SUNDAY BEADING

Te Aroha News, Volume XVI, Issue 22211, 10 March 1900, Page 2

SUNDAY BEADING

CHRIST IS ALL. —Cob Hi 11. Mark the figure under which Jesus is set forth in the word. ‘•Bread of Life,’ ‘ Living Water/ * Light of the World/ ‘ Rest for the Weary/ ‘•Life from, the Dead.” *T am the resurrection and the Life, he that believeth in Me> shall never die.’ Now bread is to man not a rners comport, he must have it or perish. He must have life or remain dead. And if such be the need of Christ,, what must it Be to be without Him ? It must be to have a soul hungry and to have no bread. Thirsty and no water, in darkness and having no light, weary and . finding no rest, dead and ever needing life. But if I have Christ, I may be happy. though poer, I can live though having nothing, IJcan dio without friendfe, like the : thief on the cross ; I can die a cruel 1 and bloody death like Stephen died. ‘•lf to me to live has been- Christ, to me to-die will he gain-.’" In this world we get only the faintest outline of what Christ is. ’Twill take all eternity to fill up the picture, so loving, patient, kind, merciful,, considerate,, greatPaul in our ehapter does not say Christ is loving,, kind, good, etc, he embraces everything when Be speaks of Christ thus:: CHRIST IS ALL.. !* Christ is everything in the- Bible. , Wherever I open this blessed book I find. Jesus. He is seen in all the slain 'beasts on Jewish altars. He is seen, in the manner which came down from heaven.. He is seen as-the Bread of ’Life, which,, if a man eat,, he shall live ’for ever. He is the Smitten Rock, He -is the Water ©f Life,, or Fountain ! opened for sin and uncleaness. Job sees Him aw the liviug Redeemer, jlsaiahv sheep dumb before- her shearers, Ezekiel the Prince seated on Davids throne, etc; It is Jesus all the way tin ough from Genesis to- Mala chi. .And when we turn to the New Testament we find Jesus—Son of God —in parable, in myraelo,. in the Gospels, in the Acts,, in the Epistles*, and' in the judgment of the Apocalypse. Those only get into the heart of God? 8 truth who came seeking for Christ. They find Him coming out from behind the dark curtain ; of prophesy until He ’shines forth- in the glorious light of the New Testament disci*-sui-ws. It is when we desire to see Jesus that the glories of. this old Book opens ‘to our vision; then we see Him,, and with Him pardon, peace, life, comfort, and heaven.

ALL IN At.li re JESUS IN THE BIBLE. In the l'st of Colossi’ans Paul tells us four things about Chri.-t and creation. (.1) ‘ All things were created by Him (2) and for Him (3) and He ia before all things- (4) and by Him- all things consist..’ He first displ »ys Hia power, the second His glory, the third the Pelf existant One.. He dwolt in the bosom of the Father before the world was.. This. Word was- with, God, this word was God ; the fourth, He giveo life, unity,, strength, consistency to the whole creative system. Well now. He the Cr a'or, sustainer, up hoi dor,.—died for us—for us Wondrous love, surpassing grace, infinite condescension- Again in HebI, Christ is shown as the brigh m~s> of God’s glory. God was hid-from t3\e gaze of finite creatures man and angels. He dwelt in state and grandeur inaccessible to- the meet exalted of His creatures. But Christ is the putshining of . that glory. He is the prison that has broken up the light and has scattered it throughout earth and heaven. But again Christ is the express. image of His person—-the substance ©£ God’s fulness There is not a thought in the mind of God but Christ is the expression thereof, not a glory of God but Ho is the glorious manifestation of- Well, what next in this catalogue of divine glories ? He upholds all things by the word of His Sower; creation is no weight or bureu to Him ;. and it is this son, who b>v 7£i* sovereign will and power ia the su-tamer of the universe. He is theone, the only one who could sustain the burden of the cross. Oh I ’twas a conflict stupendous, and He alone could prove victor. But -Ho accomplished it all in divine perfection. Who shall say bow’ His love strove in that awful hour ? light against darkness, God against Satan, heaven against hell, billow after bill >w r wave upon wave, rolled over His sinless head- Yet He stood amidst it all, in the darkness- and in His agony alone.

03P THE PEOIXIt THEBE WEB* NOW* WITH H-rx. Calvary was a grand work,a gloriousachievement by Himself purged our siiis—ours, yours and mine-, sinner !. It is finished. He said, then He sat down at the right hand ©n the Majesty on High. Oh 1 Christ is everything in the great plan of redemption in the good old Book. And He can now save to the uttermost them that come unto* God through Him. There is nb other way—it must be Christ or hell; Christ or slaves of sin and can and must grant your delivenftiod, or you must perish for ever. Ye, who are full erf alcohol and tobacco, Jesus only can rescue yqu. He earn restore thy blasted homo, and bring health to thy wife and thy children. Blasphemer! Christ miist .thee power over that foul, dirty, disgusting habit born of hell. Are you thirsting ? Christ is the river of salvation to slake your thirsty, parched, burning spirit. He that drinketh of this water shall lire for ever. Are you hungering? I am the bread of life.

I am this bread that came cKrfrii heaven- He that eateth of tliis broad shall never hunger- Are you afraid of death? lam He that was-dead audio alive again and have the keys of death, and hell- He that hath the Son hath life- I need scarcely say that Christ is all to the Christian. If in - trouble, L ltis Ibe not afraid. Lo! lam with; thee.” If sick,. Christ is still the great physician—a balm for every woundThe cross, He carried it. Tempted,. He endured, unto blood. Shame, He Buffered the ignomny of hell. He wasmocked, defied, scorged, spat on, then, led away to that shamefur &nd cruek cross T - He- suffered the pangs of earth. He endured the torments of hell. Glory, honor, praise and power be to Hie; glorious'name. . OH ! CHRIST IS AEL IN ALL CHRISTIAN. Life here is always weathering gale, w never lying at anchor.. Our winds arevery seldom abaft. Man is born tot trouble and trouble* wrinkles thebrow,, has frosted; the hair,, and has* hurried many to the grave. But Christ hath, bottled’ an ocean of tfafa. He* carried a cross, he can Help to carryy ours;. He cliraed the mountain, He can help us up the steep and rugged paths. He was- persecuted, He? can succour, those as tried.. The heart, of Jesus still Beats in sympathy forHie own. The hand erf care maysmite, bereavement crush into the. dust; temptation push back into the darkrness of sin; but amidst, it all andl ! always. 1 CHRIST IB ALL.. His Hand is gentle, His grace is* strong, for His heartris lbve.. Truth..