Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1906-02-14
CHRISTIAN ENDEAvOR.
Prayer Meeting Topic For the Week
BEGINNING Feb. is.

by XIV, >. IL ~ 1 La
Topic.-Christs life. Hills life work
and what We may learn about our own
work.--John xiv, STA
In the study OF the topic on The Boy
hood of Christ we learned that from
His earliest childhood, as in the case
of other Jewish boys, He was indus
trious physically, mentally and spirit
ualy. Even at the tender age of
twelve He must have had some concep-
ton of His great mission to the world
from God, for in answer to His moth
ers question in connection with His
visit to the feast of the Passover at
Jerusalem he said, ''Wist ye not that
l must be about My Fathers business?
From early years, therefore, He must
have been impressed with the great
ness and the seriousness of the work of
life that lay before Him. AS Christ
was impressed with this fact so should
all Chris ans be. Religion itself should
be looked upon us business. The
chief enl of mans existence in this
world is not to live for himself, but to
glorffy God that he may enjoy Him
forever.
The life work Of Christ consisted
largely in doing the things that were
done by ordinary men. but His work, in
addition. was infinitely greater than
that of man in that He performed mir
acles. The miracles of Jesus Christ
cannot be successfully disproved. That
He was the Son of God in a distinct
sense, different from other men, should
not be doubted. If the testimony of
Himself and of those that We're asso-
ciated with Him be not sufficient to con
vince Us Of His divinity we should be
convinced by His miraculous works. He
himself says, Believe Me that am in
the Father, and the Father in Me, or
else believe Me for the very works
sake" The power to work miracles
has undoubtedly passed away, and we
cannot believe that even the most re
ligious men have the power to work
miracles today. But at the same time
we have the promise of Christ that He
will be with US always and that through
His power great things can be accom-
plished by His disciples. This is par
ttcularly true Of spiritual work ard of
the salvation of the souls of men.
In Christ's own lifetime there Is no
evidence that great masses of people
sincerely believed in Him. At the time
OF His ascension the Christians num-
Ibered 40. while under the power of
the preaching of Peter on the day of
PentecoSt 1900 were led TO accept and
to confess Christ This is undoubtedly
what Christ meant when He said that
those who believed upon Him should
after His death do greater works than
he had done. 1t is still possible for
Us TO do spiritual work for Christ that
will produce great results. and TO every
disciple of Christ He has given the
command. go work today in Ny vine
yard"
The supreme work of the life of
Christ was His death upon the cross
Of Calvary as sacrifice for the sins
of the world. Not until He was about
to die as the Lamb of God for the sins
of the world was He able to say, 1T
is finished" Our lives should also find
their highest combination in self Sacri-
fee. Christ said. He that loseth his
life shall save it, but he that saveth
his life shall lose it," Sacrifice and not
selfishness brings the greatest joy TO
every human life, For this spirit Christ
was rewarded and for this spirit VIII
fully and amply award His disciples.
BIBLE READINGS.
Eccl. tx, 10; Luke ii. 1919: John ",
SIS, sc; V. 1919; tx 4; xvii, 1-5; l Cor
XIV. IS; Gal. vi. ITO; Col ill, II; Rev
xxi, IL.