The Coolidge examiner., 1937-02-25

| GOLDEN TEXT-A New Command
nent I give unto you, that ye love one
another; even as have loved you, that
| ye also love one another. John 1884.
PRIMARY TOPIC-A New Com
nandment.
JUNIOR TOPIC-A Great Mans
Way.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOP
| &c - What the New Commandment
Means.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOP
| tC-The Measure of Christian Love.
In the last week of our Lords
ministry on earth many important
events took place, but we pass most
of them in our present series of
studies. The incident related in our
lesson of today is of interest in and
of itself, but it is of peculiar sig
nificance because it introduces a
marvelously instructive discourse of
our Lord.
Whatever had prompted their in
| quiry, we are delighted to note that
the Greeks came with an earnest
desire to see Jesus.
I. Seeking Jesus Q2:20-22).
A man has progressed far on the
road to blessing when he makes
known his desire to see Jesus. Com
ing to him means coming to the
! One who has the words of eternal
life.
Note that the disciples were wise
enough to bring the men to Jesus.
| The true function of every Christian
worker is to bring men to him. On
the back of the pulpit in one of
Americas greatest churches, direct
ly where the preacher can see them
as he arises to preach, are the
words of our lesson, Sir, we would
see Jesus" Little wonder that
strong and true gospel is preached
in that church.
ii. Finding the Cross wv. 1888.
The reply of our Lord to the
Greeks and to the disciples who
brought them to him, seems a bit
singular at first glance. Did he
not wish to receive them? They had
probably come to see the great re-
ligious leader, the King of the Jews
why does he talk about death
why is his soul troubled?
The words of our Lord are clear.
Men do not need an example, a
leader, a teacher, they need a Saw
iour. 1t is as a sacrifice for sin
that Christ will draw all men unto
himself ". 32).
We need to relearn that lesson.
Leaders of the church are earnestly
seeking the explanation of the rapid
decline in the influence of the Chris
tian church. 1t is a good sign that
some are beginning to realize that
the difficulty is in the realm of the
spiritual. The barrennesS of So
called modern theology has become
apparent to its leaders and they
have begun to talk about a spirit
ual revival" But unfortunately we
soon find that they use the express
sion to stand for something entire
ly different from a real scriptural
revival. The voice is Jacobs voice
but the hands are the hands Of
Esau" Gen. 27:22).
Let us make no mistake about it,
a real revival will center in the
cross and will manifest itself in
the denial of self for the glory of
God, both of which truths are en-
phasized in this passage.
One cannot forego mention of the
fact that the las part of verse
| 26, IF any man serve me, him will
my Father honor" was the motto
of the late DR.. James M. Gray,
whose life gloriously exemplified the
truth of the passage. God is willing
and ready to do as much for you
and for me. Shall we not serve him
with all our hearts?
III. Loving One Another John 13:
"a, 35.
When these words were uttered
our Lord was two days further in
the last week before he was cruel
fed. He was alone with his disciples
in the upper room. What message
| does he have for them in that sol
emn hour? That they should love
one another. That is a message
that needs renewed emphasis in our
day. The strife which fills the world
has almost engulfed the church, and
there is bitterness and strife where
love should reign.
Let us observe carefully that i.
is as his disciples that we are
| able to love one another. There are
| two erroneous extremes to be avoid
ed. First, we have the out and out
| conservative, who proclaimS his be-
lief in the Bible as Gods Word, who
is anxious that he be absolutely
correct in doctrine, a really saved
man. and who then becomes the
kind of fighting fundamentals
who dismally fails God in the teSti-
mony referred to in these verses.
On the other hand we have the lib
eral who has abandoned the scrip
tural basis of discipleship and who
then boasts of his great love for his
brethren. Love is no substitute for