2001_01

FEBRUARY 2001

TheWomen

Who LovedJesus

earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven…and as we have borne the image of the earthy,we shall also bear the image of the heavenly” (1 Cor.15:47, 49). The first man and woman shared a commonname because they shared a common nature, as do we

all. This name of hers emphasized her UNITY OF LIFE

with all the race that would come after her. Therewould be one happy exception. Called “the seedof the woman,” He would partake of ourhumanity without being tainted by our sin. AsKinsman, His genealogy would stretch backto Adam (Lk. 3:38) but as Redeemer, Hewould be virgin born. In this special concep-tion and birth would be found the fullestexpression of the truth: “She shall be saved in

childbearing” (1 Tim. 2:15).Woman’s third name was given to her by her

husband after the Fall. It is a name rich withpromise, emphasizing the CONTINUITY OF LIFE. By an

act of faith he called her Chavah, or Eve, because, saidAdam, “she was the mother of all living” (Gen. 3:20).But was she not the mother of the dying? God had just pronounced the curse, concluding with the words, “dustthou art, and unto dust thou shalt return.” Yet Adam sawin his wife a hope undiminished by the seeminglyimpossible plight of the human race.

This optimism is not unfounded. Our God is not theGod of the dead but of the living. And down history’slong corridor from then until now you will find the fragrant memories of a multitude of women whom theLord has used to bring hope in the midst of despair,revival in the face of failure, joy to sweeten sorrow, andresolute confidence in God when the men are sinkingunder the load. Salute these intrepid women of faith asthey pass before your gaze: the daughters ofZelophehad, Achsah, Hannah, Abigail, Rizpah, Huldah,Ruth, Esther, the women who loved Jesus (discussed inthis issue), and on to Anne of Austria, Mary Slessor,Amy Carmichael and thousands more. I know a littleabout such women. I’ve lived with one for 28 years.

hen Adam named the animal creation, it exposedto his own heart that he was missing something.The variety and scope of God’s astounding handi-

work only accentuated his own need for a help suitablefor him. Yet in order to provide that “help meet” theLord did a remarkable thing. He did not makewoman by an independent act. Instead He per-formed the first surgery, removing somethingfrom Adam’s own body. The piece He removedwas a rib from the man’s breastplate, makinghis heart more vulnerable, more accessible.Never again would Adam be complete unlesshis bride was with him because she had someof his life within her.

The crowning glory of God’s fair creation was given three names. Adam calledher Woman or “out of man” (Hebrew Isha to hisIsh). This emphasized her MEANS OF LIFE. Thoughher life came from God, the Source of all life, it camethrough Adam. So it was to be that she would look toher husband as he was to look to God.

But her husband’s trustworthiness was linked to twoacts on his part: to “leave” his own family to startanother, and to “cleave” only to his wife—giving herthe first place of loyalty of any earthly relationships.

At first look, it seems a tenuous arrangement for thewoman. What if her husband fails her? Sarah is given asan example of that very case (1 Pet. 3:5-6). Abramfailed his wife—but God did not fail her. Even whenthe husband abandons—whether physically, emotional-ly, or geographically—his wife, God will be a Father tothe fatherless and a Husband to the husbandless.

When Abram failed Sarah in Egypt, the Lord cameto her aid. Years later, He would bring plagues on Egyptto deliver perhaps two million Jews; on this occasionHe brought plagues upon them to rescue one woman.

But Woman was not the only name given to God’sfair creation. We read that God “called their nameAdam, in the day that they were created” (Gen. 5:2).The word adam or adom is linked with several ideas. Itis used for the color red and for the earth or dust fromwhich man was made. The names of Esau and Edomfind their roots in Adam. Of course we all find ourroots in Adam. As Paul writes: “The first man is of the

2 UPLOOK • FEBRUARY 2001

E D I T O R I A LE D I T O R I A L

Cherchez la femme. Wherever there is signal blessing, you will always find the woman.

J. B. Nicholson Jr.

W

GOD’S CROWNING CREATION

�

FeaturesSEEST THOU THIS WOMAN? E. O. G. 4

GRACE OUTREACH Ron Hampton 10

BITTERNESS TO BLESSING Paul Beverly 13

AGED ANNA Les Rainey 14

LYDIA OF THYATIRA James Stirling 15

A BUSINESSWOMAN WHO BELIEVED GOD Ross Rainey 16

NO SECOND FIDDLES WITH GOD L. Nicholson 18

MARTHA, MARTHA R. North 19

DORCAS THE DISCIPLE L. Nicholson 20

MARY OF BETHANY W. M. Clow 22

THE WOMAN’S TOUCH Gipsy Smith 25

THE WOMEN AT THE CROSS Andrew Borland. 28

MANY WOMEN & THOSE AMONG THEM L. Nicholson 29

THE TREASURE J. Boyd Nicholson, Sr. 32

DepartmentsEDITORIAL 2

FRONT LINES 6

WHAT’S GOING ON 12

C O N T E N T S

UPLOOKNumber 1Volume 68 FEBRUARY 2001

3www.uplook.org • FEBRUARY 2001

UPLOOK

Founded in 1927 as Look on the Fields, UPLOOK is published monthly except January and August by UplookMinistries, 813 North Ave., N.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49503.

Phone: (616) 456-9166Fax: (616) 456-5522Website: http://www.uplook.orgE-mail: [email protected]

ISSN #1055-2642Printed in USA.© Copyright 2000 Uplook Ministries

UPLOOK magazine is intended to encourage the peopleof God in fidelity to His Word, fervency in intercessoryprayer, labors more abundant, and love to the Lord.Believing in the practical Headship of Christ and the localautonomy of each assembly, this is not intended to be anofficial organ of any group or federation of local churches.The editor and authors take responsibility for materials pub-lished. For any blessing which accrues, to God be the glory.

UPLOOK is copyrighted solely for the purpose of main-taining the integrity of the material. It is not intended to limitthe proper use of articles contained in the magazine. Pleaseinclude the words: “UPLOOK magazine, by permission” onphotocopies made for personal use. For large quantities orother purposes, contact UPLOOK.

SubmissionsPlease enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope with

all unsolicited material.News items must be submitted at least two months in

advance of issue requested. Selected news items will be car-ried for two issues (if time permits). The editor reserves theright to determine those items best suited for the magazine.Editorial decisions are final. Photos accepted. Pleaseenclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope for photos youwish returned.

Postal InformationUS POSTMASTER: (USPS 620-640)Send address changes to UPLOOK, P. O. Box 2041, Grand Rapids, MI 49501-2041Periodical postage paid at Grand Rapids, MI.

CANADIAN POSTMASTER: Send address changes to UPLOOK, P.O. Box 427, St. Catharines, ON L2R 6V9International Publications Contract No. 1064363(Canadian Distribution)

BRITISH POSTMASTER:Send address changes to UPLOOK, P. O. Box 1163, Bristol BS39 4YA

Subscription Information: The Uplook magazine mailing list is main-tained on a subscription basis. There is no charge for a subscription, however you must renew your subscription annually in order to continuereceiving the magazine. An initial subscription is for six issues.Thereafter any time you renew, your subscription will be extended a further eleven issues. There are three ways to renew:

1) by using the envelope included with the January issue each year2) by using the form on our website at:

http://www.uplook.org/magazine_uplook/subscribe/3) by contacting our office at any time, by phone, fax, mail or e-mail.

Please advise us of any address changes at least six weeks in advance andinclude your customer number from your mailing label.

Donation Information: Uplook Ministries is a tax-exempt corporation looking to theLord to provide for the needs of this ministry. This magazine is sent freely to thosewho request it, but evidently is not freely produced. Donations may be made by checkor money order denominated in US $, Canadian $ or £ sterling. All checks should bemade payable to UPLOOK and sent to one of the above addresses. Donations mayalso be made by VISA, Mastercard/ACCESS or Discover in US dollars, either by mail or at our website:

http://www./uplook.org/home/about_us/contributions.html We do not advise sending credit card numbers by e-mail. Please include your cardnumber, expiry date and the amount in US dollars you wish to donate. Receipts areissued for all donations received and are valid for tax purposes in the US and Canada.Making a donation will automatically renew your Uplook subscription.

s it not a little singular that perhaps the most remarkablehistory of a woman in the Bible

should give neither her name nor herplace of residence (Lk. 7:44)? Itonly shows how little store God setsby posthumous fame or the honorsthis world can bestow. But before theimage of this nameless woman theworld has stood in mute admirationfor nearly two thousand years, and,though nameless still, it has lostnone of its interest or power as amonument of the Saviour’s compas-sion and a sinner’s hope.

The challenge of Jesus to Simon,“Seest thou this woman?” has beenringing through all the ages of thepast, and hundreds of thousandshave beheld her and rejoiced in theglorious truths illustrated in thisnameless woman with a power andpathos the world can never match.

We have space only to point outthe most obvious lessons this won-derful picture teaches.

She is a sinner. So great a sinner

that she answers to no other name—“the woman that was a sinner.” Thecommon name to ordinary sinnersbecame a proper name when appliedto her. So notorious a sinner was shethat the Pharisee wondered thatJesus allowed her to come into Hispresence. In fact, according to Jesus’own estimate, she was ten times asbad as ordinary sinners, for she wasfive hundred pence in debt, whilesome are only fifty.

Now, here is a test case for sinners. If Jesus saved such as she,none need despair. If His gospel isonly for good, respectable people,this woman has no chance. If it isonly for Pharisees, she can’t besaved. If Jesus pays only fifty-pencedebts, this five-hundred-pence sinnerhas no hope. Her tears are all in vainif the gospel of Christ was rightlyunderstood by Simon. But Simondid not understand the gospel as wellas the “woman that was a sinner.”

But in the second place, she wassaved. Her sins, which were many,

were forgiven, fivehundred though theywere! A big debt,but Jesus “paid itall.”

The gospel ofChrist is a gospel forsinners, not for thePharisaical; there-fore the woman wassaved and thePharisee was not.Jesus said, “I camenot to call the right-eous, but sinners, torepentance.” “TheSon of man is come

to seek and to save that which waslost.”

Simon knew the woman, but hedid not know Jesus. He knew shewas a sinner, a great sinner; but hedid not know the greater Saviourwho was sitting that day at his table,with power to forgive sins and tosave the chiefest of sinners.

But a most important question is,How was this woman saved? Thatshe was a great sinner, she did notdeny. That she was saved, Jesus saysHimself. Now here is the vital ques-tion: How was this woman saved?

Negatively: It was not by works—she had none. She was a sinner, awoman whose name was cast out asvile. The Pharisee, who had the goodworks, was not saved; while the sinner, without any good works, wassaved.

It was not by baptism or theLord’s Supper—she had never beenbaptized, and the Lord’s Supper hadnot yet been instituted; and yet shewas saved at that time, and thePharisee, who had been circumcisedand kept the Passover, was not.

Not by going to church—she wasinsulted in the Pharisee’s house, andcould not have lived in the Pharisee’schurch.

Then how was she saved? Jesusanswers: “Thy faith hath savedthee.” Not thy good works, nor thybaptism, nor thy church member-ship, not even thy repentance, northy love, nor thy confession, but “thyfaith hath saved thee.”

Let that settle the question forever. It is the word of the Authorof salvation Himself. Let no blasphe-mous tongue suggest another way.


Nameless. Hopeless. Christless. Until that day at His feet.

I

“Seest thou this woman?”

O T H E J O Y O F I T ! E. O. G.


SEEST THOU THIS WOMAN?

no idol but Jesus, that withheld no offering from Hisservice. The rich Pharisee could not give even the common oil to anoint Christ’s head; but the poor womancould pour the most costly ointment on His feet.

I am sorry to say, Simon has more followers todaythan the woman that was a sinner. Not many prove theirfaith by sacrifices for the Master. Many of His professed followers bestow more on every desire of theflesh than in the service of the Lord.

Finally, she showed her faith by her noble confession.She believed in Jesus, and she was not ashamed to manifest it. She made that confession under circum-stances which would try the courage of many; but she

never faltered. She could nothelp it. “Out of the abundance of the heart themouth speaketh.”Paul tells us, “With the heartman believeth unto righteous-ness; and with the mouth con-fession is made unto salva-tion.” Jesus says, “Whoso con-fesseth Me before men, himwill I also confess before MyFather and the holy angels.”She confessed Him here inthis world, and for two millen-niums He has been confessingher there before His Fatherand the holy angels.Seest thou this woman?Nameless here, but with a

new, immortal name yonder, among the angels of God!Penitent sinner, seest thou this woman, voiceless

here, except with tears of penitential joy? Now, with thetongue of a seraph, she sings the new “song of Mosesand the Lamb.”

Seest thou this woman that was a sinner here, weep-ing bitter tears? Now washed in the blood of the Lamband clothed in white raiment, she is following Him to“fountains of living water,” all tears forever wiped awayfrom her eyes by the hand of God Himself!

Pharisee, seest thou this woman, made righteous inChrist, without any righteousness of her own? “Verily, Isay unto you, that the publicans and the harlots go intothe kingdom of God before you.”

Skeptic, seest thou this woman? Abandoned by men,but not by God—her sins, which were many, are forgiv-en; her sorrows which were heavy, are removed. Learnthe lesson she will teach those who truly see her. “Be not faithless, but believing.”

Let no impious hand put anything else where Jesus putfaith alone. “Thy faith hath saved thee.”

Ever since Cain, men have sought other ways to besaved—Cain’s way, not God’s; so did this Simon; so domen yet. But no man has ever yet been saved (or everwill be) who was not saved like this woman—by faithin Christ.

There is only one way, and “I am the Way,” saidJesus. The woman went that way; so did Abraham, Isaacand Jacob; John, Peter and Paul, and everyone who everreached heaven.

The woman believed He was a Saviour; the Phariseedid not. The woman went to Him for salvation; thePharisee did not. The woman was saved; the Phariseewas not.

The history is a short one, but its consequences arenot all told yet, nor ever will be; they are eternal.

This woman showed the reality of her faith by herrepentance for her sin. Was there ever a more genuinesorrow for sin than she exhibited? She had been a greatsinner; she knew it, felt it, and, voiceless in her sorrow,she had no language but tears, bitter tears, to tell thatsorrow. Simon had none.

