February, 1937
T H È K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
S7
Correct! Without the lead, the pencil would be useless for writing. What makes human beings different from animals? “Man has a soul, and animals do not.” That is a good answer. Man can have fellowship with God, but animals cannot. It is possible for me to remove the lead from this pencil. With the lead removed, the pencil can no longer be used for the purpose of writing. The lead is like the soul of a human being. The pencil is like the body. When a person dies, the body and soul are temporarily separated. We will take this lead out of the pencil and let it remind us of the death of a human being. The pencil we will bury in this little box, just as the body of a dead person is buried in the grave. For the lead which represents the soul, there is a little yellow box up on the pulpit. Yellow re minds us of the golden streets of the heavenly city. At death, the soul of a Christian goes to heaven, and the body into the grave. There is something unusual about this little box. It has a hole the shape of the cross in the side. The lead enters the yellow box by this cross, reminding us that Lesson Text: John 16:5-7; 17:14-26. Golden Text: “ That they may be one, even as we are one” (John 17:22). Outline and Exposition I. P raying C oncerning T heir N eed (16:5-7) £ >0 deep was the sorrow of the disciples ^ when the Lord told them that He was going to leave them that none of them thought to ask Him: "Whither goest thou?” (v. 5). T o their sorrowing hearts, it made little difference where He was going, if He was leaving them behind. If we were more concerned about our blessed Lord Himself, there would be more long ing to be with Him than is evidenced by many Christians today. We make much of the doctrines touching His Person and His work, and perhaps we cannot make too much of them, but there is danger that even these matters may becloud our vision of the Lord Himself. T o the disciples in their distress, the Lord Jesus Christ brought the good news of the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Com forter. For their service, for their satis faction, and for their understanding of Christ and of all things— for all the help that believers required, the Spirit would provide. It was therefore expedient that Jesus should go away, for He declared: “ If I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you.” All born-again believers now have the Holy Spirit dwelling within them (John 3:6-8; 1 Cor. 3:16), for He comes to every heart whensoever faith is centered upon Jesus Christ. It is the Spirit who makes our Lord a living reality to every true Christian. II. P raying C oncerning T heir P osition (17:14-20) The word translated “ world” ' in verse
the only way a soul can reach heaven is through receiving as Saviour the Lord Jesus who died on the cross for us. There is a song that tells us, “The way of the cross leads home.” When we see a Christian buried, it is wonderful to know that that person is with the Lord Jesus and that Jesus is coming some day with the soul to call the body from the grave and cause the soul and body to be reunited. Just before Christ left this earth, He said: “ I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” He is not satisfied to have only the soul—He wants the body as well, and is some day coming back for it. I open the yellow box, and the lead comes down to the grave where the pencil is. The grave opens and the pencil comes out, and the lead once again enters it. It will be just this way when the Lord Jesus comes—the souls of Christians who have died will be united to their bodies which have been in the grave. How glad we should be that He said: “ I will come again” 1 14 has various meanings in the New Testa ment. It includes the material, the physical aspect (Rom. 1:20), the habitable earth (John 1:10), the present age (Gal. 1:4), the world of people (John 3:16), and the world system (John 14:30). The last two usages, the world of people and the world system, are found in our lesson today. The world system appears in verses 14 and 16, the world of people in verses 15 and 16. The Christian’s place, therefore, is in this system and among this people (v. 15). Because of the wiles of the evil one, and because of the attractions and allurements of the world, the Christian finds himself in a place of constant danger. He needs prayer for his protection until the Lord returns. Our Lord knew, before He went away, all that the Christian would have to face, and with that knowledge He prayed for each of us. The Christian’s place is one of discipline because of his surroundings (v. 14). The world of people constitutes the instrument used in the testing and training of the believer. The child of God should look upon “the world” as the athlete regards the equipment of a gymnasium—as a means for growth in strength and dexterity. The Christian’s place is, moreover, one BLACKBO ARD LESSON
DARKEST AMERICA Do you know that there are thousands of communities in America where the Gospel is not preached? Think of a generation growing up without the influence of the Bible. What are you going to do about it? A mission has been formed for the purpose of supplying the Gospel to these unfortu nates, and Reverend Homer Stanley Morgan and others are going to devote their time to the^evangelization of these neglected places. This is a field worthy of your prayer and attention. REFERENCES Dr. Will H. Houghton, Dr. H. A. Ironside. Dr. A. C. Gaebelein, Rev. W. W. Rugh For further information or to send contri butions—Address Christian Mission to Churchless Communities Room 602. 25 Broad Street. New York City MR. ALWYN BALL. JR.. Trees. of separation (v. 16). In the sight of God, the Christian is “ a new creature” in Christ Jesus (2 Cor. 5:17). The Lord desires that the new relationship shall be manifest in the daily life. The Christian’s place is, furthermore, one of sanctification (v. 17). God has saved us, not merely that we might gain heaven for our delight, but also that we might be conformed to the image of His Son for His delight. We are sanctified only in the degree that our Lord’s likeness is reproduced in us, and this reproduction comes as we apprehend our Lord and appropriate His grace through meditation upon the Word (cf. 2 Cor. 3:17, 18). The Christian’s place is, finally, one of service for the world of people (vs. 18-20). The service is like that which our Lord ren dered, for as the Father sent Him into the world, even so are Christ’s followers sent. First, the believer is to proclaim God’s Word, that is, the gospel is to be given “to every creature” (Mk. 16:15). Second, the Christian is to reveal the Father as the One who loves the world, and loving it has sent His only begotten Son for its salvation (John 3:16). And third, he is to testify of Christ, as Christ- testified of Himself— by doctrine, by life, and by hope expressed (cf. Acts 1:8; 22:15). III. P raying C oncerning T heir U nity (21-26) The Saviour prayed not only for His immediate disciples, but also for all who would believe on Him in the years to come (v. 20). He thus gave assurance that there would be a constant stream of re deemed ones brought to faith in Him by the testimony of Christians. He prayed that they all might be one in Him and the Father (v. 21), and as He and the Father were one (v. 22), and that they might be one with Him and the Father for all the future (vs. 23, 24). Outwardly, there never ean be such unity as long as the church is on earth and is subject to the limitations of this present life. It is spiritual unity concerning which Christ prays, and that prayer has its answer. Into whatever formal classifications the visible church may be divided, the “church, which is his body” (Eph. 1:22, 23) remains indi visible—one body. When our Lord speaks of the world, He mentions the righteousness of God (vs. 25, 26). God is always righteous in His deal ings, but the world knows Him not, because It knows not Christ. The Lord’s followers
MARCH 14, 1937 JESUS PRAYING FOR HIS DISCIPLES J ohn 16:1 to 17:26
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