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- INTRODUCTION
Motive U important in regard .to many
things that we, do, but it is especially
- •
significant, in the realm that we call
religious. One of the most despicable
consider that the performance of religious
activities somehow makes up for deliberate
ethical and moral misdeeds. This makes
legion the cloak of a rascal. &ich a
practice called for one of God’s most
scathing denunciations of Israel: “I hate, I
despise your feasts, and I will take no
delight in your solemn assemblies,” (Amos
“ 5:21). --
lesSon background
Specifically, our text deals with fasting,
but its basic teaching goes far beyond that
tp me matter of attitude, motive and
purpose in personal worship. More than
this, (and this is the heart of the lesson) it
- makes cieaf thatno ^liflouircxpression
has any validity unless the life of the
- worsmper-a-characterized by gOOd deedsT^
-Religious practice cannot possibly have
, meaning apart from godly living, (Isaiah
meaning ap&rt from Godly living, (Isaiah ■
58:5). “When you fast, you make yourselves
of grass and spread out sack cloth and ashes
to lie on.’\___
Is that what you call fasting? Do you think
I will be pleased with that?
: ' • * .W
At the heart of the people’s problem was
the fact that even during the time of the fast
they were guilty of serious wrong-doing.
Isaiah pointfe out that there are two kinds of
fast, the wrong kind and the right kind.
These people were quite religious. They
sought the Lord daily, affirming an interest
in His Ways, appearing to be concerned
about Godly living, “See, we are fasting,”
they might say. Their fault lay in the fact
mat they were merely preserving the -
arms of religions while their lives
reality (See 2 Timothy 3:5). “On
ytiftr fasting, you do as you please
it all your workers,” Isaiah said.
tese people, certain that they were
God’s favorites, obstensibly fasting, yet all
_the while doing their own pleasure and
oppressing the poor who labored for them..
(Read James 5:4,5 few a description of this
kind of behavior.)
(Isaiah 58:9-7) “The kind of fasting I want
is this: Remove the chains of oppression
and the yoke of injustice, and let the
oppressed go free. Share your God with me
hungry and open your hones to the
homeless poor. Give clothes to those who
have nothing to wear, and do not refuse to
help your own relatives.”
There is nothing wrong with fasting. It
can serve a worthy and a worthwhile
purpose - not, however, as an end in itself,
but as a means to an end. It can be a
suppressing of one’s physical nature for a
season in order to enhance the spiritual. It
can be a genuine humbling of the soul and
an expression of a penitent spirit* The test of
whether or not the fast has meaning is seen
in the conduct of the one fasting.
True warship will develop within us,
sensitivity to injustice and the desire to
correct it wherever it is met. This means
that if we do not show love and concern such
as our Lord has for the oppressed, we
cannot claim to love God, and our fasting,
our worship, or ‘'service” will be in vain. .
The right fasting will loose the bands of
^wickedness, or loose the fetters of injustice.”
Certainly, tf I have been guilty of injustice
myself, I will seek to correct the matter,
but in addition, I must do what I can to
correct the injustice that I see around me
and or which I am not perlonaUy re
sponsible. Undo the heavy burdens, lighten
the loads that have teen placed by evil men
or by circumstances upon others. “Bear ye
one another’s burdens” Is God’s word to
those who would worship Him, (Gal. 6:8).
“He hath showed thee, O man, what is
good, and what doth toe Lord require of
thee, but to de Justly, to love mercy, and
walk humbly with toy God,” (Mlcah 6:8).
The test has to do with manner of living
more than anything else.
Mrs. Walter Crews
.The former Miss Audrey M. Love
Love-Crews Vows Spoken
Wedding bells rang for
Audrey Maria Love and
Walter Crews on Saturday,
February 18. at 4 p.m. in
St. Paul Baptist Church.
—Rwrnrrpahi-wrufiim-*
mond officiated at the
ceremony as the hride was
given in mamage 'By her'
father, John W. Love, Sr.
The bride's gown was
accented with white pearls
and beads along with lacy
design contained in her
long train and gown. She
carried a bouquet of silk
flowers.—
The matron of honor was
the bride's sister. Mrs.
Clara K. Witherspoon.
Bridesmaids included
Mary Kennedy, Lorrie
Love of Greensboro, N.C.‘,
Barbara Kennedy of
Greensboro, N.C., and Sha
vette Satterwhite of Dur
ham, N.C. The matron of
honor and bridesmaids
wore sky blue gowns
with a tailored waist tie
belt and puffed sleeves.
Melana Moore saved as
flower girl, and Brandon
Alexander served as ring
bearer. The best man was
Robert Jones, and ushers
r included John Kennedy, .
Ezekiel Crews, William
Bullock and Eugene Jones.
The bride’s mother wore
a dusty pink gown with a
tailored waistline, V-neck
style and complemented bv
_h_L_J___x_
a dusty pink corsage. The
bridegroom’8 mother wore
a navy blue gown tailored
from the shoulder to breast
line and accented with a
~na'<rjrBira-Bell abd' com
plemented with X white
mum corsage.
"Soloists WSie Barbara—
Kennedy, Lorrie Love,
Albery Franklin and. Ralph
Greene accompanied by
pianist Don Chisholm.
Gladys Gresham was
directress and hostesses
consisted of Agnes Melson,
Sophease B4ackmon7
Gracie Belk and Ann Ro
binson.
The reception was held at
the bride’s home, 6129 Old
Coach Road.
The bride, daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. John Love,
Sr., is a 1977 graduate of
West Mecklenburg High
School and a 1981 graduate
of the University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill
where she received a B.A.
degree in Biology. She is
presently studying Medical
Technology. The bride
groom, son of the late
George Crews, Sr. and
Mrs. Flossie Crews, is a
graduate of Hillside High
School in Durham and at
tended North Carolina
State University. He
served in the U.S. Army
and is employed by the City
of Durham as a Mechan
ical Engineer._
-~±_I
Chisholm
laat weekend at
ceremony,
by family
Mr*. Robert
parent*, Mr.
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