She also showed the reality of her faith by her love.“Love laughs at locksmiths,” they tell us; her lovelaughed at the sneers of the crowd, at the insult of thePharisee, at the conventionalities of society, at the eti-quette that excluded her from Simon’s house—anunbidden, unwelcome guest. No wonder Jesus said,“She loved much.” Was there ever such love on earth?Behold her kissing the feet she had bathed with hertears; presuming not to kiss the immaculate lips Simonrefused to honor, she esteemed it honor enough to kissHis sacred feet.

What but love, love too deep for language, wouldever have found such a voice as that! She “…ceased notto kiss” the weary feet that had trodden the thorny wayfor her! Many waters could not quench that love, andthe floods could not drown it.

Blessed woman! As we gaze at her there at His feet,we are humbled by the lack of our own gratitude andwant of love for that adorable Master. Her memory is abenediction to this sin-cursed earth. It has been written,“God’s sacred gallery would not be complete withouther nameless picture; the song of the redeemed wouldnot be full without the note of her voiceless love inSimon’s house.”

Then she showed her faith by her sacrifices. Shebrought her treasure, like Mary of Bethany (perhaps allher treasure), the precious ointment with which toanoint her Lord and Saviour. Hers was a love that knew �

Now clothed in

white raiment, sheis following

Him…alltears foreverwiped away

by GodHimself.

WORD ALIVE SOUTHEASTIntensive study classes are to be

held, D. V., in the facilities of theWashington Chapel (808 E. RobertTombs Rd, Washington, GA: February 10, 8:00-12:00 MessianicPsalms, Pt. 1 by Mike Attwood;1:00-5:00 Seven Churches ofRevelation by Sam Thorpe, Jr.March 10, Elders Seminar by AlexStrauch at Bethany Chapel, Augusta.April 14, 8:00-12:00 MessianicPsalms, Pt. 2 by Mike Attwood1:00-5:00 New Testament ChurchTruth by Rex Trogdon.

Contact: Sam Thorpe(706) [email protected]

YOUNG ADULT CONFERENCESMonthly conferences are sched-

uled to be held at Brandywine BibleChapel (Wilmington, DE). Themeetings run from 10:00 AM until3:00 PM. Lord willing, the followingbrethren will address specific topics:February 17 Mike Attwood

Spiritual GiftsMarch 17 Steve Hulshizer

The New Testament ChurchApril 21 Keith Keyser

Works of Flesh vs. Fruits of SpiritMay 21 John BjorlieHabakkuk: Prophet of the Watchtower

For directions or accommodationsTim Bhatt(302) [email protected]

MEN’S RETREATCalling all men: Time to retreat…

not to run away, but take a time toreflect at the Men’s Retreat at CampIroquoina on March 2, 3 and 4.Situated in the beautiful EndlessMountains of Pennsylvania on 200acres, the camp is a wonderful placeto spend a weekend in the Word.Steve Swaim will be the speaker,Lord willing.

Contact: Tom [email protected].

GOSPEL IN THE CARIBBEANIn the will of the Lord, brother

Joe Jeremiah of Silver Spring, MD,will be returning to the Caribbeanfor the month of March to conducttwo series of gospel meetings on theislands of Antigua and Nevis.

The first series will be March 4-16, 2001 on the island of Antiguaand the second series will be March18-30, 2001 on the island of Nevisnear St. Kitts.

The prayers of the saints will beappreciated for the Lord’s blessing.

CONFERENCE in PHOENIXThe annual ministry conference

at Palms Bible Fellowship (Phoenix,AZ) will convene March 9-11.Invited speakers are: J. B. Nicholson,Jr. and John Bjorlie. The theme ofthe conference is “Amazing Grace.”

One special extra this year is afree breakfast at Old Country Buffeton Saturday morning with time tointeract with the speakers. There willbe five sessions beginning Friday at7:30 P.M and ending on Sunday, at4:00 P.M. For help in arranging lodg-ing, phone (480) 897-3125.

e-mail: [email protected].

CREATION WEEK INCHICAGO AREA

Oak Lawn Bible Chapel presentsa special week of creation teachingwith Russ Hanson. The meetingswill be held March 13-16, 2001,Tuesday through Friday, at 7:30 PM.

The Pre-flood World (Tuesday)The Genesis Flood (Wednesday)The Fossil Record (Thursday)The Dinosaur Dilemma (Friday)Laurie Hanson will conduct a

children’s workshop. Oak Lawn Bible Chapel 4259 W. 107th St.Oak Lawn, IL 60453 815-485-7009


F R O N T L I N E S

Announc i n g a n ew UPLOOK M in i s t r i e s R ise Up Con fe r e n c e

RISE UP & WORK: The Lord is Coming!

Mark you r c a l e nda rs !

December 26-29 , 200 1I nd i anapo l i s , I nd i anaMore d e t a i l s to come


MINISTRY IN GRAND RAPIDSThe annual Spring Conference,

hosted by the assembly at NorthwestGospel Hall, is planned for March23-25 with speakers HaroldSummers (BC) and Alan Park (SC).The conference meetings will beheld at White Hills Bible Church(3900 East Fulton St., Grand Rapids,MI). For information:

Tim Johnson at (616) 456-9166 or (616) 791-4179

DALLAS AREA CONFERENCEThe Dallas Area 42nd Conference

is scheduled for April 6-8. Lord will-ing, Arnot McIntee and Jamie Hullwill be ministering the Word.

The meetings will be held atWheatland Bible Chapel (1303 W.Wheatland Road, Duncanville, TX)

For information, call: John Daniels at [email protected]

EASTER CONFERENCEThe Christians at the Marple

Christian Assembly (Media, PA) willbe hosting their annual Easter con-ference, Lord willing, April 14 and15. Meetings are planned forSaturday evening and all day onSunday. The expected speakers areDonald Norbie (CO), John Bjorlie(MI), and Robert Gessner (PA).

James Martindale(610) [email protected]

CONF. IN LOGANSPORT, INBelievers in the Indiana area are

invited to the annual spring confer-ence at the Logansport GospelChapel (321 Cliff Dr., Logansport,IN) on April 21. The expectedspeaker is Art Auld (OH).Refreshments at 9:30 AM with ses-sions at 10 and 11. Lunch will beprovided. Art Auld will again speakSunday morning, April 22.

Ralph Garver at (219) 722-1012 [email protected]

CHICAGO AREA SPRING CONF.The Chicago Area Spring

Conference will be held, Lord will-ing, April 27-29 at the Palos HillsChristian Assembly (10600 S. 88thAve., Palos Hills, IL). The expectedspeakers are William Burnett, SandyMcEachern, and Tom Wilson.Children’s meetings will be taken byCraig and Nancy Rollinger.

Robert Fiebig(708) 448-2552

LADIES’ RETREATA ladies’ retreat is planned for

May 4-6, 2001 at Camp Iroquoina,in Hallstead, Pennsylvania. For fur-ther information, please contact TomFreeman at 609-585-1835 or [email protected]

MEN’S CONFERENCEHorton Haven Christian Camp in

Chapel Hill, TN will be hosting aMen’s Conference, April 27-28.Dave Glock from Emmaus BibleCollege (Dubuque, IA) will be thespeaker. His topic will be BiblicalConcepts vs. Traditions. For registra-tion information, contact:

Kevin KingP. O. Box 276Chapel Hill, TN 37034(931) 364-7656

[email protected]

ONTARIO WORKERS’ ANDELDERS’ CONFERENCE

The theme of the 2001 OntarioWorkers’ and Elders’ conference is:Shepherds of God’s Flock, with aburden for the local assembly and itsrole in bringing glory to the LordJesus Christ.

Bernard Osbourne from GreatBritain has been invited to bringdevotional Bible studies, and theother plenary sessions will be takenby Art Auld, Brian Gunning andErnie Sarlo. A number of seminarswill be offered.

The conference will be held, Lord

willing, May 9-11 at Oakwood BibleChapel in Windsor, ON.

Patrick [email protected]

WORKERS’ CONFERENCEPACIFIC SOUTHWEST

Men and women interested in thework of the Lord are invited to theannual conference at Lakeside BibleCamp on Whidbey Island inWashington State, May 15-18(Tuesday-Friday) 2001. This year’sspeaker will be Harold Summersfrom Vancouver, BC. The cost of theconference is $65.

Contact: LeRoy Junker 505 Mackenzie Road S.W.Olympia, WA 98512 [email protected]

CONTACT IN POWELL, WYJohn Tillotson, former correspon-

dent for the assembly of believers inPowell, WY has moved to theGillette, WY area. Please pray forthem as they meet with a few fami-lies who are interested in starting anew assembly in Gillette.

The new contact in Powell is:Kevin SchmidtAssembly of Believers656 North Clark St.Powell, WY 82435(307) 754-8095

LOOKING FOR USED BOOKSIf anyone has extra copies of

books from “The Serious Christian”series or knows where they may beobtained, please contact:

Aaron SilvaP. O. Box 339Sandwich, MA 02563

DISCIPLESHIP TRAINING PROGRAM

The Board of Directors of HortonHaven Christian Camp in ChapelHill, TN recently decided to begin aDiscipleship Training Program in

Front Lines


September 2001. The program is foryoung men who have graduatedfrom high school and are interestedin investing a year of their lives inintensive Bible study and practicaldiscipleship. It is designed to presenta survey of the Old and NewTestaments, Hermeneutics, NTChurch principles, and personalBible study methods.

Courses with practical experiencewill include: teaching of theScriptures to adults and children,witnessing effectively, and other pastoral activities.

The young men will be mentoredby elders from area assemblies.

Horton Haven Christian CampP. O. Box 276Chapel Hill, TN 37034(931) 364-7656

[email protected]

SCHOOL OF EVANGELISMIf you are interested in evange-

lism and want to increase your Bibleknowledge, you may pray aboutattending The Ezekiel Project Schoolof Evangelism. This is a nine-monthprogram that combines the teachingof God’s Word with practical experi-ences in evangelism.

The Ezekiel Project, Inc.P. O. Box 51Armada, MI 48005(810) 784-4142www.tepse.org

WORKERS NEEDED IN NORTHERN ONTARIO

The town of Hearst, Ontario issituated halfway between North Bayand Thunder Bay on Hwy 11. It hasa population of about 6000 people—90% of whom are French speaking.There is a small assembly in thetown with 20 to 25 adults andapproximately 12 children. TheChristians have been praying that theLord would send someone to help inthe area there. The worker should be

bilingual, with French as the firstlanguage or who speaks very fluent-ly in French. Contact:

Allen [email protected]

COMMENDATIONRoger and Sarah Poling

The elders of Warrenville BibleChapel (Warrenville, IL) believe thatRoger and Sarah Poling have beenled by the Lord to serve Him atEmmaus Bible College (Dubuque,IA) and the surrounding area. TheLord called Sarah to serve as FieldStudies Co-ordinator at the college.Roger has a full-time job and isinvolved in Emmaus ministries.

Roger and Sarah have maintaineda good testimony and are now in fel-lowship at Asbury CommunityChapel (Dubuque, IA). Both havebeen faithful in attendance and par-ticipation at the meetings as well asserving the Lord in children’s andyouth ministries. Roger and Sarahhave shown hospitality to many andhave encouraged and nurtured many students at Emmaus Bible College.

Jonathan GlockThe elders of the assembly of

believers that meet at CollegeHeights Chapel (Murfreesboro, TN)commend Jonathan Glock to theministry of teaching and preachingboth to youth and adults. Jon hasfaithfully served the Lord among the believers for more than six years atCollege Heights Chapel.

Becky BlaisThe December/January issue of

Uplook reported the homecall of RayBlais. His wife, Becky, desires to befully occupied with the Lord’s work.She has many opportunities, espe-cially in connection with Camp Li-Lo-Li. The elders at Northgate BibleChapel, Rochester, NY, consider hera commended worker in her ownright. They praise the Lord for thegift, experience, and wisdom thatshe has demonstrated.

Charles and Bonnie NunleyDue to personal reasons, Mr. and

Mrs. Charles Nunley are unable tocontinue the work of door-to-doorand street evangelism in centralFlorida, which they were commend-ed to by Hiawassa Bible Chapel(Orlando, FL). Charles and Bonniehave agreed that the commendationwould no longer be in effect.However, they still value our prayersfor them as they seek to serve theLord in other ways.

Morris JohnstonThe assembly of believers at

Fairview Hall, Dublin (Rep. ofIreland) commend Morris Johnstonto full time service for the Lord.Originally from N. Ireland, Morrishas been in fellowship at FairviewHall since 1997. During these pastthree years, he proved himself to bea faithful and committed servant ofthe Lord in attending and participat-ing in regular assembly meetings as

Front Lines

GOSPEL OUTREACH IN TAMPA, FL AREAAre you interested in reaching out to the lost with the gospel?

Join with us in a gospel outreach. Bible and Life Ministries together with theLand O’ Lakes Bible Chapel, in Land O’ Lakes, FL (Tampa area), is organiz-ing a weekend outreach on Friday, March 23 and Saturday, March 24. Therewill be a special push on Saturday, March 24. Our goal will be to reach 1,000homes in this town, with door-to-door evangelism and tract distribution. BobBrown (LA) with be with us for meeting during the weekend.

Come and join with us! For more information, please contact:David Dunlap: phone 813-996-1053 or e-mail [email protected]


EYE NEED HELPDr. Mike Gaynier, Opthamologist,

is looking for and praying about anassociate (either an optometrist or anopthamologist) to share his practicein the Dayton, Ohio area.

Call (800) 900 EYES.

CLARIFICATIONThe notice that appeared in our

December/January issue about theArabic Emmaus CorrespondenceCourses in St. Louis, MO, shouldhave mentioned that the work oftranslating these courses into Arabichas been done since the 1940’s byassembly workers in the MiddleEast. It is now being done in Franceand in Nazareth, Israel.

Front Lines

well as being engaged in door-to-door visitation and follow-up work.

MINISTRY OPPORTUNITIESSouthwest Bible Camp

Southwest Bible Camp inGlenwood, NM is in need of a full-time, commended worker. RecentlyGordon and Hazel Sutherlandretired, providing an opening forsomeone who possesses maintenanceskills as well as camp managementskills.

After forty years, the camp con-tinues to be fruitful and is growingwith the primary vision to serveSouthwest area assemblies withsummer camps and retreats through-out the year. The individual will

report to the Board of Directors. Contact: James Hunt7717 Springwood Dr.El Paso, TX 79925(915) 598-4660

Native Children’s CampAn experienced camp cook is

needed to provide meals for approxi-mately 30 people. This is a wonder-ful opportunity for a believer with aservant attitude and a love for nativechildren.

