T- h e - K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
May 1928
304
Did Satan indicate that he expected to have another round with Jesus, when he was defeated in the first one? (Lk. 4 :13.) “For a season" —lit. “until a more favor - orable time.” What did Jesus say’ shortly before go ing to Gethsemane? (Jn. 14:30.) Who ministered to Jesus at the close of the wilderness experience?*: (Mt. 4:11];] cf. Lk. 22:43.) —o— G o ld en T e x t I l l u s t r a t io n ' Not what I will, but what Thou wilt (Mk. 14:36): ' “ Is it so, O Christ in heaven, That the highest suffer most— That the strongest wander farthest And most hopelessly are lost? That the mark of rank in nature Is capacity for pain— ’ That the anguish o f the singer Makes the sweetness of the strain?” Affliction is not - calamity to one who bears it in yieldedness to His will, but a mine o f wealth. • Though you have a Gethsemane, the sun goes down and trustfed friends go tof&ebp, if you’ll look up to the heavens at “the Morning Star,” the, night also will bring forth its joyous truths (Rom. 8:18). , “ Thus, Lord, in Thy mysterious ways, Lead my dependent spirit on, And wheresoe’er it kneels and prays Teach it to say,.‘Thy will be done.’ ” J une 3, 1928 Jesus’ Last Supper With His Friends Mark 14:17-25, 32-36. 1 Memory Verse. —“ This do in remem brance o f me,” Luke 22:19. Approach. —Two sisters were to spend the winter far apart. They agreed that every night at eight o’clock they would go out and look at the stars that make the know that Jesus too wished to be remem bered? When He went away He gave to those o f His friends left on earth some thing to do as a reminder, that would bring Him to their memories. You shall hear the story. It happened the night Jesus was given up to His enemies to be put to death. He met with His friends for the last time and this is called the last supper. (Prayer.) Lesson Story,— ( Review, emphasizing the faithfulness that the Lord Jesus de sires, and the fruit that every Christian life should bear.) Charlotte, we are so glad you are well again, for we missed you from our class. W e remembered you in our prayers. Our story today happened at the time o f the feast o f the Passover in Jerusalem. It was in the springtime, and this feast was kept as a reminder o f the time when God’s people were down in Egypt, and were being treated very cruelly by the king. God heard the cry of His people and brought them out of Egypt, and punished the wicked king. Jesus wished to keep this feast with His disciples, and He bade them prepare it in a house to which He sent them. shape o f a big dip per in the sky. Looking at the stars, they ' would think o f each other. The stars were remind ers — bringing back to mind what they wished to remember and think o f at the same time. Do you
i “I will not deny Thee in any w ise!" It was Peter who spoke at the conclusion of the Lord’s supper (v. 31). But he was not alone in his proclamation o f fortitude. “So said they all’’— Judas among them. Oh, how little some of us know ourselves! W e flatter ourselves upon the possession of firmness o f character. What reason have we for doing so? Many a man is in the depths of backsliding who fell there from the heights of self-confidence. Our only safety is in remembering^ that be lievers were never meant to be self-sup porting.” If we will but reflect more on the Master’s words: “ Without me ye can do nothing” our hoasting will give place to humble dependence and we shall walk in safety. Taking Peter, James and John with Him, the Saviour- entered _ Gethsemane. Judas slipped away to! do his dirty work. “ Gethsemane” means “oil press;” There, olives were crushed to get oil for food and light. There, Jesus was all but crush ed in the grip of an unparalleled agony which should result in the issuance, of spiritual food and light for believers. The olive was the symbol of peace, and under that great Passover moon knelt the One who was about to become “ our peace." ^ In this short space, -we can but touch the surface of the meaning of the events in the garden. The writer is convinced that it was one of the most important events in our Lord’s career and that it bore a prominent part in the working out of our salvation. Satan w ell,knew that if our Lord went to the cross