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TH E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
March, 1941
today.) His temporary popularity was supported by the hope that even yet He might assert His authority and be come the temporal leader the multitude hoped their Messiah would be. But no— His face was set, steadfastly, toward another goal. 3. It led to Gethsemane, to the Judg ment Hall, to Calvary, to Joseph’s tomb. He knew beforehand what all these would involve. IV. THE RESULTS OF CHRIST’S STEADFASTNESS. 1. Because He did not swerve from His purpose, He accomplished our re demption. 2. Since He willingly went through all that our salvation required, we can also understand His willingness to save now. V. T H E L E S S O N OF CHRIST’S STEADFASTNESS. 1. Steadfastness has no implication of haste. Jesus’ life was God-planned and moved in perfect rhythm with thé will of the Father. So is the calmness of a life that- has accepted the plan of God’s wise design and is guided by the Holy Spirit. 2. We have set our faces toward a heavenly Jerusalem. Our path lie* through unfriendly territory (Samaria) where we will not be received because our “faces” are "set.” The world has a strange hatred for the Christian, but Jesus told us it would be so (John 15: 18, 19). If the world rebuffs and rejects us, we nevertheless manifest a spirit of compassion (Lk‘. 9:56). If we “live In the light of eternity” the treatment the world gives us will not seem so im portant (Rom. 8:18; 2 Cor. 4:17, 18; Mk. 13:13). 3. We are commissioned to be stead fast in the Lord’s work (1 Cor. 15:58). We are to “endure to the end,” not swayed by difficulties nor by temporary popularity. For the Leader Illustrations of steadfast lives: Paul the Apostle: Acts 9:16; 21:13; 2 Corinthians 11:24-28. Stephen, the Martyr: Acts 7:55. The “roll call of the faithful” : Heb rews 11. The history of the Christian church furnishes abundant examples of Chris tians who endured steadfastly because they saw heaven ahead. The Christians in Russia today have almost lost all interest in this world, and live for the next, knowing that when they are re leased from this life of suffering, they go to be with the. Lord. John Bunyan, going to preach at Sam- sell, knew that there was a warrant for his arrest, but he went, and spent more than twelve years in Bedford jail— where he wrote Pilgrim’s Progress.
APRIL 13, 1941 HE LIVETH FOREVERMORE (Easter) M a r k 16:1-11 By Samuel H. Sutherland Introduction Today, directly or indirectly, the world pauses to consider the greatest fact of history. It is true that the pivo tal point of world history is the birth of Jesus Christ. It is also true that the pivotal point in the life of one who be comes a Christian is the death of Jesus Christ (cf. 2 Cor. 5:17); but we must consider this fact—it is His resurrec tion that gives point and purpose both to His birth and to His death (1 Cor. 15:3, 4, 17). Had Jesus Christ not risen from the dead, His birth would have been as the birth of any other ordinary human be ing; and had He .not risen from the dead, His death would have been merely a martyr’s death. The fact of His resurrection, therefore, is the most stu pendous fact of all history, for it puts God’s stamp of approval upon One whose birth is the most unique birth in history, whose life is the most unique life in history, and whose death is the most unique death in history. For Those Who Have Topics A T alk on the T heme : “ Î f C hrist B e N ot R isen ” (1 C or . 15:14) I. INTRODUCTION. In the passage 1 Corinthians 5:14-19, Paul raises the academic question con cerning the significance of the resur rection of Christ. He begins, “If Christ be not risen,” and then proceeds tb sug gest six disastrous results which would surely follow. We must not think that Paul had any doubt in his mind con cerning the resurrection of Christ, but he was merely raising the problem for argument’s sake. His own conviction concerning the resurrection is to be found in 1 Corinthians 15:20: “But now is Christ risen from the dead.” There is no “if” to be found in this verse. It presents the fact of the case. If, however, it could ever be proved that Christ did not arise, Paul proceeds bo describe the tragic condition in which we would find ourselves. H. “IF CHRIST BE NOT RISEN.” 1. All preaching is vain (v. 14). 2. All Christian faith is vain (v. 14). 3. Christians become false witnesses of God (v. 15). 4. All Christians are yet in bondage to sin (v. 17)» 5. Those who are fallen asleep in Christ are perished : (v. 18). 6. We are of all men most miserable (v. 19). IH. CONCLUSION. The question of the resurrection, therefore, ceases to be merely a spécu lative matter, and becomes most vital to every right-thinking Christian.
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