91
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
February 1932
weeping. So Jesus had to show Himself to His friends and disciples in order that they might understand that He was alive and that, because He lived, they might live also. He showed Himself a number of times to His disciples. A fter Mary had seen Him, He showed Himself to ten o f the disciples gathered together, and then again to them when all eleven were there. He did this because Thomas had been absent the first time and had said that he wouldn’t believe that Jesus was alive unless he could place his fingers in the nail prints in His hands. Jesus allowed him to do this, but He said to Thomas, “ Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” W e haven’t seen Jesus, but we can believe. A fter Jesus had shown Himself a num ber o f times to His disciples and they un derstood that He was alive, He went back to heaven, as He had said He would, to prepare a place for them. And He left them with these happy words, “I shall come again.” Time to Remember Memory is one of the most precious gifts which God has bestowed on man. Its loss or failure impairs duty and cripples ser vice. It has been well said that “the spirit is made stronger when plunged into the flame of memory: for remembrance is not only a consecration but a rejuvenation.” Is it not a supremely cheering thought that God has “ a book o f remembrance” ? While He says, “Your sins and iniquities will I remember no more”—they are “blot ted out as a thick cloud” in the “ blood which cleanseth from all sin”—He keeps a careful record of “those that fear the Lord and think upon his name.” “I will not forget thee” is His word o f promise to us. “The Lord hath been mindful o f us and he will bless us” should hearten us for all the unknown and untried way; and life will thus become a song o f praise as we gratefully exclaim, “ Goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house o f the Lord for ever.”—L ife of F aith .
BLACKBOARD LESSON HE 15'ALIVE FOR. EVERMORE
book is untrue, and therefore valueless (cf. Acts 2:32, 33; 13:29-37; 17:2, 3; 26: 22, 23, etc.). Acts 1 :3 declares expressly that our Lord showed Himself alive after His death “by many infallible proofs.” He was seen o f the disciples. He ate with them, and He spoke to them. The integrity o f the Epistles depends upon it. The Lordship of Christ rests upon it. The value o f the sacrifice on the cross rests upon it. And we are expressly ex horted to remember the literal character of it (cf. Rom. 1:4; 1 Cor. 15:1-4; Eph. 1:19, 20; Col. 2:12; 2 Tim. 2 :8 ; Heb. 1:3; 1 Pet..1 :21, etc.). The value of the Revelation depends up on it. That book opens with the statement that Jesus Christ is the first begotten from the dead, and from heaven. He Himself declares, “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for ever more” (Rev. 1:5, 18). The understanding o f the book o f Revelation is given only to the Lord’s servants (Rev. 1:1), and the true worth o f the servants depends upon the degree in which they not only believe in the literal resurrection o f Christ from among the dead, but also upon the degree in which they bring that great fact, in its practical import, into their daily lives and service. If the Lord did not rise literally and bodily from among the dead, then His veracity may be impugned; the Old Testa ment has no more value, indeed it has less value, than even the destructive critics give it; the Gospels cannot be trusted in any o f the facts which they record; the book of Acts is worthless because o f its untruth; the Epistles are shaken from their integrity; and the book of Revelation is no longer worthy of the attention o f se rious, sober thought. But, thank God, Christ did arise, and in so doing forever vindicated the Word that is eternally set tled in heaven. Lesson Questions Vs. 11-16. Does pungent sorrow like Mary’s always follow a temporary loss of the Lord’s presence (cf. 2 Sam. 12, with Psa. 51; Lk. 2 :43-48) ? What do you think was the purpose o f the presence of the an gels at the tomb? What proof is found in this lesson to refute the argument that Jesus did not actually die? Vs. 17, 18. Why did Jesus say to Mary, “ Touch me not, for I am not yet ascended •unto my Father” ? After the resurrection, what new relationship existed between Christ and His followers? Is every be liever commissioned by the risen Lord, as Mary was? Vs. 19, 20. Why were the disciples fear ful? How, did Jesus enter the room, when the doors were shut? By what means did He reassure the hearts, of the fearful dis ciples? What do you think is the mean ing o f the words o f Jesus: “As my Fa- there hath sent me, even so send I you” ? Are all believers “ sent ones” ? O f what further divine enabling were the disciples in need? How is this need supplied for present-day believers ? Golden Text Illustration Under the Levitical law, when the sickle was put into the ripened grain, the “sheaf o f firstfruits” was brought to the priest, who waved it before the Lord. This was done on the morrow after the Sabbath— that is, on our Sunday. It was an earnest that the whole sheaf should be reaped. The first sheaf was a promise o f other sheaves
IN -LIFE HE L1VED FOR. U5 , IN DEATH HE DI ED FOR US IN RESURRECTION HE HATH I5EGOTTÎN U5 UNTO a LIVING HOPE . _________ ■ 'Av,S** to follow. Christ is “the firstfruits o f them that slept.” His resurrection is the prom ise of other resurrections. “ Christ the firstfruits ; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.” Those who are Christ’s are to rise as He rose, to be with Him where He is, to behold His glory, and to be like Him. Jesus Living Again John 20:1, 2, 11-16 Memory Verse: “ The Lord is risen in deed” (Lk. 24:34). Approach: Last week we were remem bering how sad it was that Jesus had to die, and how sad it was that even His dis ciples didn’t understand about it. They kept forgetting and forgetting the things
which Jesus had told them many times, and they often didn’t un derstand them, even if they did remember. L e s s o n S t o r y : One very important thing they hadn’t un derstood at all, and that was that Jesus had said, “If I die, I shall rise again.” So when Peter and John
went to the tomb wheFe the body o f Jesus had been placed, and when they found that the stone had been rolled away and the body was gone, they were bewildered and went away. Mary Magdalene didn’t un derstand either. She stood outside the tomb
Attention, Pastors, Bible School Superintendents We will place literature racks in your city with Evangelical and Good News literature free of charge. Send for literature. CHRIS TIAN BUSINESS MEN ’S ASSOCIATION , 418 Auditorium Building, Los Angeles, California. His S ure R e tu r n Th' . By Norman B. Harrison, D.D. Portents This Timely Book now in its fourth edition, mailed free. . , _ Prospect Of Christ s Coming Again Read the Proposition:— SEND FO U R 3 -MONTH S TR IAL SUBSCR IPT IONS to TH E KING’S BUSINESS attach $1.00 will place THE KING’S BUSINESS in the homes of four friends giving you the satisfaction of knowing you have been a means of blessing to them and at the same time you will receive that practical message on HIS SURE RETURN. THE KING’S BUSINESS 536 South Hope Street Los Angeles, California
Made with FlippingBook HTML5