March 1930
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
156 Strong, loving and faithful. It is true that he had his failings like many Chris tians today; but, as someone has put it, ‘‘his virtues and faults had their common foot in his enthusiastic disposition.” God marvelously overruled both and bestowed upon him a most humble and meek spirit, as evinced in his two epistles. Some outstanding events in the first period of his life will be found in the following passages: Matt. 8:14; 10:2; 14:28; 16:13-23; 17:1-5, 24; 26:36-46; Mark 5:37; Lk. 5:1-11; 22:31-34; 22:54- 62; John 13; 18:10-12; 20:1-10. Study these passages carefully. Second period: Acts 1:15-26; chap ters 2 to 15. Little more authentically is known of this outstanding character. Tradition tells us that he died a martyr at Rome about 67 A.D. at the age of 75 years. His Lord predicted a violent death, which is thought to have come to pass by cruci fixion under Nero. It is also said that at his own request he was crucified head downward, feeling himself unworthy to resemble his Master in his death. He preached Christ as Messiah, justi fication by faith, redemption by blood, a future life, the authenticity o f Scripture, apostasy, judgment, and the second com ing o f Christ. * * * S ide -L ights Over twenty yedrs ago a blind man came to Dr. McKenzie of Manchuria, to have his eyes healed. He found Christ, got touched with the fire, and went out selling peanuts for a living, making evan gelism his life’s work. He sold good pea nuts for the Lord’s sake, and as he went from house to house, that poor blind man, without education but with the fire of God in his heart, led three thousand to Christ. He had no method, but he had the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. There is an old fable that when a cer tain princess was unable to choose be tween a sapphire, blue as the sea in sum- merman emerald, green as the forest in spring, and a ruby, which glowed like the heart o f a fire, the fairies melted all three in the furnace of the sun, so that they became one perfect jewel, an opal, in which sometimes you saw the forest green, sometimes the blue of the sea, and sometimes the red glow o f the fire, but always perfectly blended beauty. And so every kind of perfection is in Jesus; what in other lives seem opposite types of vir tue and grace, make together perfect har mony in Him. In the old Egyptian hieroglyphics, the symbol for the impossible is two feet up on several curved lines; it means, walk ing on the water. Now that, I take it, is the heraldic crest o f Peter’s life and work. He was taught to do the impos sible—he trod upon the waters, and sank at first. And then Jesus took him by the hand, and they walked together on the stormy waves, back to the boat. And he did it, in effect, all the rest of his life. And naturalists have named a sea-bird after him, petrel, the feathered St. Peter, that is undaunted by the storm.— Rev, Harrington C. Lees, M.A.
Christ then proceeded to meet the young man on his own ground and refers to the six commandments which regulate man’s conduct toward his fellows. Upon the young man’s answer that he had kept them all from his youth, Jesus looked up on him, loved him and put His finger on the one barrier which kept this man out o f the kingdom—his unwillingness to put Christ first in his affections and part with his possessions. Thus we see that “the love of money is the root of all evil.” “What shall a man profit if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul?” Jjs * * S ide -L ights One jewel only was needed to complete the circlet; one link only to perfect the chain; one step only to touch the goal; one movement only, and the beautiful gate opens into the temple of God. But the one thing lacking may be of all others the most essential—the one thing needful. He who is dying of thirst lacks only a cup of cold water; he who is perishing of hunger lacks only,a morsel o f bread. A corpse lacks only life. Hossein said to his aged grandfather Abbas, “ Oh, grandfather, why are you reading the Gospel?” Abbas made an swer, “I read it, oh, my son, to find the way to heaven!” Hossein, who had re ceived some instruction in an English school, smiling, said, “The way is plain enough; worship but the one true God, and keep the commandments.” The man, whose hair was silver with age, replied, “Hossein, the commandments of God are as a bridge o f ten arches, by means o f which the soul might once have passed to heaven. But, alas, the bridge has been broken! There is not one among us who has not broken the commands again and again.” “My conscience is clear,” cried Hossein proudly; “I have kept all the commandments—at least, almost all,” he added, for he felt that he had said too much. “And i f ’ one arch o f the bridge give way under the traveler, doth he not surely perish in the flood, though the nine other arches be firm and strong?” Indifference is the biggest obstacle that keeps men from Christ. They do not feel the need o f Him. Conscience is dead. We need the thunders of Sinai to rouse them. You say, my son, it can’t be done? Your statement isn’t true. You mean, my son, it can be done, But can’t be done by you. Aunt Dinah described a young member o f her church as having “jes’ enough ’ligion to make her misable—too much to be happy at a dance, an’ too little to be happy in prair meetin’.” A las! The type is common—a troubled spirit that halts half-way, afraid to go back, and unwill ing to go forward. There is no place in the borderland. The half-way Christian is a torment to himself and no benefit to others.—i Forward.
Bread Upon the Waters “Enclosed find post office money order for the family magazine which has been so helpful to me and I have enjoyed it so very much. The way I happened to get it, it came to my home around a pound of butter and I assure you it has been a great blessing to me.” —S; C. McC., Texas.
March 23, 1930 What Barriers Keep People Away From Christ? Mark 10:17-22; Luke 14:16-20. S uggestive O rder of S ervice Hymn: “ Rescue the Perishing.” Hymn: “Saved to Serve.” Prayer. Scripture Reading, Ezek. 33:1-16. Hymn: “Must I Go and Empty Handed?” Announcements and Offering. Special Musical Number, Leader’s Remarks. Two-minute topic Talks by Members. (Request certain members one week in advance of meeting to come prepared to state some barrier which would keep a person from accepting Christ and to tell how to remove that barrier.) Sentence Prayers. Closing Hymn: “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross.” Benediction. * * * L esson S urvey From the parallel passages to Mark 10: 17-22, namely, Matt. 19:16-22 and Luke 18:18-23, we gather that the one who came to Jesus in this incident was a rich young ruler. Contrasted with Nicodemus he was fearless of the opinions of others by his public appeal to Jesus. Further, he was eager, expressed by his running; he was also respectful—he knelt. All o f these points were good but could not obtain for him that for which he made quest. His opening words in the question asked of Jesus, convict him. He lacked the spirit ual vision o f seeing Jesus as very God and placed him on the human plane by addressing Him with an earthly title. No tice the gentleness with which Jesus dealt with this seeking sinner, as was often the case with our Lord. Jesus answered by asking a question: “Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is God.” The alternative, put in syllo gistic form, was like this: “God alone is good: Thou dost not believe me to be God; Ergo, call me not good.” Or— “God alone is good: Thou callest me good; Ergo, go farther and pronounce me God.” Jesus was either what He claimed to be or He was an imposter.
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