,345
T h e K i n g ’ s B u s i n e s s
August 1932
Go thy way, sell whatso ever thou hast, and give to the poor .. . and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
There came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
C hrist and the R ich Y oung R uler
L,JESUS c/peaL /«YOUTH ¿fee»® B y HAROLD F. GRAHAM , Monrovia, Calif.
Then it was that Jesus spoke to youth. The Scripture records the scene with these words: “ Jesus beholding him loved him, and said un to him, Qne thing thou lackest.” J esus B eholding H im , L oved H im The Master looked clear through him. He looked into the very depths of his soul. He saw the sincerity of spirit and the loyalty of purpose. He saw the enthusiasm and the vitality and the life. The saddest condition that prevails in the American home today is the great breach of un derstanding between parents and youth. Parents look with amazement at the vitality and power and enthusiasm of young people. On every hand, you hear the cry, “ What has happened to our young people?” The hardest thing a young fellow has to face in his family is the fact (almost universally true) that no one understands. “ The folks” think that conditions and cir cumstances and temptations are just the same as they always were. It is hard to describe the feeling—but it is just plain aloneness! No one understands. Yet here is One who does understand. “ Jesus behold ing him”— looking through him— “ loved him.” With all his faults and blemishes, Jesus understood him. The thing that meant the most to me when I came to Jesus at the age of sixteen was that here was One who could understand. Here was a Friend I could trust. And that is the Christ I present to you. Remember, when Jesus speaks to youth, He speaks with perfect understanding and in perfect love, for “ Jesus beholding him, loved him,” Parents often make the mistake o f giving the impres-
“ Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest” (Mk. 10:21). il l you l e t me make a very simple state ment of introduction to this message ? It is this: When Jesus speaks to youth, it is Jesus who speaks. I want you to listen, when Jesus speaks to youth, and I want you to remember who is speaking: the manliest Man who ever walked life’s pathway, the only normal Man who ever breathed, Jesus Christ; not the mild, pale-faced figure you see on Sunday-school picture cards, not the weak, emaciated Jesus of popular concep tion, but the Christ of the Scriptures! This is the Man who went one day into the temple and saw greedy priests making merchandise of His Father’s house, and who stooped down and made a scourge of small cords and advanced to meet the crowd single-handed. His arm rose and fell like flashes of light ning as He faced the mob alone. And when He was through, the courtyard was empty. Jesus Christ, a young Man! Jesus Christ, a strong Man! Jesus Christ, the God-Man! Remember who is speaking, when Jesus speaks to youth. A young man heard that Jesus had been in town. He was a rich young fellow, and did not associate very much with the so-called “ common” people, so he nearly missed out when Jesus came to his town. The Master was just leaving, and the young chap—a sincere fellow he was— ran through the street at top speed to overtake this strange, new Teacher. Breathless, he knelt before Him, out of respect, and said, “ Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eter nal life?” c n
H arold F. G raham Pastor o f the First Baptist Church Monrovia, Calif.
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker