Gems for the Week
June 12 - 15
"One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother." (John 1:40)
Behold, these two fishermen coming to Jesus. Simon means "hearkener." Naturally men's ears are closed to God and to Christ; the brother of Andrew was that day getting his ears opened by the Spirit of God. "When Jesus beheld him, He said, Thou are Simon the son of Jonas; thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation a stone." The giving of names is a mark of lordship, or proprietorship. Thus Adam at the beginning gave names to the beasts, Pharaoh gave a name to Joseph, Nebuchadnezzar to Daniel, etc. (Genesis 2:20; 41:45; Daniel 1:7). Simon thus became Christ liege (faithful, loyal) man from that day forward. Indeed everyone will sooner or later have to acknowledge the same Lord.
(W.W. Fereday - Peter the Apostle)
N.J. Hiebert # 3004
"Ye call Me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I (Jesus) am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to
wash one another's feet." (John 13:13,14)
The lesson of the feet-washing is conveyed in verses 12-17. As the custom is confined to the East, where sandals are worn, it is unnecessary for us of the West to carry it out literally. Our Lord did not establish a custom to be followed, but set before us a type or example of the service which we ought to render to one another. We should be careful, however, that the water with which we wash the feet of another is neither icily cold not scaldingly hot; that the service is performed neither officiously nor uncharitably, but meekly, considering ourselves, "Lest we also be tempted".
"If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them." (Verse 17) A beatitude can be earned only if knowledge issues in action, as James 1:22-25 makes clear. The order is - knowledge, obedience, blessedness; and if the foregoing truth no longer stirs us to holy activity on behalf of our brethren, let us remind ourselves of the words of Coleridge, the Christian Philosopher: "The way to restore an old truth to its pristine brightness, is to translate it into obedience." Let us remember always, that our happiness depends upon the degree with which we correlate our knowledge and our duty. (Henry Durbanville - His Last Words)
N.J. Hiebert # 3005
"Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep."
(Romans 12:15)
Tears of understanding,
Poured out to hearts in care,
Are better than a thousand words,
Though spoken, oh, so fair!
(E.M.)
The story is told of the much loved Queen Victoria just after the loss of her husband. She heard of a fatal accident to a workman in Windsor. With deep compassion she had her coachman drive her to a poor street of the city and stop at the door of the bereft woman. After the royal carriage had left some of the curious neighbours asked, "What did she say?" "She said nothing," answered the widow. "She just sat in that chair and we wept together."
(E. MacLelland)
N.J. Hiebert # 3006
"Certain of the disciples . . . brought with them one Mnason of Cyprus,
an old disciple, with whom we should lodge." (Acts 21:16)
He was a disciple. He was an old disciple, he had been long in the way and had evidently gone on well for God. He was a hospitable disciple, for with him the apostle was to lodge.
Some men have spent their lives to win a line in the world's chronicles which are written on sand, and have broken their hearts because they failed; but this passing act of one obscure Christian, in sheltering a little company of travel-stained wayfarers has made his name a possession forever.
"Seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not" - but let us fill our little corners, doing our unnoticed work for the love of our Lord, careless about man's remembrance or praise, because sure of Christ's whose praise is the only fame, whose remembrance is the highest reward. (CNL - Jul. 1990)
N.J. Hiebert # 3007
