Dail$ Devotional Home Readings
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Connected with International Sunday) School Lessons
FR ED ER IC W . F A R R
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TUESDAY, July 1. Acts 2:36-47. The Brotherhood of Believers. This passage describes th e first Chris- tion church. Its leaders had been chosen and train ed by Christ himself. Its members continued steadfastly in th e Apostles’ doctrine. Their fellow ship w ith God and one ano th er was un broken. Every day God added to them those who were being saved. This is th e only church m inutely described in th e New Testam ent, The Christian ideal was realized as it never has been since. O ther attem p ts have been made to have community of property bu t they have failed. The apostles never advised it and no o th er church a t tempted it b u t th is church practiced it and for a little tim e th e re was an object lesson of heavenly society real ized on earth . Where could one hun d red men and women be found on ea rth who could live tog ether in th e same house, m eeting not once a week b u t every day b reaking bread together, surrounded by try ing circumstances, actuated by intense convictions, fired by fervid emotions, and have never a ja r? They had no t been train ed as we have been, under influences which tended to produce in them th e same tastes and habits. They had come from every nation under heaven. Some were rich and some were poor. Those who w ere accustomed to luxury gave up th e ir w ealth w ithout repining. Those who were used to w ant gave up th e ir poverty w ithout arrogance. Each re ceives no t w hat he w ants b u t w hat he needs. All property is held in com mon and peace and brotherhood are perfected in love. It was a social m ir acle, as marvellous a m anifestation of th e su p e rn a tu ral as anything recorded in Scripture. WEDNESDAY, July 2. Acts 6:1-7. The M inistering Daymen Every C hristian should be a Chris tia n worker. To ru n an artificial line of cleavage th rough th e church, calling those on one side clergymen and those on th e o th er laymen, is unscriptural. Some believe it to be N icolaitanism , Rev. 2:6. The en tire church is called
God’s clergy in 1 P et. 5:3. The entire church is a royal priesthood. I t is significant th a t a C hristian m inister is never called a p riest in Scripture, al though receiving many o ther titles which suggest form s of service. The reason undoubtedly is th a t every believer is a priest, having un restricted access to God and obligated to perform all priestly functions. So-called lay men may therefo re be encouraged and in structed to engage in all kinds of church and Christian work. T h at church is best equipped for service which u til izes th e larg est num ber of its member ship. Ignorance ra th e r th a n unw illing ness lies a t th e roo t of much inactivity among church members. There are many who would be glad to do some th ing if they knew w h at to do, or had something given them to do. Their gifts and talen ts are la ten t because undiscovered. Any kind of ab ility and ap titud e or even an idiosyncrasy may be tu rn ed to account by a wise and tactfu l leader, which will resu lt in the edification of th e whole assembly. When th e people have a m ind to work, the walls of Zion arise. Nehem iah 4:6. I t is reasonable to suppose th a t in th e catalogue of gifts in verse twenty- eight, each g ift is mentioned in the o rder of its importance. Inspiration is responsible no t only for th e nam ing of th e respective gifts b u t for th e o rd er of occurrence. We may assume therefore th a t th e o rd er is consistent w ith the stand ard s of heaven, however widely it may differ from th e opinions of men. One m ight look upon th e g ift of gov ernm en t as possessing dignity and im portance and on th is account to be greatly coveted and highly esteemed. On th e o th er hand, to be a help, m ight seem of sm all consequence, even involv ing something menial and servile in its character. Nevertheless “helps” comes before “ governm ents” in th e Divine order and estim ation. Does it seem a small th ing to be a helper, to speak a cheering word, to smile, to lend a hand, to do a thousand and one little THURSDAY, July 3. 1 Cor. 12:27, 13:1. Diversified Gilts in the Church.
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