THE f CTHS' S BUS i NE S S
January, 1937
n
are told today that He brings salvation by the fact of His life, example, and teaching. We are told that the cross was an event for which He did not look, and that He died a martyr. But had Jesus lived even to this, our day, and continued to teach and preach and work mighty miracles of heal ing, even to restoring to life the dead as in the case of Lazarus, all these wondrous works would not have sufficed to put away sin. Men would stilt be ini need of salva tion. However, the Scriptures teach that He saves His people from their sins by dying, not by example or teaching. Having spoken of His own death, which alone could bring forth fruit, He applied the same truth to His disciples (vs. 25, 26). To preserve the life is to lose it, and to lose the life is to preserve it. The one who, having received eternal salvation through Christ, yet lives without thought of eternity, will certainly lose his life, not in the sense of being lost through eternity but of having nothing to show for his life. One can be saved but suffer tremendous loss. If one is to follow the Lord and gain eternal profit, there must be the spirit of self-sacrifice, the laying down of the pres ent life, and the walking with Him whose path led and leads through death and resur rection (cf. Matt. 10:39; 16:25; Mk. 8:35; Lk. 9:24; 17:33; Phil. 3:7-10; Col. 3:1-4). Service for Christ brings honor from the ; Father (v. 26). II. 'T h e S e l f -S a cr if ic e of J esus (12:27-33) Jesus humanly shrank from the cross, the shadow of which fell across His imme diate pathway (v. 27). Having spoken of the grain of wheat as:dying in order that it might bring forth fruit, He turned to His own approaching death. Unlike the death of all others, His would be one in which He would assume the sin of the world. The very thought of such an ordeal filled His soul with loathing and forced the cry, “ Now is my soul troubled.” Would He pray to be delivered from such a death? T o be saved from such an hour? No! ft was for this very hour that He had come, and He prayed: “ Father, glorify thy name” (v. 28). The glory of the Father’s name would be Christ’s joy. Hence it was “ for the joy that was set before him” that He endured the cross, despising the shame (cf. Heb. 12:2). The moment He uttered the words, “glorify thy name,” the Father’s voice was heard from heaven, as twice be fore, at the baptism and at the transfigura tion. T o some of the people standing by, there seemed to be thunder, while others thought that an angel had spoken (v. 29). Jesus BLACKBOARD LESSON
said that the voice was heard not for His sake, but for the sake of the bystanders (v. 30). The Lord then declared: “ Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be east out” (v. 31). These are predictive words looking, forward to the time when the work of the cross would Be completed, after Jesus had been lifted up (vs. 32, 33). The “ lifting up” refers to the manner of His death— crucifixion—not to His ascension. III. T h e N e w C o m m a n d m e n t (1 3 :3 4 , 3 5 ) This new commandment is not a repeti tion of the second “great commandment,” which insists upon one!s loving his neigh bor as himself, but is for the members of the family of God— for all of those who have been born again. We sometimes for get the unity of the spiritual family to which every true Christian, of whatever denomination, belongs. Being brethren in the same family, we are to love one another. The love about which Jesus spoke was not mere sentiment, but love springing from the life of Christ within. It is the love of which the First Epistle of John speaks, and without which no one can ever know God. It is love generated by the Holy Spirit; it is to be manifested by individual Chris tians, and used for the glory of God. The extent of the love is that wherewith Christ has and does love us. He loved us when we were dead in sins; He loves us when we stumble and fa il; He loves us with a love that never cools, whatever changes there may be in us. His love for us is unending (cf. John 13:1). It is the love which drove Him through the garden to the agony of the cross and into the dark loneliness when the face of God was hid den from Him. He says that we are to love one another “ as I have loved you” (v. 34). This is the new commandment. The result of this love in the family of believers is that all will know that we are the Lord’s disciples (v. 35). A disciple is a learner, one who strives to live as his teacher lives. Are we learning of Christ? Points and Problems 1. “The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified" (John 12:23). This ' glorification is not to be confined merely to the restoration of the external glory which He had laid aside when He took the servant’s form, although that doubtless is included. The glorification about which He spoke began in the self- sacrifice on the cross for the salvation of sinners. 2. “Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone” (v. 24). The three words, “ it abideth alone,” are among the most solemn and fearful in all of Holy Scripture. They mean that if our Lord had not died, He would have re mained alone throughout all eternity, the one member of the human race ever to en joy heaven and eternal life with God. That was the choice He had to make: either to live alone or to die and bring forth much fruit. Unless He were to die, He would have no help for the “ Greeks” who wanted to see Him (v. 20), or for any other human
m
l a i n t
He don't” Its m e !” You was T Cant hardly
WhatAreYOUR MistakesinEnglish?
They may offend others as much as these offend you I P some one you met for the first time made the mistakes in English shown above, what would you think of him ? Would he inspire your respect? Would you be inclined to make a friend o f him ? Would you care to introduce hint: to others as a close friend of yours ? V These errors are easy for you to see. Perhaps, however, you make other mis takes which offend other people as much as these would offend you, How do you know that you do not mispro nounce certain words ? Are you alwayk sure that the things you say and writg are grammatically correct? To you theji may seem correct, but others may know they are wrong. * Unfortunately, people will, not correct you when you make mistakes; all they do is to make a mental reservation about you....."He“ Ts'_igri6- rant and uncultured,” they think. So you .really have no way of- telling, wheii your English offends others. FREE— Book on English Sherwin Cody, perhaps the best known teacher of practical English, has perfected and patented a remarkable device which will quickly find and correct mistakes you unconsciously make. Cor rect English soon becomes a HABIT. Mr. Cody’s remarkable new invention, the 100% Self-Correcting Method, has already im proved the English of more than 100,000 people. No useless rules, no tedious copying, no hard study. Only 15 minutes a day required. You learn by creating the HABIT of using correct English. Nothing like Mr. Cody’s method has ever been used before I A new book, “ How You Can Master Good English in 15 Minutes a Day,” is ready. It explains Mr. Cody’s surprisingly easy method. Get a copy free and learn how to stop making embarrassing errors. Y ou-do not want others to judge you unfairly. Merely mail the coupon or a postal card, SHERWIN CODY SCHOOL* OF ENGLISH, 731 Searle Building, Rochester, N. Y. SHERWIN CODY SCHOOL OF ENGLISH 731 Searle Building, Rochester, N. Y. Please send me your free book, “ How You Can Master Good English in 15 Minutes a Day.” Name Address
□ I f 18 years or under check here for Booklet A
Made with FlippingBook Online newsletter