Arkansas State press. [volume] (Little Rock, Ark.) 1941-1959, 1944-01-14


Criticism and opposition was the
constant lot Of our Lord as He gave
Himself In His labor Of love for man.
kind. II follows His disciples TO this
day. for men seem to have not only
ingratitude. but an evil spirit which
rewards kindness with hard words
and unjust accusation.
The scribes and Pharisees had al
ready found ground for their COM
plant. for He had eaten with pub
lcans and sinners" t2:l6). The fact
that He went there to win Matthew
and to heal the sinsick Gid made
no difference. Then they wanted to
know why His disciples did not OBJ
serve . fast (2:l0 In the solemn
way they should. How could they.
when the Lord was In their midst1
They were joyful.
In our lesson we and these hating,
watching enemies Of our Lords
showing their bitterness In two
ways.
]. 0Dsn Accusation (2:2S-2O.
They got At Him this time through
His beloved disciples. II was the
indirect approach 80 often used
By eowardly people who want to hurt
someone. but who dare not face him
sQuarely. They spread evil reports
Or unkind criticism about . loved
sns. and thus wound the one they
hats.
Their accusation was, however, in
. sense a direct one. They claimed
that He was the one who had per.
United His disciples TO violate the
Sabbath law by plucking and rub
bling the ears Of corn to prepare
them To be eaten. In other words,
Hs had allowed them to do q secular
thing on 4 sacred day and thus to
violate the holiness Of the Sabbath.
What they did was not wrong. but
they did Il on the wrong day. said
these critics.
Jesus met the charge by reafIirm-
ing the high viewpoint Of God con-
cerning man. We have lowered our
conception Of mans position, while
q The same time exaltins his unde-
pendabls judgment.
Everything that concerns man ID
sacred "a ths sight Of God. Hunger
y natural God made man that way.
- sets hungry On The Sabbath day.
- ~ must have food on that day.
h Sabbath was made to serve him.
on1 - must not Be harmed or him
dersd b his servant.
Nov, somsone viii say: That
means ] san do what ] like on the
0abbath- or the Lords Day" No.
4 does not What you need IL right
What you desire may not be. You
are more than m animal. 30 you
must have more than physical rest
and recreation on Sunday. You are
more than . mental being. hence
you need more than culture-read.
ING. music or friendship on that day.
You are = spiritual being and must
have fellowship with God.
See how nicely 1t all balances up
when we 80 Gods way. Then moth.
ing that concerns US is common or
secular. II is all sacred.
II. Silent Hatred (3:l-6).
Open criticism is bad, but it be.
comes worse when 1t Is hidden in
the heart Of watching man ". ~.
one who looks for his opportunity to
strike.
The scene is a most dramatic one.
Jesus came into the synagogue on
the Sabbath day as was His Gus.
tom. (By the way. Is 1t your Gus.
tom to 60 to church on Sunday?) In
that synagogue was a man with Z
withered hand. Here occurs one Of
those incidental things. which are so
full Of beauty in these narratives.
Seeking to find accusation against
Him, His enemies nevertheless all
unconsciously paid Him a supreme
compliment. They associated Him
Immediately. not with the chief seat
Of the synagogue, but with the most
needy man In the crowd"
They watched Him" ". ~. The
air was full Of silent, malicious, cum.
ming hatred. Jesus faced them with
an alternative SO high, so holy and
exacting that they dared not speak.
He pointed out that we either do
good or harm. heal or kill, by our
response to human need. 1t can.
not be ignored. What would they
do with ii? Keep their strict man.
made regulations, or honor God by
helping needy one on the Sabbath?
They dared not answer.
Then He healed the man. He did
not touch him. He did not do any
work, except miraculous healing.
But 1t was enough. The Herodians
and the Pharisees, who hated each
other, now became friends because
they both hated Jesus.
What an awful picture Of wha,
may be in the human heart, even In
the Lords house on the day of wor.
ship. What was In your heart when
you last went into the church? Love
and a desire for the good of your
neighbor, or hatred and malice?
Here again Our Lord declared the
dignity Of man In the plan Of God,
and placed his need above the keep.
Ing Of day. We are too little In.