Evangéliumi Hirnök, 1961 (53. évfolyam, 1-25. szám)
1961-08-15 / 19. szám
1961. augusztus 15. zek a fiatalok? # * # Több mint 12 ezer, 6-13 éves gyermek gyűlt össze Berlinben, az ottani Német Hallban, amely összejövetel bevezetője volt a hatalmas Evangélikus Keresztyének Kongresszusának, melyet ugyanott tartottak meg. E hatalmas gyermek gyülekezetnek főszónoka a lutheránus egyház püspöke Dibelius Ottó,-berlini püspök -volt, aki egyszerű nyelvezetben e nagy gyermekcsoportot a keresztyén-nagy család gyermekeinek szólította. Hasonló ö&széjövételt, terveztek a főváros keleti • részén is, de a kommunista kormány megtiltotta. Mindazáltal, a ' Getsemáné Templomban gyermek istentiszteletet és imaórát tartottak. * * # Billy Graham evangélista a St Paul Minesotában tartott 8 napos evangélizálása alatt 300.000 előtt hirdette az Evangéliumot. A befelvező istentiszteletre 75. ezer ember gyűlt össze. 1016 lélek fogadta el Jézust Megváltójának. “The Prayer of the Woman of Canaan“ Read — Matthew 15:21-28. Never, save on this occasion, did our Lord go beyold the border of Palistine. He was a “minister of the circumcision“ “not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.“ He did not absolutely restrict his benefits to the Jews, for centurions as well as this woman knew hi(s healing power. But the Gentile restriction, and the hesitation here may seem strange in view of the fact that the peculiar glory of the gospel was that its benefits should extend to the Gentiles that the exclusiveness, of the Jewish system was to be broken down. It seems to be a part of that obvious plan in God’s moral govenment that great changes are not made suddenly but gradually, as man de suddenly but gradually, as man wa.s to be prepared to receive. The Messiah was the son of David — his dispensation was to be;an enlargement and) consumation of EVANGÉLIUMI HÍRNÖK the Jewish /system, and so the foundation of his kingdom must be laid in Israel-Now the best of the Jews could not be prepared at once for fraternizing with the Gentiles; therefore, had Jesus gone out among the Gentiles in the beginning and placed them on the same footing, he would have shocked prejudices, so as to gain no Jewish desciples. Even after Christ’s ascension, it required providential scattering and special vision to convince Peter tlhat this was proper. Accordingly Jesus confined himself to his own nation and so did the seventy. But when his own work was finished, when the Holy Spirit came with his teachings, when the great principles of the Messiah’s reign were more fully understood, then the apostles went preaching “repeutance and remission of sins unto all nations.“ But as Jesus went into the coast of Fyre&Sidon, he met a woman whose daughter was — “grievously vexed with' the devil“ This woman’s concern for her daughter expressed itself in a prayer which deserves our attention and our imitation in both its matter and its spirit Let us notice them briefly. I. The subject of her prayer. She prayed for blessing on her child. Many of us would pray thus too, if a child were so posessed. Some who neglect spiritual matters have at such a time made agonized petition/* to God and made promises to Him. But are not your children and those of your friends diseased? Are they not, in a most important sense, afflicted with the disease of sin and under the power of Satan? I do not doubt You pray for them often and earnestly, much more than they suppose. Sometimes You long to speak to them, yet You are afraid to do so. Therefore You go away and pour it out before the Lord. But do You pray as You should? Witih such earnestness as this woman manifested? Christian parent, think often of Your son, Your daughter, living as they do. Pray for them, live rightly before them; and seek in every way to win them to 7-IK OLDAL Christ. II. The Character of her prayer. a. ) It was a believing prayer. She believed that Je/sus was Messiah, the “Son of David“ and that He was able and willing to heal her child. How great was her faith! Has He not the power and willingness to save us, to bless us with all spiritual blessings? b. ) It vas an humble prayer. She wa,s willing to take position Jesus gave her. S<5 should it be with us. We should stand where God’s Word places us. Many are not willing to do this. When God’s Word declares them depraved, they defend themselves against the charge. When God’s Word’s calls them quilty they deny or seek to extenuate. When God offers them salvation as a free gift they are unwilling to accept. This for the unconverted, is a matter of great importance to stand where God places You, and accept what God offers You. Many beautiful instances of humility are found in scripture, such as the centurian, publication, and Paul but none is more worthy of imitation than the humble plea of the woman of Phoenica. c. ) It was persevering prayer. The object of our Lord’s seeming repolse was probably to test the perseverance of her faith. She persevered because she really desired What she sought. Her perseverance won her desire. Here is a prayer which is worthy of imitation. Here is a spirit which we could well imitate. May the Lord bless this meditation to Your heart. Rev. Jerry D. Van Der Veen First Baptist Church, Garfield N.Y. Az igehirdetés lehet az épülés eszköze, szolgálhatja szellemünk gyönyörködtetését és szorgalmazhatja lelkünk üdvét; de ha nem talál viszhangra, nagyon fárasztó is lehet és olyan jelentéktelen, mint a zengő érc vagy a pengő cimbalom.
