Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1899-01-04
CHRISTIAN ENDEANOK.
Topic For the week beginning Jan.
S-Comment by Rev. =. IL. Doyle.

Tonic For the week BEG ginning Jan.
S-Comment by Rev. =. II. Doyle.
ToPIc.-A precious invitation --Math. xi,
25-30.-"Come unto me, all ye that labor and
are heavy laden, and viii give you rest
Math. XII %.
This is the most precious of all
Christ's invitations but much of the
richness of it is lost because it is taken
apart from its surroundings. To proper
~ understand it we must have pic
ture of the entire chapter before us. Up
to this point, by the record of Matthew,
Christ's life has been fairly successful
but now the tide turns. The doubt of
John, the unreasonableness of humani-
ty, the unbelief of favored cities now
thrust themselves upon Him, but still
His heart is touched by their great
need, their vain and unsatisfactory
efforts to save themselves, and in spite
of doubt, unreasonableness and unbe
lief, He invites them to come to Him
for rest. Notice:
J. The Inviter. The one who gives
this great invitation, containing such
precious promise, is Jesus Christ, the
Son of God. Come to Me-, He says,
land will give you rest" We want
two characteristics in one who makes
us precious promise, (1) the ability to
fulfill it and (2) the willingness to full
fill it. Either without the other makes
the promise of no value. Christ possesses
both. AS the Son of God He has the
power, and, being divine, He must have
the willingness. Divinity could not be
faithless to a promise. We can accept
this invitation therefore with confident
assurance, because of the character of
the one who gives it, that the promise
it contains will be fulfilled.
2. The Invited. They are those who
labor aid are neavy laden There are
three such classes in the world. l.
Those who are physically weary and
heavy laden, Worn out by the tolls and
burdens of life 2. Those who are
mentally heavy laden; borne down
mentally by the failures disappoint-
ments and affections of life. 8. Those
who are spiritually weary and heavy
laden, who are not at peace with God /;
whose consciences are i'll at ease, who
are seeking spiritual rest, but do not
find it. Christ addresses the third class
here. He speaks to those who are bur-
dened with sin and wearied with false
conceptions of religion. Their religious
life is unsatisfactory. 1t does hot bring
peace to their souls.
3. The Invitation. The promise con-
tanned in the invitation is rest" not
physical or mental, but spiritual rest.
'Ye shall find rest unto your souls" 1t
is soul rest that is promised, but soul
rest insures to large extent physical
and mental rest Sin Is the cause of the
rnrest of the world. Make the soul at
ace with God and physical and men
/ burdens largely lose their burden
menesS
To have this promise fulfilled in us
we must take Christ as cur religious
Leader and Guide. We must follow
Him and obey Him. We must take His
yoke upon US. but it is easy twhole-
some), and His burden is light because
it is labor of love. If weary and heavy
laden, let us accept this great and pre-
cious invitation.
Bible Readings. lisa. j, 1920; ",
lib; Jer. vi, 16; Math xix, 1922;
xxi, l-14; XIV, 34-46; Mark i. 1913;
x, 17-22; Luke XIV, 11-24; John X, 10 :;
xiv, II; Acts vii, Ia; Gal. Vi, 9;
John v, 3; Rev. xxi, II.