The Coolidge examiner., 1937-12-23

1:21.
PRIMARY TOPIC-Our Best Friend
JUNIOR TOPIC-Answering Jesus
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOP
1C-Choosing a Life Purpose.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOP
IC-What Christian Surrender Means.
Conservation Is one of the words
expressing Christian truth which
has been so much used and so often
miSused that it has lost its SAVIOR.
The writer remembers many
"conSecration service" which meant
nothing to those present except the
fulfilling of a certain formula or
program. The purpose of the meet
ing was excellent, but results were
lacking because it had become
mere formality.
Paul the apostle knew nothing OF
any theory of conservation. He knew
and lived and proclaimed such an
abandonment of self to Christ and
his cause as really required no
statement in words-it was his life.
We close today three-month Sc
ries of studies in the Christian life.
We began at the right point by con-
sidering Christian Sonship," for no
one can live until he is born and
no one can live a Christian life un-
til he is born again. We have con-
sidered together Gods grace in
keeping, renewing, guiding, blessing
and communing with his own. All
these precious truths call us to de-
vote ourselves to Christ in glad and
full conservation.
Men give themselves thus to the
building of fortune. to the prop
agation of a political or social the
ory, to the pursuit of an occupation
or profession. The lights burn late
in the research laboratory Of the
scientist, in the counting room of the
business man. and at the political
or social gathering. Why should not
the Christian give himself In like
measure for Christ and his holy
cause?
Paul, in the verses Of our lesson,
shows that spirit and boldly de-
clares that he follows Christ re-
gardless Of trying circumstance-he
does so now. lin the body" not
later in glory. And it matters not
whether it be by life or death
Christ shall be magnifed.
1. What Them" ". 18.
Paul was imprisoned for the gos-
pers sake. Did that stop him? no;
he made the very guards who were
assigned to watch him in his house
into missionaries of the cross. He
won each one as he took his desig-
mated period of service and sent
him out as a testimony to the
whole praetorian guard and to all
the rest ". 13 R. W. What con-
sistent and glowing Christian life he
must have lived day by day.
Then, some of his Christian asso-
ciates taking advantage Of the fact
that he was imprisoned, went out
to preach just to show that they
were as good as he. They made
their very preaching an expression
of their envy of his popularity and
hoped to heap more sorrow upon
him. Did he get angry and bitterly
fight back? No; he thanked God
that Christ was preached. We need
more of that spirit in our day.
III. I'm My Body"
One of the glaring fallacieS Of hui
man thinking is the idea that at
some favorable time in the future
we shall be able to enjoy life, do
mighty deeds or serve the Lord.
For example parents fail to enjoy
their children because they are al
ways looking forward to the next
stage of their development. The
time to enjoy and help our children
is now. The time to serve the Lord
Jesus is now. The day will come
when we shall be glorified with
him, but it will then be too late to
speak to our neighbors about Christ.
1t is in the body that we are to
serve him and to glorify his name.
iii. ITO Live Is Christ and to Die
Is Gain" ". 2D.
Humanity speaking when matter
is one of life or death" it is a
question whether death may not in
tervene. The hope is that this may
not be the case and every effort is
made to prevent it. How different
with Paul. He rightly points out
that to a Christian death means
entering into perfect fellowship with
Christ and unlimited service for
him. Every human limitation will
then be put aside-knowledge, serv-
ice, communion. will all be perfect
and complete.
He would not, however, turn away
from his present privilege and duty.
Since it is Gods will that he should
abide in the flesh he will do it in
such a way as to make it literally
true that to him Ito live is Christ. "
Every life has purpose and that
ruling passion which controls and
directs a life is what should be
written into the sentence, ITO me
TO live is :" What is it-money,
position, pleasure, sin? Or is it
CHRISTI If be is your life, then