The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1935-08-17

tina, and her sister, anu LaA"l 10
John lis.
One of the homes of Jesus was
the home of two sisters and theil
brother at Bethany. They mus
have been well-to-do, for Marthi
had a residence and resources
for extensive entertainment
Mary was able to purchase as /;
love-token a pound of nard worth
a wears wages of a day laborer
and before Lazarus died the!
were able to send messengers tc
distant Perea with the sad news
MARTHA'S HOME IN SERVICE
duke l0)
The Guest of the Home was
Jesus to whom Martha extended
a gracious hospitality. Not Mary
alone but Martha and Mary both
we're Christians. Both had faith
one sitting at the Lords feet and
the other calling him Lord. Both
manifested devotion, Mary as a
disciple and Martha as minister
Both were ready for service;
Mary as a great receiver and
Martha as a great doer. Martina
was the active Christian; for she
received Jesus into her house,
waited upon him herself with oil
igence, and went to him with her
cares. Mary was the contempia-
tive Christian; for she sat at the
Lords feet in humility, learned
with docility. and was absorbed
in his teaching to the exclusion
of everything else. Martha's mis-
takes were anxiety, Impotence,
and complaint. In contrast,
Mary's temptation was to receive
more without doing so much; to
be under-busied and do too little,
and to be Indifferent to practical
affairs, Jesus offered a correc-
tive to Martha, saying that few
things were necessary for his en-
tertainment, or that the spiritual
life was the one thing necessary.
He also gave a stimulus to Mary,
refusing to send her away from
his instruction even for his COM
fort What a blessed thing it is
to have Jesus in the home! May
we serve him like Martha, and
learn of him like Mary.
MARTHA'S HOME IN SORROW
John I'D =.
The Lord of the Home was
Jesus who by superhuman power
raised Martha's brother from the
dead. (1) When the news of the
illness of Lazarus reached Jesus,
he abode where he was two days
This delay was caused partly by
the pressure of his work, beyond
Jordan and partly to heighten the
effect of the miracle he was to
perform. So Lazarus had been
dead three days before Jesus with
his disciples set out for Bethany
Very likely they made the jour:
ney, estimated at more than ~
miles, in one day, reaching the
scene of sorrow sometime before
sunset. (2) 1t was desirable that
the meeting of Jesus and the
bereaved sisters should not take
place under critical eyes. Hence
he stopped at the outskirts of the
village and probably not far from
the tomb. There Martha met him
with the confident assertion
"Lord if thou hadst been here,
my brother had not died" She
further declared her faith which
at the close of the conversation
asserted unhesitatingly the Mes
siahship of Jesus. Then she call
ed Mary who. followed by the
comforters, rose up hastily and
went out also to meet the Master,
Coming to where Jesus was, Mary
in the intensity of her grief fell
down at his feet uttering precise
ly the same sentiment as Martha.
doubtless they, had often repeated
it to each other during the past
four days. The excessive grief
of Mary and the lamentations of
her associates touched deeply the
spirit of jesus. His agitation of
mind was also mingled with holy
indignation at sin and is conse-
quences. "He groaned in the
spirit, and was troubled" Then
with sympathetic emotion he en-
quired, Where have we laid him
They said unto him, Lord, come
and see." As the sorrowing
party moved on to the place Of
burial. "Jesus wept." The Jews
saw those silent tears and ex.
claimed: "Behond, how he loved
him. But. it is sad to reflect
that even in this sad hour the
cvritics should be doing their
work. Some ventured cvnically
to inquire: Gould not this man
which opened the eyes of the
blind, have caused that even this
man should not have died?" They
sought to undermine belief il
the miraculous power of Jesus
It is no. wonder then, that an
other wave of holy indignatio!
swept through his being as HI
again groaning in himself, com
eth to the grave" (9) The power
of Jesus was exhibited at thu
tomb of Lazarus. A stone la!
against its entrance into the face
of the rock. To the attendant!
of the bereaved. or to his dis
ciples, Jesus said, "Take we away
the stone" The remonstrance o.
Martha was hut an expression o.
natural delicacv of feeling: thu
remains of her departed brothe,
were now in no condition to b.
viewed. But the ready srespons'
of Jesus both STRENGTHENED an
satisfied her faith: .".Said I no
unto thee. thai, if thou wouldes
believe, thou shouldest see tn,
glory of God?' Then they tool
awav the stone. and the darl
speulcher containing the deaC
Lazarus stood open before them