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T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
January, 1933
Hymn—“Love Divine, All Love Excel ling.” Sentence Prayers by Five Members— Conclude with “ Close to Thee,” sung softly with bowed heads. Scripture Reading—By a boy and girl. Leader’s Message. Piano Solo. Testimonies. Quiet Hour. Hymn—“Where He Leads Me I Will Follow.” Benediction—Numbers 6:24-26. Let every program be a little different. That is the reason for the suggestion that the Scripture lesson be read by two persons —it relieves the monotony. Make the sen tence prayers real. Ask the five persons before the meeting; assign subjects, urge them to make real sentence prayers, to be sincere in their petitions. Suggested sub jects for prayer are: the pastor, the local Endeavor Society, the missionary the so ciety supports, the leader for the evening, the members of the group—that they may each live up to the pledgee-revival in the church, etc. Meditation on the Lesson The first two verses of this marvelous chapter give us the true secret o f a happy marriage. Marriages fail because they are not founded on the Rock, Christ Jesus. If all men and women were “imitators of God, as dear children” and walked in love as Christ did, marriage would indeed be all that God intended it should be. It is a very natural thing for children to imitate their teachers or parents and to take them for their pattern in life. Believers are ex horted to be “imitators of God.” The first step in this imitation is to “walk in love.” How significant 1 We are not told to imitate our Heavenly Father in power or might or majesty or glory, though these are what, perhaps, ,we would most eagerly desire. No, the thing He desires in us is love. He wants us to be like Him, and “God is love.” “ But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). The important fact here emphasized is that Christ gave Himself for us an offer ing and a sacrifice to God., Paul does not say that Christ lived for us (although, of course, He did) but that He died for us. Christ’s life, inspiring, perfect, and beau tiful as it was, can have no power to save us. His example only reveals to us our helplessness and leaves us discouraged. But His death made atonement for our sin and gives us victory through His shed blood. This great central fact of Scripture cannot be overemphasized. In our lesson, husbands are exhorted to love their wives “as Christ also loved the church.” What a standard 1 Wives are exhorted to submit them selves to their “own husbands, as unto the Lord.” These commands, if followed, would make marriage a success every time, for where Christ is the Head of the house, contentment, joy, and peace are sure to be present. Marriage is one o f the two in stitutions ordained by God from earliest timé. The Sabbath and marriage were instituted in the garden o f Eden. For this reason, every Christian should seek to know God’s will concerning both. Because God has ordained marriage, it should not be treated nor “entered into lightly, but reverently, discreetly, and in the fear of God.” Marriage must be based upon spiritual as »well as physical, mental, and moral af
finity. The Bible forbids any other union: “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness” (2 Cor. 6 :14) ? What a host of happy homes there would be if all young Christians would obey this inj unction 1 Young Endeavorers, go to your Heavenly Father before you consult your earthly parents. Let God lead and guide. Do not be deluded by the false philoso phy that you may marry an unconverted man in order that you may lead him to Christ. The odds are a thousand to one that you will be led away from the Lord. Any pastor who would think it wise to give you a leaf out of his notebook will tell you that some o f the saddest incidents which have come under his notice and dealing have been those o f broken-hearted wives, who once were sweet, Christian young women, but who married uncon verted men, thinking that they would re form them after they were married to them. There can be no agreement between a Christian and an unbeliever. If an agree ment is reached, it is an agreement, almost always, to give up prayer (including grace at meals), church-going, etc. “Yet it shall be: thou shalt lower to his level day by day, What is fine within thee growing coarse to sympathize with clay. As the husband is, the wife is ; thou art mated with a clown; And the grossness o f his nature will have weight to drag thee down. He will hold thee when his passion shall have spent its novel force, Something better than his dog, a little dearer than his horse.” — W il l ia m A. E v a n s . II. A G ood W o m a n ’ s I n f l u e n c e A good wife makes a good, and ofttimes a great, husband. D. L. Moody, the great evangelist, said: “ I owe to my wife all my successes.” Said Abraham Lincoln, “All that I am or hope to be, I owe to my mother.” All that was admirable in the character of Henry VI was the reflection o f the character o f his wife, Margaret. William, Prince of Orange, was restored to the right path by his wife, Mary. An drew Jackson, the president and soldier, had his mightiest reinforcement in the per son and influence of his wife. Luther said: “ I would not exchange my poverty with my wife for all the riches of the world without her.” ' III. S h o r t S a y in g s Some one has said there should be two “bears” in every home—“bear” and “ for bear.” — S elected . Louis T. Talbot said recently in a ser mon, “Marry an unbeliever, and you have the devil for a father-in-law; and you’ll have lots of trouble with him.” IV. B ible P a s s a g e s o n M a r r ia g e Divine Institution (Gen. 2:22). Reason for Marriage (Gen. 2:18). Marriage Indissoluble (Matt. 19:6). Divorce (Matt. 5 :31,32). Suitable Marriages and Happiness (Prov. 12:4; 18:22; 19:4). Duties o f Husbands and Wives (Eph. 5:22,25; 1 Cor. 7:3; Tit. 2:4). Discussion Material I. M a r r y in g a n U n be lie ve r
FEBRUARY 26, 1933 H O W CAN W E SHOW CHRIST ATTRAC T IVE TO NEW AMER ICANS? A cts 2:1-11 Suggestions for the Meeting Hymn—“He Is So Precious to Me.” Hymn—“Take the Name of Jesus with You.” Prayer. Scripture Lesson—Acts 2:1-11. Hymn—“ Friendship with Jesus.” Leader’s Message. Quartet—“W e’ve a Story to Tell to the Nations.” Testimonies. Hymn—“Just When I Need Him Most.” Quiet Hour. Benediction—Psalm 19:14. Let Others See Jesus in You While passing through this world of sin, And others your life shall view, Be clean and pure without, within, Let others see Jesus in you. Then live for Christ both day and night. Be faithful, be brave and true, And lead the lost to life and light: Let others see Jesus in you. — M c K i n n e y . Illustration W h a t O n e C h u r c h D id to S h o w C h r is t A t tr a c t iv e to N e w A m e r ic a n s The Italian Mission in Kansas City is a large, well-equipped mission conducting a great program. It has a Bible school, a Christian Endeavor, and a preaching serv ice on Sunday. Through the week, it main tains and operates a kindergarten, clinics, junior girls’ and boys’ clubs, music clubs, Americanization classes, sewing classes, and social times. The report o f the min ister in charge was very encouraging. The following is an extract from his report: “ The Sunday-school has an enrollment o f one hundred and thirty-five, with an average attendance of over one hundred. The Christian Endeavor Society was or ganized shortly after we opened, and has an average attendance o f thirty-five. The preaching services are well attended. One girl who attended the Daily Vacation Bible School asked for a copy o f the Bible in Italian for her father, who had already read a great part of it in English, but who wished to read it in his mother tongue. I visited the man and found a big, strong fellow of about thirty-five, one of the most straight-forward men I have ever met in this whole community. When I gave him a copy of the New Testament, he was happy and eager to read it—like a man who has been thirsty for a long, long time and all at once discovers a. fountain of clear, fresh water. He began to attend the services at the Mission. He read the Bible devoutly to his household and to his friends; and at the first communion service, he was received on profession o f faith in Christ.” / ¡ / / U n f in is h e d T a s k s . Discussion Material I. W h y S h o w C h r is t A t tr a c t iv e to N e w A m e r ic a n s ? Not all foreigners remain in the United States. Many, after a time, return to their country and people. What message shall they carry from America? A message o f love, faith, and hope? or shall they, like Trotzky, and those that went with
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