The National tribune., 1886-03-25
SUNDAY MEDITATION.

SUNDAY MEDITATION.
Practical Duties Taught By Study of The Inter
national Sunday School Lesson Appointed for
April 4. John. 1 Ills.
Zone reading these notes should first carefully
study the paragraph from the Holy Scriptures as
indicated above.l
We now begin the study of St Johns Gospel.
Says W. Lincoln: The Gospel of John opens
with Christ in the bosom of the Father, and
closes with q sinner in the bosom of Christ"
Cyprian was converted through reading it.
st. John wrote in order to retute the heresies
of Cerinthus and Ebion who held Christ was
man only. This Gospel was written at Ephe-
sus, about so A. d.
St. John teaches in the paragraph we study
now important facts as to Christ. We notice
the following:
1. He is eternal. Heb, 1873; Rev, 1 49,
| IL He is not creature VS. He ante
ceded every created thing and being. Col, &:
10 Hence, he was never created; hence, he
always was. He did not make himself; if he
did he would be part of creation If so, 1T
could not be said he was before anything was
created. (3:17; :62; 17:5, "a; Eph, l:4)
Chapter s. IS carries Christ back before Abra-
ham. but Abraham was born A. NJ 2OoS Christ
was in the beginning. Before anything was
created he existed. (N. L. If he was before
anything began, then he never began. He was
the Word, or Wisdom, of GOD. If not eternal,
! it might De question whether or not God was
at some time without Wisdom.
-. NnrlSJ Is bOu. V. L. compare uen., L L
with '. 8 OF the lesson. Refer TO 10: 33 and
/ 90: % of ST. John; 1 John, 5 20; Acts, II u
! cid with V 3 of the lesson; Heb, IS; 3:f !;
| l IT, 3: 16 ED with V. II Of the lesson.) Gre
alton is an attribute of Deity and Deity alone
! hence, Christ must be God.
/ 3. Christ is distinct from the Father He
was aiih the Father in the beginning. IL
/ would be strange to say the Father was with
/ himself. lie WAS sent forth from the Father.
/ God cannot send away one Of his attributes,
! nor can one of them enter q man. nor can one
! of them be introduced to man as in " 10.
/ Chapter u: speaks OF the glory Jesus had nth
! the Father.
! 4. Christ is the medium of communication
of Deity with humanity. This is expressed in
! his title, The Word. lie is the manifestation
! of God to man. Why is Christ so called? a.
! Verse IS says, Christ declared the Father. AS
lCords make clear our ideas, so Christ exhibits
| the Father. Thus the Father speaks by or
| through him. (3:3i) Gen, 1:3, unites God
! and the Word in the expression, I" God said, as
! is evident from V. of the lesson. For all
manifestations Of attributes of the Deity, God
employs Christ. Heb, 2; Ps., SO 81 Thus
! God displays, c. g., creative power through
/ Christ. Ps., 147: 49, b. All revelations of
! God, or from God, are through Christ. The
/ law on Sinai was given through the medium of
Christ. (Gal., 3:19.) In Gen, IS: l, the Word
| goes to Abram, and, in the next verse, Abram
/ calls him Lord God. IN Gen, . IS, the Voice
walking in the garden was the Word seeking
| FOR Adam and Eve. c. Divine comfort is ad-
ministered in large part through Christ. (Ps.,
| Is: 30; 10Y :20) d. Christ is our means of COM
municating with God
5. Christ is Creator.
| 6. Christ is our Preserver. a. Naturally. b.
! In the matter Of salvation.
Z. Christ is our Teacher.
s. Christ became Man.
g. He was God and Man. Hence the mira
! cIcs
Notice practical thoughts growing out of our
study:
l. Worship Christ He is not a creature nor
idol The reason why ST. John is so careful to
show Christ is God is to prevent any tendency
to idolatry-to let it be fully understood that
while we are hidden to worship Jesus, we still
worship Deity. Il John, 5 20 2l) Christ
being in human form, there was danger of de-
generacy into mere hero worship. But we
adore God in worshiping Christ
2 Master in memory the first five verses. A
Platonic philosopher once said, those words
were worthy to be written in gold" The
learned Francis Junius was converted through
them. His father put Bible in the way of the
son, Francis. The youth read in special the
paragraph consisting Of the first five verses ofthe
Gospel of st. John, and the argument was so
convincing he tremblcd and yielded assent to
Christianity. He aflirms his first really relig-
iOus experience commenced then.
to tell, beautiful facts to which to bear witness.
We must 80 before sinners and show them the
way to their Savior. We must testify for our
Master
A. The clergy should always point away
from themselves to Christ. (N.7 CT. V. 29.)
! lie Is the on " prominent object III preaching
and teaching. The ministry should decrease
while the Savior increases. (3:30.) Prefer
Christ. (Y. 15) Never allow people TO think OF
you rather than Of Jesus. Hide behind the
cross.
D. Be hamble. The lesson contains splen-
did illustration Of modest dcmeanOr. st. Johns
GlsinteTcStednesS is grand, and worthy our
emulation. ". 6.) And Christ's condescension
as manifest in his humanity is a blow to all
| seif-eXaltat!on.
t. We must not think we shall be converted
because our parents arc rich, influential or piouS
Honorable religious descent is not the price
! Of regeneration We cannot become Gods
! spiritual children because Abraham or David
! was our ancestor Though both parents were
/ of renowned Jewish pedigree, the new birth is
10 easier sofar as Gods Willingness and pleasure
! are concerned.
Z. Christ's going to the Jews shows he ex-
| poets more from those whose advantages are
/ best. lie had reason TO expect a cordial recep-
/ ton from the Hebrew race. We are greatly
! blessed Of Heaven, and our Savior viii demand
! much OF us. There arc large expectations on
! the part of Christ as to u.s.
5. We can rely on Christ. He Is full OF truth.
| ". IA; 1 Ki 9: So Hail promises and fear
| threatenings.
9. We should be willing to leave beautiful
homes dear country and precious friends to go
| TO distant and ignorant lands, if thus we may
reach humanity and lead sinners TO Christ
! Our Savior left Heaven. his Father angels
! There must be many sacrifices and condescen-
/ SiOns
TO- There is n sense IL which Christ can now
! be incarnated, living in and before the world
! Let him dwell in us-become the impulse of
! our lives and the director of our thoughts and
! plans. Then exhibit him every day as a living
power yet III society.
| IL Only the Holy Spirit regeneyates and
| sanctifcs. We cannot be born again by the
will Of man. (V. 49, No mortal can devise an
| other plan of salvation. Human philosophy
| pauses here, stumbled and confounded.
r. Go to Christ for light. lie is 40 impo5t0r
| He is true Light. 4 light not TO be depended
on is disastrous. Thus has many 4 ship been
wrecked. An igais iaints has buried many a
man in fens, led many over fatal precipices
| Christ is the Sun. Do not decline this Light
! (3: 19) He is full of truth. If you lack wis
DOM ask of God.
13. Seek TO become children of God " 12)
Ii IS a great privilege. A very poor child and
! especially one lily treated by its parents would
I deem it an unspeakable favor to be adopted bg
| a wealthy, good man, to share his riches and
! honOrs Christ became "A son of man that we
! might ali become sons Of God. (Rc., s Is: Gal