The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1918-10-05
VOLUME x. NUMBER 6.
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the Church in that day and time.
Christ was speaking to the Church;
but the Master knew that going to
church was not going to heaven; that
saying prayers was not praying. His
words had enraged the Scribes and
the Pharisees, and He was the object
of their malice and their hate.
He had gone to the country beyond
the Jordan and there quietly pursued
His ministry of word and work; but
while there, sickness came to the little
home at Bethany where Christ had
frequently gone for rest, and they sent
for Jesus. The message was, "He
whom thou lowest is sick They sent
for Jesus.
You have frequently sent for me
when sickness and death have invaded
your homes; for large part of any
mans ministry is spent in comforting
those that mourn. Comfort ye, com.
fort ye, thy people, saith the Lord"
And | think back today of the many
homes in Kansas City where l have
tried in their hour of sickness and
death to carry word of cheer in His
lame. For He hath annointed me,
set me apart to preach good things
unto the meek; He hath sent me to
bind up the broken hearted, proclaim
liberty to the captive, and the opening
of the prison to them that are bound.
And He has blessed my ministry here,
not so much in the raising of money,
I hut in, tho oe
leavel to living perpendicular. re-
member that eventful morning when
| Charley Lewis, followed by fourteen
young men, some of whom are serving
as ushers here this morning, not only
| joined the visible church but they
came to the altar and enrolled as
members of the invisible church, the
kingdom of God on EARTH
When sickness invaded that little
home at Bethany they sent for Jesus.
They sent with the confidence and the
faith that He would come; and no
| God sent minister ever fails to re-
spond to the need of his people. And
so Jesus said unto His disciples, Let
us go into Judea again." When His
disciples heard that, they could hardly
credit their ears. Some thought that
He was mad and replied, Master, have
we not come here simply to avoid the
Jews. Those of you who have laid
great stress on your personal safety
can understand the answer. 1t seem
ed to them like tempting Providence
| Well, so it was. But, then, no man
in this world ever believed in Provi-
dence quite as much as Jesus. To
Him, Providence was God, and God
was everywhere. He was not afar
off. This is why He went. And so
turning to His disciples, He said, II
appreciate what you have said, but in
God, "Are there not twelve hours in
every mans day? The meaning be-
comes clear when you remember that
the disciples were playing on the
lower strings; they were appealing to
fear in Jesus and to the worldly mo-
tive of personal safety. hrist was face
to face with the call of the human
soul for help, for mercy. His dis
ciples had said in effect, don't CO.
it is not safe. They were dishonoring
God by asking Jesus to put self be-
fore salvation and their words con-
tanned the deeper suggestion that the
omnipotence of Cod Almighty, could
not carry them safely through the
danger which lay ahead of them. |
Hence, Christ turned to them and
said, does not mans life, after all,
lay in the lap of God? We have re-
ceived from Him our allotment of
time, and until that time comes, we
are immortal. / must face my duty; |
Gods hour will come in His own good |
time, neither Fastening nor delaying |
l must go where my work calls me,
be it to danger or to death. The son !
of man, nor the sons of men, must
never hide, nor hedge. Our times are
in His hands. Are there not twelve
hours in every mans day?
Lifes little day! How quickly
passed. Why, it seems only like yes
terday when l brought my wife and
little children here from Boston. But |
the brevity OF life suggests its use.
There are twelve hours in the day, no
more; and so much to do, and whether
those hours shall be great and magnif-
icent or little trifling hours depends
upon what you put into them.
You read of a whole regiment of
soldiers decorated for going ''over the
top" But the bravest thing / have
read of was not in the fighting ranks.