Each time we see a package, every one of us should remember those things which Christ opens for all who believe in Him.
April 16, 1950 F acts A bout F ire
Illustrated by Gladys Bowman
Rev. Elmer L. Wilder
Objects: A globe of the world, a 6-oz. wide-mouth bottle, with 2 oz. of acetone in it, an alcohol lamp and a piece of small copper wire 12 inches long. (The acetone cari.be secured at any drug store. Coil one end of the copper wire into a series of twists around a large nail. Wrap the other end of the wire around a small stick, which when placed across the mouth of the bottle, will suspend the wire inside the jar, keeping it from touching the acetone. The coil should come within % inch of the acetone. If the acetone should start burning, place the lid over the mouth of the jar and the fire will become extinguished. Print or paste the words “ GOD’S WILL” on the side of the jar which contains the acetone.) Lesson: This little coil reminds me of the prophet Amos. It does not look like it was of much use. Amos was a shepherd and a gatherer of sycomore fruit. Per haps he made his living that way. If a man had been choosing a prophet, doubtless, he would not have chosen Amos, but God thought differently. The Lord called Arpoa arid caused his life to glow. (Hold the’coil over the al cohol lamp until it is red hot.) Many people have been “on fire” for the Lord, but soon forgot the message which the Lord had given them. See, if I take this coil out of the flame, it soon gets cold, and loses its fire. Here is a little jar, marked “ GOD’S WILL.” We will again heat the coil, and this time put it in this jar. Now, the coil stays red hot. I can take it from the fire to the dark world, and it is still red hot.
April 2, 1950 P eople and P alms
April 9, 1950 T hings O pened
Object: A palm branch. (If not available, use either a picture or colored paper cut to represent a palm branch.) Lesson: I brought a palm branch with me this morning. Have. you ever won dered why the palm tree was honored by having its branches used on that great day when Jesus rode into Jeru salem? I think it was because palms show us how God wants us to be. First, let us note that the palm grows from the heart. You cannot kill a palm by ringing it with a knife as you can any other tree. The palm can be badly burned on the outside and still live be cause its life is on the inside. The bota nists use two big words and say the palm is “ endogenous” instead of “ exogenous” as other trees. This simply means that the life is fed from within instead of on the outside under the bark. Ephesians 6:6 speaks of Christians, “ doing the will of God from the heart.”
Objects: Six boxes, a small match box colored gray, a small Bible, eyes cut from a magazine, a heart with a door, a picture of lips or an open mouth cut from a magazine, and a cardboard cov ered with gold paper in which a door is cut. (Place one of the articles in each box and wrap as gifts.) Lesson: Do you like to open packages? I do, too, and I have brought some with me this morning. We shall open them together. The Lord Jesus must have liked to open things, for we read about His opening several things after His resurrection.
We shall open this first box and see what is in it. It has a small gray box representing the grave. We should be glad for Christ’s resurrection, because we know now that the grave can be opened for us. The next package has a Bible in it. In Luke 24:27, we read concerning the Lord Jesus: “ And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.” We should be thankful that Jesus opened the Scrip tures. You are wondering what we will find in this package. Eyes that are opened! In Luke 24:31, we are told that “their eyes were opened, and they knew him.” The next package has a heart with a door in it. The Lord Jesus knew that the two disciples did not understand as they .should ; so He opened their understand ing that they might understand the Scriptures. An open mouth is in this box. The res urrection of Christ opened the mouths of the disciples in praise and testimony. Thé last box has a gold card, repre senting Heaven, in which there is a door. The Lord Jesus Christ, in His resur rection, opened the door into Heaven for us, for we read, “ He was parted from them, and carried up into heaven” (Luke 24:51).
The palm tree grows in different places, often being found in the sands of the desert, where there is apparently no water. As the palms have a hidden source of water supply, so the Christian drinks of Christ the Water of Life. Next, the palm grows straight. You seldom see a leaning or crooked palm. Like the palm tree, God’s children should be straight, unchanged by the winds and sands of the desert life. The palm tree guides the thirsty to water. Often the desert travelers are guided for miles to wells of water by the faithful palms. As Philip, brought Nathanael, and Andrew brought Peter to Christ, so Christians should be guid ing others to Christ, the Living Water. The palms grow in groups. In Exodus 15:27 we read, “ And they came to Elim where were . . . threescore and ten palm trees.” A lonely palm tree looks out of place. Instructions for Christians read, “ Not forsaking the assembling of our selves together” (Heb. 10:25).
You now see why I said that the coil reminded me of Amos. Being in God’s will, wherever he went, the light and warmth of God’s will was revealed. The children of Israel had sinned, and the Lord sent Amos to them to declare the will of God. They were told of their sins and called to repent and turn from them. In Amos 5:4 we read, “ For thus saith the Lord unto the house of Israel, seek ye me, and ye shall live.” What was true of Amos is true of God’s people today. If we continue in God’s will, he will use us to carry His message to those who are in darkness.
M A R C H , 19 5 0
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