King's Business - 1936-03

March, 1936

THE K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S

107

NOTES on Christian Sndeavor B y M a r y G . G o o d n e r

APR IL 5, 1936 HOW GIVE OURSELVES TO CHRIST? A cts 2:41, 42 Meditation on the Lesson

selves to Christ, and describes what those early Christians actually did. “ Laid on Thine, altar, O our Lord divine, Accept our gift this day for Jesus’ sake. We have no jewels to adorn Thy shrine Jior any world-famed sacrifidl to make; But here we bring within each trembling hand These wills of ours, a thing that seemeth small; ' And Thou alone, O Lord, canst under­ stand How when we yield Thee these, we yield Thee all.” / S uggestive B u lle tin -B oard S logans Christ is King of all or He is, not King at all. On Sunday morning it often is a debate between ought and auto. No_ one ,ever can come to his best who is satisfied with the second best. Doran’s Ministers’ Manual. II. ■ B ond S ervice ; “A bond slave, o f Jesus Christ" (Tit. 1 :1, literal translation). .Thou art my King, O Christ; I am Thy slave; Since Thou hast bought me, I am all Thine ow n ; It is for Thee to reign; I would not crave A single right before Thy royal throne. If thus I be from every gift debarred, Let me not slack, nor .in my service faint; Helps for the Leader I.

If Thou shalt smile, be this my great reward; If Thou shouldst chide, I would not make complaint. Nor would I seek to know the why or how, Since ’tis for Thee to ask whate’er Thou wilt. This I would choose,.;to’;.listen and. to.bow, And then to do, till task be all fulfilled. One only thing I beg, by Thy great grace, E’en as I serve—to look upon Thy face 1 — H en r y W . F rost . >; III. H undreds of Y ears T oo L ate One night a young man came into a gospel meeting earnestly inquiring, “What must I do to be saved ?” “You are too late,” said a friend to the anxious inquirer. “Oh, do not say that,” exclaimed the ■young man, .“ for I earnestly desire salva­ tion; I would do anything or go anywhere to obtain it.” “ I cannot help it,” said the other; “you are too late, for your salvation was com­ pleted many hundred years ago in the person o f Jesus Christ, and it is a finished work. All you have to do is simply to ac­ cept it; for you have done nothing, and can do nothing,.to merit salvation. It is a free gift to all who will accept it.” %xThe Prophetic News and Israel’s Watchman. IV. LlGHTHjf God never gives further light upon one’s pathway until the light which He has al-; ready given has been followed. •—L . L . L egters .

This graphic picture o f the early church challenges us to a like surrender. The program and plan of these zealous be­ lievers was complete. Let us observe the order. “They . . . gladly received his word.” Peter, in the power o f the Holy Spirit, had proclaimed the Lord Jesus Christ as the only Saviour. Faith is' the first essential, and “ faith cometh by: hear­ ing, and hearing by the word of God.” Next we read: “They . . , were baptized.” Their acceptance of the rite of baptism was an outward sign of an inward grace, a witness to the new birth. Then, “They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doc­ trine and fellowship,” The Lord Jesus had said, “If ye con­ tinue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed.” Continuance was evidence of the reality of discipleship. Not only did these new converts continue, but they were “ steadfast” — unmovable — in their new belief. They were true to the faith. They were not “carried about with every wind o f doctrine."” ; They held -fast the faithful words the apostles had taught them; therefore they were able to enjoy delight­ ful Christian fellowship. Reading verse 46, we judge that this fellowship included frequent gatherings o f believers for the showing o f hospi­ tality, in one another’s homes. But it is quite likely that the “breaking o f bread” referred to in verse 42 applies ’ primarily to their remembrance of the broken body and shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Word of God reminds believers: “As often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till he come.” Close indeed is the connection between these features: faith, obedience, steadfast continuance, loyalty to truth, fellowship, communion, and, last of all, prayer. In the lives o f these early Christians, faith came first, as always, and prayer, while named last, was like a golden cord which bound these qualities all together. The secret of the church’s growth and the harmony among the members was their simple dependence on God and their be­ lief in His Word, a faith that was fol­ lowed by implicit obedience. The Scriptures do not teach that the new; birth consis.ts in “giving one’s heart to God.” The unsaved soul must by faith receive the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour: “ But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1 :12). Then immediately to the one who has entered this relation o f sonship comes the command: “My son, give me thine heart” (Prov. 23:26). A recent writer has expressed in verse the true way by which we may give our­

T C h tj Jjving Christa The Easter praises may falter, And die with the Easter day; The flowers that brighten the altar In sweetness may fade away; But after the silence and fading, There lingers untold and un­ priced, Above all c h a n g i n g , al l shading, The love of the living Christ. —AUTHOR UNKNOWN.

Courtesy Aggeler and Musser Seed Co.

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