March 1932
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
138
T H "E
Q îo ie s on CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR . . . B y M ary G . G oodner *
APRIL 10, 1932 HOW SHOULD WE USE SUNDAY? J o h n 9:1, 13-16; A cts 20:6, 7 Suggestions for the Meeting
the Sermon on the Mount, and He says, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” He did not tell us to make our light shine, but just to let it. ' The Christian must not avoid responsi bility, for he is the world’s Bible. “Men are convinced more quickly and certainly by what they see than by what they hear,” said Dr. Babcock. “It is not ‘let your lips speak,’ but ‘let your light shine.’ The liv ing epistle is not known and heard of all men, but known and read.” “Ye are the light of the world.” God might have entrusted the work of evangelizing the world to angels, but He chose rather to commission His followers to carry the good tidings to the uttermost parts of the earth. This is the main busi ness of the church. One challenging com mand that rings in our ears is, “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature,” and, “Ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Illustration “Your religion is all moonshine,” said a scoffer to a Christian. “Thank you for the compliment,” was the ready answer. “Christ is the light of the world, and we Christians only reflect Him as the moon reflects the light of the sun .”—Sunday School Quarterly. Discussion Material I. F u n c t io n s of t h e C h u r c h C arries on Christ’s teaching. R escues the perishing. C omforts the lonely. H eralds the second coming of Jesus Christ. II. S e n t e n c e T h o u g h t s “Let your light so shine, for it is given you for that purpose.” “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works [not the worker—that is of no consequence—but the works] and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” III. B r ie f V erses Thou who art Light, shine on each soul 1 Thou who art Truth, each mind control. Open our eyes and make us see The path which leads to heaven and Thee. — J o h n H a y . I love thy kingdom, Lord, The house of Thine abode, The church our blest Redeemer saved H elps the weak. U nites believers.
APRIL 3, 1932 WHY HAVE A_£HÜÄ€H? M a t t h e w 5 -.13-16; 13:33 Suggestions for the Meeting Hymn—“Where He Leads Me.” Hymn—“The Church in the Wildwood.” Prayer. Scripture Lesson. Short pointed talks by three previously appointed speakers, on the following ques tions : 1. Why would the world be worse off if there were no church? ' 2. What good does the church’s teach ing do? 3. How can we make our church bet ter? Quartette Number—“The Church s One Foundation.” Leader’s Message. Voluntary Testimonies. Roll Call with Bible Verses. Quiet Hour. Close with the First Psalm repeated in unison. Meditation on the Lesson The first thing for the leader to do in discussing this topic is to have a clear un derstanding in his own mind, as to what is meant by the term “the church.” Many are confused as to this, and think “denomination” and “church” are synony mous. Hence, much confusion and error arise. The Word of God, our infallible rule, has nothing to say of denominations, but it has much to teach of the true church. Let us see, therefore, what it has to say. In Matthew 16:18, Jesus tells Peter that he is going to build His church. “And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved” (Acts 2:47; cf. 1 Cor. 12:28; Eph. 1:22, 23). Many other references we might add, but these are sufficient to show that the true church, of which Christ is the hon ored Head, is composed of all true believ ers in the Lord Jesus. It is a great invisible body known only to God. All its members have the same marks. They are all born of the Spirit; they all possess repentance toward God, faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ; and they should show holiness of life and conversation. They all hate sin, and all love Christ. Denominations are man made and have no saving power. You may be a Baptist, Episcopalian, Presby terian, Disciple, Methodist, Lutheran, Wes leyan, or Plymouth Brethren and yet not belong to the true church. On the other hand, God has mightily blessed the true members of His body, His church, who are also members of some denomination; it is to these that this topic is addressed. “Why do we have a visible church ?” One of the best answers is found in today’s Scripture lesson. The Lord is talking to His disciples in *Mrs. E. S. Goodner.
Hymn—“O Day of Rest and Gladness.” Hymn—“Safely Through A n o t h e r Week.” Prayer by the Chairman of the Prayer Meeting Committee. Scripture Lesson Read Responsively. Hymn—“What a Friend We Have in Jesus.” Special Musical Number. Leader’s Remarks. . Several one-minute talks on “How I Should Spend Sunday.” Hymn—“Sweet Hour of Prayer.” Mizpah Benediction. Meditation on the Lesson Many honest people have been sadly misled in regard to the change from the Jewish Sabbath to the Christian Sunday, and they have been led into a legal bondage which the Lord never intended us to suffer. Though there is no record in the Scrip ture of any divine command to change the Sabbath from the seventh day to the first day of the week, yet, when we see that this was done in the apostolic age, and that Paul speaks of the Jewish Sabbath as not being obligatory upon Christians, the strong inference is that the change of the day was made by divine direction. We act on apostolic authority fpr observing the first day of the week, and thus we com memorate at once both the creation and the redemption of the world. Jesus rose from the dead on the first day and became the Head of a new creation. The first day is an ever-recurring memorial of the resurrection. Illustrations I. T e le g r a ph W ir e s N eed ’ R est All things, both animate and inanimate, need occasional rest. Scientists tell us that telegraph wires are better conductors on Monday than on Saturday, after they have had a partial Sunday rest. II. A S a v in g s B a n k Sunday is- God’s special gift to the working man. In the economy of time it answers the same purpose as the economy of income is answered by a savings bank. III. O n a R ecord When Gladstone was asked to speak into a phonograph, that the record might be made for use fifty years hence, this was his message: “I owe my life and vigor, through a long and busy life, to the. Sabbath Day with its blessed surcease of toil.” IV. C h u r c h A t te n d a n c e A Boston pastor, cautioning his people
With His own precious blood. I love Thy church, O God 1 Her walls before Thee stand, Dear as the apple of Thine eye, And graven on Thy hand.
— T o m o t h y D w ig h t .
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