TRIUMPH -- December 1957
When we look at ourselves we usually find something to worry about. If we don't worry about getting sick, we worry about what to wear. When we look at our immediate surroundings we also find things to cause us worry. "Will our children turn out to be good citizens? Will we be able to pay our taxes?" And so it goes. When we look at our social surroundings, there again we must worry. "Will Jane be offended by what I said? How will the board meeting go?" Should we cast our gaze to the world community? There, too, our mind becomes increasingly disturbed. Russia might attack! An A-bomb might explode near us! Depression might come! Indeed, these things are enough to make one worry. What is the remedy?
The only remedy is to cast our gaze a little higher. The song writer expresses it like this,
The New Testament, in referring to Moses, says: " . . for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. A sure cure for worry is to fix our eyes on Jesus. But, how can we do this practically? Jesus says of the Holy Scriptures, " . . . and they are they which testify of me." There you will find Him in all His beauty.
Escape your worries today, by "looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith."
The Good News
"Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift" (II Corinthians 9:15).
THE IDEAL GIFT
Christmas morning, gifts of all descriptions will be exchanged. Some will be expensive; some inexpensive, but all will be given in love and received with appreciation without any thought of payment. At least, that would be the ideal. No doubt there will be gifts grudgingly given. Others will be given, expecting a return gift.
God has offered a gift to mankind. The Bible calls it an "unspeakable gift." Not that we should keep silent about it, but that it is beyond expression. It beggars all attempts at description or explanation. Words fail us when we try to evaluate this, "The Ideal Gift" of God.
This gift of God was given ideally, in that it was given in love, received with appreciation and offered without any thought of payment.
"Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." Propitiation is a big word but merely means "satisfying sacrifice." In other words, He sent His Son as a sacrifice for our sins, and was completely satisfied with that sacrifice. Surely, He has proven His love.
His gift has been received with real appreciation, at least by a few, and " . . . as many as received him (Christ), to them gave he the right to become the sons of God."
No payment in any form can be given to God for His gift. It is an insult to the grace of God for depraved man to try and merit God's free gift.
Sermon Series - V
The First Epistle of Paul to the Thessalonians - (Continued)
Chapter 1, verse 5
"For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake."
MANIFESTATION OF ELECTION
Last month we dealt with election as it is presented in verse four. You will remember that Paul the apostle had said he knew that the Thessalonian "brethren" were "elect." In our present verse (5) he reveals just how he knew that fact. Therefore, I have entitled this study, "Manifestation Of Election." We might call it, "Proof Of Election." Also, the theme might be expressed in the form of a question: "How can we know God's elect?" At any rate, Paul tells us in this verse just how we can know whom God has chosen to believe His truth and have eternal life. In fact, he says that there is only one way in which we can know.
FOR
Having made the statement, "Knowing . . . your election of God," the writer goes on to say how he knows: "For our gospel came not unto you in word only . . ," etc. In other words when the apostle observed the fine reception the gospel had by these people he knew that they were God's chosen. This is the only way that we can know God's elect. We have no right to tell a group of nonbelievers that they are elect of God. God, of course, knows His elect before they are saved, but our knowledge comes only by observing their reception of the gospel. When they embrace the gospel of Christ, then we can say that they were chosen of God to that favored position.
THE GOSPEL
Paul observed the entrance of the "gospel." As I have said before, the gospel is very briefly but clearly presented in I Corinthians 15:1-4. It consists of these three facts: Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose again the third day. The inspired writer states that these "good tidings" came to the Thessalonians not just in word but in the power of God. The spoken and written word is the means that we humans employ to communicate ideas. The gospel, therefore, must be spread by this means. The trouble comes however, when the words are relied upon instead of God. It came, not jst in word but in demonstration, to the "brethren" at Thessalonica.
POWER . . . HOLY GHOST . . . ASSURANCE
Paul, as he so often does, presents a trilogy. He says that the gospel came to these people, "in power, and in the Holy Ghost and in much assurance." These three things are inseparably linked. Where you find one, you find the others. To have the assurance of God is to have the Holy Ghost and power. To have the Holy Ghost is to have power and assurance. To have power is to have assurance and the Holy Ghost. Yet, the three things are complete in themselves. Let us look at each one separately.
