King's Business - 1921-04

THE K I N G ’S BUS I NES S

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attempted to justify his conduct by say­ ing that the place was too dangerous for him to tarry there. Both priest and Levite were weighed in the balance and found wanting. 3. The attitude of practical sym­ pathy. vs. 33-35, “The Samaritan came where he was and had compassion on him.” A Jew would not speak to a Samaritan but this Samaritan would save a half-dead Jew. A despised one shows mercy and saves one who was living a t enmity with him. What a picture of the love of God in Christ JesusL T h e G o d l y I i i f e . The Psalmist announces his purpose of singing of mercy which gives and of judgment which takes. Then he breaks off his soliloquy and turns it into a prayer. It is more profitable to talk with God than to talk with oneself. He looks to the presence of God and to communion with Him as the source of a holy life. He makes promises and resolutions but they can be kept only through God’s grace. Phil. 2:i2*l3. A new heart is not of our making but of God’s giving. His own house is not what it should have been. 2 Sam. 23:5. The home life is often the hardest life. Temptation centers here and victory over it may be unrecognized. Yet op­ portunities for service are more fre­ quent and Christ can be honored here as nowhere else. He closes with a wider outlook, even the “city of God.” vs. 8, but even there he will depend on the good, fearing and avoiding all who do not tru st in God. •basement may be in any kind of a house, it is neither wise nor healthful to live in it. If a man lives entirely upon the physical plane of life he is no better than an animal. The physical life is only a means to an end, the end being intellectual and spiritual. The physical should be therefore subordinated' to the higher nature. This is what Paul means by keeping the body under. When its claims become paramount and dominant the true order is inverted. It should receive only that amount of attention th a t will enable the mind to work with unimpaired vigor. It is a terrible thing S A T U R D A Y , A p r i l 9 . P s a l m 1 0 1 : 1 - 8 . S U N D A Y , A p r i l 1 0 . 1 C o r . 9 : 1 9 - 2 7 . K e e p t h e B o d y I n I t s P l a c e . Since man may be called a three-story affair, the body may be considered the basement. However necessary the

to be the slave of an appetite or habit. If the'man does not master his body, the body will master the man. 1 C o r . 6 : 1 2 - 2 0 . R e c o g n i z e t h e S a n c t i t y o f t h e B o d y . God has honored the body by creat­ ing it. It is the direct work of God. He has honored the body by giving His Son a human body which is now in heaven at the right hand'of the majesty on high. He has honored the body by redeeming it and making it the temple of His Holy Spirit. The value of any­ thing is indicated by its purchase price. It cost the blood of God’s only begotten Son to purchase the redemption of our souls and bodies. Moreover God has established a wonderful relationship be­ tween the body and Himself, vs. 13. This means negatively that the body is not for personal pleasure, selfish use or worldly activity, and positively that He will accept it and make the best possible use of it when dedicated to His will. Rom. 12:1. H a r m o n i o u s D e v e l o p m e n t . The life of Jesus was a development from Bethlehem to Olivet. He was per­ fection to begin with, yet He was “made perfect.” This implies increase of gifts and graces. - The meaning of the state­ ment that He increased in wisdom and in stature, must be that He came into - the world as unconscious as any other child and in His human nature came gradually to all the various kinds of knowledge including that of Himself and His mission. Made in all respects like unto His brethren, we may be sure th a t He knew the spiritual experiences that every Christian passes through ,ex­ cepting of course th a t of repentance and regeneration. By the Scriptures He would know of a coming Messiah and by the still small voice of the Spirit, He would know Himself to be that Mes­ siah. .We are not told when He came to this consciousness and where Scrip­ ture is silent it is useless to conjecture. H a l e a n d H e a r t y O l d A g e . Caleb had more than longevity. He had rejuvenescence, and he gave God the praise, vs. 10. Instead of asking'' for a fertile farm where he might pass his remaining days in peaceful security, he asked for the mountain fastness and the walled cities that had been hitherto M O N D A Y , A p r i l 1 1 . T U E S D A Y , A p r i l 1 2 . D u k e 2 : 4 2 - 5 2 . W E D N E S D A Y , A p r i l 1 3 . J o s h u a 1 4 : 8 - 1 3 .

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