This is a paid position, workingfive-and-a-half days a week for sixweeks during the months of July andAugust 2001. The camp is locatednear Parry Sound, Ontario.

Ray or Anna Smith (705)329-4587

Teach and Testify (TnT) TeamsIreland is a cross-cultural missionsopportunity which doesn’t requirelearning another language to beeffective. After four days of orient-ation and evangelism training, theteam shares in 17 days of evange-lism and ministering to assemblies.

Along with a busy schedule ofserving, there is also time each dayfor personal quiet time, group Biblestudy and prayer. Team members arebuilt up through fellowship witheach other, with the Irish believers,and with missionaries.

“Apart from the practical help inbringing the gospel directly to ourneighborhood, which was very muchappreciated, those that participatedon the TnT Team were an immenseencouragement and example to us allbut especially to our own young peo-ple. The eagerness of those on the

team to participate in all aspects ofthe life of the assembly had amarked effect…” —Eric Davis,assembly elder and commendedworker, Dublin, Ireland

“While in Ireland we receivedgood discipleship by fellow teamersand the Irish folk. Going to Irelandprovided me with an opportunity tobuild new relationships as well as tobe stretched outside of my comfortzone.” —Jen Nichol, 2000 TnT Teammember, Fortier, MB

“What stands out to me most ishow friendly the Irish believers areand how much respect they have forthe Word of God…This experiencehas definitely given me a better ideaof the prayer needs in Dublin as wellas in the rest of Ireland.”

—John Lawford, 2000 TnT Teammember, Silver Springs, MD

“Oh yes, short term workers arevital! They are a great encourage-ment to us resident missionaries, asthey bring their zeal and youthfulenthusiasm, and also sometimes adifferent perspective on things that

we might not see. It is wonderful tobe able to cover areas in a moreintense way, such as distributing 10or 15,000 tracts in a few weeks, witha group of folks.“

—Kathy Moriarity, commendedassembly missionary

Several Irish assemblies and mis-sionaries have requested a TnT Teamfor this summer. Plans are underwayto try to meet these needs. Will youprayerfully consider coming toIreland and getting involved in min-istering to these assemblies and inreaching out with the gospel?

If you are 18 years or older, ingood health, and someone whomyour home assembly would recom-mend, if you believe that the Lordwould have you get involved withTnT Teams this summer, please contact Ron Hampton for moreinformation and an application:

TnT Teams874 London St, Winnipeg, MBCanada R2K [email protected] or 204 669-6026

TEACH AND TESTIFY IN IRELAND

he Grace Chapel assembly,Winnipeg, MB decided that ithad been far too long since we

had mounted any kind of concentrat-ed gospel effort. While we decidedto organize such a special outreach,we believed we needed to try some-thing different from simply a weekof gospel meetings held at thechapel. With this in mind, we invitedbrother Gary Weeks, commended bythe Markham Bible Chapel (ON) tocome and work with us fromNovember 24 to December 3, 2000.

For those not familiar with broth-er Gary Weeks’ history and ministry,Gary and his singing partner DaveBeckett in 1973 had a Canada-wideand international pop hit with theirsong, “Could You Ever Love MeAgain.” Over the next few years theyhad many more pop hits in Canadaand around the world. By 1977,Gary and Dave were performingwith such acts as The Carpenters andThe Captain and Tenille. In the midstof this, Gary also became a commer-cial airline pilot.

Gary is no longer a pop singer, anentertainer, nor a commercial pilot.He and his wife Claudette have beenserving the Lord full-time since theearly 80’s in Canada, Ireland andGreece. A pivotal point in Gary’s lifeand relationship with the Lord camein 1979 as, according to him, “Ifound myself in Jerusalem as atourist standing at the place whereJesus was crucified. And standingthere in the shadows by myself, Irealized how ashamed I was aboutthe way I had lived my life.”

The first weekend Gary was withus he ministered to and challenged

us from the Word of Godon such subjects as“Knowing God’s Will”and “Old TestamentHeroes—The Kind ofPeople God Uses.” Thiswas timely ministry foran assembly preparingfor a gospel outreach.Following the weekendof ministry came whatwe named “The GraceOutreach.” The object ofthis week of outreachwas to sow the good seedof the gospel of grace,trusting the Lord for thereaping.

While seven days wasn’t a lot oftime, as an assembly we wanted toaccomplish as much as we could. Weprayed that the Lord would make itclear to us what He would have usdo. We believe He did! Since we area smaller assembly, we then prayedthat the Lord would supply the peo-ple and the finances necessary to dowhat we believed He wanted us todo. Again, wonderfully He did!

Personally we wanted to reach outto our unsaved families and friends.We also wanted to reach out to theneighborhood around the chapel.Finally, we wanted to do somethingthat would scatter the seed in thebroadest way possible across our cityof some 650,000 people. In order toreach out personally, we organizedwhat we called Hospitality Eveningsin the homes of some of the believ-ers. These hosts invited Gary forsupper and then invited their ownunsaved family, friends, neighbors,workmates, etc. over after supper for

coffee and dessert and an opportuni-ty to meet Gary and hear his testi-mony. For the most part those whocame to the homes were those whohadn’t and wouldn’t come to thechapel. It is easier getting people tocome to homes they are familiarwith than to a church building.

One couple in the assembly, savedlater in life, moved back to Winnipegto be witnesses for the Lord to theirgrown children and grandchildren.While this couple has been faithfulin sharing the gospel in word anddeed, their family had been very hes-itant to come to anything at thechapel. In a real answer to prayer,almost all of the family memberscame to the home. Gary used theopportunity to present the gospel asclearly as if he had been standingbehind the pulpit at the chapel.

On Friday evening, we hosted a


There are creative ways to get out the good old gospel.

T

Grace outreach

S P E C I A L R E P O R T RON HAMPTON

Gary Weeks plays his guitar andsings during a Christian concerthosted by the assembly.


GRACE OUTREACH

DJ gave Gary the opportunity to not only share his testi-mony but also to talk about the unconditional love ofthe Lord Jesus Christ and His substitutionary death onthe cross at Calvary. Remember: this is on a pop musicstation! It turned out that this DJ, while seemingly notinterested himself, had an uncle who years ago was thepresident of a Bible college and another uncle who wasinvolved in the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.The door is wide open for Gary to return to both thesestations in the future. It was amazing to see how Godoverruled, opened doors, and made it possible for hun-

dreds of thousands to hear the gospelwho might not have otherwise.The impact of the week on the saints,the assembly, and those who heard thegospel is still being felt. While weknow of no professions, we continueto trust the Lord for the results. Howmany have been set on the road to dis-covering Christ as a result of the radiointerviews, the community banquet,the concert and the home hospitalityevenings, we’ll only know in eternity.One thing is certain: a tremendouswork of sowing the seed was accom-plished. Now we pray for the reaping.While the staple of any assembly’sevangelism needs to always be the per-sonal witnessing of the saints in wordand deed, special outreaches by the

assembly (which might be termed “event evangelism”)are still needed. Specially planned outreaches canaccomplish any number of things: focus much-neededattention on evangelism; stimulate the assembly to praymore urgently and expectantly; stretch the assembly’sfaith; produce practical unity; cause greater commit-ment and involvement of the part of the assembly mem-bers; challenge the believers to invite family, friends,neighbors, workmates, etc., which initiates personalevangelism opportunities; encourage Christians tobecome bolder and better equipped as witnesses; pro-voke the saints to create more contacts with non-Christians; get believers in the mindset of “going out”with the gospel instead of just waiting for people to“come in”; supplement personal witnessing; give oppor-tunity for the gospel to be preached by a gifted evange-list. Of course when some or all of these things begin tohappen, real blessing always results: the gospel goesout, the lost are saved, the believers are built up, theassembly grows, and most importantly, the Lord JesusChrist is glorified!

Community Christmas Banquet in the chapel. We dis-tributed 3000 invitations to the chapel neighborhood,knocked on some doors, took out ads in our communitynewspaper, and personally invited people to the freefour-course banquet. While the banquet was free, ourneighbors seemed to appreciate us collecting non-per-ishable food items to be distributed by an inter-city mis-sion. Gary was our after-dinner speaker, sharing thegospel and singing.

More than sixty visitors came for the banquet includ-ing many from our neighborhood whom we had nevermet before. In fact, we received aneeded rebuke as an assembly when afamily who lived at 20 BerrydaleAvenue said they had often wonderedwho we were and what went on in“that” building. By the way, GraceChapel’s address is 19 Berrydale!

On Saturday evening we put on afree Christian concert titled “AnEvening with Gary.” We advertised forpeople to come and hear formerCanadian pop star Gary Weeks of thesinging duo Gary and Dave, tell hisstory “From Pop Star to Preacher.”While we didn’t have as many visitorscome to the concert as we expected—a more neutral venue might havehelped—the lead-up to this concertcertainly gave us unprecedentedopportunities. Literally hundreds of thousands ofManitobans had the chance to hear Gary share his testi-mony and the gospel.

Because of Gary’s past success in the pop musicindustry, we were able to get him interviews on twomorning radio programs. One was on the perenniallytop-rated program in Manitoba. The presenter of thisopen-line program who typically comes across as off-handed and cynical was personally moved by Gary’sconversion story, the song Gary sang on air and bybeing reminded of the impact similarly sincereChristians had years before on his own family. Themoderator’s parents were Hungarian Jews whose liveswere saved during World War II through the efforts ofChristians. He commented on Gary’s obvious “love forhis Lord” and continued to remark on the air, “I saw thesame spirit of Christ in Gary Weeks that must have beenin the people who saved my family.” It was a markedchange from the anti-Christian rhetoric that is typicallyheard on secular radio.

During the second interview on another station, the �

WITCHDOCTORS? SORRY, THEGOSPEL HAS ARRIVED

NTM missionaries in IndonesiaKeith and Anita Miles recentlyreported that after a plane crash in aremote tribal area, which killed sev-eral government officials, rescueefforts were hampered by bad weath-er. One official taking part in therescue asked for witch doctors topray to their gods to move the cloudsaway. The missionary told the offi-cial that since the gospel had arrived,the people relied on God alone tomove the clouds. A group of vil-lagers prayed to God for a clear sky.

The next day dawned without acloud. Rescue efforts were complet-ed by 8 A.M., and the officials cameback for a follow-up prayer meeting.

CHILDREN’S WORK IN CUBAIn Cuba, primary school children

are typically indoctrinated with thebasics of Marxism. Despite that, anincreasing number of children arehearing the gospel in children’smeetings, which mostly take place inprivate homes. These groups meetevery week, attracting childrenbetween 3 and 4 years old; olderteenagers with no church back-

ground also attend. The servicesinclude puppets, music, and biblicalstories. Most services are attendedby 30 to 50 children, and the parentssend their children even if theythemselves are not Christians.

—PulseEMMAUS GOES TO CHINA

I was privileged to visit MainlandChina in early November. Boyd andBlanche Aitken, veteran missionariesamong the Chinese people, severalbelievers from the On Fook assem-bly in Hong Kong and myself trav-eled together to Shaanxi Province.We met with a devoted brother whois helping with the translation ofEmmaus courses. What a greatencouragement it was to visit withhim, discuss the possibilities of

using the Emmaus courses and findout about some of the householdchurches in the area.

There is a tremendous need formaterial that will ground people inwhat happens to them when theytrust the Lord Jesus as Savior.Beyond this there is a great need forthe simple truths about living theChristian life, recognizing falseteaching and meeting together as anassembly of believers.

It has been pointed out that Godin His Sovereignty has used thepolitical leaders of China to preparefor the spread of the gospel. Thecountry has been unified by the lan-guage, the building of modern roads,railway and telecommunication sys-tems and, strangely enough, theattack on traditional religion, super-stition and idolatry.

We anticipate in the Lord’s will tohave about twelve Emmaus courses(now in Classical Chinese) convertedto the Simplified Script. We aretrusting the Lord to help us have anetwork of believers who will helpdistribute them when we reach thatstage. It may be, in the end, that thebest thing we can do for the sake ofthe gospel and for the edification ofthe believers are to provide themwith solid Christian literature.Emmaus courses have been used bythe Lord in more than 90 countriesin the world and there is excitementat making these available inMainland China. —Charles Fizer


W H A T ’ S G O I N G O N ?W H A T ’ S G O I N G O N ?

THE BIG PICTURE

—The per capita income of the world's 17 rich-

est countries exceeds $20,000 annually.

—Per-capita income for the 21 poorest countries

is under $1,000.

—The earth's population, now 6.055 billion, is

growing at an annual rate of 1.3 percent. This

means a net increase of 145 people per minute

or 76 million people a year.—www.wheaton.edu

EARTHQUAKE IN INDIAThe earthquake which struck India in January is reported

to be the most powerful ever experienced by that country.One source estimates that 20,000 people are dead, 30,000 areinjured and 125,000 are missing or unaccounted for.

CMMLDisaster Fund (India)PO Box 13Spring Lake, NJ 07762-0013

s the tree that was cast into thebitter waters at Mara turnedthem sweet for millions of the

children of Israel (Ex. 15:23-25), soseven New Testament women bear-ing the name of Mary, meaning “bitter,” became a blessing to many.Was it not because the “tree,” theLord Jesus Christ, became a part oftheir lives?

Let us examine seven blessedcharacteristics of the Lord Jesus asreflected in the lives of thesewomen.

MARY, THE MOTHER OF JESUS

Bitter: “And Simeon blessedthem, and said unto Mary his moth-er, Behold, this child is set for thefall and rising again of many inIsrael; and for a sign which shall bespoken against; (yea, a sword shallpierce through thy own soul also,)that the thoughts of many hearts maybe revealed” (Lk. 2:34-35).

Blessing: “And Mary said, Mysoul doth magnify the Lord, and myspirit hath rejoiced in God mySaviour” (Lk. 1:46-47).

The Lord Jesus Christ is theSaviour.

MARY OF BETHANY

(house of affliction)

Bitter: “Then when Mary wascome where Jesus was, and sawHim, she fell down at His feet, say-ing unto Him, Lord, if Thou hadstbeen here, my brother had not died.When Jesus therefore saw her weep-ing, and the Jews also weepingwhich came with her, He groaned inthe spirit, and was troubled”(Jn. 11:32-33).

Blessing: “And he that was deadcame forth, bound hand and footwith graveclothes: and his face wasbound about with a napkin. Jesussaith unto them, Loose him, and lethim go” (Jn. 11:44).

