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inventions will be a foundation for world-wide peace. History unfortunately gives us a far different picture. Commercial expan sion has in every age been a fore runner of war, and all of the investi gations and energies of science are at this time devoted to the prosecution of war. 4. Military conquest and dominion. There are many who believe that at the close of this war great stand ing armies, fleets of planes, and navies will be required to keep the peace. This, can provide peace for a time. But even as it was in the time of Rome and of every other world-wide empire, the day will finally come when, through sin and folly, the foun dations will crumble and fall apart. II. FOUNDATIONS AS FOUND IN THE SCRIPTURES. Peter tells us in 2 Peter. 3:13, that we “look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteous ness.” The root of all evil, injustice, greed, oppression, selfishness, and of all wars, is sin in the human heart. The reason that God’s plan for the future ages insures just and lasting peace is because first, only those will enter His everlasting kingdom who You Are Invited to Open Your Thrift Account with EQUITABLE PLAN COMPANY C. O. A N D E R S O N , Mgi*. 4% Interest Compounded Semiannually
have been redeemed from sin; sec ondly, all the forces of ungodliness and unrighteousness shall be “ turned into hell” (Psa. 9:17). In the third place, peace in this coming kingdom is guaranteed by none other than the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ, who shall rule in all the affairs of the kingdom. III. FOUNDATIONS FOR INDIVIDUAL LIVES, Many thousands of Americans are going about discussing world peace .and kindred topics, and yet they do n 6 t know in their own hearts “the peace of God, which passeth all un derstanding.” There is enmity against God in the heart of every one who has not received Christ as Saviour, and this spoils peace of heart, and of mind. The first need for us is to be sure we have been delivered from sin through the blood of the prince of Peace. We can then hope to bring others into lasting joy and peace. There must be a rededication of Christians to the cause of evangelism. If we will give ourselves to the work of evangelism in defense areas, in factories, in rural communities, and through our giving, aid the cause of missionary work—we shall right now bring lasting peace to troubled hearts, and we shall hasten the' coming of Him whose return will usher in God’s everlasting and e t e r n a l kingdom. “Even so, come, Lprd Jesus” (Rev. 22 : 20 ). To be "a Christian”, and to be “Christian” may possibly mean two different things. The former implies that one is a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ; the latter, that one is like Hint. Sharing is not the deciding fac tor as to whether or not an individual is a Christian, for here belief is the all-important issue, and there are probably more “ born again” Christians than there are those who really do share. But to be like bur Lord and Saviour, and to follow the teachings of His Word, we must share, for “the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister” (Matt. 20:28). He was not concerned , that things should come His way, though He was the center of the universe, and the One to whom all honor was due. For Those Who Have Topics I. SHARING THROUGH DEEDS. .The new life which has come to you and to me was imparted be- NOVEMBER 14, 1943 TO BE CHRISTIAN I MUST SHARE M a t t h e w 25:31-46 By Adelaide W. Locher Introduction
causé some one was active in his Father’s service. Some one planned a young people’s meeting or conference, wittf all the prayer, effort, and atten tion that is always involved in such meetings; some one faithfully taught a Sunday-school class, earnestly pray ing and studying to the end that the risen Lord might be revealed in each lesson; some one worked tedious hours to assemble visual materials for daily vacation Bible school or a child evangelism class, in order that the way of life might be made plain; or some one, contrary perhaps to his natural i m p u l s e s , daily sought strength from above to be courteous, thoughtful, and unselfish, so that another, watching that life, was led to investigate its secret. There is much to be done, i f we truly desire to share (Jas. 1:25). II. SHARING THROUGH WORDS. Though words are often discounted as being less effective than acts, there are times when neither is sufficient alone. Our hearts are stirred by pres ent conditions of physical hunger and starvation existing all over the world, but are there not often among our close acquaintances people who are hungering and thirstirig for the words of life that we might speak? Even those who know our Lord need the testimony of praise and encourage ment that should fall from our lips. (A good illustration of the seriousness of failing to share in this way is ‘ found in the article “ I Played with . Him,” in the March 1943 issue of The Christian Digest.) - III. SHARING AT A COST. David’s resolve is recorded in 2 Samuel 24:24: “Neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing.’" In Lowell's “Vision of Sir Launfal” is found a concise statement of the true nature of sharing: “Not what we give, but what we share;. For the gift without the givéc is bare.” In its essential implications, shar ing must cost. Christian service which really bears fruit exacts a toll in time and energy which discourages many who might readily agree that spiritual blessings ought to be shared. We may often be guilty of deploring the spirit ual conditions evident qrouhd us with out expending much effort in trying to improve them. Conclusion As Christ came to minister, and to give His life, so may we pray to be more like Him in forgetting our selves while seeking the highest good of others.
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