December 1931
T h e
K i n g ' s
B u s i n e s s
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Ç ^ffon iileiiccil HELPS . . . f o r (fPreacliers a n d ^ fe a c h e r s
M arching O rders “Walk as children of light” (Eph. 5:8). “Walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:4). “Walk in wisdom” (Col. 4:5). “Walk in love” (Eph. 5:2). “Walkworthy of the Lord” (Col. 1:10). —W m . L uff .' T he Believer’s H ope It is not the uncertain thing of men, but the well grounded expectation of what God has promised. It is said to be: A good hope (2 Thess. 2:16). A living hope (1 Pet. 1:3). A blessed hope (Tit. 2:13). A purifying hope (1 John 3:3). “Christ in you the hope of glory” (Col. 1 :27).— B eliever ’ s M agazine . T he C hristm as Meaning L uke 2:9,10 I. The Christmas Mystery—A Babe. How we know that the Babe was the Son of God: 1. God said so (Matt: 3:17). 2. Christ said so (John 10:30; 14: 11 ). 3. Christ lived so. Our Christmas depends as much upon what hap pened in Jerusalem and Caper naum as in Bethlehem. 4. The hearts of believers witness to the fact. II. The Christmas Light—A Star. A star is a body of light. God’s greater and lesser lights are the sun and the moon. 1. The greater light of the Bible (Psa. 119:105; 2 Pet. 1:19). Its definite purpose is like that of the Christmas sta r; it lights the way to Christ (John 5 :39; Lk. 24:25-27; John 20:30, 31). 2. The lesser light of the con science. The Bible is the star that God has hung in the world. The conscience is the star that God has hung in the heart. As the moon is dark without the sun, so the conscience is dark without the Word. Let an honest man light his conscience with the Word of God, and he will be led to Christ. III. The Christmas Consummation—A Tree.
F o u r Amazing Facts J ohn 1:11, 12 1. The Incarnation—“he was in the world.” 2. The Creation—“the world was made by him.” . 3. The Rejection—“the world knew him not.” 4. The Reception—“as many as received him.” —H. H. M ac A. Christmas brings us face to face with the love of God. And it is the desire of the Father that His children should “be \ able to comprehend” the dimensions of that love. 1. The breadth—“the world.” 2. The length—“gave his only begot ten Son.” 3. The depth—“whosoever.” 4. The height—“everlasting life.” —S elected . D imensions of God’s Love E phesians 3:18; J ohn 3:16
Coming up to Christm as J ohn 16:30 I t is good to spend the season for the celebration of the advent in thinking of the significance of the coming of Jesus Christ. We are coming up to Christ mas, but how? Are we thinking only of shopping, or are we thinking also in terms of spiritual wonder? Let us think of what it meant to Christ to come down to Christ mas. Realizing that, we shall come to find its worth for us. I. The Greatness of the Gift. “God’s only begotten Son” (John 3: 16). II. The Nature of the Gift. “I am come that they might have life” (John 10:10). III. The Cost of the Gift. . 1. The estimate of John (John 1: 1-14). 2> The estimate of Paul (1 Cor. 8:9). —F. S. God Manifest in th e Flesh 1. Expectation (Isa. 9:6, 7). 2. Revelation (Lk. 1:11). 3. Adoration (Matt. 2:11). 4. Ordination (Lk. 3:22). 4. Manifestation (John 17:6). 6. Appropriation (Eph. 3:17-19). 7. Consummation (Rev. 22:3-5). God’s Love for th e World 1. God’s love for the world—“God so loved the world” (John 3:16). 2. God’s desire for the world—“on earth peace, good will toward men” (Lk. 2: 14). 3. God’s Gift to the world—“a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord” (Lk. 2:11). 4. God’s call to the world—“whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). —L ife of F a ith . Finding th e C hristm as Joy “Tidings o f great joy . . . ye shall find a babe I (Lk. 2:10, 12). The promise of joy leads in an unexpect ed direction. Pathways to Christmas bless ing are devious and yet accessible. There is something of a fine art in the discovery. There must also be recalled the distinction between joy, and those other words: plea sure, amusement, happiness. I. Simplicity. There was the pathway of simplicity rather than complexity. It led to the town, not to the city; to the Babe, not to the Monarch. II. Accessibility. The way to the place of joy was broadly accessible for the shepherds as well as for the wise men. Childlike faith discloses perspectives. III. Expression. The shepherds rejoiced. Christmas joy is not for private consumption. Christian ity is a singing religion. Note its carols, hymns, and anthems. When there is true iov. there must also be'expression. —C. R. S. —S elected .
T h e A dvent of C hrist G alatians 4:4-6
I. The Fact.
“God sent forth his Son.”
II. The Time.
In the fullness of time.
III. The Manner.
1. Born of a woman. 2. An incarnate Saviour. 1. Redemption. 2. Adoption. 3. Indwelling of the Spirit.
IV. The Result.
—J ohn C. P age .
No Room in th e Inn LukE 2 :7 I. No Room for Christ at His First Ad vent. 1. Old Testament prophecies concern
ing His advent. a. Isaiah 9 :6. b. Isaiah 7 :14. c. Micah 5 :2. 2. Why there was no room.
a. The people had not been taught the detailed prophecies concern ing His coming. b. They were looking for a Mes siah according to their own no tions. c. The sinfulness of Israel ob scured their spiritual vision.
You are not through with Christmas until you have found the Christmas tree. You have not found Bethle hem’s fullest meaning until you have seen Calvary. The true Christmas tree is not the tree of green, but of red. It is not the tree in our home, but the one on Calvary’s hill. 1. There were no trimmings on that tree—just nails, thorns, and blood. 2. There were no twinkling lights on that tree—the lights had all gone out. 3. There was just one Gift on that tree—life in Jesus Christ. But all men’s needs were met in that one Gift.— R oy L. L aurin .
II. No Room for Christ Today. 1. Where there is no room. a. In politics. . b. In society. c. In big business.
d. In labor organizations. e. In peace conferences.
2. Why there is no room. a. Selfishness. b. Sin. c. Pride.
d. Ignorance of the plan of salva tion. —E. A. E.
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