POWER
"For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power . . ." declares Paul. Our word dynamite comes from the Greek word here translated "power." What happens when dynamite is detonated under a rock? At least, we can say that changes take place. The natural appearance is changed. What happens when the gospel explodes upon an individual? Again, changes take place. In fact, such an individual becomes a "new creature in Christ Jesus." The things he once hated he now loves. The things he once loved he now hates. All things become new in his life.
When does the gospel have such power on an individual? In another place, the apostle tells us when the gospel has such supernatural power: " . . . the gospel of Christ . . . is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth" (Romans 1:16). Again, the Bible declares, "For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: But the word preached did not profit them not being mixed with faith in them that heard it" (Hebrews 4:2). You might say, the detonation cap to release the power of the gospel is faith. Why did the gospel come in power to the Thessalonians? Because they believed it! If you want God's power in your life, to change your life, you must embrace the "glad tidings" of Christ.
HOLY GHOST
Not only did the gospel come in "power" but also "in the Holy Ghost." What does this mean? It merely means that God was present. Not only was He present, but He was working. In too many places today, this is not true. Don't ask me why. Maybe it is the preacher who is satisfied to preach the Word in his own strength. Maybe the people are opposed to the supernatural. Or, possible there are hindering sins. Who can know? But the fact still remains, the Holy Spirit is not working in many places which are called Christian.
Just before Christ went to be with the Father, He announced that He would not leave His followers alone but would send the Comforter to them. He told them that this One's ministry would be to make Him (Christ) known. Jesus said, "He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show them unto you." The Holy Ghost is in the world today to make Christ known. The preacher must make Him known to the mind but only the Holy Ghost can make Him known to the heart. People can sit under the gospel year after year; they can know all the facts of Christ's life and death and yet never know Him in reality. After He makes Christ known to the heart and the person receives Him as Savior, the Holy Spirit has another work to do. He converts the soul of the believer. Jesus described this as a new birth, in the Gospel of John. Again, in referring to the children of God, the Bible declares, "Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." When you place an active faith in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit works the miracle of the new birth in your soul. Paul, in his Ephesian Epistle, refers to the same thing when he says, "even when we were dead through our trespasses, (God) made us alive together with Christ" (Ephesians 2:5 ARV).
ASSURANCE
When the gospel comes "in power, and in the Holy Ghost," it also comes "in much assurance." I have talked to any number of people, people who go to church regularly, who had no assurance whatsoever of their salvation. They wanted to go to Heaven but were not sure they would. I fear, the reason for this lack of assurance on the part of the people in the pew, is largely due to the lack of assurance of the men in the pulpit. Is it presumption to say that you know you are saved? No indeed! If you have accepted Christ as your Savior and the power of the gospel has wrought changes in your life through the Holy Spirit, you can confidently say with Paul, " . . . for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day" (II Timothy 1:12).
(Continued next month)
From the Pastor's Pen
by Alvin F. Gage, Pastor of The First Baptist Church in Morrisville, Pennsylvania
INVASION
Much talk has been made of invasion. As we look upon the history of the world we see where larger nations have invaded smaller nations, leaving destruction and destitution in the way. In Scripture we also see certain invasions. Let us look at three of them now.
I. The Invasion Of Satan - In Genesis 3:1 we read, "Now the serpent . . . said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said . . . ." Satan through the serpent caused the woman to doubt. Have we ever realized how many times we have believed Satan's lies? How many times we have fallen into his trap! Satan invaded the world many years ago. He ruined nature; he ruined man; he ruined all that God had made. His work continues today. He mars and destroys. He kills and injures. What life has he not invaded? He caused the first man and woman to fall and has been causing men and women to fall ever since. But, we praise God that Satan can be overcome. Paul says that we become "more than conquerors through him that loved us" (Romans 8:37). Armed with the Word of God and prayer, let us not allow Satan to invade our lives. We must realize that Satan is stronger than we, but with God on our side we become much stronger than he.
