Montgomery County sentinel., 1942-03-26
THE TRANSFORMED CHRIST
MEETS HUMAN NEED

MEETS HUMAN NEED
LESSON TEXT-Luke 9:28-43a.
GOLDEN TEXT-And they were all
amazed at the mighty power of Cod
Luke 9:43
Glory and grace go together.
Spirituality finds meaning in serv-
ice. Holiness is faith in action.
Every fine emotion should be trans
lated into conduct
This is the message of our lesson
as it presents the transfigured Christ
and the disciples, moved beyond in
telligent words by His transcendent
glory. going forth into the valley to
meet the need of demon-ridden hui
manity.
|. Amazing Glory (vv. 28-36).
To three Of the disciples came the
privilege Of seeing in the mount the
outshining of the deity of Christ
through the humanity of His flesh
in such amazing glory that Peter
could think Of nothing more wonder
ful than to prolong the experience
by tarrying in the mount.
One could wish that it were pos
sible in presenting this lesson to get
over into the thinking of those who
read or hear, proper conception
of the glory of our Christ, but words
seem to be such weak and in
sufficient instruments. One would
cry outlook at Him-the Son Of
God with the transfigured face-and
the light of heavenly glory shining
forth in dazzling whiteness" Git
orally, like lightning).
If men would only look upon Him,
they would see how untrue are those
who take from Him His deity. who
speak Of Him as only good man
or a. great teacher. He, our Saviour,
who took upon Himself the limita-
tion Of our flesh. was and is eternally
God.
Significant it is to note that with
Him on the mount were Moses and
Elijah The former had died fDeut.
34:5. 81 and the latter had been
translated without death QI Kings
2:lD, but both were alive, recog-
nizable, intelligent, interested in the
redemptive work which Christ was
to work out on the cross w. S1).
This definitely denies such false
theories as soul-sleep or annihilation
at death.
But the vision Of glory becomes
a means Of blessing as we see
ii. Amazing Grace (vv. H-43a).
Like Peter, there are many folk
who think that the thing to do Is to
remain on the mountaintop. just en-
joying the vision Of glory and the
delightful fellowship Of Christ and
the redeemed. They do not learn
such things from Christ or from the
Word Of God. The next day ". SD
He and the disciples met the CRY
of an anguished father whose boy
was possessed Of aedennon and who
had found no help ". 40}. Look
then upon the one whose unspeakable
glory has just been revealed In the
mount, who has just had the ap-
proval of God the Father ". 35),
who now in amazing grace meets
the need Of this humble child There
is the grace Of God, manifest in the
One whom we as Christians profess
to follow. Let us like Him bring the
glory of God and Tin His name) the
power of God to bear upon the need
of men.
1t seems to the writer of these
notes that God is waiting to do
new thing in the midst Of human
suffering and sorrow = working
through His disciples. We need first
of all to know Him ourselves, as our
own Saviour and Lord. Then we
need a vision of His glory, flooding
our souls and Transforming our lives
(Rom. 1871. p. Then, we must put
that glory and that power to work
through our lives. The one who fol-
lows Christ cannot be satisfied to
rejoice in his own salvation and not
reach out to win others. He cannot
rest in the peace of soul which
Christ gives and not put forth his
hand to those who struggle in 'life's
wild restless sea-" He must Gas
Matt SIG puts it, let his light so
shine in the darkness that men may
find their way to the Fathers house
and thus glorify the name of God.
God does His work in the world
through redeemed men and women.
He is always seeking those who,
having seen the glory Of Christ and
with His grace upon them, are
ready to be used of the Holy Spirit
for His glory. What the church
needs today is not more machinery
or better, not new organizations or
more novel methods, but men whom
the Holy Ghost can use-men Of
prayer, men mighty in prayer. The
Holy Ghost does not flow through
methods but through men. He does
not come on machinery, but on
men. He does not anoint plans, but
men" (E. M. Bounds.
"
Need Compassion