Morning Star

For the Morning Star.
SCRIPTURE EXPOSITION. NO. 254
And preached unto him Jesus. Acts 8: 35.
Ye who are fond of the wonderful, and delight
in the marvelous, take a view of the events that
transpired when that was done which is named
in this passage. A man was on a journey, and
as he rode in his carriage, he employed himself
in reading a portion of a Book that has engaged
the attention and filled more persons with astonishment and delight than any other that was ever in existence. He was pondering upon its
deep meaning, and secretly desiring help to understand it. The Spirit immediately directed a
minister to go to him. The servant of God ran,
for he felt that it was "the king's business."
A soul was to be saved through the instrumentality of preaching, and a star be gained to deck
the crown of the Lord Jesus in the day of his
final triumph. The portion that the traveller
was reading was a prophecy that related to the
death of the Messiah. The minister got into
the chariot, and from what was read, began to
preach Jesus. The man became a believer, and
as they soon came to water, he demanded the
rite of baptism. He received it, and then as
the work of the minister was done in that place
the Spirit directed him to haste away to another
place to preach the glad tidings of the kingdom of God.
He preached Jesus. What did the one addressed need more? What could he have had
better? What do congregations need now but
to have Jesus preached to them? It is the duty of ministers to preach Him. Paul so understood it, and said at one time, "I determined to
know nothing among you save Jesus and Him
crucified."
I. WHAT IS IT TO PREACH CHRIST.
1. It is to hold him up as the glorious Savior
of men. He is to be presented in Person. He
was with the Father before the foundations of
the world. He was the Creator, of the earth
and "Everlasting Father." He is to be held up
as high, and every way exalted in personage.
We cannot get Him too high. But he took upon him flesh. He was then "God manifest in the
flesh." He had a human nature, and also a divine. He ate and slept as a man, although a
model of temperance; and he stilled the tempest: healed the sick; raised the dead, and pardoned sinners as a God. He will be through
eternity the object of glorified spirits' adoration
and praise.
2. His offices. Not only is he the Redeemer &
Savior of men, but he is a Prophet, Priest and
King. In these and in all others he answers
the types and shadows of Him under the former
dispensation. As a Prophet he teaches; as a
priest, atones; and as a king, governs.
Moses was a prophet," law-giver and leader of
the people. In these he was a type of Christ.
Aaron was the first high-priest. He was a type
of the world's High Priest. David was a king
And so was Solomon. God elected David and
approved of Solomon as his successor. David had
great power; Solomon was filled with wisdom.
Christ their antitype has all power and all wisdom.
Moses and Joshua on some occasions acted as
mediators between God and the offending people. In this capacity they were types of Christ
who is now the Mediator between God and man.
For men He intercedes and pleads, And he
will be our final judge.
3. His doctrine. The general doctrines of
the Bible are his, as He and the Father are one.
The leading doctrines are that there is a God,
the maker of all things, and the Ruler of heaven and of earth. That man has fallen & is exposed to eternal woe. That Christ came to die
and redeem man. That God has made a revelation of his mind and will in the Scriptures.
That salvation is by faith. That there will be an
end to the world. That there will be a resurrection; and that there will be a final judgment,
when the wicked will be banished to woe, and
the righteous welcomed to everlasting bliss.
4. His ordinances. These are two, Baptism
and the Lord's Supper. . Baptism is immersion
in water in the name of the Father, Son and
Holy Ghost. It is an outward sign of an inward
work, It is a visible profession of faith in Christ,
of death to sin and of a resurrection to newness of life. The Lord's Supper is an ordinance
in commemoration of his death. It is to be kept
in remembrance of Him.
The ordinances are to be urged by ministers
of the gospel. "Teaching them," says Christ,
"to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.
5. His example. He was holy, spotless, undefiled and separate from sinners. He knew no
sin, neither was guile found in his mouth. When
persecuted he blessed; when reviled he reviled
not again. He spent his time on earth in doing good. And in all he left an example for us.
We are to have the mind in us that was in Him,
and follow his example as far as finite mortals
can do it.
II. THE IMPORTANCE OF PREACHING CHRIST.
1. It is the most valuable of any thing that
can be preached. We may preach ourselves by
telling of what we have done. We may show
learning and eloquence by the use of nice words
and high sounding phrases. We may present
the doctrines and precepts of Aristotle, Plato,
Seneca or some other wise man. But these
matters and subjects are low and unimportant
in comparison to Christ and Him crucified. He
is the most exalted personage. He is altogether lovely. "His doctrine is almighty love."
There is virtue in his name.' The name Jesus
how sweet it sounds! There is more than a
magic influence in it. It is the rallying word
to the armies of the redeemed. Under it they
marshal themselves, and go forth to victory.
Like the luminous cross some suppose Constantine saw, by it they conquer.
2. The effect is soul humbling, then soul elevating and soul saving. When Christ is presented in his doctrine, his example, his sufferings and death; when he is held forth as the
sinner's Advocate and Friend, and the one that
will be the final Judge, the unreconciled are
alarmed.' When they believe in him they are
pardoned, justified and saved. Then they are
raised from the pit and clay of sin to sit in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Christ followed
in life, in his ordinances and in his precepts. He
will conduct to the regions of celestial glory.
Happy are ministers who preach Christ and live
according to what they preach. And happy are
they who obey the preaching of Christ Jesus.
F.