39
T h e
K i n g ' s
B u s i n e s s
January 1928
because the harvest is come." This Scrip ture, under the similitude of a seed from which a plant springs, grows and bears fruit, presents the rise, development and the fruition of God’s reign upon the earth. As all vegetation springs from seed, each producing after its kind, so does the kingdom of God. The seed which must be sown in order that the kingdom of God may spring up in any given community, is the Word of God. As wheat seed pro duces wheat, so does the Word of God produce sons of the kingdom, Christians. The minister of the Gospel and the Chris tian worker are to sow the pure seed. One does not understand how the seed of the kingdom can produce the spiritual plants according to verse 27, but the fact remains true that it does. No one un derstands the powers and properties of electricity, yet it is a potential force which is vital to our modern civilization. As there is an invisible, unexplainable power on the wire which accomplishes results, so there is an invisible power attending the preached Word of God which brings the results (cf. Jno. 3:8). The state ment “the earth beareth fruit of itself" is not a contradiction of Paul’s statement in 1 Cor. 3 :7 which states that it is God “that giveth the increase." Jesus’ statement simply considers the outward aspect of the growth of a plant purely from a human point of view. That such is true is seen in the statement of Jesus, “but if God doth so clothe the grass of the field . . . " Man may plant, cultivate and water, but God gives the increase, both in the ma terial and in the spiritual world. The expression “first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear” simply indicates the small beginning and gradual growth of the kingdom of God upon the earth uiitil it bears its fruit in the world. The beginning of the ministry of John the Baptist, and of Jesus; the seeming failure of John’s ministry in his imprison ment and execution; and the crucifixion of Christ; at which time all of the disciples forsook Him, did not give a flattering promise of success of Christianity in the world as viewed by a bystander of that day; but things are not to be judged by outward appearances when God is to be taken into consideration, for God looks not upon the outward appearance but upon .the heart. Furthermore since “the eyes of Jehovah run to and fro throughout the .. whole earth to show Himself strong in behalf of them whose heart is perfect to- \ ward Him$$. and since the hearts of John and Jesus were perfect toward God, the success of the movement known as Chris tianity was assured. The oft-quoted sentence “The world has yet to see what God can do with a man who is wholly surrendered to Him” was true in their case and is true today. When the Holy Spirit came on Pentecost the hopes which seem to have been buried with Jesus in the sepulcher were revived into' a living reality in the hearts and lives of the apostles who first filled Jerusalem with the teaching, then Judea, then Samaria, and finally took it to the uttermost parts of the earth. The Gospel has borne, is bearing and shall continue to bear fruit in the world until Jesus comes,; but there was no such thing as the conversion of the World to Christ, for “when the Son cometh shall He find faith upon the . earth?” This question is equivalent to the affirmation that there will be little faith when Jesus returns. Even though in the
which constitutes the dark background of the Gospel and makes the latter appear most glorious. The word “Gospel” means “good news.” The expression “Gospel of the kingdom” is a message of good news concerning the kingdom, but the ex pression “Gospel of the grace of God”, refers to the salvation through Christ which is based upon the grace of God (cf. Acts 20:24). The facts of the Gospel are set forth in 1 Con 15:1, 2. When Jesus preached that the kingdom of God was “at hand” He doubtless had such a pass age as Isa. 56:1 in mind. On account of Israel’s failing to heed the instructions of the prophet Isaiah, she was unpre pared and did not recognize the approach of the kingdom in the person of the King Himself. “Repent” meansf to “change th e thoughts, purposes and designs of the heart or mind.” Repentance is toward God, against whom all sin in its last analysis is (Psa. 51:4). Faith is to be placed in Jesus Christ (Acts 20:21). In Mt. 13, Mk. 4, Lk. 8, appears a certain group of parables Jesus spoke on the day which, by Biblical scholars, is known as “the busy day.” In Matthew’s record he deals with the subject of the life of Christ topically, laying great stress upon the fact that Jesus was King of the Jews and giving the teaching which Jesus gave con cerning the kingdom of heaven. Prior to the council which the Pharisees held against Jesus (Mt. 12:14), the material which Matthew presents- deals largely with the material aspect of the kingdom of heaven;: but after the hostility became so very great, as is shown in the Scripture just cited, Jesus began to set forth the spiritual nature of the kingdom of heaven. ' \ In the parables spoken on this day, Jesus, according to Matthew, uses the ex pression “kingdom of heaven,” which doubtless is an echo of the language used by Daniel to Nebuchadnezzar concerning God’s providential rule of the world and which doubtless refers to the spiritual kingdom of God in its present form,-—i.e., the church of Christ, and the millennial reign of Christ upon the earth. In Mark’s record appears the expression “kingdom of God, which doubtless in this series of parables is used as a synonym for Matthew’s expression, but which usually carries with it the larger significance of God’s rule throughout the entire uni verse (Psa. 103:19-22). Vs. 26-29. “And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed upon the earth; and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should spring up and grow, he knoweth not how. The earth beareth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. But when the fruit is ripe, straightway he putteth forth the sickle,
The rash exposure of the intellect to that which we know is contrary to God’s Word, is a dangerous practice (v. 24). —o— S uggestive Q uestions Is profession of Christ enough to pro cure one an entrance into the kingdom of God? (Mt. 7:21.) What is the great condition of entrance into the kingdom Jesus announced at hand? (Jn. 3:3.) What is one of the first things involved in entering His kingdom? (Mt. 5:3; Mk. 10:15.) What is the key that unlocks this king dom to us? (Col. 1 :13-14.) Is the “kingdom of heaven” now in process of completion? (Mt. 22:1-14.) To whom were the keys of this king dom given, and when did he use them? (Mt. 16:19.) If Peter used “the keys of the kingdom of heaven" at Pentecost in opening the door of gospel opportunity to the Jews, and later at the house of Cornelius in formally receiving the Gentiles into the church, what would this prove as to our Lord’s statement: “The kingdom is at hand”? —o— G olden T ext I llustration Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven (Mt. 6:10). Why should I give money to save the heathen abroad, when there are so many unsaved at home ? Why should I give money to spread God’s kingdom in other states when it is badly needed in my own? Why should I contribute to work in the slums when money is needed in my own church ? Why give to work in my own church, when my ■own family wants money? Why give to those in my own family when I want the money myself? And the answer! Because I am a Chris tian and desire ,all men everywhere to be long to God’s kingdom. My prayer “Thy kingdom come” is mere mockery, if I am not willing to back it up with my service and my means. ■—o—. .I \ 7 S . 14, 15. “Now after John was de- v livered up, Jesus came into Galilee preaching the gospel of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of
God is at hand: re pent ye, and believe in the gospel." John, on account of his boldness in the de nunciation of Herod’s sins (cf. Lk. 3 :18- 20), was cast by the latter into prison at Machaerus in th e land of Moab. To
preach Christ faithfully and to denounce sin as it should be denounced, even in high placeswhen necessary, frequently will involve one in trouble; but he should not become discouraged, for in Christ -he “may have peace.” “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (Jno. 16:33). Galilee was the north section of Canaan into which it was divided in the days of Christ. The word means “circle,” the origin of the term being a reference to a circle of ten Gentile cities in that com munity. The “Gospel of God” means the good news which God is bringing to men. In the Old Testament much of the writ ing dealt with man’s fallen condition,
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