OUR GIFT TO YOU
Christmas is just weeks away, and time for giving of gifts. Like Peter of old, we have nothing of monetary value to give, but what we have we want to give. I trust you have received, and shall continue to receive, with each new issue of 'Triumph,' our gift.
ENCOURAGEMENT
This is our gift to you. At least we hope so. We are praying to that end. This is the spiritual ministry to which the Lord has called us. Shortly after the physical affliction which left your editor completely paralyzed, we recognized our calling to this special ministry. The call consisted of God's words found in 2 Corinthians 1:3,4.
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort (or encouragement); who comforteth us in all our affliction, that we may be able to comfort them that are in any affliction, through the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God."
God's encouragement has been very real to us especially during these years of physical immobility. "Silver and gold have I none," but I do have a rich heritage of Divine encouragement and comfort. And it is our privilege, with the help of the Spirit of God, to pass on to you some of the same.
God encourages us through His Word, the Bible. He encourages us through the ever-present Holy Spirit. And He encourages us through the finished, redemptive work of Christ. It is our desire and intention that you may receive encouragement in the same manner through the pages of this little publication. It is our avowed purpose to so present the truth of God as it is in Christ Jesus that this ministry will result in your encouragement.
May I make a request? If you have received any comfort or encouragement through our paper to date, would you drop us a line and tell us about it? This is the only way we have of knowing whether our ministry is effective in your life. And your testimony would be an encouragement to us.
Remember, our Lord is faithful. He has promised never to leave us nor forsake us. Let us keep confidently looking unto Him.
-- Editor
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"Thou shalt call his name JESUS;
for he shall save his people from their sins."
-- Matthew 1:21
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Second In A Series
HIS INCARNATION
By Christ's incarnation we refer to that divine act whereby He, the second person of the Triune God, is embodied in human nature, flesh and form.
The door of entrance into this world for the Son of God was the virgin birth.
Such a great happening could not take place without some tremendous changes taking place. We now consider some of these changes involved in the incarnation.
There was a change in His dwelling place -- from heaven to earth. "I am the living bread," says He, "which came down out of heaven" (John 6:51).
There was a change in His possessions -- from riches to poverty. "Though he was rich, yet . . . he became poor" (II Corinthians 8:9).
There was a change in His glory -- from glory to obscurity. Jesus prayed to the Father, "Glorify thou me . . . with the glory which I had with thee before." And of Him it was said: "He was in the world . . . and the world knew him not." (John 17:5 & 1:10). (This of course does not mean He gave up His moral and spiritual glory.)
There was a change in His position -- from equality with God to servanthood. "(He) counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant" (Philippians 2:6,7).
There was a change in His form -- from the "form of God" to the "likeness of men." "Who," the Scriptures remind us, "existing in the form of God . . . (was) made in the likeness of men" (Philippians 2:6, 7).
There are certain things we should note about these changes.
First, all of them are temporary except the last one. His change of form is permanent. Having ascended back into heaven, He has received back all His riches, is again clothed with the glory of God, is once more on the throne of the universe; BUT He retains His human form.
Having assumed our human nature and form, He takes it back into heaven, so that as man He sits upon the Throne of God. As Stephen the martyr was about to die he gave this last testimony to Jesus' present form: "Behold I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God" (Acts 7:56).
Secondly, although Christ experienced all these changes, there was no change in His divine personality. He does not cease to be God when He becomes man. Neither does He cease to be man when He reassumes the glory of God. He carries the same divine personality through all the changes involved in the incarnation. Through all the changes of position, form, and state, He remains the same blessed Person. "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, yea, and forever." (Hebrews 13:8).
One final thing we should note with relationship to these changes which Jesus Christ experienced through His incarnation. In each one, it was with YOU in mind. He came from heaven as the living Bread that "if any man eat of (or appropriate) this bread, he shall live forever." He left behind His riches "for your sakes . . . that ye through his poverty might become rich." He laid aside His glory so that "as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God." He forfeited His position of equality with God "to give his life a ransom for many." He gave up the form of God, "becoming obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross."
It was for you He became incarnate; for you He submitted to these changes -- that you might be saved. He gave His life a ransom for you on the cross of Calvary. When you believe in Him, and receive Him as your Saviour, God makes you His child, making you thereby heir of all His wealth, giving unto you eternal life.
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THE FAME OF JESUS
By Earnest W. Bacon
We are told in Luke 4:37: "And the fame of him went out into every place of the country round about." Jesus did not come to seek fame, but to save sinners. He was the Son of God, but He dwelt in lowliness amongst men. He could have had fame. After the feeding of the five thousand they wished to make Him king, but He would have none of it. He deliberately rejected earthly fame. And yet He had fame. His renown went forth into every place. We should be concerned with the fame of Jesus, and seek to spread it abroad.
1. The Fame of Jesus. He was talked about, thought about, and sought out. He impressed men, friends and foes alike.
The Majesty of His Person impressed them. There was something about Him different from all others. They said, "What manner of man is this . . . ?" He carried with Him the sense that He lived with God and knew God in a special way. There was piety, a deep spiritual life in Him, and left its mark on them that saw Him. All felt that God was with Him. He was never mean or selfish or narrow. There was no sin in Him. All was light and peace and love. His grace and dignity and majesty impressed all beholders.
