The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1904-05-10
CHRISTIAN ENDEAV0R.
Prayer Meeting Topic For the weeh
Beginning May -.

Prayer Meeting Topic For the Week
Beginning May ~.
Topic False and true ambition Mart.
xx, 20-2s.
In the incident before us Salome,
the mother Of James and John and
probably the sister of Mary, the moth
err Of Jesus; asks the Master that her
sons might sit zone on Thy right hand
and one on Thy left hand in Thy king
DOM" The request was suggested by
the sons Mark K, 35). Believing that
Christ was about to establish a tenn
poral kingdom, where there would be
no differences in rank and power,
James and John solicit the aid of their
mother, probably because of her near
relationship to Christ, to secure for
them the highest places Of honor,
which would give them special author
ity. This desire and request were from
a human standpoint very natural, and
yet the request was based upon igno-
rance and prompted by ambition.
Jesus at once pointed out its falsity
and impossibility. These places meant
what they did not understand They
were not similar in character to ranks
in civil and political life and were not
bestowed after the same fashion. ITO
sit on My right hand and on My left
hand is not Mine to give, but It Is for
them for whom It It Id Id IL IL been prepared
of My Father" On earth one place
was given to dying, unrepentant
thief and the other to repentant
thief dying also by crucifxion. In the
Judgment day the saved will stand on
Christ's right hand and the lost upon
His left. How little the apostles
mother knew of what she was asking!
Would she have had her sons crucffed
on earth and one of them lost in eter-
nifty?
In this incident, however, we have
very clearly and strikingly pointed out
what constitutes false and what
true Christian ambition.
/. In the kingdom of Christ the am
bition to have rank or power superior
to the other members Of the kingdom
Is false ambition. Christ teaches us
this very clearly In this incident Such
was the ambition Of James and John,
and Christ rebuked it. Moreover, He
declared that His kingdom was unlike
worldly kingdoms In this particular.
Eye know he said, that the rulers of
the gentiles lord it over them, and their
great ones exercise authority over them
Not SO shall 1t be among you" Dis
tinctions of rank, of power, are out of
place in the kingdom of God, for in it
all are brethren, and one Is the Lord Of
all, even Christ Himself. Certain Chris.
tan denominations have ignored this
teaching Of Christ and have set up &C.
clesiastical distinctions as to rank and
power, but it is no less true that the
ambition for such positions is q false
one. Therefore, in honor preferring
one another let us guard against false
desires for place and power in the
church of Christ
2. In the kingdom Of Christ the ambi-
ton to be of the greatest service is the
true ambition. whatsoever would be-
come great among you shall be your
minister, and whatsoever would be first
among you shall be your servant, even
as the Son of Man came not to be min
istered unto, but to minister, and to
give Ills life ransom for ma.ssss y, .
christian greatness is greatness of
service" 1t is therefore closed door
to none, for all can serve
BIBLE READINGS.
Gen. xi, 10; xvii, 1927, Al; Mum.
xii, 1-15; II Sam. XIV, 1-6; Prov. xvii,
10; lisa. xiv, 1920; Matt K, AZ; xviii.
IA; xiii, LIP; Rom. xii, TO-.