842 Who being in the form of God counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped (or retained), but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant. Scott Lidgett says that the “Kenosis” or “self emptying” of Jesus is the pro- foundest of the human intellect of all subjects of revelation. Perhaps he is right. President Bainy says: “There was more in this emptying of Christ than we can think or say.” The thought can only be approached. Men are not naturally inclined to give up their all. The speaker can see at a glance that many of you have been far more pros perous than he. Suppose some of you have managed to save $2000. My friends, within six blocks of where X am preach ing there is a young mother and her lit tle brood doing battle with drink and dirt and darkness and deviltry. Her hus band is in prison. A little child is cough ing its life away. Hunger and privation are as dwellers of the house. Sickness has clutched at the children. Dread sits daily in her heart and despair clings to the folds of her garments. If you will give me your two thousand dollars, within forty-eight hours I will bring a glint of heaven within that home. Of course you will do ft and be glad to do it. Renunciation is easy. But suppose you have saved $200,000. My friend, I could And you one hundred such homes in Los Angeles this day of God. And your two hundred thousand dollars would bring a gleam of heaven into a hundred homes. And you will- do it, won’t you? It is easy to deny one’s self. But sup pose you have saved $200,000,000! Then I am thinking of New York, vast, mighty, aggressive, wealthy New York! But New York blind, blast'ed, blighted, devastated, sin-smitten, sin-cursed, hunger-driven, poverty-pinched, despised, despairing New York, and your $200,000,000 would make a gleam of heaven down half a dozen of her streets. And you won’t do it.
THE K I N G ’ S BUS I NESS But He did. He was richl In the realm where the tawdry tinsel that makes mil lionaires here is common as paving dust. He was rich. Did He sit? All crowns were at Jesus’ feet. Did he rise and go forth? All Heaven followed him as King of kings and Lord of lords. “And though he was rich for our sakes he becomes poor,” that through his poverty he might make many rich. Take the best man you know. Brainy, cultured, refined till the gold of his nature is minted in manhood. He has wealth in abundance. The brush of genius makes sunlight for his dwelling. The mental riches of the world are stored upon his ample shelves. Music and sculpture have so loved his home that they choose to abide continually. Then think of the worst woman you know, wretchedest of all. Let Kipling etch her in his awful line, “A rag and a bone and a hank of hair.” Now let this man go out of his home of culture and down into her shame tonight and say, “Mary, I know it all. You need not tell me a word. Only say you are willing to go. For Mary, I love you with all my heart, and I have come to ask you for your love, to share my life, my love, my home, and the honor of my name; I love you so.” That is only a faint hint of what it meant for Jesus to come out of the eternal love and purity of God and the fellow ship of heaven into our sorrow, ignor ance, degradation and sin, to dwell among us and set his love upon us and redeem us back to God. But with meanings he himself could not fathom, Paul set it down “He emptied himself.” God seemed to loath to let Him come, Four thousand years crept across the earth and God’s promise of a^Savior was yet unfulfilled. God seemed hesitant, reluctant. But there were hints of his greatness and glory in the heralds sent before him.
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