October 1931
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
470
(floies on CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR* .. .By MILO F. JAMISON
question here, “Whom seek ye?” (vs. 4- 8), and those who answered Christ’s ques tion, “What seek ye?” in John 1:38. Com pare the beginning of faith with the end of unbelief. Discuss the two classes who come to Christ today: one group honestly seeking to find the truth, the other, the group who have already prejudged Him and are seeking only an excuse to crucify Him afresh. 2. Discuss the Judas spirit and atti tude. Are there those numbered among Christ’s disciples today, who betray Him? What of those men who have taken upon themselves the vows to preach Christ and Him crucified, but who are preaching in stead “another gospel” (Gal. 1 :6-9) ? What of those who stand up in church and young people’s meetings and profess allegiance to Christ and yet, in daily prac tice, live like the devil’s very own? What of those who pray fervently on Sunday and sin flagrantly the rest of the week? 3. Study the calm bearing and the un mistakable majesty of Christ as revealed in this chapter. How do you account for the statement in verse 6: “As soon as he had said unto them, I am he, they went back ward, and fell to the ground” ? In this connection, study also Pilate’s words: “I find in him no fault at all” (v. 38). Dis cuss the poise and power of Christ. 4. Discuss Peter’s character and the steps which marked his downfall. What valuable lessons can be gleaned from a study of his denial? Apply them to life today. 5. 6. Discuss the subject of compromise as suggested in verse 18. Is it ever pos sible to warm ourselves at the fire of the enemies of Christ without becoming con taminated by their influence? What of movements which seek to bring evangel ical Christians into active partnership with those who do not love Christ or pro fess allegiance to Him (cf. 2 Cor. 6:14- 18) ? Was there anything wrong in Pe ter’s warming himself, or was the wrong in the association under which he sought to accomplish that purpose? Are there not many things which we can do as Chris tians, which may not be wrong in them selves, but which become dangerous if done when standing with those who are against Christ? In the discussion, seek to apply this principle in a practical way. 7. Discuss the character of Pilate. How do you analyze his actions ? While pitifully weak and contemptible, is he not merely an example of the man who lacks decision of character and the courage of his convictions? Is it not always danger ous to compromise with wrong and to dis obey conscience, through fear of personal loss? In your opinion, what should Pilate have done under the circumstances? Tak ing into account the fact that, if Pilate had liberated Jesus, it might have meant his being removed from office through ac cusation brought by the Jews to Caesar, what do you honestly think you would have done if placed in his position?
SATURDAY: Study the steps in the downfall of Peter, using also the accounts given in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Note the steps in order, together with the prac tical lessons applicable to us today. SUNDAY: Select some thought or verse in this chapter to be used as the subject for a three-minute talk. Prepare an outline and work it into shape so that it can be used at the first opportunity. Expression I. J udas "Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place” (John 18:2). There are some names which have be come so associated with certain types of character that the one has become a syno nym for the other. To speak of a Judas is to speak of a betrayer. Here is a man who, in a striking way, presents an illus tration of one “who cherishes a besetting sin and yields to an evil passion in the face of warning and in spite of abundant light until at last he hates the light and takes his place on the side of the enemies of Christ.” It is easy for us to condemn Judas, but all too often this judgment is one upon ourselves. There is an ever present tendency to prove false to our Lord. Instead of watching and praying lest we enter into temptation, we barter with the enemies of Christ; instead of yielding to the gentle will of Christ, we selfishly choose our own way and play into the hands of the enemy. Let us pray that God will help us to read the lesson and apply its truth to our own lives. II. T he C hoice of the C rowd "Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber” (John 18:40). There is a common fallacy abroad that the will of the majority is always right. Such has seldom been the case in the his tory of the human race. The majority has usually been on the side of indifference, of evil, or of the line of least resistance. The crowd is usually thoughtless and in sensible to the finer things of life. It responds to the bestial and the sensual. It chooses to set free a burly Barabbas rather than the meek and lowly Jesus. How easy it is for us to go with the crowd and to choose the thing that is pop ular rather than the thing that is right! With the yelping of the mob in our ears, with the pressure of public opinion forc ing us on, it is hard to stand up and do the thing that we know is right. God give us the courage to stem the tide, to stand against evil and for the right, to yield to the Master rather than to the mobl Discussion 1. Discuss the difference between the attitude of those who answered Christ’s
NOVEMBER 1, 1931 Gethsemane J ohn 18 T hebe is both triumph and tragedy found in this eighteenth chapter of John. There is the triumph of the Christ who could stand before a Ju das, an Annas, a Caiaphas, a Pilate, with out a sign of weakness. There is the trag edy of a Judas who betrayed Him, a Peter who denied Him, disciples who forsook Him, soldiers who struck Him, a mob who derided Him, a Pilate who condemned Him. It is a chapter of tre mendous dramatic power, with the swirl ing, eddying currents of a sinful race of men seeKing to drag down to the depths of their despair the majestic figure of the King of kings and Lord of lords. No where in all Scripture does the majestic power of Christ stand forth in clearer silhouette than before this background of universal rejection and human weakness. It is a chapter worthy of the most rever ent meditation, with lessons of far-reach ing character. Preparation In order to give an attractive presenta tion of any subject, it is absolutely essen tial that there be adequate preparation. The value of the daily studies may not be apparent at first, but if they are main tained regularly over a period of several weeks, it will be discovered that a back ground of information is being acquired, which will prove invaluable in building up the spiritual life of the individual Christian. Therefore it is again suggested that each day the chapter be read through slowly and prayerfully with the following suggestions in mind. MONDAY: Carefully analyze the chapter and write out your own outline of it. TUESDAY: There is much narrative recorded. Fix the order of the events in your own mind; then write from memory an or derly 200-word summary of the con tents of the chapter. WEDNESDAY: Find and list at least sixteen of the characters presented in this chapter. THURSDAY: Write a 200-word character analysis of one of the following: Judas, Peter, Pi late. FRIDAY: Study the revelation of the character of Christ as found in this chapter. Note, for example: 1. His habits of prayer (v. 2). 2. His knowledge of the future (v. 4)- . TT. 3. His confession concerning Him self (vs. 5, 8, 37). *All rights reserved.
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