T H E K IN G ’S B U S IN E S S
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LESSON XII. March 23, 1913. Golden Text— 1 Cor. 15:20.
H is resu rrection is also a p a tte rn o f th e re su rrection o f H is believing followers. H is glorified b o d y is th e p ro p h e c y o f o u r glorified bodies. Y ou will look in v a in fo r H im am ong tho se w ho d en y th a t H e w as G o d m an ifest in th e flesh. T u rn y ou r eyes to th e righ t h a n d o f th e g lory of G o d an d you will see H im risen, yes, an d asc en d ed an d sitting a t th e right h a n d o f th e M ajesty on high. K eep y o u r eyes fixed on H im an d you w ill y e t see H im com e fo rth , H is w o u n d ed h a n d h o ld in g th e scepter, a n d if you a re H is you will b e w ith H im a n d like H im . LESSON I. April 6, 1913. Golden Text— Isa. 30 :18 . T h e h e a rt o f this lesson is n o t h a rd to find. T h e w o rd unbelief spells it. T h e lesson is a d ram a in five acts. F irst, th e b irth rig h t p u r chased ; second, th e p lo t p la n n e d ; th ird , p u ttin g on th e clo th e s; fourth, th e p a rt p la y e d ; fifth, p ay ing th e penalty. W e w an t to em phasize th e la st act. T h e p lo t is b a se d u p o n th e fact th a t G o d h a d p rom ised th a t Ja c o b shou ld rule. R eb e k a h an d Ja c o b doubted God’s ability to ca rry ou t th a t prom ise a n d sough t to a id H im as S a rah d id w hen she gave H a g a r as w ife to A b rah am . T h is is a fa ta l erro r. T h e y w ere co n tro lled by th a t d ang e rou s d o c trin e th a t th e end justifies the means. D av id w a it e d on G o d a n d w ou ld n o t rem ove Saul. A b ra h am d e liv e red Isaac up to d e a th . W e n e ed to u n d e rsta n d th a t w e c a n n o t b rin g a b o u t G o d ’s p la n save in G o d ’s way. R eb ek ah sinned in seeking to force an issue. She lied to Isaac an d Ja co b . She w ro n g ed h e r hu sband , b o th o f h e r sons, G od , a n d h e r own soul. Ja c o b sinned in forcing a sale from his b ro th e r w h en he w as in need. In allow ing his m o th e r to in fluence him an d in carry ing ou t a
“H e is risen .” “H e is n o t h e re .” N ev er w as th e re sw eeter music fall ing u p o n m o rta l ea r th a n th e a n noun c em en t which th e se h e av en ly m essengers m ade. S tan d in g in th e d im ligh t o f th e em p ty tom b , p e r p lex ed a n d tro u b led , loving th e ir a b sent L o rd w ith all th e ir hearts, th e d e v o te d w om en w ere sta rtled b y th e ap p e a ra n c e o f tw o m en in glistening garm ents. O v e rp ow e red b y th e ir p resence th ey w ere assured b y th e ir w o rd s, “W h y seek ye th e Living One am o n g th e d e a d ? “ ' W h y seek H im w ho sp ak e w o rd s of life to th e d e a d ones? H ow cou ld th ey exp e c t this tom b to h o ld H im w ho c om m an d ed L azaru s to com e fo rth from am ong th e d e a d ones? H ow cou ld d e a th h o ld H im w ho c om m an d ed d e a th to d e liv e r its c ap tiv e ? : F a ith w ould n ev e r look fo r H im here. H a d no t D av id fo re to ld th a t “T h o u w ilt n o t le av e m y soul in h e ll; n e ith e r w ilt T h o u suffer th in e H o ly O ne to see c o rru p tio n .” T h e question is still a le ad ing one. W hy will m en seek C h rist am ong th e d e a d , am o n g th e d e a d form s a n d cerem on ies of lifeless religions, am o n g d e a d churches, am o n g d e a d pro fession s of C h ristian ity? T hese w ere ten d e r, loving w o rd s o f rebuk e an d th ey a re fo r us also w ho a re so p ro n e to fo rg e t in ste ad o f rem em b e rin g th e w o rd s o f th e Christ. D e a th w a s th e av en u e o f life fo r H im . H e h a d p lain ly ta u g h t th em th a t th e Son o f M an must be cruci fied a n d rise ag ain th e th ird day. “Now is C hrist risen.” H e is th e first fruits o f th em th a t sleep. H is resu rrection is a pledge o f th e resu r rection o f all tho se w ho believe in H im , w ho believe in H is deity, who believe in H is sacrificial offering u p o n th e cross, w ho confess H im to be S av iou r a n d Lord.
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