Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1916-07-06

Christians"
Lesson Text: 1 Thess. L; 4:13-ls.
Memorize vss. 4:16, IL.
Golden Text: "if we believe that
Jesus died and rose again, even so
them also that are fallen asleep in
Jesus will God bring with him."
Thess. 4:14.
|. The Value of Praise.
Paul said he thanked God for the
Thessalonian Christians. l think 1t
must have encouraged them. There
are many friends and helpers for
whom we doubtless thank God. They
have been blessing to us by their
fidelity. their Tabor of love and pat i
ience of hope in our Lord Jesus |
Christ" Have we ever told thesn so! |
1t is good for individuals and for com.
munities to do this. l meet people |
who thank God for Christian home |
Such praise ought to be backed mp b.!
consistent life, don't you think
How long 1t takes a mother to teach
child to say thank you! How mucl
longer it takes to teach him to live
thank you! An appreciative spirit
in an employer or teacher or parent
gets better results than the complain
ing spirit. The expectation Of right
action, even praise for action yet to
be rendered, is often a turning point
in somebody's life. Say 'thaAk you!
Get in the habit of praising people.
Be booster and not knocker. I
often think of the old Germans com
ment on the life of wicked man kill
ed in a saloon brawl: He was
good schmoker!" 1t wasn't much to
say, but it carried good will!
II. Ignorance About the Dead.
There are many curious and defect
patient, open minded study Of the
scriptures to understand the Christian
view. 1t is bound up with other
things, like the second coming of
Christ. The Thessalonian Christians
were excited and confused by their
belief that Jesus was coming again
soon. 1t led some Of them to neglect
their homes and their business. This
brought contempt on the church. 9th
ers were troubled because loved ones
had died before the second coming of
the Lord and would not be ready to
greet him on that great day. In re-
ply, Paul told them (1) that the time
was not as near as they though; (2)
that they were not to stop working
but to watch and be sober; 90 that
fellowship with God was eternal and
the dead as well as those left alive
would together share in the glorieS
of the Kingdom. Paul raised no
question about Immortality. The dead
are simply asleep in Jesus, not lost
TO us, but still living with Christ.
Ill. Meeting Sorrow.
Sooner or later sorrow comes to us
all. In one way or another we are
getting ready 10 meet i. Some take
no thought about it and make nC
preparation. When sorrow arrives
they are crushed. They have no phil
osophy of life to meet it. They hav,
not thought thru any of the questions
involved. Even when others have sor
rowed, they have made no adeQuat,
attempt to understand it. Other
have dared to ask why? Even whel
it has caused them pain, they hav
probed to find the causes OF sorrow
in their lives, and in the world. The.
have studied Jobs classic and nobl
utterances upon it. They have pom
dered long the experience and teach
ing of Jesus, who had his disappoint
ments, loss of friends, his Gethse
name and his cross. They have walk
ed with Paul as he talked of hi
"thorn in the flesh," of his buffeting
)and trials, of his hopes and fears
= Contact with such heroes gives Il
= courage for our battles. 1t teaches u
lessons Of patience and hope. SorrO'
has its ministry for all of us. w
shall be better for its Christening, II
fining influence in our lives. 1t yield
certain peaceable fruits of righteous
ness. 1t brings into the FELLOWSHIP
of all the saints and martyrs, of tn
noble soldiers of God! How do yC
meet sorrow? How do you help otf
ers to meet it? What are your source
of comfort? Have you helped othe
to share them?