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THE KING’S BUSINESS
—Eph. 2:1. The beginning o f the'Chris tian life- is to get "spiritual life into that dead man. When our Lord called “Lazarus, come forth,” the dead man became a living man, and walked out of the tomb, but no amount o f instruction on walking would have been o f any practical help to Lazarus until our Lord had made him alive. Y e s !1 there is a beginning to the Chris tian life. Our Lord Himself called it being “ born again”—John 3:3, 54?. Becoming a Christian precedes leading the Christian life, II. How the First Disciples Began the Christian Life. 1. They realized their need o f something which they knew they did not have. The sick man who knows that, he is sick seeks help, and the sinner Who knows he is a sinner seeks a Saviour—Matthew 9:12, 13. John and Andrew sought the ministry of John the Baptist, for they had heard that he had a message for sin-burdened souls. John himself could not impart the desired relief, but he could point them to One who could help them. 2 . They heard John’s ' testimony, John 1 :35. They were Jews, and to the Jew “ lamb” meant substitution and sacrifice. For nearly 1500 years had the morning and evening lamb been offered up daily on the altar in -temple and tabernacle, each point ing forward to “a sacrifice o f nobler name, ai}d richer blood than they.” Can you say, “He was wounded for my transgressions ?” Isaiah S3 -:5. - 3. They looked on Jesus, as John bade them. The serpent-bitten Israelite looked • to the brazen Serpent and was healed - Num. 21 : 8 , 9. In looking on Him they looked away from themselves ;_His sinless ness hid their sins; His perfections hid their imperfections.: “I looked to Jesus, and I found in Him my Star, my Sun; and in that Light o f Life I’ll walk till all my journey’s done.” Can you say, “I have found Him?” 4. They followed Jesus.' The look brought life; the' following manifested the life. The call to Matthew—“Follow me,” is the call
of Jesus to every believer today;, but a man must be a believer before he can be a follower. I have just finished reading an article on our soldiers and.their officers, the purpose o f tha writer being to show that our men believe in their officers, whether the officers be -from the National Guard, the Reserves, or West Point. Faith in their officers makes our men faithful followers. “The Captain o f our salvati 6 n” vican be trusted to lead rightly His enlisted men; but men must enlist. ' III. How the Philippian Jailer Began the Christian Life. 1. He realized his need. The earthquake, and the opened doors, and the singing evan gelists all had a part in bringing the mat ter to a climax, but the. work had begun before that special night. “What must I do to be saved?” came from a heart that had realized its need o f being saved. Paul had been preaching in the city, “many days” before the casting out o f the demon from the damsel brought about his arrest, and it is not hard to believe that reports o f his say ings and doings had reached the jailer. Be this as it may, no man ever called for deliverance in any realm o f life who did not first realize that there was something to be delivered from. It is a good deal easier to help the young man or woman who says,v'-“ I am too great a sinner,” than the one who says, “I am as good as my neighbors and will take my chances.” 2. He sought help. It is no easy thing for a man to open up his heart like this to another man. It is the moit sacred thing in a man’ s life—his personal relationship to God. How wise and tactful must that Sun day School teacher be who would “win the confidence o f his class that 'he might lead them to put their confidence in Jesus. The jailer believed in Paul and Silas, he believed they were what they professed to be—ser vants o f the Most High God, and ambassa dors o f Jesus Christ. Do we impress men that way ? 3. He heard o f Jesus. He could not see Jesus as Andrew and John saw Him when they followed H im ; but he could hear
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