The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-06-15
Least in the Kingdom.
Matthew 11:2-l9-June 16.

Least IN the Kingdom.
Matthew 11:2-l9-June 16
Text--"Amongst them that are
born of women there is none greater
than John; yet the least in the King.
dom of God is greater than he. =
Lake 1928.
II would be difficult to express in
words a higher tribute to John the
BAPTIST than Jesus paid him in our
text. Again He said, There hath
not risen a greater prophet than
John the Baptist" If then John was
SO holy man, so great a man from
the Divine standpoint, why did our
Lord in this text declare that the
least in the kingdom of heaven would
be greater than John? This text has
puzzled Bible opponents for many a
! day. II has seemed 10 many to b"
contradictory.
But just as soon as we turn on the
light contained in that word king
DOM" the entire subject becomes
clear. God had promised a Messiaic
Kingdom, and Jesus had come that
He might be the head OF that king
Gom The steps leading to the king
dom hOnOrs and giories were steps of
obedience to God, even unto death.
ard these steps Jesus had begun to
take On the cross He declared, 1T
is finished" He had finished the
work of proving Himself loyal to God
and to the Truth even unto death on
the cross.
Jesus thus became the Great CON
IT error, the great High Priest. the
great King Of Glory. being exalted 10
the heavenly state in Ills resurrcc-
ton. But, as the great King, He
was to have associated with Him in
his Throne, Ills Bride class As the
Great Priest, He was TO have an nm
der priesthood Royal Priest
hood As the Grca, Judge of the
world, He was to have associates; as
ST. Paul declares. Know ye not that
the saints shall judge he world"
| Cor CO.
In the Divine Plan this company
Of associates with Jesus in His glOri-
GUS kingdom were rs much fore
known and foreordaincd as was lie
and His share in the kingdom. AS it
was necessary for Him to undergo
trials and testings Of loyalty unto
| death, SO it must be with the class
called to be His associates was
tempted in all points like as we are.
Thus His message is, ITO him that
cvercOmcth will grant to sit with
Me in My Throne, even as | over
came and am set down with My Fa-
Their in His throne These would be
followers in His footsteps, none could
precedc Him. His work VAS neccs-
sary first. TO open up for His follow
crs new and living way. through
the veil--that is to say. through lis
flesh through Ills sacrifice.
Some Better Things for U.s."
While about five hundred brethren
became Jesus consccratcd followers
during His earthly ministry, they
We're not then accepted of the Fa-
Their as sons. and not begottcn of the
Holy Spirit until Pcntccost. God
would NOT recognize any as sons un-
Ill Jesus had finished Ills sacrifice
and. as the great Advocate. "Ap
i,eared in the presence of God for us
rs our Advocate with the Father.
j,sus Christ the Righteous. John
| did not belong 10 this class, just as
| abraham. Isaac. Jacob and all the
prophets did not belong to il. In
! Gods providence their reward will
he different from that of the church
| theirs will be an earthly reward.
They will be resurrected to human
p, rfectiOn. They will have To do
| with the human phase of the king
dom. which amongst men will repre-
sent Messiah and the church. who
will be spirit beings. but invisible 10
Elen. and whose dealings with man
kind will be through those noble
characters. the Ancient Worthless
We are not to infer that those
glorious characters mentioned i'm the
Scriptures who lived before Christ :
time were ignoble or less faithful
than the Gospel church. hut merely
that God promised them the earthly
perfection. while lie has promised
the Bride of Christ the heavenly per-
lection. They will not. like the re-
nniindcr of mankind. come forth Ia
imperfcction. 10 attain perfection
gradually during the thousand years
oi Messiah reign: the record is hat
they Will come forth a perfect HUI
ham beings. That will b, the rr-