Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1909-07-26
FIRST UNION SERVICE AT
PARK CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
Eloquent Sermon Preached by Rev,
Prof. 3. w. Bacon Of Nsw Haven.

EtoQAeHt StFmon FFS&SHS1 " NV
Prof. 3. w. Bacon Of Nsw Haven.
The first Of the summer union SER
vices of the Broadway, Second ana
Park Congregational churches was held
at Park church on Sunday morning.
The service was conducted by rNev.
Prof. Benjamin w. Bacon. d. d., OF
Yale college, who delivered an excel
lent sermon of great depth of Thought
and wide scholarly research. There 10
one word, he said. which is the very
heart and essence of the Christian re-
ligion. 1t is the foundation for both
sides of this religion-the practical
standards and the ideals. This word
Is sonship-the idea OF a divine SON
ship. The greatest light upon this sub
ject is found in the text Matthew IL: SO,
For whatsoever shall do the will of my
Father which Is in heaven, the same IS
my brother and sister and mother
St Mark gives the full account OF the
occasion which called forth this teach
ing from Christ From this time his
disciples are in truth his kindred and
they live together from now until his
death. Earthly relationships are for
saken for this divine brotherhood. This
has its earthly reward-Christ himself
said it should be rewarded an hundred
fold. The spiritual relationship more
than compensates for the other. Many
men left home and kindred in early
times for the sake of their religion,
many even gave their bodies to be
burned. with no sense OF loss. The
kingdom of God is a brotherhood ana
those were real brothers in the days of
cid. There are four reports given US
of this lesson on sonship-two in ST.
Luke, one In St Matthew and one In
St Mark. They all say that whosoever
will do the will of the Father Is son.
As Jesus was the first to do the will
of his Father. so he is the first born
son. This power Of being a son of God
rests on Will more than on belief. 1t
is more important to do this will than
it is TO belong to any particular church
or to obey any particular pope or en-
peror. To understand Christ's teaching
more fully we must understand the
people and ideas of his time. Accord
ing to the teachings of the Scribes and
Pharisees only an elect few could have
a share in the world to come. The sine
ners and Geptiies had lost all hope OF
any chance in it. 1t was these very
sinners whom Christ came to help and
to give a share In the kingdom of God.
His revelation Of the Father was to
babes like them. His kingdom to them
was a present reality-not future re-
ward like the Pharisees. The only
conditions for entrance to this kingdom
was an inward spiritual life and the re-
ward was also an inward one. They
were made sons and daughters of the
highest and his kingdom was among
them. How did Jesus obtain this GER
tainty of divine sonship? His own
career teaches US most surely how he
knew and what he meant. His life
was not mapped and planned out for
him. He was left the hard task of
finding out the will of the Father He
agonized over 1t in the garden and in
the climax of the prayer Not my will
but thine" He did as he had taught
way the Pharisees did the will of the
Fatheri ST. John has a clear insight
into Jesus meaning ia his many quo
tations of Christ on this subject. We
cannot have a full sense of their mean
ing until We know what they meant in
contemporane9us Jewish thought. There
are two questions to be asked in this
light. What was meant by sonship as
Jesus understood it and what was
meant by the will of God? Son of God
meant to him not the miraculous birth
both spiritual idea. the current Mes
sianic hopes Of his people. The key tc
this is in the interchangeable terms
given to both the deliverer and the de-
| liyered people. They are each called
the holy, just beloved, chosen or elect
one-the heirs 'of the world. They
thought the world was created for then
and as Abraham was called the heir oi
the world, so the Messiah was to be
IN the law of Moses, Exodus 4:22 says
Israel is my son." and in this the
Jews contFasted themselves with tbs
Geptiles who we're not. to them, chill
dren of God. And as the head of the
Jewish race the Messiah was to them g
son of God. Their idea was founded or
Jewish legalism and taught by the
scribes. 1t may seem a travesty o.
Jesus teachings but it led them up Il
| the idea of sonship and in due time
| God sent him to show them what 4
really means to be a son of God ani
! to belong to his true people. Botf
| Moses and Christ had the same objecf
Ito make them His people in trutf
through the spirit of repentance and
obedience. The difference lay in tn;
old notion of being predestined son.
and heirs of God in contrast to Jesus
personal entrance into the kingdom
and knowledge of the will of the Father
which might be shared by anyone. In
| stead of the old precepts and laws
there was hourly insight into the Fa.
| TIERS villa nearer, deeper, simpler
view of Him and Of His Kindness. Hi.
sons are his imitators and followers
who know and do his will. Chris
found the loving God and in mora
union with him the key to all the prob
lens of life by initiating his loving
| service. He answered the aspiration
| of his nation and of the whole human
race. He did not say to humble mel
| and women, do this and so and yot
| shall go to heaven. He said. do tn,
| will of God and We shall be His som
and daughters and my brother. sistel
and mother. When GODS viii is dom
His kingdom is here on earth, swee
charities overcome this hard world o
give and take and make a gateway t,
1 heaven. This idea Of the brotherhoo,
| men--has it done all it could Thl
| idea of sonship is not all of gospel
there is much more. But ii Is tn,
simple essence which all men need
which all can find without search ans
which every man may prove in his owl
experience.