The Lord Jesus Christ is theMaster.

MARY OF MAGDALA

Bitter: We are told that she hadbeen possessed or controlled bydemons (Mk. 16:9).

Blessing: “Now when Jesus wasrisen early the first day of the week,He appeared first to MaryMagdalene, out of whom He hadcast seven devils” (Mk. 16:9).

The Lord Jesus Christ is theLiberator.

MARY, MOTHER OF JOHN MARK

Bitter: Her son was a quitter(Acts 15:37-38). “And Barnabasdetermined to take with them John,whose surname was Mark. But Paulthought not good to take him withthem, who departed from them fromPamphylia, and went not with themto the work” (Acts 15:37-38).

Blessing: “Only Luke is with me.Take Mark, and bring him with thee:for he is profitable to me for theministry” (2 Tim. 4:11).

The Lord Jesus Christ is theRestorer.

MARY, A ROMAN BELIEVER

Bitter: The labor involved in thework of God can be a costlything.“Greet Mary, who bestowedmuch labor on us” (Rom. 16:6).

Blessing: But when it is done forthe Lord, any bitterness is turned to

sweetness. Her name is recordedeternally in the Word of God as ablessing to the Lord’s people.

The Lord Jesus Christ is theRecord-keeper.

MARY, MOTHER OF JOSES AND JAMES

Bitter: She wept at the cross.“And many women were therebeholding afar off, which followedJesus from Galilee, ministering untoHim: among which was MaryMagdalene, and Mary the mother ofJames and Joses…” (Mt. 27:55-57).

Blessing: She rejoiced at thetomb. “And…Mary Magdalene, andMary the mother of James, andSalome, had bought sweet spices,that they might come and anointHim…And [an angel] saith untothem, Be not affrighted: Ye seekJesus of Nazareth, which was cruci-fied: He is risen; He is not here:behold the place where they laidHim” (Mk. 16:1-7).

The Lord Jesus Christ is theConqueror.

MARY, WIFE OF CLEOPAS

Bitter: “Now there stood by thecross of Jesus His mother, and Hismother’s sister, Mary the wife ofCleophas, and Mary Magdalene”(Jn. 19:25).

Blessing: “He expounded untothem in all the scriptures the thingsconcerning Himself…He took bread,and blessed it, and brake, and gaveto them. And their eyes were opened,and they knew Him…” (Lk. 24:27,30-31)

The Lord Jesus Christ is theTeacher and our Abiding Friend.


Only One has the power to turn the brackish experiences of life sweet.

A

Bitterness to blessing

T R A N S F O R M A T I O N PAUL BEVERLY

gain and again I have beengreatly moved at the records inthe New Testament concerning

the devotion of women. Never can Iforget the prominence that Luke, thebeloved physician, gives to five wid-ows. The most renowned is Anna—and what a beautiful name, meaning“favor” or “grace.” She was thedaughter of Phanuel, which means“the face of God” and linked withthe tribe of Asher, which is rendered“happiness” or “prosperous.”

1. Anna was known as a prophet-ess (v. 36). Why? It may be that herhusband was a prophet, or becauseshe was one through whom Godspoke to others.

As Anna gazed upon the Babe ofBethlehem she knew the propheticvolume of truth was fulfilled inHim. During her long, godly life hermind had been saturated with theOld Testament prophecies concern-ing the coming Redeemer, the seedof the woman, and she knew thisChild was none other than the Lord’sAnointed. She spoke of Him to allthat looked for the redemption ofIsrael. For eighty-four years as awidow her soul had been sustainedby the Word of God, and all herhopes and aspirations were bound upin Him (Prov. 16:31).

2. Anna was a servant of God (v.37). What better epitaph could onehave than a testimony of havingserved the Lord? “Ye serve the LordChrist” (Col. 3:24) was the apostle’sword to the Christian slaves atColosse as he urged them to do theirmenial tasks as unto the Lord

Himself. A carpenter was once askedwhy he troubled to finish off a mag-istrate’s bench so carefully. His replywas, “I can’t do otherwise; besides, Imay have to sit on it one of thesedays.” A better reply was given bythe little servant girl when she wasasked why she took such pains inwashing the doorstep. “I am doing itfor the Lord Jesus.” Ah! if anythingbe done for Him it will be done well.

3. Anna was self-denying. It issaid she fasted (v. 37). Anna did notfast, as some do, to obtain favor withGod, but, knowing the grace of theLord, she was willing to deny herselfthat she might serve the Lord better.

4. Anna was prayerful (v. 37).Her prayers ascended to God “nightand day.” She was incessant in herpleading. An old writer says, “Prayeris the key of the morning and thelock of the evening.” If we pray eachmorning before we go out on life’s

pathway, we shall unlock the merciesGod has for us; and if we look toHim at the close of the day we shallknow that we are locked in with Godfrom all harm and evil, as Noah waswhen the Lord shut him in the ark.

5. Anna was thankful. Simeonwas not alone in his thanksgiving,for Anna “gave thanks likewise untothe Lord” (v. 38). Praise is comely tothe Lord. Those who bless God withtheir praises are sure to be blessedby God with His mercies. A thankfulman is full of blessing.

6. Anna was a true witness. “Shespake of Him” (v. 38). Her testimonyof Christ is implied in that she“spake of Him to all that looked forredemption in Jerusalem.” A truewitness always tells what Christ is,what He has done, and what He isable to do, as known from personalexperience. She became the firstherald of the incarnation to all wholooked for the Redeemer inJerusalem. What greater prophecy orwitness could there be concerningthis helpless Babe? She was fore-most of the prophetesses in the NewTestament and is linked with emi-nent Old Testament figures likeMiriam, Deborah and Huldah. Howwe thank God for such godly sistersof the past as well as in our genera-tion. Such ministry may be hiddenfrom men and be seldom in the lime-light, yet it is so precious to God andof tremendous benefit to those whoserve. Oh! the blessedness of thosewho prayerfully and patiently awaitHis coming. God grant to our gener-ation more women like Anna.


The Lord through Luke took notice of her. We should, too.

A

Aged Anna

L U K E 2 : 3 6 - 3 8 LES RAINEY

�

he aggressive spirit ofChristianity in the early days isevinced by the fact that Christ

had not been twenty years in glorywhen His missionaries planted Hisensign of salvation under the wallsof Philippi. Jesus Himself led Hismissionary band from Asia to theshores of Europe—the field whereHis cross has struck deepest root andwon many noble triumphs. Paul wasborne by divine impulse to Troas,which looks across the sea toGreece. There a vision appeared toPaul in the night. There was a manof Macedonia beseeching him,“Come over into Macedonia, andhelp us” (Acts 16:9). The man ofMacedonia, genius of the Hellenicrace, waved the distress signal toChristianity. The outcome of thatspirit was a yearning outlooktowards Calvary.

When Paul and his comradesarrived in Philippi, the man who hadinvoked their aid seemed to have dis-appeared. In this great city there wasno synagogue, no holy place held byfaith as an outpost of the heavenlyworld. When, therefore, the Sabbathbroke over the town, the Christianpioneers went to a riverside wherethere was a place of prayer.

The missionary company consist-ed of four—Paul and Silas, Lukeand Timothy—four great names.Survey these men as they make theirway to the riverside. Can these menconquer Europe? Can they subduethe sophists of Greece, the hordes ofGermany, the painted clans ofBritain? What do these sons of Asiaseek in Europe? Not land, nor for-tune, nor renown. They come to start

the heavenly plow; they carry seedfrom the granary of Calvary; theywill plant the cross on a new conti-nent. They carry spiritual supply forspiritual demand. A group of womenhave prayed by the river, and theknights of the cross are the answer.

Paul and his comrades join thecompany of devout women. Butthere is another, an invisiblePresence—the Man of Macedonia,the Pioneer, the Missionary of mis-sionaries, the Explorer of man’s soul.Jesus Christ is there in the clime ofHomer and Socrates, of Philip andAlexander. He has planted the invisi-ble cross, He has come to annexEurope to His crown.

Paul has been led into Macedoniaby the Lord of the harvest, yet hedoes not begin to preach the moment

he touches the quays of Neapolis. Heis deep in the spirit of the cross; stillhe awaits his Lord’s signal. Heexpects no ovation, no civic recep-tion. He is not on the outlook for thearistocracy, the leaders of public life.

He knows that the gospel is quiet,that it begins with the cottage andhomespun, with persons and notwith crowds. He abjures learning,rhetoric, and eloquence. He speaksnot of his visions or of his commis-sion, of his labors or of his triumphs.He is to the women by the river whatChrist was to the woman at Jacob’swell. He points to the heathen city,without God. He establishes a com-mon platform of faith. He is soon inthe holy Book and in the holy land.The river shore becomes Judean soil.A little hill crowned with a cross


How strategic was this open heart to the gospel advance into Europe!

T

Lydia of Thyatira

E U R O P E A N C O N Q U E S T JAMES STIRLING

LYDIA of THYATIRA

are certain of two things: Christ was the theme of theglorious conversation; and Paul’s personal experiencewas the atmosphere through which the cross wasrevealed. Paul could not speak long without stampinghis hearer’s mind with the terms distinctive of thegospel. Hence Lydia’s entreaty, “If ye have judged me tobe faithful to the Lord, come into my house,” is anunconscious echo of the great Pauline doctrine of justi-fication by faith in Christ.

Christ opened His mission in Europe among women,and this in Greece, whose great teachers had left women

arises outside the gate. There is a garden near, and inthe garden a grave. From the slope of Olivet ascends theFulfiller of the Law, the Redeemer, the Hope of men.

Think of this picture in the blue-roofed morning, inthe stillness of the Sabbath air. Without priest, withoutritual, without patronage, without the favor of states,without routine, and without traditional restraint, slowlyas a seed and silent as a force of nature, was the begin-ning of the gospel in Europe. We would give much for adescriptive report of this service. In subject and methodit would supply a model for missionary preaching. We


aul’s second missionary journey waswell under way when the apostle and his

companions were stopped by the Spirit of God from takingthe gospel into Bithynia, the result being that the Spiritthrust them into Europe. Having crossed the Aegean Sea,this party of gospel pioneers landed at Neapolis, the sea-port of Philippi, and then proceeded to Philippi proper. Thefar-reaching effects of the events recorded in Acts 16 canhardly be overestimated. Philippi, originally calledCrenides (from its many springs), was seized by Philip ofMacedon in 356 BC. In 168 BC, it passed to the Romanswith the rest of Macedonia, and in 42 BC it was made aRoman colony—“Rome away from Rome.” Soon it was tofeel the impact of the gospel.

The situation in which Paul and his fellow-laborersfound themselves was not a promising one, but as alwaysproves true, “Little is much when God is in it.” It is appar-ent that Philippi, being a military outpost, had few Jews.There was no synagogue there, but a mile west of the city

by the Gangites River an enclosure had been noticed whichthey “supposed…was a place of prayer” (16:13, ASV). A newera for women and for Europe was about to dawn, Lydiabeing the first convert on the continent of whom we haverecord.

In pursuit of the Holy Spirit’s brief biography of Lydia, wewish to stress two particular things.

HER OPENED HEARTLydia’s birthplace was undoubtedly Thyatira in Lydia, the

latter having been a Macedonian colony in Asia Minor. Itmay be that she was named after her homeland. One of theseven churches mentioned in Revelation was located atThyatira (see Rev. 2:18-29), the city having been especiallynoted for its dyers. Lydia became “a seller of purple”(16:14), purple being a name for a dye which was made fromshellfish. The fluid from them was placed on wool, whichturned it blue. It was then exposed to sunlight, which turnedit green, and finally purple. When it was washed in water itbecame a brilliant crimson, such material was widely desiredand brought a high price. Lydia apparently became a womanof considerable means, eventually carrying on her lucrativebusiness away from her home city. However, money cannotbuy peace of mind and heavenly joy, and she was typical ofmultitudes in her day, as well as at present, groping after real-ity amidst the vexation of this earthly scene.

Perhaps Lydia had become a Jewish proselyte in her homecity, for at that time there was a Jewish settlement in Thyatirainterested in the dyeing industry. At any rate, the pagan prac-tices of her day could not satisfy her inner longings, so shesought the monotheism of the Jews.

A businesswoman who believed Godby Ross Rainey

P


LYDIA of THYATIRA

which have issued the life, the freedom, the reforms, theart, the progress, and glory of Europe.

Marriage or trade had drawn Lydia to Philippi. ButGod was leading her for higher ends. Her meeting withPaul was the supreme event of her life: Paul and shepursued converging lines of heavenly purpose. Lydia’sway to Philippi was as divinely opened as was her heart(v. 14). Thus did Cornelius from Italy and Peter fromGalilee meet at Caesarea. When we leave our homes toembark in the world, we are prone to leave our religioushabits and convictions behind. Lydia carries the fear and

out of sight. Socrates, the greatest, wisest talker amongthe Greeks, delighted to waylay men of all crafts andclasses with his conversation. But homely and gentle ashe was, he would have passed by those women asunable to comprehend his discourse on life and dutyand the gods. In Plato’s academy woman had no place.

When Christ comes to Macedonia, He opens Hisschool among women. The first member of His Churchin Europe is a woman. Lydia is the Western Mary, themother of European Christianity. She rocks the cradleof the Gentile Church. Her home is the Nazareth from

It is also apparent that she was sincere. In the darknessof her soul Lydia truly longed for heavenly light and peace,and I am convinced that anyone who truly desires to knowGod will eventually be given light from God Himself.Lydia meant business with God, and throughdivinely-directed circumstances light came to her throughPaul and his companions.

The power which lightened it. Paul, Silas, Luke, andTimothy were helpless in themselves to open Lydia’s heartto Christ and to the truth of God’s Word. They were butinstruments in the hand of God, but as they conversed withthese women by the riverside, presenting the claims ofChrist on the soul, Lydia truly believed on the Saviour,realizing that here at last was the answer she had been sin-cerely seeking in regard to the problem of her sins. Havingheard the way of salvation, her heart was opened by theLord as she heeded the things spoken by Paul (see 16:14with Rom. 10:17).

The Person who became Lord of it. The entrance of theLord Jesus Christ into her heart led quickly to theenthronement of Christ over the same. Lydia readily sub-mitted to Christian baptism, thereby publicly confessingthe Lord Jesus before all. It is not important to knowwhether she was saved that particular Sabbath or not. Thefact remains that she was truly brought to know Christ, andalso her “household” (16:15), all taking their stand in thewaters of baptism.

