April 17, 1949 THE REALITY OF ETERNAL UFE John 6:25:1 Cor. 15:20-26: 2 Cor. 4:16-5:1
7/ coming” (1 Thess. 4:16, 17 ); third, the resurrection of the wicked. The distinc tion between the resurrection of the righteous and the unrighteous is made clear in John 5:28, 29. The Comfort of the Resurrection Life (2 Cor. 4:16-5:1) In this passage by vivid contrasts, the inspired writer shows the difference between the life that now is, with all of its trials, and the life yet to come when the believer will be in possession of his resurrection body. The light affliction of the present is insignificant when com pared with the glory to be. Therefore the child of God ought to find great comfort in the prospect. Memory Verse: (Jesus said) “ Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me” (John 14:1). A little boy told a Christian woman that his father and mother were in heaven with the Lord Jesus. She re plied, “ Oh, isn’t that too bad,” then she said, “ No, that’s wonderful, isn’t it?” Her first thought had been of the little orphan boy, her second had been of the joy of the parents who were in heaven with the Saviour. To those who are not Christians, death is to be feared and hated; it brings nothing but sorrow and weeping. When the Lord Jesus was upon the earth, He knew that His death would be a time of unhappiness to His dis ciples and His friends. For many weeks the Son of God prepared His followers for His death upon the cross of Cal vary. The night that the Lord ate the last supper with the disciples He was trying to comfort them as they thought of His coming death. Some of the things He said as they sat at the table are among the favorite Scriptures that God’s children memorize today. John tells us our Lord’s words just before He paid the price for our sins: “ Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Fath er’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto my self; that where I am there ye may be also.” What comfort and joy these words must have brought to the hearts of the sorrowing disciples! The Saviour taught His disciples, and us who love Him, that death is just the beginning o f a new and happy life. Because He lived after dying, we, who are His, shall live after we die. Easter is the time o f year when we especially think of life and death. Christians remember with joy their Lord’s victory over death, a victory that is theirs too be cause they believe in Him. T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S Helps for the Children Joy at Easter John 14:1-4 Pointers on the Lesson Easter is the time in the Christian Church when we celebrate in a special way the triumph of the Lord of life over the forces of death. Following the completion of His Calvary ministry, as well as that of the three previous years, Christ came forth from the tomb to give indisputable evidence that He was the Son of God (Rom. 1 :4 ). By His resur rection the cross became radiant with meaning; and life that is life indeed was available for all who would embrace it. It is most fitting therefore that the sub ject of our study at this time should be that of eternal life in its various as pects. The Author of Eternal Life (John 5:25) The Author of eternal lifé is none other than the Son o f God. Those who hear His voice shall live. Christ is not speaking in this verse of the physically dead, but of those who are dead spirit ually. This includes all who were in Adam. Death passed upon all men when Adam sinned. But it is revealed to us in this verse that when Jesus came to earth, He began to call men out of their dead condition into life. He con tinues to do this through all this dis pensation of grace. What a voice of power is Christ’s ! As Lazarus heard the voice of Jesus when he was physi cally dead, so multitudes who are spiritually dead have been hearing the voice o f Jesus and have been raised from spiritual death. No man can be saved in any other way. The Guarantee of Resurrection Life (1 Cor. 15:20-22) The subject o f First Corinthians, chapter 15, is the resurrection of Christ. Hence the verses before us now relate to that subject. By His resurrec tion from the dead, He became the first- fruits, the promise, the earnest o f the resurrection, of all who believe in Him. Every Israelite was familiar with the figure of the “ first-fruits.” At the be ginning of the harvest days, a sheaf of the grain just beginning to ripen was presented to the Lord at the tabernacle or temple as a thank-offering in advance o f the complete harvest soon to be gathered in. Christ was the first sheaf of the com plete harvest. His coming forth from the tomb was a guarantee that one day there would be a great resurrection for all who are “ in Christ” (v.22). And in that resurrection all concerned will be like the “ first-fruits”— like Him in His glorious body. The Order of the Resurrection Life (1 Cor. 15:23-26) God is a God of order. So there is or der in the- resurrection. First, the res urrection of Christ: “ Christ, the first- fruits” : second, the resurrection o f be lievers: “ afterward they that are Christ’s.” This will take place “ at His P ocket T estament L eague 156 fIFTH flV£., nEUJ VORK 10, n.v. ffOM E O F ONESfPUOROS 'TKeetd t&e need. . . Needs—-Multitudes of starving, home less, destitute Chinese children, un cared for and without Christ. P r o v i s i o n — Christian love, food, clothing, shelter, Bible, academic and manual training. 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GOTTSCHALK ’S M e t a l Spon ge s Page Twenty-six
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