Aug. 5. Commit to memory Prov. iv. 1.
Aug. 12. Commit to memory Prov. iv. 14.
Aug. 19. Commit to memory Prov. iv. 25.
Aug. 26. Commit to memory Prov. iv. 18.
What could Jesus do more than die for us? and what can we do less than live to Him?
OUR BIBLE CLASS.
The Parable of the Labourers in the Vineyard.
(Matthew xx. 1-16.)
Jesus had left Galilee for the last time, and He and His disciples were on their way to Jerusalem, where He would be condemned to die. They had rested in a house on the road, and He had embraced and blessed the little children that were brought to receive His gracious touch. He had been met by a rich young man as He resumed His journey—one who wanted eternal life, but sorrowfully left the only Giver of that blessing because he could not bear to give up his wealth to follow the meek and lowly Saviour; and as the youth turned away, Jesus had said to the disciples, "Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God" (Mark x. 24). A conversation followed (Matt. xix.), in the course of which Peter asked, "What reward shall we have, who have forsaken all, and followed Thee?" to which question the Saviour replied by a promise and a parable—the promise that all His followers should gain a hundred-fold by their losses for His sake, and inherit everlasting life; but He added, "Many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first," to illustrate which fact, He told them a parable. "For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a householder, who went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard." With those whom he first engaged, a penny a day was the wages agreed upon, and they went at once to work. A penny a day, young friends, was not such a little as it seems to us. It meant about eightpence halfpenny in our money, and would buy a great deal more than we can get for eightpence halfpenny now. You could live, in a careful way, at "an inn" for a great deal less than a penny a day; and when the good Samaritan took the wounded Jew to one of these humble places of rest and refreshment, he gave the innkeeper "two pence" to take care of his guest, and provide for him, and promised to pay any more expense should it be incurred.
The terms were very fair and liberal for a full day's work; but more hands were needed, and the master went out again at nine o'clock in the morning, then at noon, at three in the afternoon, and yet again at the eleventh hour, five p.m.; and finding still some unemployed, he asked, "Why stand ye here all the day idle?" "Because," said they, "no man hath hired us." "Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive." Such were the terms on which all except the earliest labourers were hired.