326
July 1932
T h e K i n g ’ s B u s i n e s s
2. The Mulberry Tree—God’s signal and man’s opportunity (2 Sam. 5:23, 24). 3. The Olive Tree—God’s promise, es pecially to Israel (Psa. 128:3; Rom. 11:7-24). 4. The Palm Tree—Victory and upright ness (Judg. 4 :5 ; Psa. 92:12; Rev. 7 :9 ). 5. The Cedar Tree—Permanence, rich ness, and fragrance (2 Sam. 7 :2 ; Psa. 92 :-12). III. B ible M ountains When we consider the mountains in the Word, we are moved by the fact that they occupy most strategic positions in the his tory o f mankind. Mt. Sinai—the sublime—where the ma jestic law was given. Mt. Carmel—where rugged Elijah bold ly withstood the prophets of Baal, in the name o f the Lord. Mt. Calvary—the sacred—the place where “our dear Lord was crucified out side a city wall.” Mt. Olivet—the glorious—where “His feet shall stand in that day.” IV. G od S peaking through H is C reation Job 38 and 39 stir the heart as we hearken to the voice of the Lord calling to Job “out o f the whirlwind” and challeng ing him with the words, “Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth?” On and on He speaks, mentioning the sea, the snow, the hail, the dew, the Plei ades, the bands o f Orion, the raven, the goats, the peacock and ostrich. Nature passes in panorama before the mighty Cre ator who formed everything for His own glory. Truly no reverent heart can read this comprehensive resume and not bow in humility and awe, remembering Paul’s maj estic c r y : “O the depth of the riches both o f the wisdom and knowledge o f Godl how un searchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding ou t!” “ For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or princi palities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him : And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.” This is our Father’s world. AUGUST 21, 1932 QUALITIES OF A CHRISTIAN R omans 12:9-18; P hilippians 4 :8 Suggestions for the Meeting Hymn— “Is Your Life a Channel of Blessing?” . Hymn— “More Holiness Give Me.” Prayer. Scripture Lesson. Quartet Number—“ I Want My Life to Tell for Jesus.” Leader’s Remarks. Favorite Qualities—o f a Christian, named by every member (giving reason for choice). Quiet Hour. Hymn— “More Like the Master.” Benediction. Meditation on the Lesson Romans 12 is Christian Endeavor’s o f ficial chapter, and it is a joy to think on it. It is full o f practical exhortation; from verse 9 to 18 inclusive are twenty-one defi nite directions given to the saints. They are simple, plain, practical, and fundamen tal—earmarks o f a Christian, we may well name them.
AUGUST 14, 1932 OUR FATHER ’S WORLD P salm 8:1-9 Suggestions for the Meeting Hymn—-“For the Beauty o f the Earth.” Hymn—“ Day Is Dying in the West.” Sentence Prayers (praise and thanksgiv ing for God’s goodness). Scripture Verses (on God’s power, glory, or sovereignty). Quartet Number— “This Is My Father’s World.” Remarks by Leader. Discussion Based on These Questions: Why do we believe that this is God’s world ? What comfort lies in the thought that this is God’s world ? Hymn-—“ Now the Day Is Over.” Benediction—Psalm 8 (repeated from memory in concert). Let this be an outdoor meeting, if pos sible. I f there is a lawn near the church, use it; if not, meet in some quiet park. The very fact that you are meeting in God’s great out-of-doors helps to empha size the nearness, the omnipotence, and omniscience of the Creator. Most o f the singing will be over before it grows too dark to see the words, and the speakers will talk without notes. Meditation on the Lesson This short psalm is one o f the most ma jestic in the realm of the psalms. The numerous quotations from it that are found in the New Testament testify to its importance. Notwithstanding the vastness of nature here portrayed, man is greater. The allusion to the magnificence o f the visible heavens is introduced for the pur pose of illustrating the condescension o f God, who, though the mighty Creator of these glorious worlds o f light, makes man the object o f regard and the recipient of favor. This position assigned, man is the same as that described in Genesis 1 :26 to 28 as belonging to Adam in his original condition, the terms employed in detailing the