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T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
May, I93&
NOTES on Christian Endeavor B y M a r y G . G o o d n e r
JUNE 7, 1936 THE STORY OF THE CRIMINAL: HOW SOCIETY RECEIVES HIM G e n e s is 41:14, 39-41 Meditation on the Lesson The story of Joseph is not only one of the most gripping stories in the Bible, but it is also one of profound significance in its symbolic meaning, and its practical application to our own problems. I should like to. entitle this lesson, “How God Exe cutes His Sovereign Will,” or, “God’s Pro tecting Providence.” Joseph was never a criminal. He was the unfortunate victim of a designing, deceiving woman who had been humiliated and was seeking revenge. Far from being a criminal, Joseph was in jail because of his unflinching loyalty to God. “How . . . can I do this great wicked ness, and sin against God?” had been his; vehement protest when the enticement was presented. The lesson assigned for us is the account of Joseph’s promotion, and we find Pharaoh, the mighty ruler, saying to this alien prisoner: “There is none so discreet and wise as thou art.” In making his declaration, Pharaoh acknowledged the source of Joseph’s wisdom: “God hath showed thee all this.” Pharaoh had touched the real keynote to all of Joseph’s life. Over and over we read: "The Lord was with Joseph”— in Potiphar’s house and in the prison—and now we ¡see Him deliver ing Joseph from the prison. God has given in Joseph an exhibition of how He executes His decrees in the works of Providence. Everything seemed against Joseph. His brothers hated him; he was sold a slave; he was falsely accused, and he was ungratefully forgotten by the chief butler. But behind all these seeming defeats, God’s eternal plan and purpose for Joseph was being carried out according to His schedule. All this time, God was fitting Joseph to be the ruler of Eygpt. It was a far cry from the dreaming shepherd boy of seven teen years to the viceroy of Egypt, but when God marks out the path, the goal is 1 assured. We may be confident that God who kept Joseph through all the manifold trials is able also to keep any one else who puts his trust in Him. “Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass” (Psa. 37:5). Helps for the Leader I. G od ’ s O verruling P rovidence David Livingstone purposed to go to China as a missionary, but the providential overruling of God led him to Africa. China was his natural choice, but God destined him for Africa. God understood Livingstone better than he did himself, and God knew better than Livingstone himself did, where he could be most effective for the extension of His kingdom. Robert Morrison decided to go to Africa as a mis sionary, but God chose China for him as
his field of missionary labors. Livingstone was, temperamentally, more suited to work among Africans, and Morrison was tem peramentally more suited to work among the Chinese. And the Lord of the Vine yard took note of their temperaments in choosing for them their spheres of labor. •— K . M . M c R it c h ie . II. U nder O rders Israel moved in safety because the people marched at God’s command; the Eygptians, going over the same ground, were destroyed because they were not with God. No place is so safe as the place of danger if we are there at God’s command. —W. H o u g h t o n . III. P rotected Three “Sacred Men,” sorcerers,. who claimed the power of life and death, pub licly affirmed their intention to kill John G. Paton by Nahok, or sorcery, before the next Sabbath. An essential of their black art was to get possession of any piece of fruit or food the victim had eaten. Paton asked a native to •' hand him three fruits, similar to our plums. Taking a bite out of each, he openly handed them to the Sacred Men, and publicly challenged them to kill him by sorcery, without arrow, spear, club, or musket. The next Sabbath dawned peacefully, and in more than his usual health, Paton ; entered the village. The natives looked at each other in terror, as if it could not really be Paton, spared and well. The three Sacred Men, on being asked, admitted that they had tried to kill Paton by Nahok, but had failed; and being further questioned as to why they had failed, they gave the acute and subtle reply that Paton also was himself a Sacred Man, and that his God, being stronger, had pro tected him from their gods.— John G. Paton’s Autobiography. IV. G od ’ s R estoration or S in n e r s The leader who desires to emphasize the topic of this lesson in addition to the theme of the Scripture lesson may wish to turn to Biblical accounts of men and women who have done wrong. It is noticeable that even when the sinner repents and is forgiven by God, the Lord does not always deliver the sinner from suffering some of the con sequences of his sin. For example, note the following: 1. Jacob’s fear of his brother Esau (Gen. 27, 32, and 33:1, 2). 2. The story of David and Bathsheba, and the death of their son (2 Sam. 11:2 to 12:23). 3. King Jehoshaphat’s wrongful alliance with Ahab, his forgiveness, and his punish ment for the sin of allying himself with Ahaziah (2 Chron. 19 and 20). V. R estoration of C r im in a l s T oday The leader may find material in the fol lowing suggestions:
1. Review the struggles of Jean Valjean as told in Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables. Then discuss, giving specific cases, the modern problems of the released prisoner who desires to begin a clean life. What are the difficulties faced by those who seek to help former prisoners whose sincerity or strength of character is unknown? 2. Interview an officer who deals with juvenile cases in your community, a Chris tian if possible, and ask for facts concern ing the “Big Brother” plan for befriending boys. Is a similar work for girls being done in your city? ■3. Investigate accounts of the work of such rescue missions as the Pacific Garden Mission in Chicago, 111.; Jerry McAuley’s missionijin New York City ( pown in Water Street, by Samuel H. Hadley), and the Yale Hope Mission ( Borden of Yale, by Mrs. Howard Taylor). 4. Copies of the Jail Evangelist, obtain able through Chaplain I. E. King, Room 224, Hall of Justice, Los Angeles, Calif., at the rate of fifty cents per year, contain stories of jail evangelism and follow-up efforts that God has blessed. JUNE 14, 1936 “Mob Violence” in a most hideous form is portrayed in this story of Stephen. We see the terrific limit to which men will go when inflamed by the heated passions of a mob. Did you ever stop to analyze what it is that controls a mob? You will be startled to discover that anger, revenge, careless thinking, hasty j udgment, intoxication, and cursing are characteristic of most mobs. You see no evidence of self-control, delib eration, sense of fairness, or considera tion of society. The account in Acts 7 shows a group of men inflamed by anger and revenge be cause Stephen had pricked their consciences and had aroused, not feelings of shame or penitence, but a spirit of vindictiveness. In the beginning of his address, “all that sat in the council, looking steadfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.” And now, at the close of his eloquent defense and witness for Christ, they were to see him as he “looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God.v The effect that this holy man and his fearless message had upon this crowd was to be expected: “They were cut to the heart.” Would that we might read, “and cried out for mercy” ! But, no, this crowd, strong in their own strength and bitterly hating the followers of the Lord Jesus, “gnashed on him with their teeth.” One, two, or even three of these men perhaps would not have dared to do vio lence to Stephen, but the feeling of anger,, a tiny flame in each individual, became a roaring furnace in the mob, sweeping everything in its wake. MOB VIOLENCE A cts 7:54-60; 19:21-41 Meditation on the Lesson
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