Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1900-03-07
e. .K,s. An f. ofA>un.
Topic For Week beginning March
11-Com IN mt by Rev. 3, II. Doyle.

TOPIC tor week Bc8tnntnS March
11-Comment by Rev. 3. II. Doyle.
z, housekeeping chrst.--Mark xii, l9.
THE PARABLE.
Tho topic, rejecting Christ, Is Illus
trated by Christ's parable Of the wick
ed husbandmen. By this parable a
CERTAIN man planted a vineyard, let it
out to husbandmen and went into a far
country, an incident of common occur
renee. At proper times he sent his
servants TO the husbandmen for the
fruit of the vineyard But they shame
fully treated them, beating them,
wounding them and even killing some.
At last he sent his only son, thinking
they would reverence him, but instead
they said, This is the heir; come, let
us kill him" And they took him and
killed him and cast him out of the
vineyard
THE INTERPRETATION.
The owner of the vineyard Is God.
TIL vineyard is the Jewish church. the
hu~bandmen the Jewish nation. The
sc. wants sent are the prophets whom
God sent ut different times TO the
Jews. whom they prosecuted, abused
and even killed. The only we'll beloved
son is the Lord Jesus Christ. the only
Son of God, whom the Jews rejected
and crueited on the cross of Calvary.
The Judgment pronounced Is the judg-
ment that God has and will continue to
bring upon the Jewish people for their
rejection of Christ.
THE APPLICATION
The explanation and application of
this parable are easily made. There is
nothing difficult to understand in the
parable, nor is it hard to apply it TO
ourselves. The Jews were the chosen
people of God. He selected them from
the other nations of the world and
made them His peculiarpeople. He gave
them great opportunities, which brought
with them great responsibilities. They
did not measure up to their opportuni-
ties. They prosecuted and even killed
Gods prophets, and when at last He
even sent His Son to them they cruel
0ed Him. and Gods judgment has rest
ed upon the Jews ever since. Jerusa-
lem was destroyed, and the gospel was
sent to the gentiles. The rejected
Christ was offered to the whole world.
This includes US. Christ is now before
sus for our acceptance or rejection as
He was once before the Jews. What
win we do with Him? How the fate
Of the Jews should warn US against re-
1ecting Christ! II God spared not His
Own people when they rejected His
Son. much less will He spare us. who
are not Of the chosen family Of Israel.
but by nature aliens and strangers to
the covenants of promise.
To reject Christ is to stand in the
light of our own best interests. to de-
stroy all hope of the eternal salvation
Of our souls. 1t Is to turn our backs
upon our best friend and to trample
underfoot the cross of Calvary-yea,
even the Son of God Himself. Are we
prepared to do that? Dare we do ii,
remembering that we will answer to
God for it in the day of judgment?
THE PRAYER MEETING.
Make this meeting evangelistic in
character. Give an opportunity to any
who may be present, who have not
done SO. to accept Christ. Make spe
cial effort to get the associate members
to accept Christ ard to confess Him
publicly before the world.
Bible Readings.-Sa viii, II; Ps. H.
1-12; cxviii. %; lisa. lii, 1-3: Math. ii.
lis; xvii. 1926; Mark V. Ill; Luke
iv, 1851: xviii. "a, %; Heb. Ii, 1-3; X.
%, %; xii. %; Rev. xxi, II.