THE KING’S BUSINESS
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well as victory over “the world, the flesh and the devil.” A witness-bearer is a light- bearer as well. When the Spirit of God came upon that little band in the “upper room,” although they had no patronage, no promise of any earthly favor; no endow ment, no wealth,—a company of men and women having to get their living by com mon daily toil, and busied with all the household duties of daily life—yet to them is entrusted a work which is to turn the world upside down! Instead of the truth of their Lord’s return, which He had so often taught them, having a paralyzing ef fect upon them, it became the most power ful incentive for them to labor, both “ in season and out of season,” for the con version of sinners. They were like the Thessalonian saints who, a little later on, had “turned to God from idols, to serve the living and true God and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come” (1 Thess. 1 :9, 10). Can we truly say- that our lamps are filled ? If filled with the Holy Spirit, then we can sing from our hearts: “Blessed are those whom our Lord finds watching; In His glory they shall share; If He shall come at the dawn or midnight, He will find us watching there.“ LESSON XII.—September 20, 1914. Golden Text,—Matt. 25:45 "Inasmuch as ye, did it not unto the least of these, ye did it not to me.” The gracious truth taught in today’s les son is that the saints of this dispensation who have followed faithfully in the foot steps of their Lord shall be rewarded when He returns to establish His kingdom in the earth. As to their being in this judgment to be judged for their sins, that cannot be, Christ, in His substitutionary work on the Cross having been judged in their stead. In a dispensational aspect the nations that have maltreated the Jew, the Lord’s “brethren,” the faithful remnant, who will
of priests and Pharisees, Scribes and Sa- ducees, along with the rabble of the slums of Jerusalem, all crying in unison, “ Away with H im ! away with H im !” while from His own lips up to heaven, and down to the nethermost depths of hell, and through the earth, ring these wondrous and blessed words, “ It is finished!” And then He dies of a broken heart (Psa. 69:20-21). But the morning of the third day He comes forth from the tomb, having completed the work the Father gave Him to do. Now, there is no barrier to the Holy Spirit pour ing into the heart of the believing sinner the great love of God (Rom. 5:5). Now, it is possible for him w ho, receives this blessed boon to love God with all his heart, mind and strength. LESSON XI.—September 13, 1914. Golden Text,—Matt. 25:13 "Watch therefore, for ye know not the day no% the hour when the Son of Man cometh.” The second coming of Christ is the true key to the “opening up of the Word.” It is spoken of by Prophets, Apostles, and Christ Himself in the strongest and most glowing terms as being the hope of the Church, and the final salvation of Jew and Gentile. , The very heart-core of the teaching in the lesson of today is that we should always be waiting, watching, working, and ready for the return of our Lord. In order to be always in this attitude of longing for His return, it is essential that we be filled with the Holy Spirit. A mere head knowl edge of this truth will not avail. It must have entire possession of the heart. The wise virgins had plenty of oil in their lamps; the foolish had some oil, but their lamps had “burned out” at the crisis mo ment of the bridegroom’s return, and they could not enter in. There is no room here for extended comment oft the virgin feature of the parable. The great need of the Church today is the anointing of the Holy Spirit in order to true witness-bearing, as
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