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January 1929
T h e
K i n g ' s
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II. Are Christians Crazy t . (1) They have unspeakable joy (1 Pet. 1:8). (2) Unsearchable riches (Eph. 3:8). (3) Inexplicable peace (Phil 4:7). (4) Unlimited hope—heaven their eternal Lunatic Asylum. Conclusion: Who is the sane man? If Christians are crazy, they are happier than the Christ- less. If they are sane, they are the wisest people on earth and the crazy man is the one who is playing with eternal issues. Introduction: The real “Lord’s Prayer” in the sense of being offered in His own Person and as expression of His own needs, is Jn. m I. This Prayer a Model for Believers Now. (1) Grounded upon relationship to God as Father (Gal. 4 : 6 ). (2) Any prayer is “in His Name” when we may say “These things Thy Son desires for me.” (3) The Gospel is in it. (a) “Hallowed be Name”—Jesus the Revelation of the Fa ther’s Name (Jn. 17:6). (b) “Kingdom come”—Jesus the Ruler (Rev. 19:6). (c) “Will be done”—Jesus, per fect embodiment of obedi ence (Lk. 22:42). (d) “Daily Bread”—Jesus, the Living Bread (Jn. 6:51). (e) “Forgive debts”—Jesus, our Mediator (Col. 1 :14). (f) “Deliver from evil”—Jesus, our Shepherd and Defender (Jno. 10:3). (g) “Amen”—Jesus the Amen— (Rev. 3:14). II. Petitions of the Prayer—Their Les sons. “F a t h e r in Heaven”—Invocation— Teaches personal God in Heaven. (1) May Thy Name be Hallowed— True reverence of His Name, first essen tial of prayer. (2) Kingdom Come—Kingdoms of grace and glory closely connected. Desire His reign in hearts. (3) Will be done—Bowing to His will, only way earth can be like heaven. (4) Give Daily Bread'—Ask for present needs; leave future to Father’s care. (5) Forgive—We are still j erring creatures as children. (Remember the suppliant began by addressing God as his Father,) Can’t enjoy sense of His pardon if we harbor ill toward others. ( 6 ) Lead Not into Temptation—Self distrust; full reliance upon His leading. (7) Deliver from the Evil One—need daily deliverance, not only from evil with in but without. — o — The Model Prayer Text: Mt. 6:9
It is to the credit of Lot that we read in 2 Pet. 2 :7 that he was “ vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked.” The word for “vexed” is a strong one, mean ing “worn out.” The R. V. translates it “sore distressed." j ♦ * * The expression “little children," was used in Jn. 13:33 by our Lord as a word of tenderness and occurs in only this one place. John, however, picked it up (cf. 1 Jn. 3:1, 12, 28). ♦ * * In Heb. 12:23 the church is called “church of the firstborn." This would be significant to the Jew. The names of the firstborn of Israel were enrolled in regis ters (Num. 3:42). So the names of the spiritual Israelites are enrolled in heaven (Lk. 10:20). In the family of God all are firstborn. * * * James speaks of the governor of a ship turning it “whithersoever he listeth” (Jas. 3:4). The word means “steersman.” This is the meaning of our word “gover nor.” It has been lost sight of. * * * The six words in Heb. 12:1—“ (Sin) which doth so easily beset us" —are the translation of a single adjective which does not occur elsewhere. The meaning seems to be “sins which stand around." Sin is sin in whatever degree it is done, but the things which stand around us may become serious hindrances when they are in excess, even though in moderation they would be helps rather than weights.' * * * Our Lord said to Nathaniel: “Here after ye shall see heaven open (or “stand ing open”) and the angels of God ascend ing and descending upon the Son of man” (Jn. 1:51). This is certainly an allusion to Jacob’s dream (Gen. 28:12). A wan derer was encouraged by a vision of a ladder reaching from earth to heaven, teaching thatearth wasunited with heaven. This was fulfilled in Christ. Through Him there is real intercourse between heaven and earth.He is the ladder of this intercourse. * * ♦ “In him should all fulness dwell" (Col. 1:19). The word “fulness" means “entire number” or “plenitude.” In Christ was the exhaustion of deity. It is a superla tive statement of the incarnation of God. The word for “dwell” signifies “take up its permanent dwelling place,” or “last ing abode.” ♦ * * Critics have long questioned Peter’s authorship of the second epistle bearing his name. Here is a little undesigned coincidence that proves Peter wrote it. In chap. 1, he refers to his “decease” (v. 15). The word is “exodus,” the very word used in the Transfiguration when Moses and Elias conversed about Christ’s decease, the word occurring nowhere else as applied to death. Peter also speaks of putting off his “tabernacle,” another term found in the Transfiguration account (Lk. 9:31, 33). Peter shows in v. 16 that what occurred on the mount, made an indelible impression upon his mind.
Why Not Give the Bible to the Jew
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Give to him who gave the Bible, Think from whence it came to you: Do you love your precious Bible ? Then restore it to the Jew. Do you love your precious Sav iour? Jesus Christ was born a Jew : What should, then, be your be havior ? Tell of Jesus to the Jew.
Conclusion : Prayer attitudes suggested:
(a) Reverent (b) Waiting (c) Yield ed (d) Childlike (e) Humble (f) Trustful (g) Devout and grateful. —o— The Cross—The Plus Sign of a Minus Life Text: Lk. 23:32. Introduction : Malice put Jesus between two male factors, but divine purpose behind the wrath of man. “He came to seek and to save the lost.” A final illustration of the nature of His mission: one of the thieves becomes the first trophy of His redeeming love. In the moment when every voice was against Him, and His disciples fled, God raised up a witness to His spotless inno cence on the cross beside Him (vs. 40-41). I. Plan of Salvation Revealed. (1) Confession of Sin Before God and Man (v. 41. Cf. Rom. 3:23). (2) Vision of Christ’s Saving Power (v. 42. Cf. Jno. 20:31). (3) Definite Faith (v. 42. Cf. Eph. 2 : 8 - 10 ). (4) Confession with the Mouth (vs. 40-42. Cf. Rom. 10:9). II. The Three Crosses. (1) Sin in and on— Rejection . The cross bearing the rejector of Christ (Jn. 3:36, 18). (2) Sin on, N o t 1 in— Redemption The cross bearing the sinless Saviour (1 Jn. 3:5; 1 Pet. 2:24). (3) Sin in, Not on—Reception The cross bearing the converted malefactor (Rom. 4:7-8). Conclusion : Appeal and invitation. V------------------------------------- j--- S —f B I B L E B R I E F S i*----——--------— -— --------- 4 Is it not significant that it is Peter who warns of false teachers who shall “even deny the Lord who bought them"? (2 Pet. 2:1.) .He saw this as the climax of all evil in faith.
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