Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1900-04-25
CHRISTIAN ENDEAyOR.
Topic For the Week Beginning April
2eComment by Rev. $. ii. Doyle.


2a-Comment by Rev. $. ii. Doyle.
ToPIc.-what is Gods due ?-Luke Xxx. 1926
us 1t lawful for us to give tribute
unto Caesar or nog' With this ques-
ton the Pharisees sought to entrap
the Saviour. If He said Yes" they
would charge Him before the people
with being against them and an ennis
sary of the Roman government. If
He said No" they would inform on
Him and have Him accused of dis
loyalty to the government But, as
ever. He defeated their plans. Asking
for penny, a Roman coin containing
Caesars image, He inquiries. Whose
image and super.cription hath itT'
They answer, Caesars. Render.
therefore" He replies, unto Caesar
the things which be Caesars and unto
God the things which be Gods" OBJ
legations are owed to Caesar represent
ing human government. and these obli-
cations should be fulfilled. But be-
yoll them are moral and religious OBJ
LEGATIONS which belong to God. These
dents should be paid to God, There
is no conflict in the obligations. a
Ian should he both pious and patriot
ic. salat and a citizen. He should
be loyal to God. who alone is king in
tie moral world, and to Cesar, who is
king in the secular world.
Since we should render unto God the
things that are Gods, it Is very natural
10 inquire; What are tie things of God?
What is Gods due? Ii is impossible
for us to estimate what we owe God.
His gifts to US are so numerous and so
valuable that we cannot compute that
which We owe to Him for them or
what is due from US TO God in consid
Among many things:
|. We owe God a debt of gratitude.
All His gifts are mercies to us. They
are absolutely unmerited. They come
to US without any worthiness upon our
part at all. Therefore gratitude is
due unto God for them. Unmerited
mercies should call forth our deepest
and truest gratitude unto God.
2. We owe God debt of love. God
has given US a love that is unspeakable
and unsurpassed. He has manifested
His love in the gift of His Son to die
on the cross for our sins. This is His
priceless gift to us. 1t should call forth
our love to Him in return. Love should
beget love. Love is under obligation
to love, and. therefore, we should love
Him because He first loved us.
3. We owe God a debt of service.
God has bought our lives. We were
dead in trespasses and in sins. but He
redeemed US. We have been bought
with a price. Therefore we are not
our own and should serve and glorify
Him to whom we belong. The service
of the owned belongs to the owner.
Therefore the service of our lives is
due unto God. He owns us.
We owe God more than we can ever
pay in ourselves. There is but one
way in which our debt can be fully
Cancelled we must cast ourselves up
on Gods mercy in Jesus Christ, and
for His sake God will abundantly par
don US and cancel all the debt that we
owe.
THE PRAYER MEETING.
The topical reference is mainly a
question and an answer. 1t is therefore
appropriate to have question box"
meeting. Call the roll and have as
many as will respond by asking a ques-
ton on some phase of things lawful
and unlawful. our duties TO God and
our relations to government and socie-
ty.
BIBLE READINGS.
Elk. Kill, l. 2; Lev. xiii, Ola; Ps.
xiv, l; Nal. Iii, S-12; Prov. xvi. s;
Math. ii, Ill; Acts iv. SO. 81; Xxx, IS;
Rom. xii. /, .; | Cor. vi. 10, 20; vii, %,
"a; Tim. V, 8