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24; Micah 5 :2 ; Mai. 3 :1 ; Psa. 21 :1 ; Isa. 59 :20 ; 53:1, 4-9; Dan. 9 :2 6 ). Through His advent we have the REVELATION of God. He was the incarnation of Jehovah Himself, God manifest in the flesh. God was not known or understood until our Lord became man, lived and worked among men and went to the Cross for man (John 1 :1 4 ; Heb. 1 :3 ; Col. 1:15-19; Heb. 2 :14 -18 ). His birth meant that the time of RECONCILIATION had arrived. (2 Cor. 5:19-21; Rom. 5:10 ,11 ; Col. 1: 20-22). Peace is offered to the ene mies of God through the reconciling work of Christ. Thus the angels’ proc lamation, “Peace on earth.” His birth meant that REDEMPTION was about to he accomplished. God sent His Son into the world to redeem the world (John 3 :1 7 ; 1 Cor. 1 :3 0 ; Gal. 4:4, 5). Jesus died on the Cross to redeem us (Titus 2 :1 4 ; Gal. 3; 13; Rom. 3 :2 4 ). He redeemed us from, all iniquity (Titus 2:14);/ from the curse of the law (Gal. 3 :1 3 ); from the bondage of the law (Gal. 4 :5 ) ; from the power of sin (Rom. 6:18, 22).; from the vain manner of life (1 Pet. 1 :1 8 ); from bondage (Micah 6: 4 ) ; from all evil (Gen. 4 8 :1 6 ); from destruction (Psa. 1 0 3 :4 ); from death (Hosea 1 3 :1 4 ); from hell (Psa. 49: 15 R .V .). This means justification Rom. 3 :2 4 ); purification (Titus 2 :1 4 ; 1 Pet. 2 :9 ) ; adoption (Gal. 4 :4 , 5; Rom. 8 :2 3 ); forgiveness (Eph. 1 :14 ; Col. 1 :7 ) ; deliverance from fear (Isa. 41:10-14; 4 3 :1 ), See Matt. 1:21 and Luke 1:68. No wonder the angel said to the shepherds, “Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy” (Luke 2 :1 0 ). Until we realize that He is the Mes siah, the revelation of God Himself, and become reconciled to God by the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, we will never know what joy is. 1. The ABANDONMENT of all things (vs. 7-9). In these verses we have a picture of Paul weighing val ues, Money, honor, fame, power, posi tion, vs. Christ, with suffering, im prisonment, scourging, stoning, cold, hunger, death. Which has the great er value? He suffered loss , to gain (Heb. 11 :24 -27 ). One minute with Christ is better than they all. Not for one moment did Paul consider that his abandonment of all things was a loss. There is no - self-pity and no thought of self-sacrifice. Let us start (Continued on page 577) DECEMBER 27, 1925 Press On! Phil. 8 :7 -14 What could be more appropriate than this Scripture to urge us to bet ter things for the coming year! In it we have—
DECEMBER 6, 1925 How Can We Translate Christmas Into Service? 1 John 4:7-14 (Consecration Meeting) We may translate Christmas into service through love. The Scripture lesson presents to us a study on love. The Source of Love— God (v. 10; John 3 :1 6 ; Rom. 5 :6 -8 ; Titus 3 :3 -6 ). Love originates with God, and apart from Him there is no love. Love shines out from His great heart, and whatever love man may have is hut the faint reflection of His love. The Sacrifice of Love— “God sent.” “God so loved the world that He gave. . . .” God’s Love to man found expression through the incarnation and crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Love gives itself in a gift. God loved the world, and giving His Son, gave Him self. The Significance of God’s Love to us (vs. 9, 10). a. “To be a propitia tion for our sins” (Rom 3:23-26; Col. 1 :20 -22 ). b. “That we might live through Him”/ (John 3 :1 6 ; 1 0 :1 0 ). God gave His Son for the very defi nite purpose of making possible our salvation by His sacrifice on the Cross for us (Acts 2 :2 3 ; Rom. 8 :3 2 ; Isa. 5 3 :10 ; 53:4, 6 ). “It pleased the Lord to bruise Him.” “He hath put Him to grief.” “Smitten of God.” “The Lord laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” This is the