48
T h e
K i n g ' s
B u s i n e s s
January 1930
his death, and this friend, too, came to Christ a few months afterward. For this last friend Mr. Muller had prayed al most fifty-two years! When we behold such perseverance in prayer as this, we realize that we have scarcely touched the fringe of real importunity in our own intercession for others.— From an address by James H. McConkey, on “ The Practice o f Prayer." S cripture R eferences on P rayer Write out on slips of paper and hand out before the service to those not ac customed to taking part in a meeting, re questing them to read them when called for. Psa. 10:17; Psa. 65:2; Isa. 58:9; John 14:13, 14; Prov. 15:8; 2 Cor. 1:11; 1 Thess. 5:17; Phil. 4:6; Matt. 9:38; James 4:3; 5:16; 1 John 5:14, 15. T wo -M inute T alk S ubjects Give out one week in advance of meet ing, requesting each person to whom giv en to give a two-minute talk on subject. 1. Why should we pray for others? 2. Tell some o f the accomplishments of Daniel through prayer. 3. Show how important a factor prayer was to the early Church (first chap ters of Acts). 4. Give in your own words some Bibli cal illustration of answered prayer for others. 5. Tell how prayer for others will bene fit our society. January 12, 1930 How can Nations Practice the Golden Rule? Matt. 7:12; 20:20-28 S uggestive O rder of S ervices Opening Hymns: “ O Beautiful for Spacious Skies,” “We’ve a Story to Tell to the Nations.” Chairman of Prayer Meeting Commit tee lead in prayer. Song: “Labor On.” i Read responsively Psalm 72. Special Number: Reading or solo by some talented member of the society. Leader’s Message (see helps below). Sentence Prayers (give opportunity for special requests to be made). Closing Song: “My Country, ’Tis Of Thee.” C. E. Benediction: “May the Lord watch between me and thee while we are ab sent, the one from the other.” L esson S urvey The Golden Rule, “Do unto others as ye would that they should do unto you,” is not to be found word for word, as many suppose, but is taken from the Words of our Saviour in His sermon, on the mount found in Matt. 7 :12. The thought, how ever, is the same. This verse gives the practical result of the fulfillment of the exhortation contained in the previous verses. The principle involved is con tained in the second commandment, “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” The same rule for individuals applies to nations as well, What nation has ever put this rule to the supreme test? Our own beloved country, while she has gone farther, possibly, than any other na tion in this respect, has fallen far short of
reaching the goal. How are, we treating the foreigner who seeks admittance to our land? How are many corporations deal ing with their employees? Let us briefly consider the Scripture in the twentieth chapter o f Matthew. Read audibly all verses. Here we have the ac count of the coming o f . “Mrs.” Zebedee and her two sons to Jesus to make request of Him for positions o f honor in His king dom. Comparing the parallel passage in Mark 10:35-40, we find that the sons were equally responsible with the mother in making the request. As to the place de sired, Josephus, the great Jewish historian, informs us that the first place of honor was the right hand o f the sovereign; the second, the left hand. It is true that they had a wrong,conception of Christ’s king dom at this stage of His ministry, for He says elsewhere in the gospels, “The king dom of God cometh not with observation.” Christ will yet set up a visible kingdom upon the earth, at which time, as His answer implies, God will say who shall be given these places of honor. Let us not, like the disciples, be too severe in our criticism of those making the request. Jesus did not deal harshly with them. He kindly taught them some thing of which up to the time of their request they were ignorant. In the story we see revealed a mother’s love for her sons and her desire to have them con stantly near the Christ. What Christian mother today does not long for this same place for her children? As far as the boys were concerned, would that more boys today had such an holy desire to be near our Lord in sweet communion. Jesus also used this incident to teach a needed lesson to His disciples. Do we not also need to be taught such a lesson as we seek high positions in Christian ser vice in order to receive praise o f men? In verse 28 we have set forth the pur pose of Christ’s coming to this world, “to minister and to give His life a ransom for many.” S ide -L ights Giving life for others: —The city of Marseilles was once visited by the plague. The ravages were fearful. Parents de serted their children, and children forgot their parents, to take care o f themselves. The city became a desert. Everyone who remained was sad, for no one could stop the ravages o f the plague. The doctors consulted together but they could find no remedy. They agreed that it was neces sary for one of them to open the body of someone who had died o f the plague to find out the nature of the disease. But who would do this, since it was certain that the one who did it would himself die soon after? There was a pause. Sud denly one of the most celebrated physi cians, a man in the prime of life, rose and said: “Be it so : I devote myself to the safety o f my country. I swear in the name of humanity and religion, that to morrow, at the break of day, I will dis sect a corpse and write down, as I pro ceed, what I observe.” He went home, made his will (for he was a rich man), spent that evening in religious exercises. During that night a man died of the plague. Guyon, the physician, entered the room next morning, and made the exam ination. As he went on he wrote down all he saw, and then left the room and put the paper in vinegar, so that it would
not convey the plague to others. He then went into a convenient place, where he died within twelve hours.— -Nuntius. Golden Rules :-— The true rule in business is to guard and do by the things of others as they do by their own.— Hindoo. Do as you would be done by.— Persian. One -should seek for others the happi ness one desires for oneself.— Buddhist. What you would not wish done to your self do not unto others.— Chinese. Let none of you treat his brother in a way he himself would dislike to be treated. —Mohammedan. Do not that to a neighbor which you would take ill from him.— Grecian. The law imprinted on- the hearts of all men is to love the members o f society as themselves.— Roman. Whatsoever you do not wish your neigh bor to do to you) do not unto him. This is the whole law, the rest is a mere ex position of it —Jewish. All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.— Christian. The world has only begun to see that no country is great and no cause just that does not help on the world’s happiness and the world’s good. —The Churchman. —°— January 19, 1930 Shall We Abolish or Expand Missions? Why? Matt. 28:18-20; Acts 1:8. S uggestive O rder of S ervices Opening Songs: “Jesus Shall Reign,” “ From Greenland’s Icy Mountains.” Prayer by Leader. Song: “ Speed the Light.” Scripture verses on subject (see below). Special missionary number, either read ing, story or song previously arranged. Leader’s Remarks (see below). Sentence Prayers (remembering espe cially the missionaries of your church). Closing Song: “The Morning Light is Breaking.” Closing Prayer by Pastor or Chairman missionary committee. L esson S urvey , “Expand or abolish missions?” Only one answer if the Church is to remain true to her calling, and that is to expand her efforts to make Christ known through out the world. Satan and his forces are the only ones engaged in attempting to abolish missions. W. Baxendale tells the story of the confederate General Longstreet. He says that during the battle of Gettysburg, Gen eral Longstreet had one of his generals come up to him and report that he was unable to bring up his men again so as to charge the enemy. “Very well,” said the general, “just let them remain where they are; the enemy’s going to advance, and will spare you the trouble.” All who have been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ are enrolled in the army of the Lord, and if we do not advance, Satan will. Why expand missions? Because Christ not only died for us but also for those who sit in darkness (John 3:16).
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