November 1931
517
T h e
K i n g ' s
B u s i n e s s
h o l e s on CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR' . . . By MILO F. JAMISON
uring the past five months, we have been taking our material from the Gospel of John. This month, we are to consider one of the shorter books of the New Testament, the book of Philip- pians. There is probably no epistle more beloved than this personal letter, coming forth as a fragrant message of joy from a prisoner of the Lord Jesus Christ and, by the permission of God, a prisoner of Rome. We are again suggesting the same method of approach to the chapters of this little book as was presented in John. A daily preparation will be suggested for each chapter; following this will be given a brief analysis of the contents and a sug gestion as to how discussion material can be prepared. The usual discussion ques tions will also be presented. It should again be emphasized that no lasting spirit ual results can be obtained in any Chris tian group meeting without adequate preparation in prayer and Bible study. It is impossible for us to work out our own salvation in the form of expression until God has first worked in us to will and to do of His good pleasure through the agency of His Word illumined by the Holy Spirit. At least twenty-five minutes each day should be spent in reading and studying the chapter; and each day before the Book is opened, David’s prayer should be offered : “Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.” It is only as God illumines the mind that we can appreciate the truth. DECEMBER 6, 1931 Christian Joy in Suffering P hilippian S 1 Key Verse: “For to me to live is Christ’’ (Phil. 1:21). T he first chapter of Philippians pre sents Christ as the life of the Chris tian. In spite of suffering or prison bonds, the life in Christ makes us trium phant and joyful. Four times in this chapter we find the word “bonds,” 1but this bondage forms only the dark back ground upon which is etched, in cameo like clearness, the radiance of the joy of the Christian. Sixteen times in four chap ters we find the words “joy” and “re joice.” It is a book which radiates the experience which should belong to every Christian—such close fellowship with Christ and the riches' of His grace that no circumstance can becloud or dishearten. P rep aratio n MONDAY: Write in your notebook the outline of this chapter, found under Analysis, con cisely summarizing in your own words the material in each section. TUESDAY:' Contrast the introduction of this chap ter, as found in the opening’verses, with *All rights reserved.
the introduction of the other Pauline epistles. Note differences and points of similarity. WEDNESDAY : Make a special study of verses 1 to 11, analyzing carefully the fourfold cause for thanksgiving (vs. 3-7) and the four fold prayer (vs. 8-11). THURSDAY: Select and memorize at least two verses from this chapter.' FRIDAY : Make a special study of the latter half of the chapter (vs. 12-30). Write out a 200-word comment in answer to the question : What do you think Paul meant by his statement, “For to me to live is Christ” ? SATURDAY: Make a list of all the reasons which you find in this chapter, or which come to your mind, why Paul should have been disheartened and downcast; put in a column opposite them the reasons which he sets forth for rejoicing. SUNDAY: Select some passage or verse to be used as the basis for preparing an outline for a short devotional talk or personal testimony. Analysis I. Introduction and Salutation (vs. 1-11). 1. Greetings (vs. 1, 2). 2. Thanksgiving (vs. 3-7). 3. Prayer (vs. 9-11). II. Christian Joy in Suffering (vs. 12- 30). considered for this month will do well to secure some of the follow ing helpful books: O utline Studies in Philippians B y H enry E. A nderson Marshall, Morgan & Scott Philippian Studies B y H andley C. G. M oule Thyne & Jarvis T he D ay of Jesus Christ B y J. C. M assee Fleming H. Revell Company Epistle to th e Philippians B y F. B. M eyer Religious Tract Society, London P au l’s Joy in C hrist B y A. T. R obertson Fleming H. Revell Company G leams from P au l’s Prison B y W ayland H oyt Griffith & Rowland Press Bibliography hose desiring to make a more detailed study on the subjects
1. Joy in bonds (vs. 12, 13). 2. Joy in the proclamation of the gos pel (vs. 14-18). 3. Joy in the life that is Christ (vs. 20- 23 ). 4. Joy in serving others (vs. 24-27). 5. Joy in the face of persecution and suffering (vs. 28-30). Expression I. B ondslaves of J esus C hrist “Paul and Timotheus, the bondslaves of Jesus Christ" (Phil. 1:1, Lit. Trans.). Ordinarily the thought of bondage and servitude is exceedingly hateful to those who are born free men in a free land. However, there is one sense in which every one is a bondslave, and that is in the allegiance which he gives to those in visible spiritual forces which control the destiny of lives. Every man or woman commits himself to one sort or another. Either he is the bondslave of sin, serving his evil desires and becoming captive to his lower nature, or he voluntarily places himself in bondservice to the Lord of life. Paul gloried in the fact that he was dominated by Jesus Christ, and his most honored title was that of “bondservant.” How happy we should be to acknowledge a similar allegiance! II. T he B ecoming L ife “Let your conversation [manner o f life] be as it becometh the gospel of Christ" (Phil. 1:27). We often bear the remark, “What a be coming dress you have on,” the thought being that the dress which is being worn brings out in the most attractive way the beauty of the wearer. Paul’s injunction in this verse centers around the same thought. The gospel of Christ is beautiful in its simplicity and in its power, but all too often, we clothe it in the poor rags of- our unworthy lives, and thus hide from view its majestic glory. In Titus 2:10, we have a companion passage in which the suggestion is made that we should “adorn” the gospel of Christ. The thought is similar. Our lives should’ display and show forth in the most winsome way the fact that Christ has saved us and given to us newness of life. D iscussion 1. Discuss Paul’s cause for thanksgiv ing, found in verse 3. Give an illustration, from your own experience, of some one for whom you thank God upon every remembrance. What was the type of char acter which that person displayed? Sug gest some qualities which we can cultivate in our own lives that will be a cause for thanksgiving on the part of those with whom we come in contact. What are some of the practices in which we indulge, which cause anything but thanksgiving ? 2. Study and discuss the unselfish- and self-forgetful attitude of Paul as mani fested in this chapter. Is not one reason
His in Joyous Experience B y N orman B. H arrison
Bible Institute Colportage Ass’n
Rejoicing in th e Lord B y B. B. S utcliffe
Bible Institute Colportage Ass’n
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