The Lord Jesus Christ had been placed on the throne ofLydia’s life, not just on the threshold. To her, Christ wasindeed Lord of all!

HER OPENED HOMEThe lowliness which prompted it. Having willingly sub-

mitted to water baptism, this in itself being a token of herfaithfulness to the Lord, Lydia asked Paul and his fellow-laborers to abide in her house, that is, if they had judgedher to be faithful. She wanted her house to be used for the

glory of her Lord, knowing that it could serve as a splendidbase of operations for the furtherance of the gospel ofChrist. Actually, “if” in verse 15 should read “since,”Lydia knowing that Paul and his companions had alreadyjudged her to be faithful, and so she made known herdesire toward them.

The love which provided it. Note the closing words ofverse 15: “And she constrained us” (the only other place inthe New Testament where the word for “constrained” isused is in Luke 24:29). It is apparent that Paul at firstdemurred, preferring to be independent, burdening no one,not even a woman of wealth. However, as the NewTestament scholar A. T. Robertson has said, Lydia “had herway as women usually do” (Word Pictures in the NewTestament, Vol. 3, p. 254).

It was Christ-like love which provided a home for thesepioneers of faith. Apart from such homes the early mis-sionary movement would hardly have been possible. Thereis a continuing need for similar homes today. Is your homeopen to the Lord and His own?

The liberality which permeated it. What a haven of hos-pitality Lydia’s home must have become (16:40)! Those ofGod’s people needing shelter and comfort were afforded awarm welcome. Perhaps it became the meeting place of thefirst assembly established in Europe, just like the church inPhilemon’s house (Philem. 2). Though Lydia is not named,she is undoubtedly included in the women mentioned inPhilippians 4:3. Furthermore, it is quite probable that shewas used by the Lord to carry the gospel back to her nativecity of Thyatira, one of the very areas Paul and his com-panions had been forbidden by the Spirit to go (see16:6-8).

It is significant that the gospel of Christ in Europe hadits beginning in the hearts and lives of women and, in asense, the Macedonian call was that of a woman—namely,Lydia. Have you ever heard such a call? Have you endeav-ored to go (16:10)? �


LYDIA of THYATIRA

light, her will opened to receive the divine law, and heraffections opened to receive divine love.

Lydia’s conversion to the Jewish religion left hermind open to the faith of Christ. It was the spiritual ele-ment in Judaism that drew proselytes. They cared littlefor priest or temple. They thought much of sin. Theywelcomed the revelation of a God merciful, loving, andholy. They were in search of salvation. Nursed in theHebrew faith and living in a Gentile town, Lydia wouldhave experienced a deeper struggle in renouncing thereligion of her fathers. This obstacle would have to beovercome before her heart could be won.

Besides, Lydia was a woman of genius, the genius ofthe heart—the inspired heart—perceptive and receptive.The Lord may have opened other hearts as He openedhers, but the language descriptive of the divine opera-tion is applied in the New Testament to hers alone.

Christianity is the only belief that has laid siege tothe heart; the only faith that has opened the heart, emp-tied the heart, purified the heart, and healed the heart.

Europe took its keynote from Paul, the most intellec-tual of the apostles; but in Paul’s word of the cross therewas no attempt to confine his message to the intellectalone. That is a message of love, and love appeals to theheart. The herald who calls to repentance must knock atthe door of conscience. The preaching that assails theheart and moral sense of men is beyond all others in thesuccession of Paul and the company of the apostles.

the worship of God into the land of the stranger. She was in trade—a seller of purple, not a wearer of

purple; yet she gave a day out of seven to her Creator.Neither fatigue nor care held her away from the holyassembly by the riverside.

Still her heart was closed. Closed in what sense? Notagainst truth, for she had received it; nor against light,for she had hailed it; nor against the fear of God, for shefeared and worshiped Him. Her heart was not closedagainst the gospel, which had not yet knocked foradmission. From Paul she first heard of Christ theCrucified. Paul carried her first invitation to the feast ofsalvation. In immediate response, Lydia is one with thepenitent thief, with Zacchaeus and Cornelius. Her heartyielded to the first knock of redeeming love, became anear to hear the voice of grace, an eye to mirror Calvary.

While Paul conversed, Lydia ceased to hear the riverlapping at its shore, ceased to see her companions,ceased to remember her warehouse and her purple. Sheonly heard the voice of the wonderful stranger. Sheheard of love and sacrifice, of faith and righteousness,of peace with God and reigning grace, of deliverancefrom sin and of eternal life.

The things spoken by Paul were the grandest that thehuman ear can hear. The merchant found the preciouspearl, the dealer in purple found her robe of righteous-ness. Her heart was opened for the King of Glory tocome in, her understanding opened to receive divine �

No one likes to feel inferior. People use all kinds ofmethods to keep this from happening to themselves.But with God, we never need to waste our time evalu-ating our position in the world.

There are two identical phrases used in Luke 1 thatillustrate this to us. This phrase is: “He shall begreat” (in vv. 15 and 32). In our natural thinking, wewould readily accept them both if describing two of asimilar kind. But here, one describes a mere man andthe other the Son of God. How could God be so gra-cious as to allow the same comment to be applied toone so infinitely inferior to Him? It was because Godwould dwell in that human vessel, who would alsorepresent God in his life. Who would want the self-esteem that the world promotes, when we could actu-ally have the esteem of God in our lives? Promotingself robs us of the greatness with which He longs toendow us.

Two women gave birth to these ones called “great.”

Mary is respected and thought of more often, butbecause God was represented in both who were bornto them, He would use this term for both. Some willbe more famous in time, but that is only from theworld’s viewpoint. God is watching over the genera-tions, marking out the “great ones” who are willing tolet Him dwell in their human vessel so He can beseen through their lives.

Christ came into the world to glorify His Father.What a privilege to have the same ministry given toevery believer! What a privilege for every mother,like Elisabeth, to have the opportunity to raise herchildren to love and consequently represent the Lord.There was no feeling of competition, or of lack. Theyhad very different children, with different ministries,but both, though in different capacities, representedGod, who only is pre-eminent. Living in Him, thereare no second fiddles in His estimation, no matterwhat your lot. —L. Nicholson

No second fiddles with God

s the two sisters of Bethanyare always brought together inthe Scriptures, we are doubt-

less intended to think of themtogether. Unfortunately, this hassometimes led to partiality. Inendeavoring to consider them indi-vidually, it is hoped that we may bepreserved from making unjust com-parisons, and that we may learnneeded lessons from each of them.

The first occasion on which thesisters are mentioned is peculiar toLuke, and Martha is seen as thehostess (Lk. 10:38-42).

THE HOSTESS

That Martha was the daughter, orwife, or widow, of Simon the leperare pure conjectures. Her namemeans “lady” or “mistress.” Shewas, in fact, the lady of the house,on whom would devolve the man-agement of household affairs, thereception of the guests, and theduties of hospitality.

As, on a later occasion,Zacchaeus received the Lord joyful-ly, so we may be sure when Marthareceived Him into her house shegave Him a royal welcome. Eager toentertain Him to the utmost of herability, Martha was drawn this wayand that, fretting and fussing overthe multitude of things that seemedto require her attention, while hersister was seemingly content to sit atthe Lord’s feet, listening to Hisword. Instead of being delighted thather sister should be so engrossedand absorbed, Martha was cumberedabout much serving; she felt herselfto be slighted and neglected.

That it is a great privilege to

serve the Lord, His own wordsdeclare: “If any man serve Me, lethim follow Me; and where I am,there shall also My servant be: ifany man serve Me, him will MyFather honor” (Jn. 12:26).

But it seems that Martha’s preoc-cupation with what she was doingcaused her to forget, momentarily,that she was only a servant of theLord, that it is He who directs. Shebecame critical of her sister, and herwords were lacking in respect to theLord. Instead of quietly calling hersister to help, if Mary’s help wasneeded, she went to the Lord: “Lord,dost Thou not care that my sisterhath left me to serve alone? Bid hertherefore that she help me.”

Her words were a reflection onHim. Love “doth not behave itselfunseemly” (1 Cor. 13:5); but, assomeone has said, “Self is alwayscaptious, as well as important;” andon this occasion there seems to be

undue emphasis on the personal pro-noun “me.”

The Lord loved Martha; and,being “full of goodness” (Rom.15:14), reproved her very tenderlyand gently. With the dignity that wasproper to Him, He recalled her toherself by repeating her name; andyet He addressed her with an expres-sion of affection and concern, aswhen He said: “O Jerusalem,Jerusalem” (Mt. 23:37), “Simon,Simon” (Lk. 22:31), and “Saul,Saul” (Acts 9:4). So now He said:“Martha, Martha, thou art carefuland troubled about many things; butone thing is needful, and Mary hathchosen that good part, which shallnot be taken away from her.” Theword “careful” refers to the innerunrest of her soul: the word “trou-bled” to her outward agitation.

Many people are anxious aboutthe things of this life: “What shallwe eat? or, what shall we drink? or,wherewithal shall we be clothed?”Martha was anxious how she mightplease the Lord; she felt that shecould not do enough for Him.Experience teaches that those whoare the most censorious are usuallythose who are by no means conspic-uous for their much serving; but,while this is true, the lesson for usall to learn is that we should not beso engrossed with our work for theLord that our minds become divertedfrom the Person whom we serve. Hewould, therefore, have His words toMartha sink down into our hearts:“One thing is needful, and Maryhath chosen that good part whichshall not be taken away from her.”That Martha profited by His words,


Jesus, engrave upon my heart—That Thou the one thing needful art.

A

Martha, Martha

D O N ’ T M I S U N D E R S T A N D R. NORTH


MARTHA, MARTHA

There are two words for love in these verses: theaffection of a friend, and a stronger word. The sisters inverse 3 and the Jews in verse 36 used the weaker word;John in verse 5 used the stronger word. The sisters knewthe Lord had affection for Lazarus, but did not know thestrength of His love. The Jews said, “Behold how Heloved him,” but they did not know the depth of it.

It is the Spirit of God through John who uses thestronger word, and that at the moment when His lovemight seem to be in question. It was not lack of love butthe perfection of love, and the light of His Father’s will,that detained the Lord. In the meantime, Lazarus died.

When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, insteadof waiting in the house after the custom of mourners,she went to meet Him; in a place where she could tellHim all that was in her heart apart from the presence ofthe Jews and from the lamentations in the house. Wecan picture the scene as, with quivering lips Marthauttered the half-reproachful, yet half-hopeful words:“Lord, if Thou hadst been here, my brother had notdied. But I know that, even now, whatsoever Thou wiltask of God, God will give it Thee.” She meant it as anexpression of her faith, but she failed to discern His trueglory: for she used the word “ask” which the Lord neverused Himself in speaking to His Father. The attitude of asuppliant, and a petitioner, is fit and proper for us whenwe ask of God (cp. Jn. 16:23-24; 1 Jn. 5:14-15); but our

and by His loving tone, her subsequent history shows.The second occasion on which the sisters are men-

tioned is peculiar to John; and Martha is seen as amourner (Jn. 11).

THE MOURNER

We can imagine how busy Martha was when herbrother Lazarus was sick; but she and her sister knew towhom to turn in their need. They had such unboundedconfidence in the love of the Lord that they felt theyhad only to let Him know that he whom He loved wassick, and He would come immediately. But when Jesusheard, He said: “This sickness is not unto death, but forthe glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorifiedthereby.” The sisters would naturally think of Lazarus,and of themselves. The Lord thought first of the gloryof God. The sickness of Lazarus was the occasion forthe glory of God being seen in a way in which it wouldnot otherwise have been known.

So He remained two days longer in the place whereHe was. Did that seem like love? It seemed more likeindifference. Yet it is precisely at this point in the narra-tive that we read: “Now Jesus loved Martha, and hersister, and Lazarus.” He loved each one of them.Martha, whom many would have placed last, is men-tioned first; and Mary, whom many would have placedfirst, is not even mentioned by name.

Dorcas was a woman marked by service for God.She lived in Joppa, the place where Jonah tried to runfrom doing service assigned to him by God. Thoughwomen are to respect the position of men, they neednot let the poor service of men hinder them fromdoing their work for God. Women can still fulfilltheir personal ministries, in their own realms.

Dorcas was called a “disciple,” which is oftenthought to be a term describing men in the Bible. Buthere we see this title is available to women as well.The Lord taught that, denying self for the sake of theLord, every follower of His could be a disciple.Obviously, being “full” of good works, she must havedenied herself time and things that would, by mostothers, be spent on themselves.

Some may see it redundant to read “which shedid” after saying she was full of good works, but howwe need to be reminded to do less talking aboutthings and more doing.

Her work was done “while she was with them.”

This again may seem obvious, but all too often wewait until somebody leaves us to realize we didn’t dowhat we should have done for that person for theLord’s sake. Let us learn by Dorcas’ example to dofor others, not only while we are with them, (meaningduring our lifetime on this earth), but also while weare with them, arranged by God, in the same location.

Our ministries will vary as to how we serve others,but it is worthy of notice that her good works includ-ed taking care of the widows. James 1:27 tells us that“Pure religion and undefiled before God and theFather is this, to visit the fatherless and widows intheir affliction.” Is there one of us that is exempt inknowing some of these?

Beauty is vain (Prov. 31:30), but not your labors inthe Lord (1 Cor. 15:58). So how can we be full ofgood works like Dorcas? The Lord is good (Ps.145:9); enjoy Him. He will give you all things richlyto enjoy and then we cannot help but want to do goodworks for Him (1 Tim. 6:17-18). —L. Nicholson

✤ ✤ ✤ ✤ ✤ Dorcas the disciple Acts 9:36-42 ✤ ✤ ✤ ✤ ✤


MARTHA, MARTHA

“And when He had thus spoken, He cried with a loudvoice: Lazarus, come forth; and he that was dead cameforth,” an earnest of the unfolding of His power whichwill call every sleeping saint from the tomb, and anearnest of the power which will later call forth theunsaved dead to appear before the great white throne.

Who can measure the effect of all these things on theheart of Martha or appreciate the insight thus given toher of His glory? She had proved His love, she had seenHis tears, she had experienced His sympathy, she hadheard His thanksgiving, she had witnessed His power;and life for Martha could never be the same.

THE SERVANT

The third incident is recorded in Matthew 26:6-13and in Mark 14:3-9, but John is the only writer whoconnects it with the family of Martha and Mary, andwho notes the service of Martha. On this occasionMartha is seen serving without distraction (Jn. 12:1-8).

