The Penn's Grove record., 1909-10-15
THE PULPIT.
A SCHOLARLY SUNDAY SERMON BY
THE REV. JOSEPH A. BENNETT.
Theme: Kingship of Jesus.

Brooklyn, N. Sunday morning
the Rev. Joseph A. Bennett, of New
ark, Ohio, preached in the Greene
Avenue Baptist Church. His subject
was "The Kingship of Jesus" The
text was from John 1914, Behold
your King" Mr.. Bennett said:
The world has had many kings, all of
whom have been more or less famous.
But it has had only one, who could in
truth be called King of Kings and
Lord of Lords. Time and time again
the world has trembled, to know what
conception its sovereigns had of their
sovereignty, for their conceptions in
eyitably shaped their policies and de-
termined their actions But never in
all the history of the world was it so
important for the children Of men to
know what conception their sover-
eigns had of their sovereignty, as it
is for the child of God to know what
conception the Christ had of His king
ly Office. And thanks be unto God,
we are not left in the dark concern
ing this momentous question, for we
may easily gather from the words IF
the King Himself and the lips Of
those whom He has commissioned to
speak in His behalf, a clear and vivid
conception of His Kingship. And this
is the task set for the accomplishment
of the present hour. We approach
the task with JOY and gladness, but
without the slightest hope of being
able fttingly to portray the beauties
of the King Eternal, and yet we wish
to consider as best we may, ~the
Kingship of, Jesus in its ground, its
realm, its character and its influence /"
First, then, the ground of His King
ship. What right has the Christ to be
King? What are His credentials?
The kings of this earth have gone to
their thrones by way OF royal birth,
intellectual force, the might of arms
or the glitter of gold. If suea creden-
tials be sufficient to insure a crown
and WELD a scepter, then surely the
Christ ought to wear the brightest
crown and sway the mightiest seepter
the world has ever known, for He
is as far above earthly monarchs as
the stars are above the ponds which
reflect their shimmering light. No;
Christ did not go to His throne
through royal birth, intellectual force,
the might of arms, the glitter of gold,
Of the schemes of politicians. What,
then, were His credentials Well,
first, divine appointment, when in
the Second Psalm, Jehovah says, yet
naVe l Sc. MY hlng upon MY molly NIL
of Zion" He speaks of the Christ,
and when in the fullness OF time the
Christ comes, it is not without signs
of divine appointment and approval.
Among these we notice the song Of
the angels, the shining of the star,
the visit of the Wise Men, the husning
of the winds, the stilling of the waves,
the opening of blind eyes, the healing
of the sick and the raising of the
dead But. again the Christ creden-
gis US IN" 1t
seee sovereign
llat 6ive knowl-
e18ea So e must know
SER Vietges Gus sir vices, their
yqcations and ayocations, their
cell aua irreligion. In a
v1fa he tg now and understand
bg netlEs. He must also be pos
mind legislative and be
e..act such laws as shall be
fc pest interest of his people.
dst be possessed of a mind
icial and be able to execute those
IS with judgment tempered by
lercy. He must have a mind mar
tial and be able to marshal the forces
of the realm for the protection and
defense of his people.
In all these things Jesus is pre-
eminent. He knows mankind as only
the Creator can knoB-He knows the
w~eakness1ol TIC neSn ana tns stleHs.h
u temptation. ne KNOWS Lne uSceie-
lulness OF ~ heaIb anu Inc aliu[e-
ments OF the "orlo. ne Knows tne
strengeh ana temper ol tue oeFlls
SWORD, Ior ne mas oLte4 crosseu
Dlaoes Win MN. Jesus KNOWS al
THESE Things anu ne 10 ao,S - maAe
laws WHICH, II ooeyee, WIN naAe Z
nappy mere anu herealter. ne Is CUE
70, ana Will execute lhe AVS witch
he mas Iormuiated. Nor M ne loI-
get the reward L the p,nlshments
belonging 10 those VINO OBEY OF us
oDey. ne IS aDle anu winning 70 mar
snal an the forces Oh heaVen 10 pro
Lect the Weakest SAINT VINO puts Gun
ndence IN his name,
again. the Cnrlst credenlials are
meoiatorlal acqulsltloh. by al lne
suHerlngs OF the cross Dy the atone
ment OF his oIooo, lie mas won the
rlgnt 10 n scepter over una hNes-
90 mucn 1op tne grounos OF ms SOY
$3.50 IN ~ roa1n a. na+,re
d. uiae "a e. Wi,, 60, -, +b;nas
n.da Tha con+ra nf tbis nn;versa =
LA a. rtILN wov e1one wbich can,t.