives and even ourselves in order to
love Christ. But ST. Matt, 10 81, gives US the
correct idea. We are taught that we must love
Christ in excess of all persons and things We
are to have in mind not so much love and hate
rs antitheses, but the rather comparative
degrees of love. We must give up anybody or
thing that. would get between Christ and us.
1t is better il necessary TO forsake ". so all
other beings and possessions than TO give up
Jesus. We must please God, even If We DO
obliged thereby to offend all our dearest
friends.
This fact Of precedence Of Christ is prefgured
by the law requiring priests not to leave their
sacerdotal duties even for the purpose of at
tending funerals Of fathers or mothers. LEV,
81 II, l2.) And Aaron was required to show
to the people, by not giving attentions to the
deceased bodies of his sons, Nudab aud Abihu,
that obligations to God are superior even to
natural, paternai affection. lLev., l0:2-17.J
When body of persons violate Gods laws
f,yar nts.tfs tn .gI tn MN ZH hem
without regard even to near relationship or
DEAFNESS of acquaintance. So God commanded
the Levitos to slay the worshipers of the golden
calf, not spRfing any one oct of personal, social
or domestic regard. Eek, 81 %, 27.l
Asaph allowed no one to occupy in his heart
place In advance OF God. (Ps, 49,; 20, 90
st. Paul puts everybody and thing at less
value than Christ. phil, 3:s.)
jesus left his Father in Heaven and Mother
on earth that he might save the lost.
Our relatives may mislead, but God never
WILL He is worthy our greater regard. tDeut.,
I3:6-11; Mic, 7:5, g. Christ stcketh closer
than brother Prov, 49, 2i.l Our Savior
loves us more than our mothers do or can. (ls.,
40; 49,
70 hate means simply to love less The He
brews put the thought thus. tSee Gen, 20: 30.
81, 3d. We know Jacob loved Leah. He hated
hor only in the sonse that he had greater atiec-
ton for Rachel. Compare Dent, 2l; I5-I7;
job, Z Is, 10; Fee. 9; 1913 Nal, l. 2. 3; ST.
John, II :25 Ro. o: 10; st. Matt, 6:2i; st.
Luke. 10: I3.)
There is nothing intrinsicaly wrong in
hatred. God is said to hate. tl;o, 9:I3.) So
Christ exhibited strong repugnanGy. (St.
Matt, IS: % LANCE said He who is not ca
pable of hating has never known love in its
full power"
Christ outranks all things. Make him first.
Seek not wealth for its own sake. (St. Matt,
q 49, Let earthly treasures be- incidental. So
love Christ that in 4 sense it may be said you
do not love earthly things 1 John, 2: I5.l DO
not fear enemies SO much you apprehend
Gods disapproyai. lSt. Luke, IL: 81 DO not
have SO much concern for mere bodily susten-
auce as for the Bread of life. lSt. John, :27.)
set your affections more on Heavenly than
| on worldly possessions. (COl., 3; - All these
references show that comparatively considered
Jesus IL superior to all and everything. seek
/ righteousness first.
| We know God does not wish US to hate any
| human being. tSee Eph., 6 ID; Col, 3 20
| st. Matt, -: 80; ST. john, 10: 81, 35)
| The fact we are TO hate ourselves rs required
| in st. Luke, Ii %. helps explain Christ's
meaning. Compare Eph., 3. %; Rev, 12:ll.l
We are to hate father, etc. only as they come
| into competition with our fealty to Christ. Ii
| they obstruct our way To salvation we must
treat them as We do beings or things which we
| hate, or which are hateful.
z. Suggestions.
1. Let us go to places where religion /.
| taught Crowd Gods houses of worship and
instruction. Let the mutitudes follow Christ
| (V. 25.)
| 2 Love father and mother and relatives but
never at the sacrifice OF your love for Christ
| You can do without the affection of associates
but you cannot compromise your loyalty Il
/ Christ. The more you love Christ the more
| you cultivate ths principle of love, and hence
! devout Christian can be more atlectionatS
| husband, parent, friend. than can a man un,
used TO the exercise OF love in tue highest pos
sible realm of affection.
g. Die if need be for Christ. When persecu
| tons against Christians ragged in the Neither
| lands, schOolmaster known as q follower d
| Jesus WAS led tn tho rack. He was plead with
To renounee his faith iii Christ aud thus save
his life for the sake of his wife, his children
his friends lie replied: Were the earth 4
globe of gold, and the stars all pearls and they
my own, | would give them all TO have my
wife and children with me, though must liy,
on bread ana water and in bondage vel
neither for life, nor children. nor wife, MOI
earth, nor stars, can l renOuuce Jesus, my Re
deemer"
4. Notice the bearing of this subject on mis-
sion work. In early days &c was not thought
we'll for women To be- missionaries and, hence
one, conscious OF duty To be Il missionary, fire.
auently denied himself domestic relations W.
have an illustration III the case of Henry Mar
tyn, showing the precedence in his heart o.
obeying Christ even if ut the expense of sup
pressing an ardent love for one whom no would
hive been glad to wed. The biographer o.
| A L., LII. a. Z