highest manifestation of love. The Secret of Love toward God and man. “The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost.” God’s love is communicated to us when the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within us. “The fruit of the Spirit is love,” toward both God and man. This is the only way that holy love is pro duced. The Slogan of Love (v. 11). His example is set before us as our in centive. The essence of Christmas is loving, sacrificial service. Love must express or manifest itself. The pres ence of love in our hearts will prove itself in sacrifice and service for the one loved (1 John 3:14, 16, 18). DECEMBER 18, 1925 Bible Principles of Living Lev. 2 7 :30 : 1 Cor. 16:1-4, 14. God has set before us the supreme example in giving. The rule is give as He gave (Gal. 2 :2 0 ). “Gave Him self.” He gave His glory, the worship of the angels, the adoration of all heaven, His position, His riches, the insignia of His majesty, but above all He gave Himself. God in His Son gave Himself. In our giving we must first give ourselves. Let us not try to bribe God with our gifts, our money, our talents, our time; when He first of all demands ns. All our
gifts to Him will never be a substitute for ourselves. God gave sacrificially. It Cost Him a fearful price— a price beyond the grasp of human mind— to give His Son as an offering for sin. The gift that is genuine costs us some thing. John Wesley’s plan was to limit his own expenditures to a cer tain sum and give away all the rest of his income. Giving is a very important phase of the Christian life, as is shown by the prominence given to it in the Bible. Every child of God is commanded to give (1 Cor. 1 6 :2 ).' “Every one of you.” No exceptions, no slipping out from doing your share (2 Cor. 8 :8 ). “See that yè abound in this grace also.” We should give lovingly (2 Cor. 9:1, 2, 5, 7; 2 Cor. 8:9; 1 Cor. 13). Love was the impelling power in God’s gift. “God so loved the world.” We are not blessed in the giving nor rewarded for the giving unless we give in love. We should give bountifully (2 Cor. 8:7-12; 9 :6 ). We should give regularly (1 Cor. 1 6 :2 ). “The first day of the week.” Let us not give in a careless, slipshod way, but reg ularly, week after week, through the years, setting aside a certain sum for the Lord. Our giving should be bus iness-like (1 Cor. 1 6 :2 ). “In store.” A steady, thoughtful, accumulating of money, so that when a special need or ;emergency in the Lord’s work arises, he will have a store to draw from. Our giving should be syste matically. Give to God a definite per centage of our income. One-tenth as a beginning and one-third, one-half, etc. of all that we possess. This way, is adapted to all, whether rich or poor, and would solve the money problem in the church if generally practiced. Give proportionately (1 Cor. 1 6 :2 ). “As God has prospered.” Give according to our means and noi; our meanness. Wisely. What we have does not be long to us. We are simply trustees and it is our business to give so as to bring the largest possible glory to God (1 Cor. 4 :1 , 2 ). Prayerfully. The value of the gift will multiply when it is sanctified by prayer. DECEMBER 20, 1925 Why is Christmas a Time of Joy? Matt. 1:18-23; 2 Cor. 9:15 Christmas is a time of joy because of the birth into the world of God’s Son, Jesus Christ. His birth was the REALIZATION or fulfillment of pro phecy. Hundreds of promises had been given concerning One to come, who would be the Great Deliverer from sin. Now the long-looked-for Saviour had come. The realization of the hopes and longings of men through the weary centuries (Matt. 1:22, 23; Gen. 3 :1 5 ; Psa. 8 9 :20 ; Isa. 2 :2 ; 7: 14; 9 :6 ; 28 :16 ; Zech. 3 :8 ; Ezek. 34:
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