The wonder of His works impressed men. He did such wonderful things. He healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, restored the lame, and even raised the dead. He forgave people their sins, instructed them in Divine truth, brought blessing wherever He went. His works were not magical displays done for show, but beneficent works and parables of action teaching profound lessons. In them He showed His love for men. Through them He revealed His power. "He went about doing good . . . for God was with Him." They were acts of compassion. He cured all who came to Him for healing, instantly, perfectly, permanently, and without charge. He cured in the physical realm and in the spiritual realm. His works were done for the glory of God, and that men might believe in Him. His touch has still its ancient power!
The offices He sustains show forth His fame. He was far-famed as a Prophet. "We know," said Nicodemus, "that thou art a Teacher come from God." Yes, and more than that. As Prophet He spoke truths of God to enlighten men; foretold His death and resurrection, and the future course of the church and of the world, and His second coming. "In him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."
He was a Priest, being Himself both sacrifice and priest at Calvary. A priest also in the sense of being a Mediator on our behalf with God, and bringing us to God.
He was a King, born Israel's rightful Ruler, dying as King of the Jews, and reigning still in the hearts and lives of His believing people. A Sovereign to control us, and in Whose mighty hands are the destinies of men and nations.
He is Saviour. He came to make a full atonement for our sins, and did so on the Cross. He paid the ransom price of His own precious blood to set us free from sin and Satan's bondage. "In whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." He gives everlasting life.
He is the Head of the Church which is His body. He lovingly and wisely rules the assemblies of the saints, uniting them in one spirit, and animating all for His glory. The new Divine Society in which grace and truth are dominant is governed by Him.
And He is the Friend who calls us His friends. In Him we have strength and comfort, joy and peace, and all we can possibly need for guidance and victory in life. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.
Great was the fame of Jesus. Great is His fame now, to those who live in Him. How we ought to honor the Lord Jesus for all He has done for us, and for all that He is and ever will be!
2. How Was His Fame Spread? It was spread, first, by His friends. Those who knew Him best, who had been influenced by Him, spoke of Him to others. They could not keep silent concerning Him. His disciples, taught by Him in closest fellowship, commended Him. Sometimes Jesus sent them out to preach in places where He would follow. They talked about His Person, His Work, His Truth, and so His fame was spread.
His fame was also spread by His enemies. Such is the power of Divine grace that He makes even the wrath of man to praise Him. The more His opponents criticized Him and attacked Him and belittled Him, the more people got to hear about Him to find out about Him for themselves. They might dislike what He told them so searchingly, but it only brought Him to the forefront of people's minds. Even though they were hostile to Him they had to admit that they had never seen anyone like Him before.
We sometimes get cast down when we hear of the Lord Jesus being criticized or rejected. Humanists and unbelievers get much publicity for their agnostic and worldly views. But let us take courage. It cannot hurt the Saviour. His truth shall stand for all eternity. "The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner. Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder."
And His fame was spread by those He healed and helped. We have many instances of this. There was the poor Gadarene maniac, demented, violent, anti-social, degraded, a public danger. Jesus met him and cast out the unclean spirit. For awhile the man sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word: then Jesus sent him to tell others what great things the Lord had done for him. There was a blind beggar at Jericho. He was drawn to seek Jesus because he had heard of His power: and when Jesus restored his sight he went about glorifying God and singing Christ's praises and spreading His fame.
Many came to Jesus because of what they had heard of Him from others -- Jairus, the woman with the issue of blood, the nobleman whose child was ill, Zacchaeus, and many more. They saw the changed lives of those whom Christ had saved, and they sought Him and were themselves transformed. So His fame was increased. Let us spread His fame. The best witness to Christ is the changed life of the man who trusts in Him. If He has transformed us, can we keep quiet about it? Surely not. "He cannot be hid" in the lives of those who owe so much to Him.
3. The Results of Spreading His Fame. The first result was that many sought Him. They praised Him to their friends and neighbors, and great numbers sought Him. The woman of Samaria, listening to Him at the well, goes back to her city and tells the people that she has found the Messiah, and they leave home and work, and stream out to seek Him for themselves. And this will be the result if we commend the Saviour to our fellows.
As His fame increased some believed. They heard His word, they were impressed by His Person, and a work of grace was begun in their hearts. Faith in Him as Saviour and Lord was Divinely planted in their hearts. It was the same after Pentecost. As the Word was preached, He worked in souls. We cannot convert men, but if we commend Christ, and urge His truth and His salvation upon others, some will believe and be added to the Lord.
And as His fame spread, His way was prepared. It was prepared by the Twelve and the Seventy who went to preach where He intended to go. The spiritual appetites of people were made ready for Him to satisfy. An atmosphere of expectancy was created. And by the time He went to Calvary the whole nation knew of Him, and His atoning work was prepared for, and there was no excuse whatever for anyone not to recognize in Him their Ransom and Redeemer.
We ourselves, who have received so much from Him, pardon and peace with God and the gift of eternal life, can help to prepare His way. We can help to spread the fame of Jesus. If we are related to Him by faith we shall delight to do this. His Holy Spirit will stir us up to live for Him, and to magnify Him in all our ways. Said Paul, "To me to live, is Christ." Let this be our motive and our aim also!
Jesus, confirm my heart's desire
To work and speak and think for Thee;
Still let me guard the holy fire,
And still stir up Thy gift in me.
(In "Things Concerning Himself")
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(In "Three Thousand Illustrations." copyright 1941,
by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, MI)
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-- Author Unknown
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