The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-08-08

ouheu, TOT tnelr calm anu quiel a'e'
tude In ar atmosphere that is charged
with action. Nevertheless, 1t was
Mary and not Martha whom our Lord
commended and Of whose work ne
said, "Wheresoever this gospel shall
be preached in the whole world. there
h also this, that this woman hath
done be told for a memorial of her."
Our Lord does not put a premium
upon Incidence. Notice that the scene
OF the text is placed Immediately after
the parable of the Good Samaritan
In the parable our Lord teaches the
Importance of love to our n%eighbor,
but in the scene in Bethany He EN-
phasizes the even greater Importance
of our love to God. In the one, great
stress is laid upon everyone being up
and doing, in the other there is point
ed out the danger Of a heartless serv-
ice.
Christ plainly points to a paradox.
There is such q thing as doing more
by doing less. Yes, there is something
better than service. 1t is well to
serve, but better still to offer accept
able service. Martha wanted to serve
Christ, but Mary wanted to receive
Christ. The one wanted to do for
Christ, the other wanted Christ to do
for her. Martha was thinking of how
her guest was to be fed. Mary was
thinking of how their guest fed the
five thousand. Martha was anxious
about her guests welfare. Mary vas
anxious about her guests words.
Mary received the Masters appro-
baton because she had chosen to
listen. "She heard His words" Mary
was not losing time while she was
feeding her soul. When the current
stream is damned up you are not
losing anything. The big dam is hold.
ing back the water for the hidden and
useful purpose of bringing its refresh
ment to our homes. Mary was filling
up at the fountain head. She vas
listening and learning. feeding and
growing strong.
':hrist never asks of us such busy
labor
As leaves no time for resting at
IL. lttIE
The waiting attitude of expectation
He oft times counts a service most
complete.
Mary had chosen to ~sympathize.
When her brother died II was not the
faith of Martha but the tears of Mary
that moved the Master. Mary's COM
munion with Jesus brought her so near
to His heart that when the time of
trouble came she knew where to 20
for comfort. Some people are so buoy
that they never experience the com
forts of the Scripture and the conso-
lation of the Holy Spirit. They be-
come so hardened in service that they
cannot shed the sympathizing tear.
No amount of service will take the
place of sympathy and it is only SYM
pathetic service that serves. Paul
wrote in tears.
Mary had chosen to love. It was
love that prompted her to break the
costly ointment over her Savior's feet,
and wipe them with the hairs of her
head. despite the eXpostulations of
Judas and the murnur of the dis
ciples. Oh, yes, Judas, I know the
self-forgetting Master has often spo-
ken of the poor. He has directed your
attention to them again and again.
But. Judas, the poor you have with
you always and this is your Lords last
week. The poor you have to serve,
but Jesus has been given you TO love.
God can provide for the poor, but He
has only one dearly beloved Son, to
low you and give Himself for you.
Thank God that Mary forgot the
poor for a while, forgot the disciples,
forgot herself, that love just flowed
out as she lavished her best possession
on her Lord. Oh! Jesus is a person,
not a principle. He loves and is loved.
There isn't anything in the world that
can take me place of His love for us,
and there is nothing that we can sub.
stitute for our love to Him.
My little boy comes into the study
while l am writing this sermon. "What
do you want, my SOM" He does n.
answer. do you want some work to
do?" mo, papa" "Do you want to
go out and play?" mo, papa" "1Vell,
what them" "Why, papa, l just want
to be with you" All, that is it. We
just want to be with Him whom we
love. Thank God that we can.