The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1912-09-12

will give you rest."-Matt. li:2s.
The paragraph mark separating
verses 81 and 2S should rIghtfully be
removed for that portion Is but con.
tinuation and a contrast with what
has gone before. As we see from
Lukes account. Jesus has sent out
the seventy who return boasting OF
what had been accomplished In Jesus
name, only 10 receive his reproof that
they are not so much TO rejoice IN
that as that their names were written
"in heaven"
Jesus had made his appeal TO Judea
only to be rejected: he has done a
marvellous work In Galllee only TO DO
rejected there also. and thus II leads
TO his appeal to the individual. Jesus
knew that every problem OF the
church, financial or otherwise, every
problem OF the body polite, Is In its
final analysis one OF the condition OF
the Individual heart
We have before us a twofold divi.
sion OF this lesson:
I. Those Who Reject. One can
scarce reconcile the speaker OF this
first section with him who spoke the
last words. but Is any denunclation
moro awful than that OF outraged
love? There Is no contradiction here
for his invitation Ia extended 10 the
very people whom he has denounced.
Chorazin and Bethsaida, laden with
sin, are urged TO break on their yoke
Of bondage. be reconciled with him.
become yoked with him whose burden
10 light
Judgment Inevitable.
These cities had their day OF oppor.
tunlty. In like manner we notice that
the measure OF the judgment is the
measure OF opportunity. The fate OF
Tyre and Sodom was awful, but more
terrible Is to be the fate. In the day
OF judgment. OF ChoraZln and Beth
saba. because they sinned against the
greater light. The possible exaltation
OF Capernaum as shown by the Ques-
ton asked In verse %
Again we need to note that judg-
ment is inevitable. II is the lot and
portion OF us all Jesus created
wonderful opportunity for those cities
and In a like manner has created one
for rs az individuals OF the city. what
will be our accounting In the judg-
ment7 We as citizens are being illu-
minated by n wonderful revelation OF
truth and righteousness Shall New
York. Chicago and other large cen
ters became as ancient Capernaum or
Babylon. Nineveh and Tyre,
IT. Those Who Come TO Jesus.
Coming now 10 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 10 me" Not alone
those who are burdened by ceremon-
ialism or guilt but a more wonderful
scope than that. "All who labor" His
invitation Is. however, limited. for II
Ia to the laboring. thus excluding the
wilfully idle. whether they be idle ma
terially or spiritually.
Offers a Life.
Jesus knew the rest OF harmonious
relation to the Father. the rest OF
service and so the climax OF his In.
vitation is the test OF experience. v.
80. For my yoke is easy and my bur-
den Is light" Notice that our labor
Is TO be fruitful, heavy laden" but
the 10y OF service far outweighs any
thought OF its becoming a duty and |
therefore onerous. A yoke implies n
being attached to n load and with an |
Mother. 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 says Come" Not I
TO a church or to some religious lead
er, but TO Jesus himself. The invita-
tion is very personal both as TO the |
one who shall come, and the one 10 .
whom we are 20 come.
There is 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
tions. but offers a life, an energizing
power that shall enable a company OF
his believers 10 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 nor denunclatlon. yet
in approximately three hundred years
there was Christian emperor upon
that throne
These words OF Jesus thrill with
music. They have been a solace
throughout the ages. They have
brought into his kingdom countless
thousands.
Jesus here assumes. as he always
did. that tho woes OF the impenitent
and the joys OF the saved are condi-
toned upon our attitude towards him.
Let US be careful not TO slip the yoke
and not 70 be unequally yoked with
unbelieyers. We are called 10 a part
nership, a community of interest and
20 an agreement with him whose
yoke is easy and whose burden 10
light"