Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1942-12-31


and truth. John liza.
A New Year! 1t brings thrill
to our hearts, for even in this year
of our Lord 1913 we may look for
ward with expectancy to Gods
blessing upon us and be hopeful that
better things are ahead. Yet we do
so with sense Of sadness as we
realize that our world is so far
from God, and with a deep feeling
of responsibility for our life and tes-
timony in the coming months.
There could be no better way to
begin any year-and certainly not
this year-than by the study of
Gods Word. This should be done
in the home and in the church, but
may we suggest that this is an espe-
cially good time to enter into the
fellowship Of your local Sunday
school.
We're we to select Scripture por-
ton with which to start the year we
could not find a finer one than the
Gospel according to John.
The purpose of the Gospel is stat
ed in 20:3l as being that We might
believe that Jesus is the Christ, the
Son of God; and that believing ye
might have life through His name"
This first lesson of the series re-
veals the glory Of Christ.
1. In the Beginning-the Living
Word wv. 49,
God reveals Himself to man. As
the word is the express image Of
the thought, so in an infinitely great
er sense Christ, the Living Word, is
the express image of God (see Heb.
1:1-3).
In 1.-THE beginning" spoken Of in
Genesis IL, Jesus Christ already
was" ". ID; and He not only was
with God" but He Himself twas
God" He, the Living Word, the COM
plete and final revelation of God as
both Creator and Redeemer, was
the infinite and eternal God. He
came to bring to man the reassur-
ing message of Gods redeeming
love.
The profound depth Of these
verses is beyond the deepest think
er, but their glorious message of
redemption is simple enough for the
understanding of the youngest child.
We may receive truth which we cam
not fully understand and be blessed
by it.
II. In the World--the True Light
wv. Alb.
He is both the life and the light
of men. In fact, His life was the
light that shined Eyes, and still
shines) in the darkness of this
world, revealing Gods love.
But the world did not receive the
light. His own world knew Him not
". 100. How tragicl Yet even deep
er is the hurt of verse Hills own
people received Him not.
And it is so today. Nations re-
fuse His light upon world problems
and try to fight them out. Glass
hatred; capital against labor; the
-.have" against the have not: yes.
even the bitter fightings between
protested Christians, all bespeak the
fact that the shining of the true
light which ighteth every man. has
not been permitted to penetrate very
far into this dark world.
However, it has reached, by Gods
grace, into the hearts of believers.
and there it has brought forth glori-
Gus results.
III. In the BeIiever-Power and
Glory wv. l2-14).
Those who receive Christ are born
again. II is not matter of ''blood."
that is, of family or heredity. Nor
is it by the will Of the flesh" that
is, by natural instinct or Develop
ment Of an inherent divine spark
And it is not by 1.-THE will of man.
for it does not come by human will
power.
1t is ''of God," divine rebirth
which gives power in the life. and
authority to declare ones SELF I'd
be the child Of God ". 12). This IL
all so clear and SO altogether de-
sirable for both time and eternity
that one wonders why all do not az
once turn to Christ as Saviour Have
you?
The believer also sees in the Word
which was made flesh and dweIt
among US" the glory Of '.the onIv
begotten Of the Father" All that
such an expression means we shall
not know until we reach eternity.
but that does not prevent the believ-
er from beholding, by the eve Of
faith, his glorious Saviour. the One !
who is full of grace and truth
John, the man sent from Cod
". 81. was witness to the Light to
the intent that men might believe,
We, too, are to be witnesses. and
that includes every one Of Us who
knows Jesus Christ as Redeemer
and Lord.
II we win all thus fuIHn the r.
sponsibility and privilege which Is
ours, we may see in l943 q real re- I
vival Of spiritual life and power. No
need Is greater than that. and we
could render Cod ,nd - s-..--