October 1931
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
472
He is about to ascend “unto my Father, and unto your Father.” What is involved in this close relationship between Christ and the believer (cf. Rom. 8:17)? What may we learn from ,the fact that the resurrected Christ still acknowledges His Father as God also? 4. We have presented in this chapter several of the outstanding manifestations of the fruit of the Spirit mentioned in Galatians 5:22. Discuss the subject of love as revealed in the incident of Mary Magdalene and Jesus. Note the joy found in verse 20, the peace spoken of in verse 21, and the power expressed in verse 22. Discuss these and other practical expres sions of Christian experience, which come as the result of the entrance of the Holy Spirit. • 5, 6. Discuss the statement found in verse 23: “Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.” On this statement has been built the entire structure of the Roman Catholic confes sional system. In the light of this passage and other sections of your Bible, do you think that any man is given the power to forgive sins? Is it not rather the implica tion “that Christ has put into our hands, administratively, the only possible means by which men shall receive the remission of their sins—the gospel” (cf. Rom. 10: 13, 14)? Is not the responsibility for tell ing forth the gospel message upon every individual Christian as well as upon any priestly hierarchy? 7. In John 20:30 and 31, we find the key that unlocks the purpose of this gos pel. Analyze the passage and discuss its various implications. What is the two fold purpose of this gospel? Do you feel that the material which we have studied together establishes the purpose which John presents? " e break into the ordered studies based upon the Gospel of John for , this special meeting, because of th e . very vital significance of the day which occurs this week. Thousands of sermons, addresses, and editorials are written and given on the subject of thanksgiving, bur blessings, and our prosperity. It seems almost trite and commonplace to suggest a lesson on this subject, and yet the giv ing of thanks to God for His blessings and mercies is, in the average case, far from commonplace. In fact, most people are more interested in counting the score at the “Turkey day” football game than in counting their blessings. The approach made to the subject for this week is topical rather than exposi tory. The concordant method, described in the Notes on Christian Endeavor sev eral months ago, is suggested as best adapted for this type of meeting. Preparation The Scripture readings for this week will be selected from various portions of the Bible. They should be read prayer fully, with the following suggestions in mind. MONDAY: Read carefully Psalm 107. First ana lyze the psalm, noting the refrain in verses 8, 15, 21, and 31. Make a simple outline in your notebook. Select one or more verses and memorize them. NOVEMBER 22, 1931 Give Thanks to God T hanksgiving M eeting
writing a short comment on each sec tion. WEDNESDAY : Compare and contrast the account of the resurrection as given in the first part of this chapter with that given in the other gospels. Write out your con clusions. THURSDAY : Analyze and write a 200-word sum mary of the first eighteen verses of this chapter. FRIDAY-: Study the character of and confession made by Thomas (vs. 24-29). How does this answer the problem of the skeptic today? SATURDAY: There are seven signs or miracles per formed by Christ recorded in the Gos pel of John, concerning which verses 30 and 31 are written. Go back through the gospel and try to find these seven miracles. Put them in order, in your notebook. SUNDAY: Select some verse or section of this chapter, and use it to prepare an outline for a short talk or testimony to be passed on to some one else at the first opportunity. Expression I. O n W hat D ay S hall W e W orship ? ‘‘Then the same day at evening, being the first day o f the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assem bled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you” (John 20:19). There is much confusion in many minds concerning the reason for the Christian’s worshiping on Sunday rather than on Saturday, which is thé Sabbath of the Old Testament. If the command con cerning the Sabbath, given in the book of Exodus, is examined, it will be seen that it was a covenant between God and Is rael. While all the other ten com mandments are re-given in the New Tes tament for the Christian, the Sabbath commandment was never repeated. Ac cording to the book of Galatians, the Christian is not under law but under grace. While the principle of one day in seven being set aside as the Lord’s day is maintained in the New Testament, yet from several instances mentioned, we are led to believe that that day was the first day rather than the seventh day of the week. In a very peculiar way, we worship on the first day of the week—not because of commandment, but because of the sig nificance of the day. Christ was in the tomb on the seventh day; He arose on the first. It was the beginning of new things. Paul says: “Lay by you in store on the first day of the week.” Note also in this passage the place, the manner, the center, and the essential ele ment of worship. It should be behind shut doors with the world shut out; it should be in the company of Christians : “the dis ciples were assembled” ; Christ must be in the center : “came Jesus and stood in the midst” ; and its essential element is peace made with God and a peace from God. In verses 20 to 23, we find the motive for and the results of worship. After all, the cross of Calvary was the beginning, as the resurrection was the consummation, of Christ’s work of redemption: “He shewed unto them his hands and his
What Subscribers Say We find that T he K ing ’ s B usi ness meets the needs of the present day. We can not do without it. —B aldwin P ark , C alif . While 1 have been p a s s i n g through many trials and difficulties the last few years, I have found comfort in the Bible and T he K ing ' s B usiness . —W attsburg , P a . We do not like to be without T he K ing ’ s B usiness . It is a wonderful magazine, and we can tell the differ ence in our family’s spiritual life when we do not have it. —B ritish C olumbia , C an . We always enjoy T he K ing ’ s B usiness , but we wish to let you know that we think the last number is the best yet .— S an D iego , C alif . side.” Worship which does not have for its foundation the nail-prints in His hands and the spear thrust in His side avails nothing in our salvation. And the result of such worship? It is the source of joy: “Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.” Here also we find a com mission for service: “As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you” ; and with the commission, Christ gave the power to perform it : “And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost.” Oh, let us worship the Lord in the beauty of His holiness ! II. T he C onfession of T homas ‘‘And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God” (John 20: 28). A study of the information presented in the gospels concerning Thomas is ex tremely interesting, because he has so many characteristics common to most of us. In this chapter, we have the climax of his unbelief as well as the supreme es tablishment of his faith. In such a con fession, when made by one who is sincere, we find all that is necessary for entrance into heaven itself. Thomas acknowledges, first, Christ’s authority : “My Lord." With his acknowledgment of this authority,^ he also acknowledges Christ’s deity : “My God.”. And in both he makes a personal surrender: “My Lord and my God” (cf. Rom. 10:9, 10). Discussion 1, 2. What intimation of His resurrec tion had Christ given to the disciples? Does it not seem clear enough to have prepared them for this event? Does not the Bible clearly show that the only way Scripture can be understood is through the working of the Holy Spirit in the light of the resurrection? If this is true, what becomes of the idea that Jesus’, words, ra ther than the facts of His life, constitute the gospel? Does not the force of His words depend upon the facts of His life, including His resurrection from the dead? 3. Make a careful study of verse. 17. Is there any significance in the fact that the Lord, after His resurrection, continues to identify Himself with men, by calling them “brethren” ? Christ tells Mary that
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