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Rev. Louis Meyer. A Bible Study.
obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." ' ' The servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient in meekness, in- structing those that oppose themselves," Paul answers to our qeustion (2 Tim. 2:24, 25), and in another place (Eph. 4:1, 2), he admonishes us to walk, worthy of the vo- cation wherewith we*are called, " w i t h all lowliness and meekness.'' Peter again points to the Master who left us an ex- ample that we should follow in His steps in meekness and lowliness of heart. And James admonishes us to be " s l ow to speak, slow to w r a t h ," receiving with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save our souls. (James 1:19, 21.) (3) As again we ask our Lord, "Wh e re shall we follow t h e e ?" He smilingly an- swers, " I n your patience, possess ye your souls.;" (Luke 21:19). Centuries before He took upon Him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men, He spoke- similarly through His inspired prophet Jeremiah and said, " I t is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the- Lord. It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. Let him sit alone and keep si- lence, because he hath laid it upon him. Let him put his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope. Let him give his cheek to him that smiteth him. For the Lord will not cast off forever. For though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies." (Lament. 3:26-32). In con- firmation of the Saviour's own words, Paul admonishes us, " Y e have need of pa- t i e n c e" (Heb. 10:36), " L e t us run with patience the race that is set before u s " (Heb. 12:1), " B e patient in t r i b u l a t i o n" (Bom. 12':12) and " L e t us not be weary in well-doing ' (Gal. 6:9). (4) Once more we ask, " Lo r d, where shall we follow t h e e ?" and the answer reaches us in unmistakable tones, " I f Ye love Me, Keep My Commandments." (John 14:15). It is He who said to the people of the Old Testament that to obey is better than sacrifice, and who himself became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Does not John affirm the Savior's invitation to obedience when he
Not all whom Jesus invited to follow Him accepted the blessed invitation. Not all who walked with Jesus truly followed him. Let us study the answer of Jes.us and of His Apostles to our question,'' Lord, where shall we follow t h e e ?" (1) " I N THE WAY OF SELF-DENIAL AND SUFFERING, " is the first answer from the lips of the Master. " I f any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow m e . " Matt. 16:2'4. "Whosoever doth not bear his cross and come a f t er me, cannot be my disciple." Luke 14:27. Peter confirms this when, in Peter 2:20-23 he says, " B u t if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called; because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps; who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth; who, when he was re- viled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not, but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously." Paul in 2 Tim. 3:12, gives the same answer to the question, ' ' Lord, where shall we fol- low t h e e ?" when he says " A l l that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer per- secution." And John, the beloved disciple, saw the end of the way of suffering and self-denial when he beheld the great mul- titude before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes and palms in their hands, and heard the elder say, " Th e se are they which came out of great tribulation." Bev. J-.9-17. • 2) " L E ABN OF ME, FOE I AM MEEK AND LOWLY I N H E A E T ," Matt. 11:29, answers God the Son, as again we ask him, " L o r d, where shall we follow t h e e ," and with that answer He points us to the way of meekness, lowliness, and humility. We hear Him say, " I have given you an ex- ample, that ye should do as I have done to y o u ," as He has washed the disciples' feet (John 13), and we remember the glo- rious truth that He " m a de himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a pian, he humbled himself, and became
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