subjects of man’s dominion corres ponding with those there used. In a modi fied sense, in his present fallen state, man is still invested with some remains o f this original dominion. It is very evident, how ever, by the Apostle Paul’s exposition in Hebrews 2:6 to 8 and 1 Corinthians IS: 27 and 28, that the language here employed finds its fulfillment only in the final exalta tion o f Christ’s human nature. There is no limit to the “all things.” “And hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all” (Eph. 1 :23). With reverent hearts and bowed heads, we, too, say, “ O Jehovah, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth.” Let Psalm 104 be read in connection with this lesson. Discussion Material I. T rees 1. Tree o f Knowledge of Good and Evil (Gen. 2:9 ). 2. Tree Planted by a River (Psa. 1:3). 3. Trees o f Righteousness (Isa. 61:3). 4. The Tree on Calvary (Acts 5:30; 1 Pet. 2:24; Gal. 3:13). 5. The Tree o f Life (Rev. 2 :7 ; 22:2). II. T rees as T ypes 1. The Juniper Tree—Despondency (1 Ki. s*19:4, 5).
O f course, the first one is lov e: “ Let love be without hypocrisy,” or “unfeigned,” as Peter expresses it—real, sincere, and in truth. John says in his first epistle, chap ter 4, verse 7, “ Beloved, let us love one another: for love is o f G od ; and every one that loveth is born of God, and know- eth God.” “Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good”-—cleaving to the good is God’s remedy for evil, a positive atti tude against wrong. “ Kindly affectioned” is a family term. In Isaac Gaylor’s The Family Affection of Christianity he says, “ Christian affec tion has the permanence it derives from an indissoluble hand; the vigor given it by a participation in sufferings and re proaches ; and the depth it receives from the prospect o f an unbounded futurity.” Only true Christians can “in honor prefer one another.” So on and on Paul lists the qualities that distinguish real Christians. “Diligent” ; “ fervent” or “ burning” ; “serving” ; rejoieing; patient; prayerful; distributing to saints—this latter was almost the first instinct o f the church, as you recall in Acts, when “ they had all things in common.” It was felt to be con nected naturally with the sublimest truths o f eternity. “ Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity; for God loveth a cheerful giver.” “Given to hos pitality” is literally in the Greek “pursu ing” hospitality. W e must not wait for the needy to come to us, but pursue them to supply their needs.' Lovely grace this! Other qualities in the list are blessing our enemies; sympathizing with others in joy or sorrow ; humility, honesty, and peace ableness. Check up on this list and ask yourself the question, “Do others see Jesus in me?” Illustrations I. H is H oliness No better illustration o f a Christian who bore the earmarks can be cited than this tribute to J. Hudson Taylor, given by H. W . Frost in China’s Millions; “ Mr. Taylor’s holiness was not an at tribute, not even a divine attribute; it was a Person. And that Person was Christ. In Him, he lived and moved and had his be ing. He drank in His spirit and partook of His life. Thus, holiness, as light from the sun or fragrance from a flower, per meated him and emanated from him. He never said, ‘See my holiness’ ; for he was unconscious o f it; and he never said, ‘My holiness is sinlessness’ ; for he was so deep ly .holy that he knew what sin was, and that sinlessness was to be found only in Christ. Nevertheless, we all counted him a holy man. How could we do otherwise when we never came in contact with him without becoming conscious o f the pres ence, beauty, and strength o f Christ? I speak now deliberately and very carefully: I never saw Mr. Taylor through all the years I knew him when I had any reason to suppose that he was out of fellowship with God. This is a great thing to be able to say of a mortal man. And such an at tainment is what we have a right to call holiness, not that o f the man, but that of Christ.” II. T he T estimony of a C onsecrated L ife One night I read an account o f the scenes around Catherine Booth as she lay in her coffin at Congress H a ll: how the poorest
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