Another group definition is that of the “gospel” as found in I Corinthians 15:3, 4 . how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.” This is the essence of the Gospel: the death and the resur rection of the Lord Jesus Christ. The story of man’s complete ruin in sin, the story of God’s perfect remedy in Christ. So we come to our vocabulary of eschatology and we must learn these three questions engaging our at tention in the following studies. They are, “sign,” “age,” “end,” and “com ing.” When shall these things be? MUSIC FROM WITHIN The great violinist Paganini had been asked to perform at an impor tant concert. But just before he was to play it was discovered that someone had stolen his favorite violin. Natural ly long practice had endeared the in strument to him, to say nothing of its intrinsic value. He was particularly upset since all that could be found as a substitute was an inferior violin. AU of this took place just before he was to appear on the stage. Explain ing the calamity to his audience, he shook the bow at them exclaiming, “And now ladies and gentlemen, we shall see that the music is not in the fiddle, but the music is in me!’.’ And true to his word, Paganini’s rendition was flawless and masterful. Even so, the music of the believer's life is not found in merely a human fiddle, for so often this gets out of tune. Our mastery is through the Holy Spirit who dwells within us. You can play better than you know as you yield your life to the Lord. It is like putting a poker into the fire. The piece of metal gets red hot so that both the fire is in the poker, as well as the poker being in the fire. The apostle Paul’s testimony should also be ours, “I am crucified with Christ, neverthless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.’’
Biola Students in front ot the Clasrom-Educational Building. KEEP ON
One of Satan’s most effective tools wielded against the believer is dis couragement. No doubt most of us, at some time or other, perhaps even at this very moment, have passed through such a barren valley. A weary pilgrim carried a load of sticks over a long and arduous path. Tired and despon dent he sat down to take his rest and commiserating with himself declared, “I wish death would come to relieve me.” A t that moment death did come and sat down beside him to ask, “Here I am, what did you want of me?” The pilgrim quickly strained to get up, responding, “Why yes, I want you to help me put this bundle of sticks on my back.” In the Word of God we are told to be patient, to have our hearts estab lished, for we know that the Lord Jesus Christ is coming soon. G. Camp bell Morgan wrote, “To me the second coming of the Saviour is the perpetual light on the path which makes the present bearable. I never lay my head on my pillow without thinking that maybe, before the morning breaks, the final morning may have dawned. I never begin my work without think ing perhaps He may interrupt it and begin His own. This is now His pre cious word to all believing hearts till He come.” So may we as God’s chil dren, be looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. 18
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