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THE K I N G ’S B U S I N E S S
where I am, th ere shall also my servant be.” Here we have th e p resen t and th e fu tu re. It is logical: If we follow, we m ust be “where He is.” To follow sums up all duty. To be w ith H im is th e highest realization of all hopes and desires. Think of th e uniqueness of ChriBt’s sayings. Who among men ever said such strange things? He is th e ideal Man and is accepted as such. He alone could say, “ I am bread— water-—light — resurrection— life— come unto Me.” The world has taken His words at th e ir face value and His conduct as the perfection of hum an possibility. Some are ready to follow His example, but to follow His example w ithout having His life is impossible. He has already made th a t plain. W hat is involved in following Him? Death of self is th e demand of Christ of those who would follow Him. To be like Him is to undergo th e opera tion of death to self and death to things. The distinction between other systems and th e religion of Jesus Christ is here defined. All o ther systems cen te r in rules and laws, h u t Christianity centers in th e person of Christ. (2) T H E DECISION O F O U R LORD’S .SOUL, vs. 27-30, “F a th e r, glorify thy nam e.” Here we have a picture of th e perfect hum anity of the'Bon of God. The great grief of th e Garden confronted Him. The cruel cross was before Him. The weight and woe of a world’s sin was burdening H is soul. Satan was piling up th e clouds of darkness in high bil lows around th e Man of Nazareth. No one could en ter th is valley w ith Him. He must tread it alone. When H is disciples are in danger and tro u ble, He is th e re to deliver them , but none can deliver Him. P erhaps we may read into th is scene th e words in Heb. 5 :7 : “W h o in th e d a y s o f H is flesh , w h en h e h a d o ffered u p p ra y e rs a n d su p p lic a tio n s, w ith s tr o n g c ry in g a n d te a r s u n to
h im t h a t w a s a b le to sa v e h im fro m d e a th , a n d w a s h e a rd in t h a t h e fe a re d .” T hank God, He did not seek to be saved from th a t hour. F a ith pierced the clouds. F aith pierced th e clouds, and we h ear Him saying, “F ath er, glorify th y name.’’ W hat victory is this? The clouds are scattered. He has conquered. The assuring voice of th e F ath e r breaks in upon th e gloom, “ I have both glorified it anc( will glorify it again.” This voice was heard a t His baptism , a t His transfiguration, and now the F ath e r testifies th a t th e Cross is to add fu rth e r lu stre to th a t glorious name. The resu rrection was to accentuate it, and it will finally reach its climax when he comes th e second tim e in th e glory of His F ather. Jesus assures them th a t th e voice came for th e ir sakes, to streng then th eir faith. Then He tells th em th a t the world is judged. It was judged in Jesus Christ, found guilty, sentenced, pu t to death. He tasted d eath for ev ery man. S atan ’s doom is sealed. The execution papers are in th e hands of the Lord and in due season he shall be th ru st out of th e heavenlies, in to th e earth, and th en again o u t of the earth into the prison house, and again fin ally, into th e lake of fire (Rev 20 .1 0 ). (3) THE DRAWING POWER OF THE CRUCIFIED CHRIST, vs. 31-36, "I, if I be lifted up.” H ere is th e them e of th e cross, “The Uplifted Christ.” As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, between earth and heaven, so must He be lifted up on th e cross (John 3 :14 ). There is no power in the world like the power of th e cross. There is no story like th e story of Calvary. Some one has said, “The life of Christ in spires; th e example of Christ elevates; th e teaching of Christ convicts; but th e death of Christ draws us.” There is an attraction in Calvary th at' defies explanation, except it be that
A FRIEND—YOURSELF. (See Page 458)
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