On His way to Jerusalem for the last time, the Lordcame to Bethany where Lazarus was whom He hadraised from the dead. There they made Him a supper;and, in doing so, braved the wrath of the council whohad given a commandment that, if anyone knew whereHe was, he should show it, that they might take Him.Their love for their Lord outweighed the threat of ex-communication; and, in the case of Lazarus, the threatof death itself. How fitting that those who loved theLord should make Him a supper, before the bitter cupwas presented to His lips on the cross.

True to her character, Martha was serving. Probablyher feet and hands moved more quickly than ever; butthere is not a word about being “distracted” with muchserving, nor of being anxious and troubled. No longerfretful and fussy, preoccupied with her own activities,Martha served in peace and restfulness of spirit. Herwork was the same, but her spirit was changed. Lovewas the inspiration of her service, as it was on the firstoccasion, but she had learned the blessed secret ofattending on the Lord without distraction (1 Cor. 7:35).

When Mary took a pound of ointment of spikenard,very precious, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wipedHis feet with her hair, and the house was filled with theodor of the ointment, Martha did not join in the indig-nant cry of the disciples and say, “To what purpose isthis waste?” (Mt. 26:8). Maybe she realized, better thanthe disciples, that the ointment served a very definitepurpose; and she silently acquiesced in her sister’s act ofdevotion and worship. One Person and one object alonefilled the vision of Martha’s soul, and the Lord’s eyerested upon her in loving approval.

Lord always addressed His Father on equal terms.Jesus said to her, “Thy brother shall rise again.”

Martha believed in the resurrection of the dead, and hadno hesitation in replying: “I know that he shall riseagain in the resurrection in the last day;” but theprospect of resurrection seemed so remote that it couldnot heal the wound of bereavement. So it was Marthawho first heard the words of the Lord, that have sincebeen a comfort to many: “I am the Resurrection, andthe Life; he that believeth in Me, though he were dead,yet shall he live, and whosoever liveth and believeth inMe shall never die.” Although she answered, “Yes,Lord,” when He asked: “Believest thou this?” the fullmeaning of His words could hardly have been under-stood without the added light of the epistles. Martha’sconfession was a remarkable confession, in the hour ofher grief and disappointment: “I believe that Thou artthe Christ, the Son of God, which should come into theworld;” but it was hardly an answer to His question.Martha evidently felt that His words were beyond her.She must have felt like most of us feel when we aretaken out of our depth. Without staying for enlighten-ment, she called her sister secretly, to avoid attractingthe attention of the Jews, and perhaps feeling that Marywould better understand, saying: “The Master is come,and calleth for thee” if anyone had been inclined toquestion the reality of the maid’s death, or the death ofthe widow’s son, there could be no doubt as to the deathof Lazarus. When Jesus came, He found that Lazarushad been in the tomb four days already, having doubt-less been buried on the day he died. We can understand,therefore, that when Jesus said: “Take ye away thestone,” Martha said to Him, “Lord, by this time he stinketh.” She could not bear to think that the body ofher brother, that must now have seen corruption, shouldbe exposed to view. How tenderly the Lord answeredher: “Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe,thou shouldest see the glory of God?”

Tears have often been seen at the graveside, butwhen before was thanksgiving heard? Here was some-thing new in the world’s history. Jealous above allthings for His Father’s glory, Jesus lifted up His eyesand said: “Father, I thank Thee that Thou hast heardMe; and I knew that Thou hearest Me always; butbecause of the people which stand by I said it, that theymay believe that Thou hast sent Me.” Although He wasthe Son of God with power, according to the Spirit ofholiness (Rom. 1:4), He testified, in the presence of allwho stood by that the power that raised Lazarus fromthe dead was exercised in dependence upon, and in fel-lowship and communion with, His Father. �

he penalty which a great manlays upon the world,” saidHegel, “is to understand him.”

The statement would be more accu-rate had he spoken not of a greatman, but of a great saint. Saintlinessalways surprises. It baffles and vexesour common worldly minds. Themen and women of deep and gen-uine holiness continually amaze us.They have kinder and wiserthoughts; they do more generous andself-sacrificing deeds; they arestronger and tenderer in characterthan we conceive; they are alwaysrising to some new height ofachievement and attaining somefresh triumph over themselves.

For this reason Mary of Bethanyis not easy to understand. We some-times picture her as a simple, almostunlessoned girl. But she was a greatsaint, a wonder to her household, abewilderment to the whole village, aperplexity, almost a trial, to the dis-ciples. In her spiritual beauty shewas an offense to at least one ofthem. She rose into zones of faithand adoration and sacrifice in whoseair others could not breathe.

Only One understood her. He hadto defend her against Martha, had tobecome her advocate against thecensure of His disciples. When weunderstand why Jesus sets Mary sohigh we shall know almost all that isworth knowing about saintliness.

Let us begin at the end of therecord of her life, and go back to itsbeginning—from what may be calledthe outside and pass into its core.Let us begin with her gift of costlyspikenard, and go back to the centerand source of her moral loveliness.

We find ourselves face to facewith three scenes that led to a secret.

The first scene is the breaking ofthe alabaster box of ointment. It is ascene of home. Mary of Bethany is atype of womanhood never found out-side the distinctive people of God.She is in the great succession ofMiriam and Deborah, Ruth andHannah—the woman, who in spiteof slips and falls, feared God aboveevery other fear.

But this type of womanhood didnot reach the bloom of its wisdomand insight and delicacy until it wastouched by Jesus. It may be saidwith unassailable truth that it is inthe soul of a woman like Mary thatthe word of Christ has free courseand is glorified.

Christ can take the coarsest clayand fashion a vessel of honor. Hecan pluck a brand from the burningand make it bring forth the tenderleaf again. But when a young,unstained soul, with a heritage ofgodliness stored in the heart, ledfrom the earliest years into the houseof God and taught His ways, gentlynurtured in wise and restraining dis-ciplines—when such a soul comes toHim He works, as a cunning work-man will in precious material, Hismiracle of loveliness.

Mary of Bethany was the daugh-ter of a home of wealth and refine-ment, as these were realized in thefashion of the time. The marks of itsease of circumstance are set inalmost every sentence of the story.The lavish hospitality, the respectshown by sympathizing neighbors,the grave in the rock—a grave suchas Joseph of Arimathea with his

riches had bought for himself—thecostly box of spikenard of Mary’sown, all indicate the affluence of thefamily. The courtesies and reticenceof speech, the instinctive acts of gen-tlehood, the sense of taste which per-vade the story, reveal the grace ofthe home. When Christ is receivedby faith into the heart of a womantrained as Mary was, you mayexpect wondrously lovely deeds.

So on that night in which He was

looking forward to His death andburial, when Martha made Him afeast, Mary felt that it lacked some-thing. When a king sat at a table,and men did him honor, not onlywere the viands rare and costly, notonly did flowers lend their color andperfume, but his head was anointedwith oil. Mary had only one King.Her eyes were fixed on Him. Herthoughts were busy with His honor.So she ran for her treasure, pouredthe oil on His head, and the housewas filled with the aroma.

Now mark that this was an act of


She was not commended for sitting still but for sitting “at Jesus’ feet.”

T

Mary of Bethany

L U K E 1 0 : 8 - 9 W. M. CLOW

Modern-day Bethany

Pho

to:

John

Nic

hols

on I

II


MARY of BETHANY

righteousness. That is the faith which ruled in the heartof Pascal and Edwards and Butler. There is a faithwhich serves itself heir to the promises of God and issaved by hope. Many of the holiest lives and mostself-denying ministries find their dynamic here. All ofthese our Father, who is patient with His children,accepts and owns. But the faith which captivates theheart of God is that which longs, and reaches out, not somuch through clear doctrine, or high obedience, or mys-tic feeling, or uplifting hopes, but through and forHimself. That sets Mary on high, with Abraham, andMoses, and David, and Peter, and John, and Paul. Theywere held not merely by His works or by His words.They were held by Himself, and all of them have fallendown in adoration at His feet.

The third scene is that of Mary sitting and hearingHis word. This must not be thought of as describing theattitude of a single hour. It sets forth the habit of herlife. As Paul sat at the feet of Gamaliel, learning hiswisdom, entering into his ideals, so Mary was a scholarin the school of Christ. The strictest Pharisee could havedeclared, as they marked her ways, that she had beenwith Jesus, and had learned of Him.

Do you realize how high this habit of Mary’s life is?There may be a certain suspicion of this seemingly idleposture. You are tempted to think that Mary was lackingin the more difficult activities of every day—a creaturetoo wise and good for human nature’s daily food. Or itmay be the picture you cherish is that of somepale-faced nun such as you see her in the streets, boundabout with the white napkin of her cloister tomb.

No. Mary had no idle hand. She was not a mereguest at life’s feast. Martha would not have spoken sobitterly, and demanded that Mary be bidden to rise andserve, had service not been the custom of her days. Thedrudgery of household duties bent her back. The con-stancy of household tasks soiled and coarsened herhands, as much as Martha’s. But she knew what washighest and best in life. She had heard Jesus say, “Thelife is more than meat, and the body is more than rai-ment.” She had heard Him repeat, “The words that I

the home. The house was filled with the odor. The significance of that statement is clear. We need

not range far afield to find the deeds which follow in asuccession to Mary’s gift, and fill our homes with fra-grance. When a daughter pours out her youth and gracein the difficult ministries of the home; when she waitswith patient care on the sick and aged, until the snow ofher brow steals down and pales the blossom on hercheek; when a woman spends her thought and care inmaking her home a place of rest and peace for men whoface the conflicts of the world; when she humblyaccepts the narrow ways and constant humiliations ofpoverty and care; when she is quick to make the homethe place of comfort and solace to those who are weary;when she makes a sacrifice in which she denies herselfthe dearest joy in life, she breaks something more costlythan a box of alabaster—she breaks her woman’s heart,that she may honor Christ. There, as she serves, in hergreat way, she takes rank with Mary.

There are homes into which we enter today where wemay hear Mary’s gentle footfall, see her pouring forthher ointment, and the whole house is filled with itsodor. When you see a woman serving in the costly tasksof the household with this ineffable grace, you under-stand why Jesus set Mary in the place of honor.

The second scene is the act of adoration. We seeMary not far from her brother’s grave. We see thedepths within her broken up, and we have revealed thetenacity of her affections. Martha had gone to meetJesus, and stands to speak with Him. “But when Marywas come where Jesus was she fell down at His feet.”

An act like this where a human soul prostrates itselfin adoration is almost too high for us to appreciate, andall that it means is difficult to grasp. With tender andsacred awe, Mary fell down at Jesus’ feet. We have nohint in her of a mind that could reason out the mysteriesof the faith. We have no word from her which setseither truth or grace in a phrase. The very words sheutters seem to be echoes of what she heard on Martha’slips. The great words of Christ were too great for her.But to her, as to all who have entered into the heart ofthe Christian revelation, Jesus was all in all. Not whatChrist said, not even what Christ did, but what Christwas. She beheld His glory. His declaration of God, Hisassurance of God’s love, His embodiment of God’s holi-ness, all that was pure and just and true and honorable,and lovely, and of good report was enshrined in Jesus.When she fell down at His feet, it was the posturewhich revealed the attitude of her soul.

There is a faith which is based on a sure-footed rea-son, and a clear apprehension of God’s wisdom and

O serving soul, you must not only do

With Martha, but with Mary ponder too;

Happy’s the home where these fair sisters vary,

But most, when Martha’s reconciled to Mary.

—FRANCIS QUARLES


MARY of BETHANY

speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life.” Shehad heard Him appeal, “This is the work of God, that yebelieve on Him whom He hath sent.”

Why should it concern her to gain all that glitteredbefore the eye. The whole world might cry, “Who willshow me any good?” Her prayer was, “Lord, lift Thouup the light of Thy countenance upon me.” That is themind which men may deride. Jesus ranks it with thehighest.

This, whatever may be your life and its fashion, youknow to be highest. No man will think lightly of thedaily toil and task. No man will sneer at honest successin his calling. But you know in your hearts that no suchtoil or gain is enough to satisfy a human soul. To sowand to reap, to buy and to sell, to plan and to build, tomake the roads and dust the flaunty carpets of theworld, is not the highest. What is it all for? What is it allto end in? Is it enough for a man to do some greatwork, to be a master of some high calling in the world’sestimate, and to win a name and a place among men?How brief is his glory! How vanishing is his work!

You find men who are immersed in this world’s careforming themselves into a club where they may escapefrom the treadmill of life and give their minds to thingsthat lift their thoughts above the common passions. Youfind men hungry for a music, when, at the touch ofsome master, they may rise out of their sordid life, intoa spiritual atmosphere. “Man cannot live by breadalone.” He must have the Word of God.

These are the souls who make it the habit and pas-sion of their lives to learn His word, and to enter intoHis wisdom. These rank with Mary when they castthemselves at Jesus’ feet.

We have seen Mary at the feast in her act of grace.We have seen her falling down at Jesus’ feet in her ado-ration. We have seen her in the very habit of her life andpassion of her heart, hearing Christ’s word. Now wecome to the secret of it all, and it is set in a word ofJesus. He sets the deep motive of Mary’s deeds, and thetrue source of her grace, in the declaration, “Mary hathchosen that good part which shall not be taken fromher.” Mary had chosen. He takes us back to an hour ofdefinite and determining choice.

The Gospels do not disclose the solemn hour ofdecision for Christ in many cases. With the delicacythey had learned of Christ, they rather veiled that expe-rience, so unspeakably wonderful, that it is not alwayslawful to utter. Here we have only a hint of an event,which was the supreme decision in the history of Mary,as it is, and shall be, in the history of all believers.

It takes us back to a day which was the beginning of

all days. I venture to think that it was on that night whenfirst Jesus became the Guest of the household ofBethany. When the evening lamp was lit, He spoke, asHis manner was, of His heavenly Father and His care, ofthe easy yoke and light burden of His service, and ofthe Good Shepherd seeking His own.

The young, shy, silent girl sat and heard His words.Wonder and fear had long possessed her heart. Herthoughts about God and His ways were darkened by thefamily sorrow. She had endeavored to keep the com-mandments, but had to confess her failure with theshame that purity always feels. She felt at times eventhe desire to be holy fading within. She did not ventureto tell out her troubled spirit to self-reliant, clear-mindedMartha. She would not whisper her doubts and fears toLazarus. But as Jesus spoke, she saw the truth of Godand His grace. She heard the call to trust and obey, andin a single silent decision, she chose the good part.