as God’s Lamb, his grip upon the :human family was about to be broken. Dare we say that Satan determined to block God’s plan if possible? W e believe there are clear evidences of it. ■ ; Jesus “ began to be sore amazed’ (v. 33). Luke tells us that blood began to ooze from the pores o f His skin and run down His body (Lk. 22 :44). To the three disciples He said plainly that the sting of death was then and there directed-to His very heart. “I am encompassed even unto death” (v. 34). Heb. 5:7 seems to state clearly that our Lord, as the result o f His earnest prayers in Gethsemane, ; was “saved from death” —not death at Gol gotha, but death in Gethsemane. Ponder these things! • -........ It was an hour for Satan! It is when we are encompassed with the “wiles of the devil” that we are exhorted to “watch” (v. 34p x f. Eph, 6:11). Before entering the garden, He had said to Peter, “Satan hath desired to have you” (Lk, 22:31-34). The hosts o f darkness were gathering for final assault to break the plan of God, The Saviour “FELL on the ground”— mark the words! (V . 35.) That the Son o f God should implore help in such a posture shows that the fearful darkness o f the shadow o f death was even then pressing Him down. “ Oh, that this hour might pass [move forward]. Take away this cup,” H e cries : “ nevertheless —if this be thy will—-!” What was the deliverance He was seek ing ? One says: “ It was the first thought that human frailty suggested to Him in view of the cross—on the human side of His nature He temporarily weakened. He prayed that some other plan might be worked; out.” . But He Himself had re peatedly affirmed that there was no other way (Jn. 3:14-15). Does He now pray contrary to God’s will? (Jn. 11:42.) Must “ this cup” be interpreted only of the
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cross, or may' ; Gethsemane’s cup have been a specific agony of itself? What means this blood, this weakness, this shadow o f death—in Gethsemane? This was neither the appointed place or time for Him to die. The rustling o;f angel wings is heard (Lk. 22:43). He is “strengthened’’— the blood stops. The powers o f darkness were driven back. .We believe hell’ s forces had been arrayed in a last attempt to defeat, the purpose of- God. This is the hour o f the power of darkness. Thus He spoke to Judas as He-came Out o f the garden (Lk. 22:53). Under “ Suggestive Questions” note fur ther proofs. The battle was won.' He moved for ward to the ordeal o f the cross, to die exactly as the Scriptures had foretold. It wàs through the cross that He should re cover mankind from sin and extricate us from thé terrible grip o f Satan. — o— P it h a n d P o in t Hypocrites crowd to the ordinances o f the church to keep up appearànces >(v. 18). I Presumptuous confidence m our own resolutions may cause us tb be recorded for everlasting memorials o f human weak ness (v. 29). Instead o f talking o f dying for Him, let us learn to live for Him (v. 31 ■; c f. Rom. 14:8). I f we türn praying time to sleeping time, we .need not expect to be victorious when it is Satan’s time (v. 37). To recover men from sin, involved the Son of God becoming the Son o f man and laying Himself open to the fiercest as saults o f the powers o f darkness and the most desperate attempts to thwart the divine plan. In a garden the first Adam met Satan and lost Paradise. In a garden the Sec ond Adam had some terrific conflict be fore He went to the cross and won Para dise back for us. Learn at the gates o f Gethsemane the true attitude toward suffering :— “ Thy will, not mine, be done.’’ —o— S u g g e stiv e Q u e s t io n s Did our Lord Himself partake o f the symbolical bread and wine? (V . 23; cf. Lk. 22:17; Mt. 26:27.) Why? Did Satan desire to see Jesus offered on the cross in exact fulfilment o f the Old Testament? (Mt. 16:22-23; cf. 4:8- 10 .) Did our Lord ever entertain the idea that some other way than the way of the cross might be made possible for Him ? (V . 36 ; cf. Lk. 24:44-47.) Is there any suggestion as to who might have been back o f the Gethsemane ex perience in comparing the three prayers with the three assaults in the wilderness at the beginning o f our Lord’s ministry? (V . 41; cf. Mt. 4:1-11.)
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