January 1931
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1 Thessalonians 2:19: “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?” This seems to be a reward for leading souls to Christ. The saints at Phil ippi and the saints at Thessalonica were Paul’s investment. They were his crown of rejoicing, and they will all stand together in the presence of Jesus Christ when He comes. Fourth, the crown of glory. 1 Peter 5 :2, 4: “Feed the flock of God . . . And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.” This is a reward for feeding the flock of God. It is the reward of the Bible teacher. It is the reward of the expository preacher. The church is in great need to day of men who are entitled to this reward. Daniel 12: 3 has i t : “They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteous ness as the stars for ever and ever.” Fifth, the crown of righteousness. 2 Timothy 4 :7, 8: “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them that love his appearing.” This is a reward for God’s people who are faithful to the faith. It is con nected with a love for His appearing. It has been our observation that the men who are looking for His appear ing are the men who are faithful to the faith. God, make me quick to see Each task awaiting me, And quick to do. Oh, grant me strength, 1 pray, With lowly love each day And purpose true, To go as Jesus went, Spending, and being spent, Myself for God. oppressed the poor and the fatherless and neglected the widow. It is a solemn warning. For a supreme example of the right use of hands we must turn to our Lord. How wondrously He used His hands! He labored with His hands at the carpenter’s bench during His earthly ministry. Then what a beauti ful picture we have of Him placing His hands upon the heads of the children and blessing them! We see Him in the temple court making clay and anointing the eyes of the blind man that he might receive his sight. They were ever stretched out to heal the lepers, the maimed, and the halt. It was with those same hands that He took a towel and girded Himself and washed the disciples’ feet. When His hour of agony; came, His hands were bound. He gave Himself into the power of wicked men, knowing that soon these same hands would be pierced, thus ful filling the great purpose for which He had come into this world. We have still another picture of these hands: It was some time after the resurrection. The disciples were gathered together in an upper room and Jesus appeared in their midst showing them His pierced hands. We will do well to meditate upon this picture. They are the hands that are beckoning us to come unto H im: they are appeal ing to us for our fidelity to Him.
„When “the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with ■ a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the Trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: ¡then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up ¡together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” 1 Peter 5: ¡;2, 4: “Feed the flock of God . . . And when the chief ¡'Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory.” Revelation 22:12: “Behold, I come quickly; and my re ward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” These rewards are spoken of as crowns. There are five crowns spoken of in the Scripture in connection with rewards for Chritian service. What these crowns are I do not know- They are something beyond our imagination. First, the crown o f life. “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall re ceive the crown of life” (James 1 :12). “Be thou faith ful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life” (Rev elation 2:10). Second, an incorruptible crown. 1 Corinthians 9125 (R. V.) : “And every man that striveth in the games ex- erciseth self-control in all things. Now they do it to re ceive a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, as not uncertainly ; so fight I, not beat ing the a ir : but I buffet my body and bring it’into bond age: lest by any means, after that I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected.” This is the reward of a victorious life. The word translated “castaway” in the Authorized Version is misleading. The Greek word is “adokinio's” which means rejected or disapproved; that is, in this case, a Christian, but One out of the race, and with no testimony. Third, the crown of rejoicing. Philippians 4 :1 : “There fore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed- for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord; my dearly beloved.” “Let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good” (Eph. 4:28). HE hand is the symbol of service and power. How marvelous its adaptability to all the crea tive skill of man ! How much of good and how much of evil is within its power ! Think of the kindness and the cheer that can be brought through willing hands. In the de scription of a worthy woman ih Prov. 31 it is said that she “worketh willingly with her hands” and “she reacheth forth her hand to the needy.” One of the most pathetic sights we can think of is that of a strong healthy man without hands; having strength, but being unable to use it. Not on ly is he not able to use his strength, but he is in a position where he must be waited upon : he is helpless. It is only as we realize our helplessness without hands that we can begin to appreciate the privilege that is ours in possessing hands and having the ability and power to use them. Jehovah, in speaking to the people of Sodom and Gomorrah through Isaiah, said : “When ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.” The context shows that while it was within the power of their hands to clo well, they had done unjustly and had
JÉ? Éè Ès? Helping Hands B y E rnest N ichols
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