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thought so much,about these things that she forgot to be nice to Jesus Himself, and she spent all her time worrying and scolding! Her sister Mary helped with the housework, but she did her p a r t quickly, and then “sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word” (v. 39). Jesus liked that. He had some wonderful things to say to these two sisters, but only Mary would listen. When Martha went to Jesus and complained about her sister, the Lord Jesus did not scold Martha for want ing to be a good housekeeper. But he said' something like this: “Don’t forget to love Me and talk to Me. This is ,more important than anything else.” The Lord Jesus is giving us the same lesson that He gave to Martha and Mary. He wants to come into our homes and into our hearts, and find us ready to listen to Him and love Him.
to stir up again the fires of zeal and devotion to his ministerial calling. Every Christian experiences timei when the fire burns low. It has to be stirred again lest the radiance of faith grow dim.
This desire was awakened by. the remembrance of Timothy’s faith, as well as b y his tears at parting—tears that revealed the heart interest of this young man in the aged apostle. His faith was “unfeigned,” sincere and genuine, and everywhere that Timo thy went it was manifested. Evidently his mother and grandmother w e r e largely.responsible for the character of Timothy’s faith, and Paul rejoiced in their influence on this boy’s heart and life. If Paul could not see Timothy to speak to him, he could write what was on his heart—an exhortation to “ stir up the gift of God” that was in him. The word means to “ stir into flame” (v. 6, E. V. marg.). It sug gests a flaming evangel in all places/ at all times, and before all people.' Points and Problems 1. "WhoJ therefore G od hath join ed together, let not man put asunder" (Matt. 19:6). God’s ideal is one man for one woman with no severance of this relationship. In His ideal there is no room for divorce. Divorce is con trary to God’s plan, and i's the result of the hardness of men’s hearts. It destroys the type of Christ and the church which relationship is abiding. Therefore our Lord makes it impera tive that the marriage relation be rendered inviolate. 2. "And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet" (Lk. 10:39). Some people get the wrong idea of Mary as she appears here. They seem to think that all she does is sit- down and enjoy her com pany while Martha does all the work. This is because they fail to note the little word “also.” Mary had been helping in the household duties but now, feeling that there was something better for her, she “ also” sat down to imbibe lessons from the lips of her Guest. Both are needed in Christian living, activity and meditation. 3. "But Martha was cumbered about much serving" (Lk. 10:40). The word "cumbered” could more clearly be rendered “distracted.” The trouble with Martha was that she let her service drive her to distraction. It got on her nerves. As a result she com plained of Christ’s carelessness as well as that of her sister’s: “Dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone?” By His gentle rebuke, Jesus showed Martha that she needed to have time in her life for contempla tion as well as for activity. In every individual life as well as in every church, it is essential to know how to combine worship and service. 4. "Stir up the gift of God, which is in thee" (2 Tim. 1:6). Actually Paul tells Timothy to “ rekindle the flame” ih his heart?- Evidently, he had need
Golden Text Illustration J ohn 15:17
I remember one very excellent wo man, who was a lover of meetings, of prayer, and of good people. She was thought to be a pattern Christian, active and useful. But her son, an educated and intelligent man, w a s an out-and-out skeptic. He went through two or three revivals of religion, but they seemed to produce no impression upon him. I made some particular inquiries as to what was the matter, and finally someone’ made this statement about the mother: “She is very irritable and inconsistent at'home. It is what he has seen in he? home-life that has impressed his mind that neither she nor anybody elge is a Christian practi cally.” There was that temper, that self-seeking at home that over shadowed any Christian virtues which she might have had. How essential it is to let Christ live out His life in us at home as well as outside of the home!— A Treasury of Illustrations, by Beecher. At Mary and Martha's House L u K e 10:38-42 J MEMORY VERSE: “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels un awares” (Heb. 13:2). AIM; To teach the child to love the Lord Jesus Himself. APPROACH: Sometimes a guest comes to our home, and he tells a ~*\
Object Lesson G odly G uidance .
OBJECTS: A magnet, a large nail, a medium sized nail', a Small nail, a home, a picture of a church, a red cross. (Mount the two pictures on cardboard. Hide the cross behind the church.) LESSON: These nails are so much like three people mentioned in the Bible that I have named them after those people. Perhaps if I were to tell you who the smallest nail represent ed, you would be able to guess the names of the others. But first let me tell you that this large magnet represents the power of God. On one end of the table there is a home, and on the other end a church. The church is a good one,’ because it has a red cross, speaking of the gospel of Christ. The magnet touches the big nail. The big nail touches the next in size, which in turn touches the small one. See, the power o f God,' working through the two larger nails is taking the small nail from the home to the church where the gospel of Christ is preached. Now let me tell you that the small nail represents Timothy. Of whom do the others remind you? “Timotfiv s mother, and grand- mot/i<;r.*
story,. or teaches us a lesson that makes us remem-. ber his visit for a long time. When The Lord Jesus was here on earth, He visited in the home of two sisters, Mary and Martha, and their
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brother Lazarus. He told them some thing so important that it has been remembered ever since. Today we shall learn what it was. LESSON STORY: The Bible says that J e s u 4 “entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house” (v. 38). That was a lovely thing to do, for Jesus likes to be at home in people’s houses and in their hearts as well. Martha was a good housekeeper, always wondering: Is the nouse clean? Is the meal ready? But she
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