December, 1933
432
T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
death?” Then the glad revelation comes with this triumphant declaration: “ I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Oh, that every believer could realize the true liberty in Christ! Leader’s Helps I. L ike P aul A woman in the Black Isle said, “If I were only like Paul, I would know I was saved.” “Why, you are as like Paul as you can be,” replied the visitor. “ Listen to what Paul was like. Here are his own words: ‘In me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing1 (Rom. 7:18).” Like Paul, the woman had admitted her sinnership, and like Paul, found the sin ner’s Saviour—mighty to save.— P ickering . II. A H umble P rincess Princess Alice was once met, while walking, by some one who did not know her. On being asked, “Who are you?” she sweetly replied, “ I am nobody; but my mother is the Queen of England.” So the Christian can say, “I am nothing and no body, but Jehovah-God is my Father through Jesus Christ, my Lord.” — S elected . III. G lorious G race Payson, when dying, expressed himself with great earnestness respecting the grace of God as exercised in saving lost men, and seemed particularly' affected that it should be bestowed on one so ill-deserving as himself. “ Oh, how sovereign I Grace is the only thing that can make us like God. I might be dragged through heaven, earth, and hell, and I should still be the same sin ful, polluted wretch, unless God Himself should renew and cleanse me.”— S purgeon . IV. T he M isery of S in One friend said to another who was re joicing in his assurance o f salvation, “If I believed your doctrine, and were so sure I was a converted man, I would take my fill o f sin.’1’ “How much sin,” asked the trusting Christian, “do you think it would take to fill a Christian to his own satisfaction?” How can we that are dead to sin live any longer therein ? A truly saved person hates sin with all his heart, and even if he could sin without suffering for it, it would be misery to him to sin at all.— S elected . V. O utline of R omans 7 :14-25 1. Defeat (vs. 14-23). 2. Despair (v. 24). 3. Deliverance (v. 25). Hudson Taylor, founder of the China Inland Mission, was fond of three words, which form an answer to the three words o f the above outline—impossible, difficult, done (Mk. 9 :2 3).— S elected . VI. S top T rying , and T rust Stop doing, and begin to trust Christ to do all, and you are safe. A man is rowing a boat on a river just above a cataract. The current begins to bear him downward, the spectators on the banks give him up for lost. “He is gone!” they all exclaim. But in another moment, a rope is thrown to ward the wretched man; it strikes the water close to the boat. Now how does the case stand ? Do all the spectators call upon him to row harder to reach the shore? Oh, no; their eager, united cry is, “Drop your oars! Catch hold of the rope!” So all the sinner’s hope lies not in struggling to save himself, but in ceasing to struggle; for while he tries to accomplish the work
of salvation, he will not look to Christ to do it for him. Not in doing, but in yielding, is the secret of deliverance.— S elected . JANUARY 21, 1934 GETTING ALONG W ITH OTHERS R omans 12:3, 9, 10 Suggestions for the Meeting Hymn—“ Give Me Jesus.” Hymn—“ Let the Lower Lights be Burn ing.” Prayer. Scripture. Quartet—“Give of Your Best to the Master.” Leader’s Message. Christian Endeavorers should be glad to study this wonderful twelfth chapter of Romans, as it is the official “ C.E.” chapter. Some one has called this passage “ Paul’s paragraph on Christian etiquette.” It sure ly gives the great principles which should guide and govern every Christian in his relation to others. “ Getting along with others” would be reduced to a fine art were we to abide by these admonitions and in- j unctions. Verse 3 gives the keynote to the situation stated negatively—“every man that is among you, [is] not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think” .; then, positively—“but to think so berly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure o f faith.” ’ Humility, a proper estimate of one’s own ability, is necessary, if peaceful relationships are to be maintained between fellow Christians. “ To think soberly” reminds