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T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
August, 1936
guess? It always attracts attention to itself and its own light. There was a time when Paul was just like this flashlight, in that he attracted attention to himself and shone for his own glory. True, he was a brilliant man, and had a wonderful education. Doubt less people thought he would make a great name for himself as a Jewish leader.
each became wounded, and the sap began to mingle until in time they became united to each other. The process went on until they were firmly compacted. .. The weaker grew weaker, until its top finally dropped away, and now there are two trunks at the base of the tree and only one above the place of union. Death has taken the one away; the life of the other has triumphed. The life o f man and of Christ may so come together that they shall begin to knit, and the old life of the man shall grow less and less, while the other life increases unto the day of perfect beauty and of per fect fruitage. , WQ-Bottles o f Heaven, by Revilo. How Jesus Wants His Friends to Act R omans , C hapter 12 Memory Verse: “Be ye kind one to an other, tender-hearted, forgiving one an other” (Eph. 4:32). Approach: After Paul and Barnabas and Peter and James helped the church leaders gathered at Jerusalem to under
name, and sympathy will be expressed as from Him (vs, 14, IS). There will be harmony in mind with those who seek the Lord, and an absence of pride in the pres ence of those of low estate. There will be also an absence o f the cocksureness which repels rather than attracts people to the person of Christ. This, together with peaceable living with all men, will go far toward removing many causes of strife among men (vs. 16-18). The proper way to treat wrongs is also revealed (v. 19). They are to be turned over to the Lord for His adjustment. Could we see ourselves as the Lord sees, we would be far more gra cious and patient with others and their faults. In the light o f that view, the harsh and bitter criticisms of others would be swallowed up in mourning for our own low spiritual state in the sight of God. Points and Problems 1. Since many teachers will, want to teach the entire twelfth chapter o f Ro mans, I should like to suggest an outline which has been helpful in my own work. First The Christian Life in Relation to God (vs. i 2). Second, The Christian Life in Relation to Self (vs. 3-8). Third, The Christian Life in Relation to Others (vs. 9-21). In each section the proper Christian attitude may be designated by a word. In relation to God, we should live a life of consecration. In relation to self, the word is humility. In relation to others, it is love. ' 2. “ I beseech you . . . brethren (v. 1). Notice that the words of this great chap ter, and those following, are addressed to Christians, n ot'to unbelievers. UntU men have come to know and accept the mer cies of God” recorded in chapters 1 to 11, they are neither ready nor able to under take the lofty ideal set forth in chapter 12. This is the calamitous blunder of modern religion—it tries the impossible task of beginning with Romans 12. The great eth- ical motive of Christianity, “ I beseech you . . . by the mercies of. God," means noth ing to the man who has never personally experienced those “mercies.” . 3. “ Present your bodies” (v. 1). It is the same Greek word used in Luke 2 :22 where the Virgin Mary comes to “present’ her holy Child to God. So we are to pre sent our bodies, without reserve, m a defi nite act once for all, as indicated by the Greek aorist tense. According to the Christian view, the body is not a worthless impediment, something to be sloughed off at death as the chrysalis sheds its cover ing. The believer’s body, is God!s own pos session, bought with a price (1 Cor. 6:19, 20), and is to be reclaimed from the grave, changed, and made like the body of our risen Lord. Therefore, its consecration to God is a holy and acceptable sacrifice. The modernistic view, which depreciates the permanent value of the body, is rooted in Platonic and Gnostic philosophy. 4. "Vengeance is mine” (v. 19). This vengeance of God, for which the believer is to wait humbly, is not necessarily con fined to a future Day of Judgment. God often visits wrath upon evildoers in the present life, using the power of civil gov ernment as His instrument (cf. Rom. 13:4). Golden Text Illustration Dr. Gordon used to tell o f what he once saw in New England that presents the Lord’s idea of the true Christian life. Two little saplings grew side by side. Through the action of the wind, they crossed each other. By and by, the bark of
The time came, however, when Paul’s light died out. (Turn off the flashlight.) He realized that he was nothing in the sight o f God. He no longer thought of becoming a bright and shining light in the Jewish religion. What should he do? He realized that he was a lost sinner. The cross of Christ was revealed to him. He accepted Christ as his Saviour and hid be hind the cross, just as I place this flash-
stand that the gospel story was for Jews and Gentiles alike, these leaders sepa rated and continued to go about preach ing. P a u l started off on a second mis sionary j o u r n e y . First of all, he went to the places where h e a n d Barnabas h a d b e e n a few
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years before. He wanted to meet the Christians in these places and pray with them and teach them and encourage them. Then he went to new and far-away places, across the sea again and up and down the’ coast of still other countries. For many years Paul traveled, always telling the same message of God’s love in sending His Son to save us from our sins and bring us back to God. Little groups of Christians gathered in many cities. Some of the places Paul had not yet visited, but he wanted to know the Christians there and to help them. Sometimes he wrote let ters to them. Ouf stor-y today tells what he said in one o f these letters. Lesson Story: Do you remember, in last . week’s story, what the Christian leaders talked about in Jerusalem? Each one was so sure that he was right! That is often the reason that people quarrel. Paul knew that Christians should not quarrel. He knew that once they had believed in Christ, they could look to Him every day to save them from 'sinning.' In the'letter we are thinking about today, Paul reminded the people of how Jesus expects His friends to live. They were not to be full of hatred; they were to love even those who hated them. They were to be kind, and when some one was in trouble, they were to help him. They were to be humble, prais ing God instead o f themselves. They were to do good to all men. If an enemy were hungry, they were to feed him. If he were thirsty, they should give him a drink. That is the kind of Christian that the Lord Jesus wants us to be. Object Lesson A L ighting S ystem Objects: A flashlight and the outline of a cross cut out from a cardboard, covered with red cellophane paper. Lesson: How many of you would like to have a flashlight like this one ? I don’t blame you—it is a beauty! There is one thing about it that is not good. Can you
Nor would you . . . if you knew your future was safely provided for. For nearly ninety years the American Bible Society through its annuity plan has re leased many hundreds of people from financial anxiety. Twice a year generous payments are made promptly on these an nuity agreements which may be secured in sums ranging from one hundred dol lars upwards. And what a satisfaction to know that when you are gone your money will help to spread the Word of God. Our illustrated booklet "A. G ift That Lives** tells you the whole story • fu lly and clearly. ^ ¡¡¡B B U B P ^ MAIL this coupon today I AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY, Bible House, N.Y. Please send me, without obligation, your booklet KB-5? entitled "A Gift That Lives.”
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