February, 1942
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things' that are above, not on the things that are upon the earth” (Col. 3:2, R. V.). III. T he R equirement for D isciples (34-38) The requirement for disciples is threefold: self-denial,.self - renuncia tion, and self-abnegation. Self-denial means choosing Christ instead of self, treating, self as the crowd treated Jesus when they “denied the Holy One . . . and desired a murderer” (Acts 3:14). Self-renunciation means the choosing of every course of action in relation to the one great fact that we belong to the Lord Jesus Christ. This method would at once settle all questions concerning amu s e rq e n t s, companions, and so on. Self-abnega tion means accepting Christ as the Leader for the life and following His desires rather than one’s own. By so choosing, there will be the saving of the only thing a person-has to invest, that is, the life. The dis ciple is to follow this course of action, not merely for its present’ worth or results, but for its future, issues as well. What those issues will be is in dicated by the choices made today. Points and Problems 1. "Whom do men say that 1 am?" (Mk. 8:27). This is the first and most important question in Christianity. Our Lord had been preaching through out, the land. He had sent out His chosen disciples to preach. Now He gathers the. workers together to get a report' on the results of their work. We shall find now in this historic conference what the Son of God re-, garded as of most importance. It should be noted that He did not ask whether men were keeping the pre cepts of His sermon on the mount. He did not ask whether men were “ap plying the Golden Rule to the social and economic problems of the day.” He did not aSk how many new places of worship they had founded, nor whether men were being baptized properly. Doubtless all these Jnatters were important, but they were not first. The first thing, the basic thing, the thing which would give value to everything else, was a right view of the Person of Christ: “Whom do men say that I am?” Until that question is answered properly, nothing else can be done for sinners. All modernists, and some who claim to .be orthodox, argue that Christ was not interested in “theology,” and that we should not be concerned about it. The ¿rouble with such men is that they do not know the “mind of Christ.” And the reason they do not know His mind is that they have not listened to His words. 2. "They answered, John the Bap tist . . . Elias . . . One of the prophets"
(v. 28). But Christ is not satisfied until the true confession comes from the lips of Peter, “Thou art the Christ.” And we should not forget that in this confession we should see what the Bible teaches about the Person of .Christ, that He was both God and man. Thus we learn that Christ was not merely deeply interested in “theol ogy,” but He was interested also that, men should hold a right theology. . 3. "He rebuked Peter, Saying, Get thee behind me, Satan" (v. 33). When Peter confessed our Lord as “the Christ,” quite evidently he saw only the divine glory-of Messiah as the great King of Israel, but failed to see His redemptive work through suffer ing and death. Thus we may learn that any one, no matter how devout, who minimizes or omits the value of the poured-out blood of Christ, has become a tool of the devil himself. If this seems a severe judgment, we are not to forget that it is the Lord’s own judgment. 4. "Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words . . . of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed" (v. 38). Here Christ was referring to His “words” on a definite subject, the subject of His substitu tionary death on the dross. Peter had been “ ashamed” of the Lord’s words on this particular point. Nothing is more repugnant to the world, to the modernistic church, to mere human wisdom, than the blood of Calvary. But in the face of the world’s sneers, let us not be ashamed of His words as to the absolute necessity of Cal vary, lest He also be ashamed of us in the day of His. coming. Golden Text Illustration ■M ark 8 :35 A Japanese student tells how he came to be a Christian. In a training college in Japan, he and a young American, who was a Christian, went to the principal—a venerable Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church— and complained of the coldness of their rooms. The good Bishop replied, “I am sorry that the council at home ,cannot spare the money to repair your rooms,” and then turning to the Chris tian student, he said, “As far as you are concerned, we can soon settle the matter. You are young, your life is before you, and your health must be safeguarded. I am old, my work is nearly done, and my room faces south and is warm and bright. You shall have mine and I will take yours.” The young man protested, but the. Bishop -had made up his mind, and nothing could alter his decision. The . Japanese student was so impressed by the beautiful unselfishness of the Bishop, and his evident joy in the sacrifice he made, that he saw in it
SOUTHLAND HOTEL Soliciting the business o f particular Christians 605 SOUTH F L O W E R S T R E E T - LOS AN G E L E S , C A L IF . •- One Block West of Bible Institute 4 MRS. R. A . G R E E N P ro p rie to r C om forta b le - Clean In ex p en siv e LET US GIVE THANKS that we have an abundance of food and the Bread of Life and religious liberty. LET US PRAY for the peoples of the war-ridden lands, the homeless, the sick; the suffering, the wounded . . . “We are debtors” to them, for Christ’s sake, therefore LET US REMEMBER them with a special gift at this season and send them the comfort of the Gospel and something for their daily bread. Send all your love-gifts cheerfully to the RUSSIAN MISSIONARY SOCIETY, Inc. Miss M. N. Fetler, Secretary 1844 W. Monroe St., Room 2, Chicago, III. Ask for our free magazine "The Friend of Russians.” • : Ç fr o H - A # * A i  I B d l C ÉÉ Pine materials.' beautiful work, t pleasingly low prices Catalog and samples on request. State B -your needs, and name of church-. DeMoulin Bros. & Co. 1126 S. 4th St.; Greenville. III. FlannelgraphMaterial Vellow Scenic Backgrounds At a Great Saving far a short time only. Regular $5.45 values now only $2.45 Beautiful Indoor Scene' $2.45 Outdoor Scene, 2.45 These backgrounds are 36 inches long, Bauer Art Studio S Maiwo. c*ut.3 j T
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