II. The Invasion Of The Savior - The next invasion we have is the invasion of the Savior. (see Matthew 1:18-25 & Luke 2:1-20). It was because of the first invasion that Christ made His invasion. What a glorious invasion it was. The heavenly hosts sang His praises to the shepherds. Godly kings came and offered Him gifts. He came as a man-child. He left all the glories of heaven to die for man that man might live. Do we realize the sacrifice Jesus made for us? How much He gave up that we might live! Following His death and burial Christ arose from the grave. Then He left the earth to return to the Father's Throne. Some day He will invade the earth again. The next invasion will be more glorious than the first. Every eye did not see Him the first time, but, God's Word says that every eye shall see Him when He comes again (Revelation 1:7). Are you ready for His second invasion? Have you taken Him as your Savior? Have you allowed Him to invade your life?
III. The Invasion Of The Spirit - Prior to the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was upon certain men whom God had singled out. But, on the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was poured out on those who believed (Acts 2). With reference to this, Peter says in Acts 2:16, "But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel." He is on the earth today and limits Satan in his invasion on God's children and in the world. Some day the Holy Ghost shall be taken out of this world and Satan shall have full sway for a season. But, thank the Lord, the saints will also be gone from the earth at that time. Unregenerate man shall be left to himself. However, today the Holy Spirit is here waiting to enter your life if you will accept Christ as your Savior. If you yield to the Holy Spirit's invasion, Satan's invasion in your life will be halted. Come to Christ now; He will make your life worth living.
Life on the Mission Field
This is the second of a series of three articles about the field of Alaska, by Fred and Sue Crozier.
THE ALEUT
"Chami"!! (meaning Hello in the Aleut language).
This month we would like to introduce you to one of our Aleut families. Mr. and Mrs. Laktonen, parents of ten boys and two girls, have just celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. Mrs. Laktonen is proud of her up-bringing and delights in telling of her many experiences in a small village in the valley of the "ten thousand smokes." Her father, a widower, made salt from ocean water and salted the fish and wild meat for winter use. Clothing made from game was warm. The fat, used to cook and burn in lamps came from whales and seals. Her people lived in grass huts called barabaras using stone lamps for light and making their living off the land. The coming of the white man has changed their way of living somewhat. Disease was brought to the villages by the white man and as a result of T.B. and other sicknesses only six of Mrs. Laktonen's twelve children remain alive.
Mr. Laktonen, reared in Afognak, Alaska, studied to act as a "lay priest" in the Russian Orthodox Church. Following their marriage the Laktonens moved to Karluk village (where we minister) and built a two-room shack. In a short time the rooms were filled with small children, chattering in the Aleut language. When sickness would come a candle was lighted in the church for the child's recovery and tea, made from the roots of herbs, was taken for medicine.
The Aleut is generally short of stature. His skin is dark and his features resemble those of the oriental. He usually is very witty. But, as in so many other places, he has a more or less low standard of morality. His name has been derived from the chain of islands known as The Aleutians.
The summer days in Karluk are bright and busy as most of the women prepare fish for the winter: smoking, salting, and sun-drying them. Salmon berries, black berries and cranberries are picked on the mountains. The children help with the berry picking while the men, in their boats, catch fish to be sold to the canneries. With this income they stock up their winter supply of groceries and other needs.
Fall and winter arrive quickly and each day is busy with hunting, preparing food or cutting a huge pile of wood for the long winter ahead. Mr. Laktonen's wood pile is always the biggest in the village, because he is one of the few men who never drinks.
All work stops, however, for the annual church holidays and "saint's days." For these special days many barrels of home brew are made, consisting primarily of split peas, yeast and sugar. The resulting drunken brawls may last many days and weeks, as men and women and even young people wander around in a stupor. Adults as well as children go from house to house trying to find something to eat or a place to stay.
Barbara (15), typical of so many young Aleut girls, wept bitterly over the death of her father. He burned, along with his home as a result of one of these drunken orgies. His body was watched three nights so that his spirit would not enter another person.
As you can see, these people are bound by immorality, superstition and fears. Many have gone on into a lost eternity. In Mark 16:15 the Lord tells us, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." In Isaiah 6, again the Lord says, "Whom shall I send and who will go for us?" We have answered the call of the Lord to go to the Aleuts. But, many more laborers are needed. Won't you pray? Won't you go?
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Midnight Songs
Far from the scenes of mirth,
The shepherds heard a midnight song
