A Word for Sunday School Teachers.
There are just one or two thoughts that I would like to pass on in connection with our Sunday School work.
The first is to be found in 1 Cor. 15: 58, " Always abounding in the work of the Lord." This is a remarkable statement. Notice first the " always "-not by fits and starts-not when we feel led to, but "always." Some of us feel like having a class occasionally or when the children are good and attentive but we soon tire if discouragements appear. If the Lord gives us the work, we must not lightly throw it up. The word here is " always."
Next we have " abounding." Have you ever thought of that word " abounding "? It means not merely doing the work from a sense of duty-but doing it joyfully, freely, unceasingly; not only full but overflowing is the thought; "always abounding in the work of the Lord." The same precious Savior Who loved us and died for us claims our willing happy service. " He died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him." It is His work this labor among the children. It is to tell of Him we are called. What can be nearer to His heart than to have the children told of Jesus-Who Himself told of the Shepherd's joy in finding His lost sheep and of the joy in heaven over one sinner repenting? How His loving care for us calls us in devotion to Himself to be " always abounding in the work of the Lord! "
My second thought is in 1 Thess. 3: 12, " Abound in love." How necessary this is in work among children. Which of us has not known experimentally the value of a smile? How often a loving look controls a wayward child when a frown could only make matters worse. We must love the children if we are to win them-and not only so but we must " abound in love."
We are in our classes to represent the Lord Jesus Christ and He is the personification of love. Think how He won us. " When we were enemies," He loved us. When we cared nothing for Him, He sought us and when men with wicked hands nailed Him to the cross, He willingly took our sins upon Him and died for us. Such was the love of Christ, and such is the pattern of love set before us for our contemplation. Let us ask Him to give us hearts of love for the perishing souls around; let us pray for warm affection to our own dear scholars. May we feel the value of their immortal souls and yearn over them with true love-yea, it must be divine love which loves when there is nothing to draw out love-love which finds its source in God.
This is what wins souls. Clear gospel teaching is needful in its place but nothing can take the place of love in opening hearts to receive the message. Nothing but love will give us patience to bear with the children. Let us then " abound in love " remembering that " we love because He first loved.'
The last thought is in Rom. 15: 13, Abound in hope," and I specially want to emphasize how needful this is in seeking souls. If we go to our classes, dull, depressed and heavy we cannot look for blessing-no indeed we are evidently not expecting blessing. A bright cheerful manner, born of the knowledge of the love of God, commends itself to all. We can fancy our children thinking of their depressed teacher, " I should not like a religion which makes me like that." How sad we should be if we thought that was said of us! Should we not like our children to see how happy the Lord Jesus makes us, so that they realize we have something worth having? Let us then " abound in hope," filled with all joy and peace in believing-hope in the soon return of our beloved. Lord, hope too in the sure harvest to be reaped then from the seed sown week by week in our classes. Think of the joy of seeing those over whom we have wept and prayed, gathered with us in His own presence in that day! Ah we may well abound in hope for have we not precious promises from the sure word of God to rest on? " In due season we shall reap if we faint not." The time of sowing draws to a close. We hear those last words of the Lord Jesus ring in our ears, " Surely I come quickly." Soon He will come and then all labor, all service here will be over and we shall see His blessed face and be with Him forever. May we then just use the precious moments for Himself " steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord."