Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1942-02-05

The Sabbath OF the Jew and the
Lords Day Sunday of the Chris
tan were both intended to be days
of rest. The ordinary activities Of
life were to cease and one was to
be free to worship and to rest. The
manner in which a man uses this
God-given day of rest is remark
ably accurate indicator Of his spiri-
tual condition.
We have before us the account of
a very busy Sabbath day which our
Lord spent in Capernaum, the city
in which most of His mighty works
were done. but which ignored Him
and His teaching to its own de-
struction (see Matt. 1923. 24. AS
we look at our Lords activity on
that day we learn what we may do
with our Sundays to make them
bear fruit for eternity. We find Him
in three places.
l. In the Church (vv. 1929.
The Sabbath day found our Lord
with His people in the synagogue,
their place of worship. The serv-
ice of worship was probably for
NAL and lacking in spiritual vital
ity, but nonetheless He was there.
What have we to say if we miss the
opportunity for fellowship and serv-
ice which church attendance brings
us?
Observe that because He was
there He Gas a distinguished reli-
gious teacher) was called upon to
teach the people. He taught them
in the serene consciousness of His
divine authority. and the people
were delighted and astonished at
His message. We may not serve
exactly as He did, but if we pre-
sent ourselves in Gods house on
His day we will find the way opening
for us to share in the worship.
Jesus not only 81 oke. but He per-
formed a miracle. Certain it is that
we could not do what He did. but
we can be ready to give ourselves
in service as well as in worship. or
in speaking. There is much work
to be done in the church. and Gods
people should be ready and will
ing to do it.
II. In the Home wv. 29-3D.
From the synagogue Christ went
into the home. How appropriate!
We too should go from the church
to the home, always bringing with
US the strength and blessing Of the
worship service.
The daughter Of a great preacher
and Bible teacher said the thing she
most loved in her father was that
he did not give out the cream" Of
his Christianity in his meetings and
bring home the skim milk" Too
often we fail to bring into the home
the power and beauty Of the service
in the church. We who have been
very sweet and spiritual in the
church should not come home to be
sour and Grabbed.
Jesus brought a blessing into
Peters home. miraculously healing
his mother-in-law of a great fever,
setting her free to serve. Here
again we cannot do what He did.
but we can, in His name. bring pow
err and blessing into our homes.
Ill. In the City (vv. 32-34).
From the home the ministry Of
Jesus reached out to the entire city.
AS the strict laws forbidding travel
on the Jewish Sabbath were set
aside by the coming of shutdown, not
only the city but the entire country
side brought their sick and needy
to Him.
The scene staggers the magma
ton as one attempts to conceive of
this coming together Of troubled hui
mainly for the Masters touch.
Mark tells us that He healed many;
Matthew, that He healed all. and
Luke, the physician. is emphatic in
saying that He healed every one of
them.
We may learn from this incident
that our Christian faith, which has
been developed and strengthened by
our time of worship and service in
the, church, should not only reflect
itself in the home, but should reach
out into the life Of the community
in which we live. The e-imary in
terest of the Christian in his city
or the place of his residence should
be spiritual, desire to bring ID
bear upon the people Of the commu-
nifty the power of the gospel.
There is. however, a secondary
responsibility which is of much i'm
portance and that is the extending
of Christian influence into ey-rv
phase Of school. social. political,
and business life. It is said that
when D. L. Moody came into a bar
Der shop the entire course Of the
conversation changed The Chris
tan should have an influence on
problems of social welfare. the work
OF the public schools, the proper con-
duct Of business in the community,
and surely upon its political life. It
is said that il every Christian in
America would vote according to
his protested convictions we could
put the saloons out of business in Q
single election. Why not do it2