The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1937-12-04

ana lpllokIoi VI 'P'i4N' INV N,
tian rest with its ioftier reach
and grasp involves acceptance OF
the grace of God, adjustment TO
the will Of God, and peace in the
presence Of God. Physical rest
may be passive and negative but
spiritual rest is aspirant and as
sertive. May we receive the rest
that is given by the Saviour and
obtain the rest that is found with
the Lord!
!. REST FROM CHRIST
(Matthew I'D
Accept the Rest That Christ
Gives. 1t is in his possession. he
offers it as a gift. He specifies
the conditions Of the gift. He
wishes that every toiling and bur
dened heart accept any enjoy 1t
now and forever.
CD Christ calls. The invitation
is melodious with mercy. There
are multitudcS who have laborcd
to the point of fatigue. The myr-
lads of mankind are heavyladen
20 the point of breakdown. They
can 20 no faster and no farther
as they are. Let them in repent
ance and faith turn TO Jesus in
answer to his gracious call.
(2) Christ conveys. The prom
Use of Jesus exactly fits the condi-
ton of those who come. In their
utter WEAKNESS they want abso-
Lutte rest as they want nothing
else. They can find it nowhere
else. Indeed, it is beyond human
power to produce or purchase or
procure. II must be given by the
Great Giver. Only from him can
the burdened heart find easement
and the troubled soul know an in
finite calm.
(3) Christ commands. With
the call of the Giver and the con-
veyance of the gift comes the
command that conditions the re-.
ception of the gift. The rest he
gives capacitates for the service
he requires. But his yoke is cas-
Ter than any human yoke that
men are called TO bear. He also
requires study in his school. There
is something new TO learn every
day and infinite are the treasures
of knowledge that beckOn us up
ward.
(4) Christ challenges. The pos
sibility appeals strongly TO the
aspirant heart. Now we can find
rest unto our souls, for we are in
the path of duty. bearing the
yoke of Christ and learning IN
the school Of Christ. The rest he
gives is thus supplemented by the
rest which we can find.
I. 60 Christ condescends. He
took the downward road TO us so
that he might open to Us the up
ward road TO him. He is not
naughty but meek, not lofty but
lowly, so that he is accessible TO
the humblest and gracious 10 the
worst. Light are the burdens he
places upon us for he helps us to
bear them and easy is the yoke
he assigns US because we have
his constant aid.
2. REST THROUGH FAITH
| (Hebrews ~
| Anticipate the Rest That Christ
provides. BY his grace and
through our faith the rest that
Christ gives on earth is prelimi-
nary to the rest he provides in
heaven. We look back to the Sab
| bath rest of the Creator which
was unrcalized by Israel because
of unbelief, as still prophetic Of
of the Sabbath rest that remains
for the people Of God. Note five
points in the present paragraph
On Fear arouSes. The sacred
penman has just told us what be-
fell unbelieving Israel in the
wilderness. Now he says: "Let us
therefore fear" Ancient danger
has become modern peril. And
we ought so TO fear rs to be
aroused, alert. and on our guard.
The danger is that with full
knowledge about the divine rest,
with admission TO it wide open to
US, and with tn opportunity to
enter ioyfully into it, some of us
should com eshort of it and fail
to obtain it. 1t is time therefore
for fear and vigilance and prayer.
(2) Faith attends. Israel had
it's good news of deliverance from
Egypt and divine law at Sinai and
I of guidance through the wilder
ness and of promised rest in Ca
naan. But the message they
heard was of no benefit to them,
because they did not share the
faith of those who gave heed to
it," From adesh-Barnea in surik-
ing distance of Canaan the He
brew host turned back through
unbelief to wander thirty-cight
years longer in the wilderness,
The 10 spies and the murmuring
multitudes did not share the faith
of Caleb and Joshua and Moses
Hence they came short of the Ca
naan-rcst intended for them.
Have we not had the good It'd
| ings preached to us with even
fuller revelation than to Israel OF
old? Shall we fail through un'
belief? Or, shall faith attend and
attain?
60 Fidelity acts. While faith
obtains our title to rest, faithful
ness actually enters into it: eve
which have believed do enter into
that rest" There is a picture OF
it in the rest of God who after
his works of creation were fin
ished, "did rest the seventh day
u from all his works" There is