July 1931
B u s i n e s s
301
T h e
K i n g ’ s
WHEN EXPERTS FAILED ... By ROY TALMAGE BRUMBAUGH
"Cast your net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find” (John 21:6). T . . . . , J L h e r e is a vivid contrast be tween the weeks immediately preceding the crucifixion and the forty days following Christ’s resurrection from
P ersonalities We read in verse 2 that the disciples were together. What differences there were among thè personalities of these men who were to be numbered with the world’s greatest ! There are diversities of gifts, but the same
the dead. The weeks before the cru cifixion were brimful of startling events. Vivid occurrence followed vivid occurrence. Every, day was overflowing w i t h action. Christ preached; He healed. Prophecy was being fulfilled. Details multiplied. However, after His resurrection, all was different. He appeared unto the disciples only occasionally. His appearances are recorded. Only one disappearance is mentioned; that is, when our Lord disappeared from the vision of the two disciples who made their way to Emmaus. Where was He during the time that He was not seen of the disciples? He may have walked up and down the land of Judaea. He may have fre quented the places where He had preached and healed and carried rich blessings. Perhaps He was near those who loved Him. A F am iliar P lace As. the scene opens, in the twen ty-first chapter of John, we find ourselves in a hallowed place, be side the Sea of Tiberias, or Galilee. Here Christ had walked; here He had talked. Here He had stilled the violent winds. Here he had walked on the surface of the water as on a hard pavement. Here at the com
Spirit. The church needs personal ities of all kinds. It requires thè sword as well as the pen, the trum pet as well as the still small voice. Imitation is paralysis. Individual ity comes-to flower in Christ Jesus. The great men of the Old Testa ment and the New, and also those of church history, were outstand ingly original. Moses was a great and stern law giver. Joshua was a great military man. Most of the judges were right-handed, but one was left-handed. The judges, with a single exception, were men; one woman was called. David, the sweet singer of Israel, was a great king and warrior. Solomon was a wisè ruler and a man of peace. Elijah was a veritable fire-eater ; but his successor, Elisha, was a meek and a mild man. Isaiah was the aristo cratic prophet. Amos was a poor, ignorant herdsman. N e h e m i a h wept, while Ezekiel saw visions. Matthew brought business .experi ence into the apostolic hand. Mark was the model secretary whom Peter needed. Luke was a physician and a man of extraordinary literary ability. Apollos was eloquent, while Paul was irresistibly logical. Luther fought his way through all opposi tion, while Melancthon was mild
D r . B r u m b a u g h Pastor, First Presbyterian Church Tacoma, Wash.
mand of Christ, Peter had caught the fish that had in its mouth the tribute money. Here the Lord had driven demons out a demoniac. The disciples were where Christ had told them to go—in Galilee. They were again under familiar roofs and amid old surroundings. But how different every thing was! A few months previous to this, crowds had thronged about Christ. The country had been stirred by Him. His magnetic personality had drawn all kinds of people to Him. Now the crowds were not to be seen. The tumult had died. The voices of inquiring per sons were no longer heard. Yet Christ was as surely pres ent then as He was before His crucifixion. In the burning hearts of the disciples, there was a vision of the risen Lord. In private conversation, they could think of noth ing and could talk of nothing except their risen Lord.
and longsuffering. Charles Wesley was a songster. John Wesley was an organizer. Whitefield was an orator. Spurgeon was aflame with evangelistic ardor. In the group before us in the present study, two, Peter and Thomas, had sinned greatly, but, thanks be unto God, there was forgiveness in Him. “The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all ¿in.” These men had been forgiven much, and so they loved much. Peter was aggressive and full of adventure. Thomas had been a doubter, but he now believed. Nathanael was a good man. He had never scattered wild oats. He was a man who was by nature, as well as by grace, a praying man. Christ called him an Israelite in whom there was no guile. He was a man of unusual reputation. Only good reports were heard about him. James and John were naturally bigoted and ambitious,
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