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THE KING’S BUSINESS
visions of personal power and supremacy. It would not be difficult to find today dis ciples, who in their zeal to be “greatest” in the Church, quite forget the sufferings of the Savior. This incident made a deep im pression on Peter’s mind; note the numer ous graphic touches in the record of it, which mark His amanuensis gives: “Sat down,” “Called the twelve,” “Took a child,” “Set him in the midst of them,” took “him in His arms,” What a picture! and what a clear and scathing rebuke to our petty and ignorant ambitions. “If any man would be first he shall be last of all, and servant of all. Jesus used similar words on another occasion (ch. 10:43). The rheaning of the two utterances taken together, is that the one who aims at greatness shall miss it, and if one desires to become really great, the way to achieve that end is by making one’s self the servant of all, following in the foot steps of the “Son of Man,” who came “not to be ministered unto, but tri minister, arid to give His life a ransom for many,” and Who for this reason was highly exalted, and given “the name which is above every name” (cf. Phil. 2:5-11; Luke 14:18; 18:11). Thursday, July 15. Mark 9 :38-41. It was not enough for the disciples that this man followed Jesus, he must also fol low them; and if he would not follow» them, then he must stop working in Jesus’ name, for they had a monopoly on that name, at least they thought they had. Surely these disciples at this time thought more of self than they did of Jesus. Con trast with this the spirit of Paul: “Every way, whether in pretense, or in truth, Christ is proclaimed: and therein I rejoice, yea, and I will rejoice” (Phil. 1 :18). There are many still who look with suspicion upon all work not done by their own clique. If we give Jesus the proper place, we will not ask whether they follow us. All that we will be concerned about is, do they follow Him? “But Jesus said, Forbid him not.” These words are worthy of thoughtful con sideration by those sectarians, who would
sonings among themselves (eh. 2 :8). “He needed riot that anyo np should bear witness concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man” (Jno. 2:25), and so He still knows (Ps. 139:1-4;-Heb. 4:13; Rev. 2:23). If the disciples had borne this in mind, they would have been more careful about their conduct and conversation by the way, though He was seemingly out of hearing. And if we would bear it in mind we would be more careful about our con duct and conversations. The. Savior’s ques tion was very embarrassing. Our disputes seem very different when we must go and tell them to Jesus from what they do when we have them “among ourselves.” There would be fewer Church quarrels, and, though they did arise, they would be far briefer and far happier in their issue if Church members would make a practice of recounting to Jesus the disputes that they have “among themselves.” No one of the disciples had anything to say: they were silenced for shame. How would it be with us, if Jesus should ask us to' tell Him the reasonings/ the desires, the imaginings, the ambitions, and the conversations of the last twenty-four hours; would we be any better off than these twelve disciples standing be fore Him with downcast looks and speech less lips? Wednesday, July 14. Mark 9 :34-37. “In the way they had disputed one with another who was the greatest.” This was a favorite question of dispute, and so much occupied were they with their personal am bitions that they had paid very little heed to what Jesus had been telling them (v. 31) about His own humiliation and death. At a later day the same dispute arose imme diately after His re-announcing with great fullness of detail His coming suffering (Matt. 20:17-21). At a still later day an other dispute broke out again at the very institution of the Lord’s Supper (Luke 22: 24). What a contrast between- Jesus and His disciples! He occupied only with thoughts of His humiliation, and preparing them for the ordeal; they occupied only with
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