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T h e K i n g ’ s B u s i n e s s
August 1932
that “Jehovah is a divine principle, not a person,” that “material body and material men are delusions,” that “ angels are pure thoughts, not messengers,” that “no final judgment awaits mortals.” Beware of the new theology which puts proud reason in the place o f childlike faith. Beware o f every form o f philosophy which would undermine any foundation truth of the gospel, or strip the cross o f its glory, or challenge a single sentence o f the W ord of God. Judah, like the northern kingdom, came to an end from the same causes, idolatry and disobedience. God gave the two king doms every opportunity to learn the great lesson o f obedience. He sent them mighty teachers, as Elijah, Elisha, Amos, Isaiah, and Jeremiah. In spite of it all, the He brews continued their idol worship and their rebellion against God’s laws. Then had to come the punishment—the knife of the Good Physician—exile. This lesson o f obedience which the He brews learned so slowly, and after all, so imperfectly, is the great lesson for us as individuals today. “Ye are my friends,” said Christ, “if ye do whatsoever I com mand you.” W e cannot “know the doc trine” until we “ do the will.” The lesson for us in this entire history is expressed in the saying o f a successful Christian worker who was asked to give the secret o f his life. “ It is this,” he replied, “ I have said yes to Christ.” II. A S olemn W arning A warning for us is expressed in the following inscription, found on an old slab in the cathedral of Lubec, Germany: “ Thus speaketh Christ, our Lord, to u s: Ye call me Master, and obey me not; Ye call me Light, and see me not; Ye call me Way, and walk me not; Ye call me Life, and desire me not; Ye call me Wise, and follow me not; Ye call me Fair, and love me not; Ye call me Rich, and ask me not; Ye call me Eternal, and seek me not; Ye call me Gracious, and trust me not; Ye call me Noble, and serve me not; Ye call me Mighty, and honor me not; Ye call me Just, and fear me not; I f I condemn you, blame me not.” SEPTEMBER 25, 1932 “ GETTING OFF TO A GOOD START” H ebrews 12:1-3 Suggestions for the Meeting Hymn— “Lead On, O King Eternal.” Hymn—“ Onward, Christian Soldiers.” Prayer—By Pastor. Special Music—“The. Captain Is Call ing.” Leader’s Message. Testimony and Scripture Verses. Offering and Announcements. Suggestions and Plans for “ Better En deavor” Societies. Benediction. Outline of the Lesson “Wherefore seeing we also are com passed about with so great a cloud o f wit nesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher o f our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross,
The secret o f success is to have our eyes off self and fixed on Him. Every successful runner keeps his eye on the goal; so-every Christian runner must keep his eye on the goal, Christ Jesus. • IV. Exemplification — “The author -and finisher o f our faith.” The same Greek word is translated “ captain” (Heb. 2:10) and “prince” (Acts 3:15). He goes before us as the Originator o f our faith and the Leader whose matchless example we are to follow. In this, He is distin guished from all those examples of faith in chapter 11. He is the “finisher o f our faith.” “ He fulfilled the ideal o f faith Him self ; so, both as a vicarious offering and as an example, He is the object o f our faith” (Jamieson, Fausset and Brown). “ Being confident o f this very thing, that he which hath be gun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” . (Phil. 1:6). Discussion Material I. S uggestions for I ncreasing the I nflu ence of the S ociety Emphasize more strongly the missionary motive. Have your next social a mission ary one—-for example, a progressive din ner party. A t each home where a course is served, let the hostess serve something suggestive o f some country where, the so ciety has missionary interests. Curios, decorations, costumes, etc., can be used to advantage, The presence o f real mission aries adds much of educational value. A f ter an evening o f this kind, the society will not only have had a most enjoyable time, but their missionary zeal will have been quickened. Any society that thinks o f others instead o f self will grow. Stress the Quiet Hour. The society can never rise higher than the lives o f the indi vidual members. No member can “grow in grace” who neglects the daily interview. “ There are so many minutes in the day, So spare Me ten. It shall be proven, then, Ten minutes set apart can well repay. You can accomplish more If you will shut your door For ten short minutes just to watch and pray.” II. T houghts for R ally D ay R allying The life that counts is one that seeks to fill its moments with things worth while.—M. L awrence . Stagnant water will putrefy. Lips not used become unclean.— A. C. D ixon . .—B rown . I f you would give up, you must reach up. I f you would learn to take up, you must learn to look up. I f you would keep up, you have got to wake up. - ' —A. C. D ixon . It is a good deal better to be down in the rows pulling weeds out, than to sit on the fence and complain because the weeds are growing.—B rown . Rejoicing (Phil. 4:4 ). Abounding (1 Cor. 15:58). First know, then grow ; 1 After we grow, then g low ; When we can glow, we go.
If It Were Otherwise I f all my days were sunny, could I " ' say, “In His fair land He wipes all tears away” ? I f I were never weary, could I keep Close to my heart, “He gives His loved ones sleep” ? Were no graves mine, might I not come to deem The life eternal but a baseless dream? My winter, and my tears, and weari ness, Even my graves, may be His way to bless. I call them ills; yet that can surely be Nothing but love that shows my Lord to me. —W esleyan M ethodist . despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand o f the throne of God.” I. Consideration —“Wherefore . . . com passed with so great a cloud o f wit nesses.” . The Greek says “ have so great a cloud [a numberless multitude above us like a cloud, ‘holy and pellucid’] o f witnesses surrounding us.” The image is from a race, an image common even in Palestine, because the Greeks had introduced it. “The witnesses answer to the spectators pressing round to see the competitors in their contest for the prize” (Phil. 3 :1 4 ).' “Also, these witnesses attest by their own case the faithfulness of God to His people, some of them martyrs in the modern sense” (Jamieson, Fausset and Brown). They are the heroes o f chapter eleven who constitute the honor roll o f Scripture, the Westminster Abbey o f the Bible. II. Exhortation. 1. Negative— “Lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily be set.” Just as an athlete, through rigid dis cipline in diet, keeps physically fit, not having any superfluous weight, so carnal lusts, “the lust of the flesh, the lust o f the eye, the nride o f life,” should all be cast away as the blind man cast away his garment when he came to Jesus. Sometimes things are not in them selves sinful; yet if they retard our race, they are “weights” and should be discarded. As to the “sin which doth so easily beset us,” Luther call ed it “the sin which always so clings to us,” ever present and ready. 2. Positive—“ Run with patience the race which is set before us.” Not only is the Christian to sep arate himself from weights and sins, but he must actively run. Some be lievers are satisfied with the compla cent idea o f not doing anything wrong. However, the gospel has a challenging note. W e áre told to run. “ So run that ye may obtain.” “With patience,” “ with persever ing endurance,” “be not weary in well doing.” III. Aspiration — “ Looking unto Jesus.”
Looking (Heb. 12:2). Loving (1 John 4 :7 ). Yielding (Rom . 6 :13).
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