Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1914-03-04

Luke xii, 37-commentary Prepared
BY Rev. D. M. stssrns-
The secret Of deliveranee from the
snares Of this present evil age Is the
attitude Of expecting the return Of the
Lord Jesus. according to the teaching
OF the episfles. waiting for the com
ing Of our Lord Jesus Christi -serv-
ing the Living and True God and witt
ing for His Son from heaven" look
ing for that blessed hope, the giori-
Gus appearing OF the great God. even
our Saviour Jesus Christ q Cor I. 9:
Thess. I. 8. 10: Tit III 49,
In the gospels. as in the Old Tesla
ment. the coming Of Christ is general
IL. If not always, Ills coming fn glory
to set up His Kingdom; His coming "a
vengeance upon His enemies and with
redemption for Israel. as In Dent
xxi, 3943: lisa xxzly. ]; xxxv, 4;
xiii. /: Matt xiv, 20: XIV. 81. His
coming for HIS church, previous to
His coming In glory 70 judge the ma
tons was specially revealed TO Paul
as we saw in our last lesson.
The reference 20 the return from the
wedding in verse 30 makes Us think Of
the order Of events in Rev XIX. where
the coming ia glory with His saints
follows the marriage Of the Lamb.
also I'm Matt ky. /. in both the Syriac
and Vulgate versions. the reading IS
that the ten virgins went forth to meet
''the bridegroom and the BRIDE" 50
that the virgins cannot represent the
church nor can the "ail nations" Of
Matt. XIV 81. include the church. The
church must be seen with Him as the
Bridegroom and with Him when He
shall come In His glory Matt XIV, 1.
81; Col iii, Al. The coming Of Christ as
the Son Of Man Is His coming with
His saints to begin His reign OF right
eousness and peace on earth Matt
xvi, GA; Dan vii. 10. IA; lisa. xxxii.
LID.
Having considered the interpreta-
ton. We must not lose the application
to our own hearts as set forth I'm such
words In our lesson as loins girtied.
lights burning. watching. ready. doing
(35. 81. 40. ~ 43l. The Ioins girded
takes Us back to EX. xii, II, aud the
night Of the first passover and on to
Eph. vi, IA; / Pet I. l3: 'Ioins grit
about with truth" grid up the loins
Of your mind, be sober and hope to
the end for the grace that Is TO be
brought unto you at the revelation of
Jesus Christ
Watching reminds US of the thrice
repeated watch" of Mark xiii. 90. 35.
81; the reproof in Gethsemane: Could
est not thou watch one hour? Watch
ye and pray lest ye enter into tempta-
ton" Mark xiv. 81. 3sl; the praying
and watching Of Eph. vi, IS; Col. iv.
2; the Watch ye: stand fast In the
faith" of I Cor. xvi. ID, and the watch.
ing to see what He will say tHab.
ii, II. The word ready" reminds us
that on His part AL things are now
ready" but there is fullness of sal
walton ready to be revealed in the last
time" nuke xiv. II; Pet /. 81.
Believers should always be ready to
preach the gospel. ready to every good
work. ready to be absent from the
body or to be caught up to meet the
Lord In the air Rom. /. Is: Tit. ill. |;
Acts XXI 10: Rev. xix. I: Thess. ".
1913. AS to doing" verse 43l. while
there can be no doing on our part TO
obtain salvation (Rom. w. 5: Eph. fl.
8, o., we are saved In order to good
works which God has prepared for us
TO walk in. works which are good and
profitable unto men when they are
God working In us both to will and to
do Of His good pleasure (Eph. ii. 10;
Tit Ill. 8: Phsl Ii. 13l.
The coming of Christ will not be to
His waiting ones as a thief for we are
not in darkness. but children Of light
and Of the day Il Thess. V. 4. ~. We
are stewards Of the manifold grace Of
God and Of the mysteries of God. and
the one thing required of a steward
IS faithfulness Il C9r. iv. 1. 2: Pet
~, To-. All who handle the word of
God must be careful to give meat in
due season. not only milk for babes.
but meat as people are able to bear 1t
Il Cor III. 1-3: Heb. q, f2-I4: John
xvi, 12).
We are stewards In reference to all
with which our Lord has intrusted us.
whether talents or wealth or the Cos
pei. and we must give an account OF
our stewardship. Every one OF us
shall give account OF himself to GOD
fRom. xiv. l2i. This will be at the
judgment seat Of Christ, where only
saved ones shall be to be tried for
their service since they became believ
ers. We need for all our service such
words as these: THAT God In all
things may be glorified through Jesus
Christ" NOT MS Illeaginp man hut
God. who trieth our hearts Il Pet. Nv,
IL; Thess II. a; II Tim Ii. 15l
AS Joseph shared the throne with
Pharaoh. so we are to share the rule
with Christ In His kingdom. but
whether over few or many cities will
depend upon our faithfulness as stew
ards now tRev. Iii. Fl; v. 10: Luke
XIX. IT. 19j. Joseph was ruler over all
Egypt: Christ shall rule over all the
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