King's Business - 1928-01

31

K i n g ' s

B u s i n e s s

January 1928

T h e

Jesus working for us (Jn. 17:4) ; in us (Heb. 13:21); with us (Mk. 16:20). * * * Every material circumstance in con­ nection with Jesus was a stumbling- block. 1. His business (Mt. 13:55). 2. His relatives (Mt. 13:56; Jn. 6:42). 3. His residence (Jn. 1:46; 8:14). _ 4. His life-time (Jn. 8:57). 5. His mind (Mk. 3:21). 6. His education (Jn. 7: 15).. ♦ * * Jesus was sovereign over all diseases (Matt. 8:6, 14); over demons (vs.. 16, 33) ; over circumstances (v. 20) ; over nature (v. 27) ;, over sin (9:5); over death (9:25). * * * Four senses in which Jesus was the Son of God: 1. As born of a virgin (Lk. 1 :35). 2. By divine decree in His resur­ rection (Ps. 2:7; Acts 13:33). 3. He obtained the name of “Son of God” (Heb. 1:1-4). 4. He was Son of God by inherent right, in the bosom of the Father (Jn. 16:30; 1:18; 1 Jn. 1:1-2). * * * Our Lord’s first ministerial utterance was “It is written" (Matt. 4:4). * * * Christ’s needs on earth: No home to be born in (Lk. 2:7-12); no place to lay His head (Mt. 8 :19-20) ; no money to pay His tax (Mt. 17 : 24-27) ; no comforter in Gethsemane (Mt. 26:36-40); no friend to plead for Him (Mk. 14:49-50); no grave to be buried in (Mt. 27:57-60). * * * The only time Jesus pronounced a curse (Matt. 7:19). * * * Christ the Head—of man (1 Cor. 11: 3) ; of the church (Eph. 5 :23) ; of prin­ cipalities (Col.2:10). * * * Note four charges made against Jesus: “Friend of sinners” (Matt. 11:19) ; “Guest of sinners” (Lk. 19:7); “received of sinners” (Lk. 15 :2) ; “ate with sinners” (Lk. 15:2). * * * Seven examples of Christ in John: 1. Bread (6:35, 41, 48). 2. Light (8:12; 9:5). 3. Door (10:7, 9). 4. Shepherd (10:11, 14). 5. Resurrection and life (11:25). 6. Way (14:6). 7. Vine (15: Ten-elevenths of the life of Jesus was spent at Nazareth. One-third of the four Gospels is devoted to the story of the last days of His life. * * * Double titles of Jesus: Author and Finisher of our faith—Heb. 12:2; Apostle and High Priest of our profes­ sion—Heb. 3:1; Shepherd and Bishop of our souls—1 Pet. 2 :25. ♦ ♦ ♦ Two lines of Charles Wesley’s hymn express well the central idea of Colos- sians: “Thou, O Christ, art all I want, More than all in Thee I find.” Three texts sum up this truth. (See 1: 18; 2:9; and 3:11.) * * * Deity of Christ: Jesus claimed it (Jn. 10:30; 5:21; Rev. 1:8). Spirit witnessed to it (Heb. 1:8; 1 Pet. 3:18). Angels owned it (Heb. 1:6; Rev. 7:11, 12). Demons feared it (Mk. 5:7; Jas. 2:19).