The quality of our lives depends upon our choices.The man whose days are full of shame, whose characteris daily becoming more degraded, has made his choices,time and time again. The man whose faith and zeal arewithering has ceased to make that succession of freshdecisions which shall turn his feet, with every morninglight, anew to God’s testimonies. The man whose heartis becoming purer, whose life is becoming nobler, hasalso made his choice. Even now, if you will have yourlife abound in deeds which will fill your house with fra-grance, and call forth Christ’s high encomium, choose,in an act of faith and of reverence, and your new obedi-ence will be gladdening in the Master’s eyes.

Do we ever labor at servingTill voices grow fretful and shrill,Forgetting how to be loving,Forgetting how to be still?Do we strive for “things” and possessions,And toil for the perishing meat,Neglecting the one thing needful—Sitting at Jesus’ feet?

Service is good when He asks it,Labor is right in its place,But there is one thing better—Looking up into His face;There is so much He would tell us,Truths that are precious and deep;This is the place where He wants us,These are the things we can keep.

—ANNIE JOHNSON FLINT

�

nd Jesus, immediately knowingin Himself that virtue had goneout of Him, turned Him about

in the crowd and said, Who touchedMy clothes? And His disciples saidunto Him, Thou seest the multitudethronging Thee, and sayest Thou,Who touched Me?” (Mk. 5:30-31)

From the three cases given inMark 5, this chapter of incurables,Jesus proved Himself Lord over dev-ils, disease, and death. Then we turnthe jewel round and catch anotherflash of its beauty. We see that Jesusis the man’s Christ, the woman’sChrist, and the child’s Christ.

Now I want to speak about themiddle case, this woman who hadsuffered many things of many physi-cians and was nothing bettered, butrather grew worse. So Mark says.When Luke tells the story he leavesthat bit about the doctors out, butthen he was a doctor himself.

Mark has no scruple; and he saysthat all her attempts merely aggra-vated the problem and excited hopesthat only ended in despair. She wasworse when they finished theirattempts than before they started.

That woman represents multi-tudes. Perhaps you are longing forspiritual healing, for soul satisfac-tion, you are groping for light. Youare trying to climb up out of theslough of your despond; you desireto get your chains broken and yourfetters snapped. You say you wantthe assurance of sins forgiven, to bein possession of peace with God.You believe there is something foryou that Christians talk about, andthat the Bible describes in the death

and resurrection of the Son ofGod. Somehow you believe it isfor you, but you never get it,hunting after but never finding,always thirsty and never getting adrink of the living stream. Oh,how many fakes some of youhave consulted! Some of youspend all your time in hunting upreligious quacks. There has notbeen a preacher in town for twen-ty years that you have not heard.You boast that there has not beena mission held within reach butyou have been there. You arefront-seaters, bench-warmers,religious tramps.

Don’t smile—I want you to seeyourselves. You have been pre-pared to listen to any fad, any bigperson, any sensational story, anyman-made message, any newthing. But you have not got heal-ing that way; and if I could seeyou as God sees you, I should seeyou worse today than you wereten years ago, with all yourattempts at redemption.

Now you have come to hearthis preacher. But at the beginninglet me be plain with you. I cannotsave you. That is beyond me. But Iknow One who can, and there isnone like Him. He is the most won-derful Physician. He is never baffled;He can diagnose every case. He goesto the root of the mischief. He nevermakes a blunder. But He must haveHis way. All the poor, broken-downattempts at social, religious, andspiritual reform, and all the backslid-ing, and the falls, and the blundersthat you have seen around you, haveall come about because Christ has

not had His way. Give Christ Hisway, and He will heal completely.

My friends, your cure is the sameas the woman’s. Her cure came onthe heels of everybody else’s failure.Christ’s cure always comes there.When people get to the end ofthings, then Jesus Christ bares Hisarm and shows His omnipotence,declaring Himself the mightySaviour. He is a wonderful Jesus.

It is not a quack you want, it is aspecialist. It is not the preacher youwant, it is not the beautiful hymns


A classic gospel message from a renowned servant of God.

A

The woman’s touch

T H R I L L I N G S T O R Y ! GIPSEY SMITH


The WOMAN’S TOUCH

had been pointed out to her and she was rejoicing inChrist. She had met the condition, and her burden hadrolled away. Her tears had become telescopes throughwhich she could see Jesus.

Presently the doctor came with the husband. Shelooked up at the doctor and she said, “Doctor, I havefound Him, I have found Him!”

He said, “My good woman, whom have you found?” “Oh, sir,” she said, “My poor soul has been hungry

for Jesus, and I have found Him.” “Well,” said the doctor, “You don’t need me, for you

have the best Physician the world ever saw.”That is what I want to say to you: it is not a minister

you want, it is Jesus. We are only fingers pointing, weare only voices crying; but, blessed be God, we do pointand we do cry and we tell you in one concentratedvoice: Only Jesus can do helpless sinners good. Fiveminutes’ honest, definite, intelligent dealing with JesusChrist will cure your grief, and nothing else will. That isthe first thing I want to say.

The second is this, that there is a tremendous differ-ence between thronging Jesus and touching Jesus. Therewere at least six hundred thousand people who leftEgypt for the Promised Land who never reached it. Twomen out of the crowd reached it. They were touchers,the others were throngers; the others bleached theirbones in the wilderness.

Here is a multitude of people at this very momentcrowding Jesus, speculating about Jesus, excited aboutHim, criticizing Him, elbowing Him, but one womantouched Him, and that made all the difference.

Which are you? Have you touched Him, or are you athronger? In the name of God I tell you—and I tell youto startle you—church-goer, you are a thronger; youhave never touched Him yet, multitudes of you. If youhad, your life would be different, for whatever Jesustouches is glorified.

Which are you now? You know deep in your heart.Don’t make any excuse, don’t shuffle; don’t, I beg you,get away from the main issue. Have you come into liv-ing, vital, saving contact with the Son of God? Becauseyou will know if you have.

You must not tell me that a man can be born againand made a new creature, have his chains broken, hisnight turned into day and his blindness to sight, his hellinto heaven, and not know it. Listen. This woman knew,so will you when you have touched Him. This is one ofthe surest things in God’s world, for a man that can lookup into the face of Jesus, and say by faith, “Thou art mySaviour,” has got in his soul the joy that will some daymake heaven pulsate with hallelujahs. The man that

we sing, it is not hearing some great orator, it is notbeing familiar with books or schools; it is Jesus. It isnot even the Bible, for “the letter killeth.” You may befamiliar with it, you may have gone through it I do notknow how many times, but till it goes through you, youwill not be any better. It is not in tramping to and fromchurch. It is not in performance or ritual. Healing is inJesus.

Soon after my father’s conversion, our tents were justoutside Cambridge. My father could not read the Biblein those days. He was only a rough gipsy man, but hewas saved, and he did the next best with his motherlesschildren before he went to bed. He used to sing andpray every night. And when he and five children startedto sing, you could hear us a few fields away on thosedark, winter nights. I can see my father now; he wouldsay, “Before we go to bed, my dears, we will have ahymn or two,” and he would strike off.

We had no idea that the people in the cottages acrossthe fields heard the songs and came a little nearer tocatch the words, or that they stopped while he prayed. Itwas a strange thing to hear a gipsy man pray in his tent.These people never expected it.

One woman was smitten in her conscience about hersin. She said, “Here is a rough gipsy man praying, andhe is not praying for me to hear him, for he does notknow I am here. How is it? I was brought up in aSunday school, my mother was a good woman, I camefrom a Christian home. I am a mother but I never prayfor my children.” The arrow of conviction pierced hersoul, and it did not come out easily. For some time shesaid nothing about it, but she suffered something of theagony that David must have felt when he said, “While Ikept silence my bones waxed old…for day and night Thyhand was heavy upon me. My moisture is turned intothe drought of summer.” And I tell you, when the lightof God’s holiness shines into a guilty soul, it blisters it.

One night her husband came home from work, andhe saw there was something the matter. He had noticedit for some days, and he said, “Mary, what is the trou-ble?” She did not answer. “Mary, are you ill?” Still shekept quiet. “Very well,” he said. “I will fetch the doc-tor,” and away he went.

As soon as he had got outside the door, she sent herboy to our old tent, and when he got to the tent he saidto my father, “Sir, my mother heard you pray someweeks ago and she has never been happy since. Shewants to know if you will come and pray with her.”

Father replied, “Of course I will,” and away he went. When he got there, he found the poor woman crying

for mercy. It was not long before the plan of salvation


The WOMAN’S TOUCH

hide-and-seek. You must confess Him; He will see tothat. If you are to get all He wants you to have, He willsee you meet the conditions. She began in the crowdbehind, she ended up on her knees in front of Him,where all grateful souls end. He said, “Where is she thattouched Me?” and He looked round about to see herthat had done this thing; and mark, He turned round,and when He turned round she was there.

Don’t you see, it was not as difficult as she thought.She thought she would get at His back; He gave her Hisface, and she knelt at His feet, and they made a ringthere on the highway. That was the inquiry room, andshe told Him all the truth. Nobody hindered her, nobodychecked her. She poured out her heart and her tears, andshe told Him everything. He listened patiently, andwhen she had told all, He said, “Daughter, thy faith hathsaved thee; go in peace.”

If you want to have peace as a friend and companion,peace as the bloom and blossom of things, the musicineffable sounding in the life, let Jesus Christ come inand take the throne, and you will get peace.

Men and women, come out of hiding. Never mindthe crowd; Christ is here, and you can touch Him if youwill. You can get where there is always room for anotherin His presence, at His feet. He will make room ifnobody else does. He will see that you get a place rightin front of Him, if you only will come to Him.

“But,” you say, “what can I do?” What could she do?She seized her opportunity. Will you? Here was theChrist passing by. She had only to touch the hem of Hisgarment, but there was more in that touch than youthink. The Lord help you to touch Him the same way,and you too will be made whole. Your night will breakinto lovely dawn, your misery into music, your tearswill be kissed into jewels, your heartache into soul rap-ture, your lifelong agony will end in the joy of the pres-ence of the risen Christ.

Oh, touch Him! Do not throng Him longer. It endsall one way—it spells failure, it spells loss, it spellsagony. But touching means life. Oh, how I thank God Ihave touched Him! I do not know as much as some ofyou, but I know this—I let nobody cheat me out of myopportunity—and I shall never forget how I knelt as agipsy boy and said, “O God, I want to love Thee, I wantto be saved, I want to be good, and I will be saved, and Iwill follow Thee.” I do not know how, but I touchedHim at that moment, and He accepted me.

God help you to touch Him in the same way, and thegrace that turned the gipsy-tent into a palace willchange your life from the poor miserable thing it hasbeen into a thing of beauty and praise forever.

could look up into the face of Jesus and say, “Thou artmy light and my song; my sins are put away; my chainsare broken, my Lord and my God,” is sitting in the twi-light of the coming glory. If he is not in heaven, he is inthe ante-room, and he is as safe as though he had beenthere a thousand years. For when God gets hold of aman He does not let go His grip. The Lord GodAlmighty take hold of you!

Have you touched Him? Do you know this? I am notasking what else you know—are you sure about thisthing? Blessed assurance is the ground, the indestruc-tible rock beneath a man’s feet upon which he can standand say to the world, “Rage on, toss on, howl on, yestorms, and peal, ye thunders, and flash, ye lightnings,but it will be but the rocking of an infant’s cradle as itlulls me to rest in the arms of Him who saves me, andkeeps me by His grace.” Have you got it? “Blessedassurance, Jesus is mine!” Do you know it? Are yousure of it? Because that is what He calls you to.

You say, “Are you not forcing something that is notin the story?” No, it is all here. The woman came in thecrowd behind, and I can hear her as she comes limping,stooping, catching her breath, hardly voice enough tospeak out loud, saying in a whisper, but saying it, “If Ican only touch the hem of His garment I shall behealed”; as much as to say, There is power enough inthe threads of His coat to save an old woman. That isthe faith that conquered Deity. “Only let me get to Him,and I shall be a new woman.” Listen. She knew she wasnot healed, yet she says, “I shall be,” and she touched,and was made whole.

The next verse says, “And Jesus, knowing in Himselfthat power had gone out of Him, turned in the crowd.”What does that teach? His Spirit answers to my spirit,and tells me I am born of God. Jesus knew, and thewoman knew; and Jesus will know and you will know,when you plow your way through the crowd—whateverthe crowd may be for you—and insist on touching Him.

Have you touched Him? You are a professor, but areyou a possessor?

“Amazing grace, ’tis heaven belowTo feel the blood applied,And Jesus, only Jesus, knows, My Jesus crucified.”

Is that your experience? Have you touched Him?And if you have touched Him, that leads me to the nextthing. If you have touched Him you must confess Him.There is no such thing as getting healed and then beingashamed of the doctor. But there is no such thing asbeing a smuggler here; there is no such thing as playing �

t is interesting to observe thatof the various groups of peo-ple who stood by the cross no

personal names are given exceptthose of three or four women.

Even the apostle John is notreferred to by name, only in an indi-rect way. No mention is made of thepresence of Annas or Caiaphas. Ifthey had accompanied the dolorousprocession on the way to Calvary, inall probability they had soon goneback to their palace to enjoy theirsuccess. The centurion who superin-tended the crucifixion remains for usanonymous. The names of disciplesare not given: the last fact recordedabout them is that they all forsooktheir Master and fled. Where theyhad gone is discreetly not disclosed.

Peter certainly had recoveredfrom the panic, and with doubtfulcourage had followed at a distance,had gone into the courtyard, andafter his thrice repeated denial hadmade a hasty retreat into the night.He must have joined the other disci-ples after the crucifixion, for theband did not disintegrate, but ulti-mately reassembled in somewell-known rendezvous. There theywere with others on the morning ofthe resurrection (Jn. 20).

Women, however, are mentionedby name. Matthew informs us thatmany women had “followed Jesusfrom Galilee…ministering untoHim.” From those women he singlesout “Mary Magdalene, Mary themother of James and Joses, and themother of Zebedee’s children”(27:55-56).

Mark’s list is slightly different:“Mary Magdalene, and Mary the

mother of James the less and Joses,and Salome” (Mk. 15:40).

