THE KING’S BUSINESS
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that we heed it too? Oh, to how many today Christ is calling “Far hence,” but they turn a deaf ear and stay at home, and so men and women are perishing every where because we will not go where the Lord bids 'us go. Up to the point where Paul mentioned his commission to the Gentiles, the Jews listened in silence, but no sooner had he said this than a mad cry arose, “Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live.” Was not this hatred of the Jews for the Gentiles passing strange ? Truly it was. But is it as strange as the contempt of many professing Christians today for the, peoples in darkness? Friday, April 13 . Acts 22 : 23 - 25 . What a ridiculous animal man is any how. Just look at these Jews, men of sup posed intelligence, crying out, throwing off their clothes, casting dust in the air. But are men today so essentially different from these absurd Jews of old? Tell them some truth they do not relish and what a spec tacle they will make of themselves. They will try to howl down the speaker, and they will throw dust, perhaps not into the air, but into one another’s eyes, and imagine that their howling and dust throwing is an unanswerable argument. Not . long ago a gathering of, supposedly, some of the most intelligent men in America tried to carry a point by shouting, one hour and twenty minutes, and even some of our newspapers seemed to. think that this was a convincing argument. Outside of the illuminating grace of God man is a fool. The Roman colonel did not know what to make of the tumult. He naturally concluded, that Paul was some infamous malefactor and had him marched into the castle for examina tion “by scourging.” The Holy Spirit had predicted through various prophets as Paul went toward Jerusalem, not only that bonds and afflictions awaited him (ch. 20:23), but that Paul should be bound at Jerusa lem (ch. 21 : 11 ), and now we see these prophecies that had been made along the way fulfilled to the letter. How the vari-
to give what appear to us* good reasons why a certain place is the best place for us to work, and yet God knows better and the part of wisdom on our part is to leave it to Him. The Lord had just told Paul, “They will not receive of thee testimony concerning me.” That was the reason for his going away speedily. The place to testify is the place where our testimony will be received. It must have been quite humiliating for Paul when Jesus said, “They w.ill not receive of thee testimony concerning me.” That was just what Paul imagined they would do. He imagined that his testimony would go further in Jerusa lem than that of any one else. In seeking to argue the case with the Lord Paul showed that he was made of the same stuff as the rest of us. . We too, oftentimes want to argue the matter with our Master, we fancy He is making some mistake. But Paul soon learned to obey and ask no questions, but some of us have not learned it yet. Thursday, April 12 . j Acts 2 2 : 21 , 22 . The Lord did not argue the matter with Paul; He did not pay any attention to his arguments; He simply said, “Depart.” The Lord'would have Paul learn (and would have us learn) that it was not his to know the reasons, Paul’s whole part was simply to obey the order of his Master, to do just what he was told. And yet the Lord did' give a reason for his departing, viz., that is was His purpose to send him far, far from Jerusalem unto the Gentiles. “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Jerusalem,” Paul’s heart cried, but “Far hence,” Christ cried, and not only far hence, but “unto the Gen tiles.” “Boston;” “New York,” “Chicago,” “St. Louis,” “Los Angeles,” many hearts are crying today, or at least “America,” but Christ is calling back, “Far hence,” and not only'So but “unto the heathen,” “unto the Chinamen,” “unto the despised Negro.” It is well for us that Paul heeded his Master’s call for it was through his heeding the Master’s call that we heard the gospel. Is it any less important for others
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