THE KING’S BUSINESS
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III. Meeting the Inevitable. 1. The false way—
alone. (c ) Copying little by little.
2. The true method— (a) Comes from the indwelling Spirit o f Christ (Romans 8 :2 ; 2 Corin- 'thians 3:18). (b ) Meditating on the Word o f God (2 Corinthians 3:18). (c ) Companionship with Christ.
(a ) By completely surrendering to it and endeavoring to deaden the sense o f anguish. This usually ends in suicide, and suicide is mur der. (b ) A finer process o f suicide and self- deStruction—ceasing to live long before one has dipd. (c ) The philosophical and stoical way —steeling and hardening one’s self. 2. The Christian and true way o f meet- . ing the, inevitable— (a ) Accept it as such as a part o f life, as an avenue that leads to the acceptance o f .greater grace and a closer walk with God. (b ) Make it contribute all it can to the blessing o f others. This is what Jesus did with reference to the Cross. He walked that we might ride. He died that we might live. He was forsaken momentarily that we might be received forever. (c ) That the inevitable is a part o f God’s plan for us. All things work together for good to them that love God (Romans 8:28). The life o f Christ conceded to be the highest and most perfect and is therefore exemplary. I. The possibility of Christ-likeness. 1. Its possibility asserted by Christ’s tes timony (John 13:15; 14:12). 2. By the example o f Christ. 3. By universal Christian testimony and experience. II. The Method o f attaining Christ-like ness. 1. The false method— (a ) Mere physical effort. ■(b) Concentrating on one particular fault or sin and leaving the others Theme: Christ-Likeness. T ext : 2 Corinthians 3:18. I ntroduction :
Theme: Daniel in Babylon. T ext : Daniel 1:8-20. I ntroduction :
Daniel, one o f a number o f young Hebrew captiyes chosen by the Babylonian king to be trained for his court. The story o f Daniel will never grow old so long as there are young men tempted to sacrifice principle for indulgence. I. Daniel’s Purpose (1 :8 ). A man without a purpose is like a ship Without a rudder or chart or compass. 1. To keep a clean conscience towards God. 2- To govern life by a divine principle in conformity with tlie will o f God. II. Daniel’s Temptation. We must recall the fact that Daniel being a Jew was prevented from eating certain kinds o f meat. 1.. To satisfy a natural appetite in a wrong way. 2. To be untrue to his own religious convictions. 3. To yield principle to custom. ■4. To go back on the training o f his father and mother and God. 5. To sacrifice religion for gain and pop ularity. ITI. Daniel’s Victory. That he gained it is clear from the nar rative. 1. He gained a physical victory (1:15). 2. He gained a mental victory (1:17-20). 3. He gained a moral and spiritual vic tory. The secret o f Daniel’s success was his faith in God, his loyalty to conscience, and his adherence to principle.
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