Oxford eagle., 1911-01-19
Christ in
Office of King

The risen Savior executes three Of
fees. He is our prophet revealing to
US by his word and spirit the will OF
God for our salvation. He Is our
priest. offering up OF himself sacri-
fee 10 satisfy divine justice and
reconcile US to God. and in making
continual intercession for us He Is
our king In bis kingly ofice he sub
dues us TO himself. he rules and de-
fends us. be restrains and conquers
all his and our enemies.
That we may search ourselves and
see first II we are citizens Of his king
dom. and second. how loyal we are to
that kingdom. let us note what are the
conditions Of citizenship. We shall
find these conditions by references
which originate in the king as he
stands in his relation to us. and in this
manner be able to show what is our
religion toward him
The first phrase which We are
taught as setting forth the manner
q Christ's execution Of the office OF
kingship toward us is that he subdues
us TO himself We talk much OF Christ
subduing the world We pray. some
times halfheartedly and sometimes
with great meaning. that his kingdom
in earth as IL is in heaven. We con-
iure before our minds eye the law
breakers. the fragrant sinners OF the
world We draw melodramatic pic
lures Of the thief. the drunksrd. the
roue. the murderer being subdued to
the will OF Christ
There Is something about the mid
night mission which appeals to our
dramatic sense We love to dwell
upon the rescuing of the perishing;
we love TO sing about throwing out
the lifeline: We love to talk about the
gospel being preached In all foreign
lands. We swell with pride when We
hear how Korea is coming to Christ.
how China and Japan are being en-
| lightened by his light We are ready
to shout and say. that is good. fine.
let it go on The time will soon come
when the earth is as full of the knowl-
edge Of the Lord as waters cover the
seas"
Now friends. that's all objective and
external It's all good: but the first
thing anyone should see TO when he
/ prays that Gods will be done in
earth as II is done in heaven is that
he himself be subdued to Christ
There are church members who will
work for others and give money to
missions land both these things they
should dol but who unfortunately stop
Just at that point and do not permit
themselves to be subdued.
The first question for you and me
TO say is. Has Christ subdued Us un-
TO himself" Do you know there was
and Is a profound psychological and
spiritual reason or meaning behind
the ~mourners' bench of our Metho-
dist brethren. We like the phrase.
-mourners' bench There may be
better ones. Perhaps the idea would
be better expressed II we said. the
self-abnegating bench" the place
where men are willing to say. Il sur
render myself" Not Il surrender five
hours a week to the work OF the
church." not I surrender one hun
dred dollars a year to carry on his
work." not Il surrender a nominal al
legiance TO the kingdom. and am glad
that the kingdom is spreading not
that I surrender my name to he roll
Of some church and condescend to let
my greatness reject credit and glory
upon the church Of Christ. But that |
surrender myself. that surrender
my will which is the same as saying
that / am subdued
Brethren. the first condition of en-
trance into this kingdom is not regis
. tering our names on the church rolls.
; or on the charity lists. or on the work
, ers' tablets. good though these things
; may be; but the first element is being
, subdued to the king.
/ The second thing is that when we
are subdued he rules and defends US.
, Now the rulership Of Christ is not a
: hard rule. He Is not a despicable and
unfeeling tyrant MY yoke" he said.
> lis easy and my burden is light" IL
is necessary for US to bear the burden.
? the yoke must needs be worn. But
the burden cannot crush us and the
yoke does not gall when We are sub
dued TO his will
II We are subdued his ruling will
seems mild and gentle. II will not be
arbitrary: il will not be merely that
he might crush US beyond all hone of
insurrecton. He does not restrain
from traitorous acts so much by
threats of dire punishment as by show.
. ing US the pain 1t will cause his heart.
He rules US not so much through fear
as through the great power OF love.
But none the less he must rule
+ We all want the defense of the goy.
E ernment We walk these streets al
l night with feeling of greater or less
= security. because We feel that the gov.
ernment of the city. through its Do
lice. is defending US.
So 1t is in this kingdom OF Christ
Il is only while we are under the rul.
ership of the king that he can defend
!, U.s.
Now the third and last thing inyolv.
n ed in this execution of the once q,
n kingship is thai Christ restrains And
conquers all his enemies. who are our
q enemies as well. Notice how this
3 comes merging quietly out Of our las,
: thought For to revert to our illus
$ tration: While we are loyal citizens
c Of the city. the lawbreakers are tba
It common enemy Of the city and NJ
II ourselves But when We have outIau,
e. ed ourselves then we have become An
. enemy to the city.