Evening star., 1932-01-09

Christianity grew out of movement
that preceded it and prepared the way
for the Lord Jesus to enter upon His
ministry Prophets, priests and poten-
tates had made their contributions and
predjcted His coming. When the full
ness of time had arrived there was one
movement that stirred Judea-all pre-
ceding prophecies and preliminary
preparations focused upon the ministry
of John the Baptist. He gathered the
crowds to which Jesus first preached.
The forerunner had created the at
mosphere of expectation, the tense
psychological situation which made the
preaching of Jesus so effective at the
outset"
John revealed his greatness by put
ting Jesus first. In fact, he took his
first opportunity, following the revela-
tion of the personality of the unknown
Galilean carpenter, whom he had bap-
tizsd. John had heard the voice OF
the Father acknowledging Jesus ana
he had seen the dove descend upon the
One he had Just baptized as He was
coming up out of the water. He knew
then that the Messiah had appeared
and that He had persuaded John 10
baptize Him. Over 40 days had passed
since the Lord had been revealed unto
the preacher during which Christ was
tempted in the wilderness. When John
saw Jesus appear he pointed HIM OUT
to the multitude None needed MS
message. but the next day when Christ
appeared again John suggested to two
of his followers to become identifled
with Jesus by telling them to Behold
the Lamb of God, that taketh away the
sin Of the world" Under the leader
ship of the Holy Spirit, the forerunner
had seen in the Christ not only the
fulfliment of Israels hopes, but the
Saviour of the world.
Changing Leaders.
Following the suggestion of John the
Baptist, the two disciples with whom
he was speaking when the Lord Jesus
appeared left their leader and started
to investigate the claims of Jesus. The
Master detected their coming and chal-
lenged them to investigate His prin-
ciples by urging them to Come and
see." John never forgot that day, and
the gracious welcome Christ extended
to Andrew and himself. In the con-
yersation that they held with the
Master He outlined to them His pur-
pose and program. When the two left
the Lords quarters they had given
their hearts to Him and pledged al
legiance to His cause. They had united
their lives with the Lord Jesus with
cords of faith and fellowship" that were
never broken. The challenge that was
given to the two followers OF John is
the one that Christ presents to every
soul who will seek to learn by personal
investigation the truths of His gospel.
Both disciples left Jesus determined
to bring others to Him. They proved
their loyalty to Christ and love for
their breathren by bringing them to
the Christ. Andrew was the first one
to win a soul for the Master. Filled
with the Joy of his faith and friendship,
he persuaded his hot-headed, 1mpetu-
Gus and unstable brother TO accompany
him to Jesus, by his confession 1--WE
have found the Messiah" Andrew ap-
pears to have had a desire to present
every possible soul to Jesus. We know
but little of him, although If he never
did anything else than winning his
brother for the Lord Jesus. it would
have entitled him to recognition. Jesus
saw in 1.-The wild, impulsiveneSS" OF
Simon the possibility of great power
and firmness of character, so He as
sured the new disciple that under His
instructions and inspiration the Mas
ter would transform him until he be-
came a rocklike character.
Following the winning Of Peter, We
find Jesus, and in all probability the
recently enrolled followers, taking a
journey to a fishing community in
Galilee to find Philip, who was resi-
dent Of Bethsaida, which was also the
home of Andrew and Peter. 1t may
rrtno 4hau fold Tpc1c
cerning their neighbor and friend that
prompted the Master to make the
Journey and personally invite Philip to
Join their fellowship. There was an
appeal in the terse and tender words
of the Lord Jesus that quickly won
Philip to His cause. Philip had not
been follower of Christ for long
time before he started out to win his
friend Nathaniel for the Master.
Nathaniel Won.
Philip won Nathaniel by telling his
friend about the discovery that he had
made. He refers to the Master, whom
he had found, as the One 'of whom
Moses in the law and the prophets" did
write, Jesus of Nazareth" Philip was
surprised by the attitude of doubt
taken by Nathaniel who questioned
GIle pOSo4Dl1lIy VI any IAlAlS SOOd SOi1lAlB
out Of Nazareth. Nathaniel was ma
tive of Cana, nearby community, who
questioned the possibility of any good
thing coming out of that village. Philip
did not try to argue with him, but he
made an appeal that overcame the
prejudices of his friend by urging him
to make a personal investigation. He
would go and was evidently in his own
mind preparing to prove to his friends
who had joined the Masters ranks the
impossibility of a Messiah coming out
of Nazareth, for he knew that it was
not the predicted birthplace of the Mes
siah He accepted the invitation and
went along to meet Jesus, expecting to
engage Him in an argument and prove
that He was not the Messiah that they
were expecting as followers Of John the
Baptist.
John, evidently, considered that con-
verSation worth remembering and re-
porting, for he gives us verbatim rec
ord of that interview. Jesus opened
the interview with Nathaniel whom
He commended as an Israelite in
whom was no guile. Surprised by
Christ's reference to him, Nathaniel,
he asked the Master whence knowest
thou me?" Jesus answered and said
unto him, Before Philip called thee,
when thou vast under the fig tree I
saw thee" The evidence of the Mas
ter's understanding of his personal
character and knowledge Of his expert
ence under the fig tree, where he prob
ably had gone to pray, convinced Ma
thaOael for he ron feSeed his faith that