Luke specifies no individuals,simply stating: “all His acquain-tance and the women that followedHim from Galilee stood afar off,beholding these things” (Lk. 23:49).

John gives the names as follows:“There stood by the cross of JesusHis mother, and His mother’s sister,Mary the wife of Cleophas and MaryMagdalene…” (Jn. 19:25-26).

Who were the acquaintancesreferred to by Luke? Were theymembers of the apostolic band whohad rallied and returned to watch theend? Thomas knew some of the inti-mate facts about the crucifixion—about the print of the nails in thehands, and the spear wound.

Either he had seen these for him-self, or had been informed aboutthem by someone who had been pre-sent at the crucifixion. Did John tellhim? Peter stated years afterwardsthat he had been “a witness of thesufferings of Christ,” a statementwhich, in the context of his epistle,

may in all probability refer to whathe had seen at Calvary when Jesuswas “put to death in the flesh” (1Pet. 5:1; 3:18). To what else could herefer?

Are we to conclude that some atleast of the apostles had recoveredfrom their panic and followed at adistance to the cross? In a largecrowd such as evidently gathered towitness the public execution, thepresence of a few Galileans wouldhardly be noticed. As on one occa-sion Thomas had protested to his fel-low disciples, “Let us go, that wemay die with Him” (Jn. 11:16), hemay have been present.

Is it possible that among theacquaintances were some of thebrethren of Jesus, the sons of Mary,the mother of our Lord? Lukeinforms us that on the day ofPentecost there were in Jerusalem,meeting with the apostles, “Marythe mother of Jesus and Hisbrethren” (Acts 1:14). According toJohn’s account, the brothers of Jesushad not believed on Him and couldnot understand why, if He reallywere the Messiah, He did not givedemonstrated proof of the fact (Jn.7:2-5).

Further, we learn from theApostle Paul that James, the Lord’sbrother, was given a private inter-view with the Lord after His resur-rection (1 Cor. 15:7). It is commonlyaccepted, however, that, so far asaccounts have been preserved, Jesusdid not appear after His resurrectionto any but those who were alreadybelievers. Does Luke’s reference tothe presence at Pentecost of theLord’s brethren imply that they had


Cursing soldiers. Mocking prelates. Dying criminals. And these women.

I

The women at the cross

L O V E i s a V E R B ANDREW BORLAND


The WOMEN at the CROSS

age of about thirty her Firstborn left the home to beginthat public ministry which meant the doing of the willof His Father. Perhaps it was from personal experiencethat James wrote later: “Pure religion in the sight ofGod and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless andthe widows in their affliction…” (Jas. 1:27).

Now Simeon’s prediction made when Joseph andMary presented the child Jesus in the Temple was beingfulfilled: “Behold, this child is set for the fall and risingagain of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall bespoken against; (yea, a sword shall pierce through thyown soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts shallbe revealed” (Lk. 2:34, 35). What sorrow must havebeen hers as she watched the sad spectacle, helpless,

been converted either at the time of the crucifixion orby the witness of the eldest brother James who had? IfJames was present in Jerusalem for the Passover, it isnot unlikely that he was drawn to Calvary in the compa-ny of his mother.

Mary the mother of Jesus was there. Now a middle-aged woman, it would appear that she had been awidow for a number of years. The reasonable interpreta-tion of Mark 6:3 is that Joseph had died and Mary hadbeen left with the responsibility of a large family ofwhom Jesus was the eldest, and James next in age.

It must have been a trying day for her when at the

In Matthew 27:55, we have pictured the manywomen who had chosen to follow Jesus and minister toHim. It is a wonderful thing that there have been, andare today, many women who choose to do this. Theychoose to be a follower of Christ and they find ways toserve Him by serving others for His sake. But therehave always been some who stand out from amongthese many women.

Verse 56 mentions some of these women at thecross. Though many stood beholding “afar off” (v. 55),there were some that got close enough to hear Himspeak (Jn. 19:25-26). Here we see what made the dif-ference in these women—the courage to be identifiedwith Christ in His rejection. This is what Jesus meantwhen He taught His disciples to take up the cross andfollow Him.

In Luke 24:1, there are several women who came tothe tomb of Jesus, but only some from among themwho brought spices (see Mk. 16:1 for those named).Spices speak of personal appreciation, and in thiscase with the Lord, it would speak of personal wor-

ship. Many women can enjoy what the men say in aremembrance meeting, but there are some womenwho bring their own worship to offer up silently, withno outward appreciation, but only to God.

Was the extra effort worth it? Imagine being thereat the cross, hearing the words of tenderness and tri-umph just before Christ died. Imagine seeing theangels at the tomb and being commissioned to be thefirst ones to tell about the resurrection.

But even from that special group of women thatstand out from among the many, there are those whostand alone in the spotlight of God’s Word.

Mary Magdalene was among the women whocame “very early” in the morning, but what was herdifference? She stayed on, when the rest left. Onething she desired, and that was to behold her Lord(Ps. 27:4) The consequence? She was the one there tofirst see Him after His resurrection.

What would you do to see Him? Get up very earlyin the morning, and have the desire not to leave untilyou have seen Him? It’s still available today. He isready and waiting to show you His beauty, throughHis Word, a beauty that will more and more bereflected in you as you meet with Him.

There is another that stands alone from this groupbearing their spices, even though she wasn’t there—Mary of Bethany. She had her perfume to anoint Hisbody for His burial (Mt. 26:12), but had alreadypoured hers out—the only one actually able to do it.Why? Because she had chosen the one thing that isneedful (Lk. 10:42) and that was humbly listening toHis Word. He spoke about His death to the disciples.Why was she the only one that understood? The oth-ers had tried to figure things out—she just listened.

—L. Nicholson

MANY women and

THOSEAMONG

them


The WOMEN at the CROSS

of such an association. No biblical support can be givenfor the supposition that Mary of Magdala was a womanof immoral character or of weak mental disposition. Thefact that she was found weeping at the empty tomb onthe morning of the resurrection gives no foundation forthe popular opinion that she possessed a sentimentalnature. Rather does it suggest that her devotion to herDeliverer was so strong and active that it broke throughthe barriers of natural reserve, that it had enabled her tostand before the cross and watch the agonizing death ofthe Person to whom she owed a life-long debt. Out ofher the Lord had cast seven demons (Lk. 8:2), and thatfact is sufficient for us to conclude that the early part ofher life had been one of conflict, disappointment andunhappiness. The act of dispossession had been theturning point in her experience, and she showed herdevotion to her Benefactor by joining a company ofwomen who had had similar blessing, and who, out ofgratitude, had ministered of their substance to the divineHealer. In that group was “Joanna, the wife of Chuza,Herod’s steward” (Lk. 8:3).

If the lists of names of the women present at thecross are again scrutinized these will be noticed: “themother of Zebedee’s children,” “Salome,” and “Hismother’s sister,” that is the sister of Mary, the mother ofJesus. Those women with others stood by Mary as thelast act of the mournful drama of trial and crucifixionwas being carried through. Whatever difficulties may beattached to the identification of some of them, thismuch is certain that they displayed an almost superhu-man devotion and loyalty to a Friend such as was absentin some of the men who had companied with Jesus dur-ing the years of His public ministry.

Since that scene, many a Christian woman has noblyfollowed their example and demonstrated a loyalty andcourage which entitle them to have their names embla-zoned on the scroll of fame of those who have beenworthy followers of the Lamb. Never have there beenlacking since the days of the martyrdoms in Carthageand Lyons brave women who have been willing to sealtheir testimony of love and devotion to Christ by yield-ing their own lives for the honor of His name.

They met the tyrant’s brandished steel, The lion’s gory mane;They bowed their necks the death to feel: Who follows in their train?

They climbed the steep ascent of heaven, Through peril, toil, and pain:O God, to us may grace be givenTo follow in their train.

stunned, brokenhearted! Had woman ever grief likehers?

What memories would rise up almost unbidden!What unusual experiences had crowded in on her life!Her early years had been happy beyond description. Thedays of her unspoiled maidenhood had been enriched bythe thoughtful companionship and the loving care ofpious Joseph, carpenter of Nazareth. He had been sounderstanding in most trying circumstances.

How could she ever forget that momentous occasionwhen by an angelic visitor she had been informed of theunique favor which was about to be bestowed upon her?To her had been granted the privilege and joy whichevery Jewish maiden hoped might be hers. She hadbecome the virgin mother of the long expected Messiah.

How she recalled the words which filled her withhope and anticipation, “He shall be great, and shall becalled the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shallgive unto Him the throne of His father David; and Heshall reign over the house of Jacob; and of His kingdomthere shall be no end” (Lk. 1:32-33). What expectationssuch words had provoked!

Some years passed, and it seemed as if the predic-tions were about to be fulfilled. A sensation had beencaused when His cousin, John, son of Zacharias andElisabeth, had attracted crowds to the country where heannounced that the King was on His way. Then camethe day when Jesus was baptized by John, had thedivine commendation spoken upon Him, and He set outto preach the Good News of the Kingdom. What amaz-ing scenes had followed! Well could she remember themarriage at Cana of Galilee, when Jesus performed Hisfirst miracle, and how reports came crowding in aboutHis incessant labors. Wherever He went multitudesgathered, and blessing flowed from Him. But a few daysago He had ridden into the Holy City amidst the accla-mations of a tumultuous throng. Surely He had arrivedto claim His Kingdom!

Now her hopes were shattered. The sword was pierc-ing her soul. Grief-stricken, she gazed in silence at herSon whom she loved with the tender love of a mother’sheart. She, who with others had looked for redemptionin Israel, had been disappointed beyond expression.Never again could there be a scene like this: “Jesus ofNazareth, the King of the Jews” publicly dying betweentwo thieves, on a cross, the place of a curse.

Beside her stood other women. One of them wasMary Magdalene. She is often, although erroneously,identified with the woman who is described as “a sin-ner” who anointed Jesus with ointment in the house ofSimon (Lk. 7:46). There is not the slightest indication �

Let Me Be a Woman

Elisabeth Elliot X-1616Elisabeth Elliot shares

her observations and

experiences on what it

means to be a Christian

woman, whether single,

married, or widowed.

180 pgs. Paper

Retail $8.99 CDN$13.99

SALE $7.00 CDN$10.00

GOSPEL FOLIO PRESS, P.O. Box 2041, Grand Rapids MI 49501-2041 ORDERS: 1-800-952-2382U.S. customers: Appropriate shipping & handling will be added; Michigan residents: add 6% sales tax.

Canadian customers: 7% GST and appropriate shipping & handling will be added.

Esther

H. L. Rossier X-4439Does it seem that Satan is

winning? See a beautiful

example of God's absolute

control over everything in

the drama of Esther.

120 pgs. Paper


SALE $4.00 CDN$6.00

All the Women of the Bible

Herbert Lockyer X-1512A convenient commen-

tary on all the named

and unnamed women of

the Bible from Abi to

Zipporah. Over 400

concise and fact-filled

entries. 321 pgs. Paper

Retail $19.99 CDN$29.99

SALE $15.00 CDN$22.50

Men and Women: Equal Yet Different

Alexander Strauch X-3166A brief study of the

Biblical passages on

gender including: key

terms, arguments, and

the relevant Scriptures.

128 pgs. Paper


SALE $5.00 CDN$7.50

The Role of Womenin the Local Church

David Gilliland J-1899In this book the author

examines the signifi-

cant function and role

of women in the local

church, taking the

Scriptures as the only

guide. 31 pgs. Stiched


SALE $3.50 CDN$5.00

CLOSEOUT SALE!

2001 Choice Gleanings Wall Calendar

• A re-designed classic, brought back due to your requests!

• Unique meditations each year from Bible students from around the world.

• Each day shows the calendar month and highlights the current day.

• Takes you through the entire Bible in one year with a daily reading plan.

• Is printed ONE side for tearing off to include with correspondence.

• Has full-size pages wall-mounted on a rigid backboard with hanger hole.

ORIGINAL PRICE WAS: $10.99US $15.99CDN C-01CGWWHILE SUPPLIES LAST: $5.00US $7.50CDN

WITH PURCHASE OF ANY ITEM ON THIS PAGE $3.00US $4.00CDN

2001 Missionary Prayer Handbook

Each year, Christian Missions in Many Lands produces a prayer handbook of commended

missionaries from assemblies in the United States and Canada. Arranged so that a person may

pray for a specific area of the world each day of the month, this book includes photos,

addresses and e-mail addresses, their commending assembly as well as a brief description of

the area. Names and birthdates of the missionaries’ children are listed at the back. Easy-to-

read maps in the center of the book show where the work is being done—even most remote

mission stations are included.

X-MPH2001 ONLY $3.00US $4.00CDN

This RuthHarold S. Paisley X-0026

A commentary compar-

ing and contrasting

Ruth’s redeemer Boaz,

with Christ, our Kinsman

Redeemer. It will stimu-

late the mind and warm

the heart. 160 pgs. Cloth

Retail $14.99 CDN$21.99

SALE $12.00 CDN$18.00

The treasureJ. BOYD NICHOLSON

I had a precious treasureIn a box of figured stone,’Twas costly and its valueAcross the years had grown.

Then came the Man of SorrowsTo sup with me one day,

I knew His heart was askingTo give my wealth away.

I went and brought my treasure:

“I offer it to Thee.”But, “No,” He said with sadness,

“The box must broken be.”“May I not give these riches still in the box to Thee

Of such exquisite beauty? ’Twould please Thine eye to see.”

“No, break it—break it open,” the still voice said to me,“For ne’er another treasure must there containéd be.”

In that decisive moment my box I broke apart,Yet knew that as I did so, the breaking broke my heart.

I poured it all on Jesus, upon His regal head,For soon ’twould wear the thorn-crown

And lie among the dead.The devil said, “’Tis wasted;The common folk need thee,”

But nothing to Him givenCould ever common be.

I bowed myself before Him, Anointing those blest feet,Full well I know He’s worthy;

My offering was complete.And then—a strange thing happened:

He gave it back to me;Not as before containéd, but shed so fragrantly.

The fragrance on His Person was on my lowly hand;What once the box imprisoned now spread in every land.

And so I learn the lesson: To get, then we must give. And joy demands we suffer; we die to self—to live.He does not steal our treasures nor rob what we hold dear. He takes, but to enrich us; rebukes, to draw us near.

UPLOOK

Date post:	09-Mar-2016
Category:	Documents
Upload:	uplook
View:	217 times
Download:	3 times

2001_01

Documents