us o f Paul’s other word to Titus in the second chapter, verse 12: “Teaching us that, denying un godliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world” ; that is, “soberly,” regard ing our own personal state o f mind, “right eously,” regarding our actions toward others, and “godly,” regarding our life as to God. Verse 9 describes and enjoins the posi tive heart attitude. “ ILet love be without dissimulation [hypocrisy].” In o t h e r words, be sincere in loving. “Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.” Complete separation from all wrong is shown by such strong words as “abhor” and “cleave.” Not only should the Christian avoid evil, but he should maintain an actual, positive heart-attitude of abhorrence. God’s remedy for evil is to “ cleave to that which is good.” “ Be not overcome o f evil, but overcome evil with good.” Again, we hear Paul say to the Thessalonian Christians: “Hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appear ance of evil.” In verse 10, we reach the climax in our treatment o f others. We have experienced a real work of grace when we can truly obey this command. What a goal to at tain ! Such a group o f words, “kindly,” “affectioned,” “brotherly love,” “honor,” “preferring one another” I' Surely only those who have the fruit o f the Spirit can exhibit these Christlike attributes. If you can follow the admonitions of this verse, you know how to get along with others. Leader’s Helps I. O u tlin e of R o m a n s 12:3, 9, 10 1. Humility—regarding self (v. 3). Testimonies. Quiet Hour. Hymn—“Help Somebody Today.” Benediction—Psalm 1 in concert. Meditation on the Lesson
2. Honesty—regarding others (v. 9). 3. Holiness—regarding sin (v. 9). 4. Honor—regarding Christians (v. 10). II. " G od ’ s C hoice O f all trees, I observe God hath chosen the vine, a low plant that creeps upon the helpful wall; o f all beasts, the soft and patient lamb ; o f all fowls, the mild and guileless dove. Christ is the Rose of the field, and the Lily o f the valley. When God appeared to Moses, it was not in the lofty cedar, nor the sturdy oak, nor the spreading palm, but in a bush, a humble shrub, as if He would, by these elections, check the conceited arrogance o f man. fi) — F e l t h a m . III. A S oft A nswer A Quaker had a quarrelsome neighbor, whose cow often broke into the Quaker’s well-cultivated garden. One morning, hav ing driven thé cow from his premises to her owner’s house, he said to his neigh bor, “Friend, I have driven thy cow home once more, and if I find her in my garden again—” “ Suppose you do,” his neighbor angrily exclaimed, “ what will you do ?” “Why,” said the Quaker, “ I’ll drive her home to thee again, friend.” The cow never again troubled the Quaker .^-S elected . IV. O thers Lord, help me live from day to day, In such a self-forgetful way, That even when I kneel to pray, My prayer shall be for others. Help me in all the work I do, To ever be sincere and true, And know that all I’d do for You Must needs be done for others. Let “self” be crucified and slain, And buried deep ; and all in vain May efforts be to rise, again, Unless to live for others. And when my work on earth is done, And my new work in heaven’s begun, May I forget the crown I’ve won, While thinking still o f others. Others, Lord, yes, others, Let this my motto be; Help me to live for others That I may live like Thee. Let this, be a three-leader meeting, one leader for the song service, one for testi monies, and one. for the message. I f it is possible, arrange chairs in triangle form, and call the service a “Triangle Meeting.” This new name might enlist some interest. Part I. — Praise. Leader: “ O come, let us worship and bow down.” Response: “Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.” Leader: “ O come, let us sing unto the Lord.” Response: “Let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.” Hymn—“We Praise Thee, O God.” Hymn—“When He Cometh.” Hymn—“The Fight Is On.” Duet—“Living for Jesus.” Hymn—“ Praise Him! Praise H im !” Part II. — Testimony. Leader—“Let the redeemed of the Lord say so.” —C. D. M eigs . JANUARY 28, 1934 THE PLACE OF YOU TH IN THE CHURCH 2 T imothy 2:20-22; 1 T imothy 4:12 Suggestions for the Meeting
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