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The Name for Healing (Acts 4:10; Acts 3 :6 ). The Name above Every Name (Phil. 2 :9 ). The Name W e Adore (Phil. 2:10, 11). III. N eeds to be S upplied “ They went forth in the power of a name.” So, today, we may go forth in the power o f the Name o f Jesus Christ to meet the needs of the world. The Need The Supply Rest...:........ i,.....Matthew 11:28, 29. Peace.... .............Romans 5:1-6; John 14:27. Guidance..... ..... Acts 8:26-31. Salvation...........John 3 :16. Teaching..’:.....—-Matthew 5 :1-12. A true and faithful Christian does not make holy living a mere incidental thing. It is his great concern. As the business of the soldier is to fight, so the business o f the Christian is to be like Christ. — J onathan E dwards . rassing to you, but you won’t mind, I’m sure, if this thing can only be hushed up and Jesus set free. Our family has never been mixed up in publicity this way, and we don’t want to begin now. It’s nothing much, Mother, it’s just that claim that He is virgin born that is making all the trouble. I f you will only be willing to say it wasn’t so, it could be done in a few words, and quite quietly, to a few who have influence. I’m sure it could all be hushed up and Jesus released. I’m sure every one would understand and respect you, Mother, and I’m sure that Father, if he were here, would quite approve. He was always so reasonable.” Suddenly Mary clasped her hands and looked up, drawing a deep breath. “ Oh, if Joseph, my husband, were only herel” she cried. “ He knew all about it. He would understand. God spoke to him in a dream and told him that my Jesus was from on high, and Joseph believed it. Oh, your father would understand, my son, yes, he would understand, and he and I could never deny what God has done. My Jesus is the very Son of G od!” Out into the morning at last went the stalwart sons, unable to move their frail little mother, marveling at her strength, and stubbornness, as they called it, over such a small matter that meant so much to the family pride just now. They walked along the waking streets where smug Sanhedrin members took an eager way to Pilate’s Hall, rubbing their hands in satis faction as they met one another with gravely congratulatory bows. The prey was in their hands at last. The troublesome One would soon be dealt with, and the peo ple return to reasonableness and ritual and formality. And Mary, as she waited for her friend to make ready, knelt alone beside the bed whereon she had not slept that night, and let her heart stand still before her God, yielding her will to His, feeling the con sciousness that He was still using her, go ing over in her heart all the words o f the angel Gabriel. A h ! It did not look this morning as if all nations could call, her blessed, as the world counts blessedness ! Mother of a Son to be tried for His life!
observed him, and who knew that he had come to criticize, asked him when the ser vice was over: “Well, what do you think of the Bishop’s elocution ?” “Elocution?” said the professor, “that man doesn’t, want elocution; he’s got the Holy Ghost.” — T he I llustrator .
Bible Verses—On Christ’s power to save, to guide, to heal, to give peace. Hymn—-“ Precious Name.” Leader’s Remarks. Testimonies—How Christ has met my need. Quiet Hour. Song— “ C r o w n H im with Many Crowns.” Benediction—Acts 4:12 repeated with bowed heads. Meditation on the Lesson This passage o f Scripture challenges our highest admiration and our deepest gratitude. Our hearts are thrilled by Pe ter’s boldness before the Sanhedrin and by his exaltation o f our glorious Lord. Just a few weeks before, this same Peter was cowering before a grate fire, afraid o f the taunts of a maid. Today, he stands undaunted, unafraid, and fearless before the mighty high priest and his kindred. What has made the change? There is only one answer-—the in dwelling power o f the Holy Spirit. Peter is filled with the Holy Spirit. He has yielded himself to His control, and now holy words o f boldness fall from his lips. No fear o f prison doors restrains his eager reply to the! question, “ By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?” W e marvel at his answer. In the crowd are Sadducees who deny the resurrection; also there are Annas and Caiaphas who have officiated at the trial of Jesus. Yet Peter, undismayed, responds, “ Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ o f Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.” No wonder they marvel, these hypocritical rulers, elders, and scribes; for they do not know the power of that wondrous Name. But there will come a day when they will bow to this Name (Phil. 2:10). Illustrations T he D octor ’ s M other I. A Romanist soldier was lying wounded in France, when a chaplain went near him, and the wounded man said, “ I don’t want you—you don’t believe in ‘Our Mother.’ ” Said the chaplain, “W e respect Mary as the mother o f our Lord, but you look as if you need the doctor.” “Yes,” said the man. The chaplain answered, “W ill you have the doctor, or the doctor’s mother?” W e need Jesus Christ, the Great Physi cian, more than His mother. — S unday S chool T imes . II. E locution , or the S pirit Bishop Simpson preached, some years ago, in the Memorial Hall, London. For half an hour, he spoke quietly without gesticulation or uplifting his voice; then, in picturing the Son o f God bearing our sins in His own body on the tree, he stooped as if laden with an immeasurable burden, then rising to his full height, seemed to throw it from him, crying, “How far ? As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our trans gressions from us.” The whole assembly, as if moved by an irresistible impulse, rose, remained standing for a second or two, then sank back into their seats. A profes sor o f elocution was there. -A friend who
Discussion Material T he P recious N ame — J esu S
Jesus Exactly Suits
Jesus Entirely Saves.-' Sinners. Us
Us
Saints.
II. T he B est N ame The Name for Salvation (Acts 4:12; Matt. 1:21).
THE HANDMAID OF THE LORD [Continued from page 209]
and God’s word, that He was of heavenly origin. Because I know what I know 1 I would be most unworthy of my wonderful Son if I were to deny His heavenly Fa therhood.” “ But Mary, not to save H im ?” “ Not to save Him, Salome! He would not. want it, my friend. You do not know Him if you think He would.” Then suddenly upon the outer door came insistent knocking and a sound o f voices talking. Hastily Salome rose and went to an swer the knock. “ It is your other sons, M ary!” she whis pered, coming back. “ They want to see you at once. Don’t look so frightened, dear; nothing has happened. The Sanhe drin has not yet come together.” Then Mary went again to the outer room and stood among her stalwart sons. “ Mother, we have come to see you about Jesus,” spoke the eldest o f them. “ He has got Himself into "real trouble at last, just as we told you He would if a stop wasn’t put to His nonsense. He is to be tried quite early this morning, in an hour per haps, and according to all we can find out about it, the odds are entirely against Him. The Sanhedrin is disgusted with all the ex citement and wild talk of miracle. That business about Lazarus put the finishing touch to it. And now there is no hope for Him, unless—well, Mother, we’ve thought o f a way. A t least, a way has been sug gested.” She gave him a quick bright look, with hope dawning in her eyes. Was there a way to save H im? Yet these brothers of His were not in sympathy with Him,' she remembered with a sharp pang. Would it be a possible way? They had always dis paraged His ministry, disagreed with His way o f life, and called it visionary. Then out spoke the youngest brother eagerly. He had never been quite so hard as the rest, had always tried to smooth the way between them all, to placate and ex plain. “Mother, it’s practically an easy thing to get Him off if you will only agree. Just a few words from you, and everything will be all right. I know it may be a bit embar
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