December, 1935
T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
459
II. His E quipment for H is W ork (3 :21, 22). Dedication, or surrender, is man’s side, while consecration is God’s part in the transaction. We do not consecrate our selves—only God can consecrate; but God always does consecrate whatever and who ever is surrendered to Him. The opened heavens indicated that, for the first time since man had sinned, God could look with complacency upon a hu man being. God was accepting tffe conduct o f the thirty silent years and the character from which the conduct came. The ex pressed pleasure in this One was God’s delight in a Man. There would be no meaning to these words if this were not s o ; otherwise, God would necessarily be pleasing to Himself. But it was o f a Man and to a Man that these words were spoken: “Thou art my beloved S on ; in thee I am well pleased.” God the Father desired that Jesus no longer should be described as “Joseph’s son,” nor as Mary’s son, but as “my Son.” “The Holy Ghost descended . . . upon him.” This enduement was the formal and sufficient equipment for service. We have to remember that while Jesus was ever very God of very God, yet He was truly Man, and as Man, He required the power o f the Holy Spirit. Hence, what He did as a Man, He did by the power of the Holy Ghost. “God anointed Jesus o f Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good” (Acts 10:38). This divine enabling was tbV Lord’s only power for service on earth, and it was bestowed in fullness upon the Lord Jesus as He entered upon His work (cf. Zech. 4 :6 ); III. T h e O pposition to H is W ork (4:1-12). Immediately, Jesus Christ presented Himself for the work to be accomplished, and Satan challenged His right on moral grounds. Jesus was led by the Spirit (Mark says He was driven by the Spirit) into the wilderness for the express pur pose o f being tried, or tested, by Satan (v s .'l, 2 ; cf. Matt. 4:1 ). Jesus was in the wilderness for forty days, the number denoting testing. Jesus Christ was to re store the dominion to man, to conquer Satan, and to be the Saviour of the world (cf. Gen. 3:15). The temptation o f our Lord, therefore, was permitted more to proclaim Satan’s defeat than to discover whether or not our Lord would sin. There was nothing in the nature o f Jesus which could respond to the solicitations of the world, or the flesh, or the devil. He was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners in His nature, as well as in His practice. Today, Satan uses tempta tion to make saints stumble; God uses it to make saints strong. The difference is that Satan’s temptations are solicitations to evil, while God’s are tests to strengthen faith (cf. Jas. 1 :2-4, 13-15). BLACKBOARD LESSON
“ He Died as a Martyr” These words come from the lips of six orphaned Russian children who say:
“ Our dear father died in exile on July 11th, 1935. Six of us are left both motherless and fatherless in the midst of a roaring sea of frightfulness. Please do not pass us by but help us—‘through your mercy—to reach shore in safety3*
Relentless, vicious cruelty killed this fine Christian father who was an Evangelical Christian preacher. He loved his family yet, because he dared to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, was thrown into prison and dragged off to a perishing exile. Russia is today a land of bitter Christian oppression where thousands of fine characters and bodies are being destroyed by barbaric, inhuman cruelties that are unbelievable. Through your generous kindness we have been able to assist in keeping hundreds of these families from starvation, to provide them with money to purchase warm clothing, and to main tain their faith in a just God. And so we appeal to God’s children everywhere to assist us in carrying on this great ministry of relieving the oppressed, helping the fatherless. Please pray for these martyred people, and as the Lord may lead you, send in your gifts to the RUSSIA INLAND RELIEF MISSION 690 EIGHTH AVENUE ROOM 506-K NEW YORK, N. Y. JOHN JOHNSON, General Director
The manner of the temptation of Jesus was threefold: First, He was tempted to act independently o f God (vs. 3, 4). In falling into the snare o f the enemy, the first man, Adam, failed. It was a tempta tion coming through the physical nature, and it concerned the Word of God. Jesus had heard the voice proclaiming Him as the Father’s Son. Then there followed Satan’s suggestion, “ If thou be . . . ,” as though Satan would say, “ Thou hast heard the voice; now prove that, test it, make it plain in practice. that -such is the? truth.” But the reply reveals that while man may exist without God’s Word, he cannot live without it. We should remem ber that being tempted is not sin; the yielding to temptation is sin. Second, Christ was tempted to be dis obedient (vs. 5-8). To this same tempta tion, the first man had fallen a victim. It was a temptation through the spirit, and it concerned the will of God. Satan sug gested that since Jesus had come to take the dominion, He might secure it by other means and methods than those laid down by God. Satan’s appeal concerned self- preservation, the first law o f nature, but the Lord Jesus proved that, with Him, the first law was higher than all natural laws ; it was the preservation of the will of God, whatever that entailed for Christ Himself. Third, Christ was tempted to test God (vs. 9-12). This was a temptation through the physical nature, and it concerned the ways o f God. Here again, it was yi just such a test, that the first man had failed. Jesus revealed true faith.. Real faith never presumes ; it has no need for the spectacu lar ; it never does anything merely to draw attention to itself; it is far removed from sensationalism. Real faith never asks to walk by sight, which is folly; nor does it attempt to change faith to sight, which is presumption. Many Christians today quote promises, and attempt to prove God with them; they try God. But real, faith has no need for proof; it knows, for it is, based upon God’s W ord; and, knowing it, is satisfied, whatever appearances may suggest. IV. T he V ictory for H is W ork (13). The weapon was the Word o f God. Jesus did not enter into debate with Satan; He simply wielded the Sword of the Spirit. There was absolute dependence
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