Africo-American Presbyterian., 1899-12-21
CHRIS TlAN ENDEAVOR.
Topic For the week Beginning Dec.
24--COmneIlt Ey Rev. :. II. Dovpe

Topic For the week Beginning Dec.
24-CoInnent Ey Rev. $. Il. Boyle.
TowC.-Our royal brothar-iicb !, 49, III, g.
"A Christmas meeung.)
The intent and purpose Of the book
of Hebrews are to point o2t the rela-
tion between the Old Testament dis
pensation and the New and to show the
superiority OF the New over the Old.
This is done b. proving the superiority
Of Christ, the minister Of the New dis
pensation, over the ministers Of the
Old-angals, HOSES, Aaron and the
Aaronic priesthood In this first chap
ter the writer argues the superiority of
Christ over angels. His superiority is
shown to lie in the lac5 that, while the
angels Of God are milIistcrjng spirits or
attendant wOrshipers at the Sons ad-
vent, Christ is associated with GCd III
His majesty, sharer OF His everlasting
throne. The angels are servants Christ
is a King.
/. Christ was born King. Though
born under the most humble human
circumstances, yet Christ was Il King
by birth in that He was the Son Of
God who is King Of kings and Lord Of
lords. Ancestry, and not surroundings
at birth, makes royalty. The child Of q
king is royal born, no matter what may
be the outward surroundings of his
birth, and no amount of external royal
trappings would make the child OF any
other a lingly child Christ is the Son
of God. BY birth, therefore, though
born in the humble manger at Bethle-
hem, lie is King.
2. Christ as King sits upon q throne.
His throne is the throne of God. 1t is
an everlasting throne. THY throne, o
God, is forever and ever. It is q throne
OF which righteousness isl the gcentGr.
GA scepter .ghtecd@Eds5 Is the scep-
ter of Thy Kingdom.
3. Christ as a King possesses a king
dom. He is not q King without king
dom, but Il King with one OF universal
extent in both timo and space. His
kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. 1t
is q universal kingdom. He reigns in
heaven and upon earth. God hath
highly exalted Him and given Him a
name that is above every name, that at
the name Of Jesus every knee should
bow, Of things III heaven and things in
earth and things under the earth, and
that every tongue should confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory Of the
Father. In this kingdom Christ cxer-
ciscs royal prcrogative8. lie rules, He
governs, He rewards and Furnishes, and
has absolute control Of the lives and
destinies OF His subjects.
4. Christ is not only our King, but
may also be our brother, our royal
brother. Christ twas faithfully as a
sen over His own house, Of whose house
are we if we hold fast the confidence
and the rejoicing Of the hope firm unto
the end We may thus become mem
bers Of the household Of Christ, His
brethren, heirs of God and joint heirs
with Christ if so bo that we saifer with
Him, that wo may bo also glorided to-
gether.
Such q relationship to Christ is wOr-
thy Of our best efforts and our highest |
ambitions and in such relation to a
King we should keep His name and His |
honor unsullied and untarnished. Let |
us be worthy in thought, word and |
deed Of the confidence and love Of our
royal brother.
Bible Readings.-Gor. iii, Is; Isa.
vii, IA; xi, 1-10; Zoch. il, 0; Math.
xxi, Ill; Luke i, 26-33; ii, 1-20: |
John iii, iG; xviii, 33-33; l Tim. vi.
1916; Rev xy, t-3; xvii, II.