V. Consider-His Place —Heaven. Heb. 8:1 “right hand of throne.” Heb. 8 :2 “true tabernacle.” 8:4 “not on earth.” Heb. 9 :24 “into heaven itself.” V. Consider the Characteristics —Divine. Heb. 2:17 “merciful and faithful." Heb. 4:15 “sympathetic.” Heb. 5 :1 “can have compassion.” VII. Consider His Beneficence —Prac­ tical. Heb. 4 :14 “hold fast.” — o — The Worthy Lamb Rev. 5:12. 1. To be the object of our Faith —Acts 16:31. 2. To be the object of our Worship— Jn. 9:38. 3. To be the object of our Adoration — Ps. 9:1. 4. To be the object of our Service —Mt. 10:38. 5. To be the object of our Holiness —1 Pet. 1:15-16. B r . s . b . — o— The Son and Sun A Contrast. 1. The Sun —center of universe. The Son —Col. 1 :16-19. Pre-eminent in all things. 2. The Sun —dispels the darkness. The Son —Jn. 8:12. The Light of the world. 3. The Sun —destroyer of. disease. The Son —Mt. 9:12. The Great Phy­ sician. Mai. 4:2. Healing in His wings. 4. The Sun —Source of energy. The Son —1 Cor. 1 :24. The power of God. 5. The Sun —essential to life. The Son —1 Jn. 5 :12. He that hath the Son hath life. 6. The Sun —ministers to the earth. The Son— Heb. 13:30. Shepherd of the sheep. Phil. 4:19. Supplies all needs. —R. S. B. *--------------------------------------------- * JOTTINGS CONCERNING JESUS | * --------------------— -----------------------------* Jesus, “the Bread of Heaven" (Jno. 6:5), was born in Bethlehem (House of Bread). Bethlehem was also famous for the well that David loved to drink from (2 Sam. 23:15). In Christ we “take of the water of life.” * * * Christ is the Sower (Matt. 13:3-9) ; the Savior (Rom. 5:10); the Shepherd (Jno. 10:14) ; the Substitute (1 Pet. 2: 24) ; the Sufferer (1 Pet. 3:18) ; the Star (Rev. 22:16); the Sun (Mai. 4:2)1 * * * The words of 2 Cor. 4:10: “That the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our body,” are rendered by Weymouth: “So that in pur bodies it may also be clearly shown that Jesus lives.” * * * It has been computed that Jesus, as recorded in the Gospels, spoke of the Father and used the title “Father" 150 times. It is remarkable how singularly in­ frequent was His use of the term “God." Heb. 4:16 “come boldly.” . Heb. 10:22 “draw near.” —R. S. Beal

CHRIST AND THE PREACHER | ----------- :-------- ■--------------------4 One real obstructor to the success of the Word is the preacher whose un-Christ- like spirit contradicts his good doctrine. * * * Some preach so well, it is a pity they should ever come out of the pulpit, but out of the pulpit reveal so little of Christ in their actions that it is a pity they should ever preach. - ♦ * * Your best Work in the pulpit is to put a new vision of Christ into the hearts of your hearers, for the coming week. * * * Pure food advocates claim great harm is being done by .leaving vital elements out of food. What shall we say of a preacher who leaves Christ out of his serv mon? * * * Don’t forget that all people have hearts, while not all have heads. If Christ is the heart of your sermon, you will be sure to satisfy both classes. * * * The preaching of a mutilated Gospel will never win in the long run. The pul­ pits that are losing the confidence of the people are the ones that are diluting the Gospel of Christ crucified for men’s sins and risen for their justification. * * * Forsyth says: “In Christ we have God Himself and no mere messenger from God. That truth was the substantial vic­ tory gained by Athanasian theology for the church once for all. Christianity stands or falls with its preaching of this truth.” * * * It is one thing to have to rouse people to do something, to put themselves into something. It is another thing to have to induce them to trust somebody and to renounce themselves for Him. * * * “The Gospel is an act and a power; it is God’s act of redemption before it is man’s message of it. It is an eternal, per­ ennial act of God in Christ, repeating it­ self within each declaration of it. Only as a Gospel dohe by God, is it a Gospel spoken by man.” * * * Rev. George Lee says: “The secret of modernism apparently is failure today at Dan. 6:10: ‘He kneeled upon his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he did afore­ time 1’ Does the modernist put in an hour or two daily in communion with Christ and meditation upon His Word?” * * * Says Dr. Vance: “The preacher needs to get acquainted with Christ, to acquire, not an easy familiarity, but that sacred intimacy which comes from the practice of the prayer life. ‘I never like a man,’ says one of Barrie’s characters, ‘who speaks of Christ in his prayers as if He were'just around the corner.’ ” To know Him is not to be devoid of reverence. * * * Bishop Moule declares that there is no surer test that can be applied to anything claiming to be Christian teaching, than, “Where does it put Jesus Christ? Is He something in it, or all?" It is a Scriptural test.

Made with FlippingBook Annual report