The Penn's Grove record., 1916-06-30
DOING GODS WORK
Advancement Of the Masters
Kingdom Consists of Helping
With What One Has.

If one makes a study of the miracles
that Jesus performed while in the
world, he will find that there r two
distinct sides to them-the human
and the divine. He will also find that
almost without exception, the divine
work was dependent upon the human,
and that one could not do a success
full work without the active co-opera-
ton of the other. When Jesus per-
formed the miracle of turning water
into wine, he commanded his followers
to fill the jugs with water and he con-
verted it into wine; Lazarus was raised
to life only after human hands had
rolled the stone away from the sep
ulcher and the multitudes were fed
because the disciples were ready to
work hand in hand with their Lord.
This does not mean that Jesus was
not able to do mighty and wonderful
works and perform miracles by his
own power; rather it proves to us that
he chose to have human agency in
active service with the divine in saw
ing a lost world. Jesus had the power
to change the water into wine, to roll
away the stone from the sepulcher,
and to feed the multitudes without any
help, but he chose the disciples that
they might have a part in that great
work.
The text was given on a miracle oc-
casion and it contained that same CO.
operation of the human with the divine
as the other miracles we have men
toned. Jesus and his disciples were
in a desert place and a great multi
tude of people had followed them out
of thu cities and villages. There was
nothing for such a mass of humanity
to eat and they were fainting and fall
ing by the wayside. The disciples
came to Jesus and asked him to send
the multitude away that they may get
something to eat. But Jesus COM
manded them they need not depart,
give We them to eat" They pleaded
that their supply was not sufficient
for the demand and Jesus said to
them, bring what ye have to me-"
And the master took what the dis
SAPACo Add, IN LAIOO5n InSlAy leu Iu6
great multitude that was in need.
No n can read this passage of
Scripture without being impressed
with the need of bread to sustain
physical life.
Realized the Great Need.
The disciples saw the need Of the
multitude and it caused them to want
to do something to meet the need.
This is always true. When we see
n in trouble, if we are normal, we
want to do something to help relieve
that trouble. But when the disciples
began to see the great need and to
realize the smallness of their supply,
they were overwhelmed. Jesus had
asked them to feed the multitude but
what could they do with five loayes
and two fishes when several thousand
people were to be fed. They realized
that their supply was not sufficient for
the demand. And that is the condition
that we must come to before we can
be OF much service to our Lord. We
have depended upon ourselves too
much already. With all our great or
ganization and equipment and with
a wonderfully fitted and talented peo-
pie, we have come to think that we
can do the work ourselves, and have
often gone forth independent of the
Lord. But our failures are an open
book and we have been surprised and
disappointed. We must come to real
ize that we can do all things through
Christ" and that without him we are
failures in his work.
Bring What You Have"
When we come to see the need be-
fore US and then to realize our inabil-
1ty to meet the need by ourselves, it
Is not a time for encouragement, for
it's just here that the master will come
upon the scene. He will take what we
have and by his power increase the
supply until the need is met. Jesus
said to the disciples bring what you
have" Oh, that's what the Lord
wants US to do. He wants us to bring
what We have and are to him that be
may use US for the advancement of his
kingdom. 1t doesn't make much diff
ference about how many talents we
have or the gifts that we may possess.
The Lord simply wants what we have.
A great many people are continually
pleading for more talents or gifts and
saying that if they were endowed like
this fellow or that they would do WOE
derful things. l am convinced more
and more that it is not a need of more
talents and gifts but a more thor.
ough conservation of what we already
have in order to do the masters work
as ne would have it done. We have
enough talents and gifts in the church
to take this great section Of the coun-
tru for Ins11n Ch.is A