Here is a group of Sunday school children from the Canadian West which brings to mind another Sunday school far from where this picture was taken. I would like to tell you about what happened in this latter place.
The boys were just settling down for a quiet hour in Sunday school when they heard a great noise outside.
“What’s that?” asked the teacher.
“It’s only those gypsy boys playing hockey on the street.”
“Ask them to come in,” suggested the teacher.
“They have no manners,” grumbled the boys. “They don’t know anything and they’ll spoil our class. We don’t want them.”
“But we do want them,” urged the teacher, “The Lord Jesus said, ‘I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.’” Matt. 9:1313But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. (Matthew 9:13). And the teacher rose and opened the door, with a friendly word of invitation to the gypsy boys.
They came in, a wild untidy group, and the proud little boys who were already called out as the teacher arranged the chairs, “Take your hats off, mind your manners now,” until the teacher silenced them.
It is a wonder they stayed, but the Lord had a message for them that day, and He wanted them to hear it. They listened well, with many a queer, earnest question. The gospel story was simply told, right from the very beginning. Adam sinned by disobeying God, and we have sinned too. “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” I Timothy 1:15, “Jesus loves you,” said the teacher. “He suffered and died for sinners such as you. He knows all about you, but He loves you still, and longs to save you. Will you accept Him as your Saviour and go home now, every one of you, and say to your parents, “Father, Jesus loves you; Mother, Jesus loves you?”
Next week, Lord willing, I shall tell you how one of these boys brought the message to his parents just as his teacher asked him to do.
Children dear, there are dirty, ragged little sinners in the world, and there are proper tidy little sinners, but God says that “All have sinned.” Romans 3:2323For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23). Without Christ all would be lost. Beware of pride, for there is only one Saviour, and only one way of salvation through trusting in Him. Remember the Word of the Lord Jesus which says:
ML 01/25/1953