Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1912-09-12

GOLDEN TEXT-"Come unto mo all ys
that labor and are heavy laden, and I
will give you rest."-Matt. lips.
The paragraph mark separating
verses 81 and 20 should rightfully be
removed for that portion IL but a con-
.tinuation and q contrast with what
has gone before. AS we sec from
Luke's account. Jesus has sent out
the seventy who return Boosting of
what had been accomplished In Jesus
name, only to receive his reproof that
they are not so much to rejoice In
that as that their INT were written
"in heaven"
Jesus had made his appeal to Judea
only to be rejected: he has done n
marvellous work in Galilee only to be
rejected there also. and thus 1t leads
to his appeal to the individual. Jesus
knew that every problem Of the
church. financial or otherwise, every
problem of the body polite. IL in It's
final analysis one Of tho condition OF
tho individual heart.
We have before us q twofold divi-
sion Of this lesson:
I. Those Who Reject. One a
scarce reconcile the speaker Of this
first section with him who spoke the
last words, but is any ~denunciation
more awful than that Of outraged
love? There ia no contradiction here
for his invitation is extended to the
very people whom he has denounced.
Chorazin and Bethsaida, laden with
sin, are urged to break off their yoke
OF bondage, be reconciled with him.
become yoked with him whose burden
Is light.
Judgment Inevitable.
These cities had their day Of oppor-
tunity. In like n we notice that
the measure OF the judgment is the
a Of opportunity. The fate Of
Tyre and Sodom was awful, but more
terrible is to be the fate. In the day
OF judgment, Of Chorazin and Beth.
saida, because they sinned against the
greater light. The possible exaltation
OF Capernaum as shown by the ques-
ton asked in verse 20.
Again we need to note that judg-
ment is inevitable. It is the lot and
wonderful opportunity for those cities
and in a like manner has created one
for us az individuals of the city, what
will be our accounting in the judg.
ment? We as citizens are being illu.
minated by a wonderful revelation Of
truth and righteousness. Shall New
York, Chicago and other large cen
tiers became as ancient Capernaum or
Babylon, Nineveh and Tyre?
II. Those Who Come to Jesus.
Coming now to the second section Of
our lesson, one can feel the tender
pathos of the voice of Jesus as he
turns from the whole to the individ-
uals who comprise the whole and
cries-"Hither to me-" Not alone
those who are burdened by ceremon-
ialism or guilt but a more wonderful
scope than that, "All who labor" His
Invitation IL. however. limited, for It
Is to the laborlng, thus excluding the
wilfully Idle, whether they be idle ma
terially or spiritually.
Offers . Life.
Jesus knew tho rest of harmonious
relation to the Father. the rest Of
service. and so the climax Of his In.
vitation Ia the test Of experience. v.
80, For my yoke Is easy and my bur-
den IL light" Notice that our labor
Is to be fruitful. heavy laden" but
the Joy OF service far outweighs any
thought Of its becoming a duty and
being attached 10 a load and with an
other. How may we know II his
words be true? There Is but one con-
dition, Come" Jesus meant Just
what and all that word implies. The
babe sitting upon the knee of Its nurse
knows what its mother means when
she calls Come" and So Jesus ex-
tends his arms to sorrowful, laden
humanity as well as to ceremonially
laden Israel and a y Come" Not
to a church or to some religious lead
er. but to Jesus himself. The invita-
ton ia very personal both Is to tho
one who shall come. and the m to
whom we are to come.
There IL in this lesson a luminous
suggestion OF Jesus method Of deal,
Ing with the Ills OF our great cities.
He does not propose a lot of mega.
lions. but offers a life. an energizing
power that shall enable a company OF
his believers to change these condi-
lions Of Ill. Some one has called at.
tention to Jesus attitude towards the
Roman empire. Not one word Of
specific rebuke O denunciation, yet
In approximately three hundred years
there was = Christian emperor upon
that throne.