the desire of ages-第107节

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　step　had　opposed　Jesus；　were　insinuating　that　His　mission　had　failed。

Jesus　answered；　〃The　kingdom　of　God　cometh　not　with　outward　show；　＇margin＇：　neither　shall　they　say；　Lo　here！　or；　lo　there！　for；　behold；　the　kingdom　of　God　is　within　you。〃　The　kingdom　of　God　begins　in　the　heart。　Look　not　here　or　there　for　manifestations　of　earthly　power　to　mark　its　coming。

〃The　days　will　come；〃　He　said；　turning　to　His　disciples；　〃when　ye　shall　desire　to　see　one　of　the　days　of　the　Son　of　man；　and　ye　shall　not　see　it。〃　Because　it　is　not　attended　by　worldly　pomp；　you　are　in　danger　of　failing　to　discern　the　glory　of　My　mission。　You　do　not　realize　how　great　is　your　present　privilege　in　having　among　you；　though　veiled　in　humanity；　Him　who　is　the　life　and　the　light　of　men。　The　days　will　come　when　you　will　look　back　with　longing　upon　the　opportunities　you　now　enjoy　to　walk　and　talk　with　the　Son　of　God。

Because　of　their　selfishness　and　earthliness；　even　the　disciples　of　Jesus

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could　not　comprehend　the　spiritual　glory　which　He　sought　to　reveal　unto　them。　It　was　not　until　after　Christ's　ascension　to　His　Father；　and　the　outpouring　of　the　Holy　Spirit　upon　the　believers；　that　the　disciples　fully　appreciated　the　Saviour's　character　and　mission。　After　they　had　received　the　baptism　of　the　Spirit；　they　began　to　realize　that　they　had　been　in　the　very　presence　of　the　Lord　of　glory。　As　the　sayings　of　Christ　were　brought　to　their　remembrance；　their　minds　were　opened　to　comprehend　the　prophecies；　and　to　understand　the　miracles　which　He　had　wrought。　The　wonders　of　His　life　passed　before　them；　and　they　were　as　men　awakened　from　a　dream。　They　realized　that　〃the　Word　was　made　flesh；　and　dwelt　among　us；　（and　we　beheld　His　glory；　the　glory　as　of　the　Only…begotten　of　the　Father；）　full　of　grace　and　truth。〃　John　1：14。　Christ　had　actually　come　from　God　to　a　sinful　world　to　save　the　fallen　sons　and　daughters　of　Adam。　The　disciples　now　seemed；　to　themselves；　of　much　less　importance　than　before　they　realized　this。　They　never　wearied　of　rehearsing　His　words　and　works。　His　lessons；　which　they　had　but　dimly　understood；　now　came　to　them　as　a　fresh　revelation。　The　Scriptures　became　to　them　a　new　book。

As　the　disciples　searched　the　prophecies　that　testified　of　Christ；　they　were　brought　into　fellowship　with　the　Deity；　and　learned　of　Him　who　had　ascended　to　heaven　to　complete　the　work　He　had　begun　on　earth。　They　recognized　the　fact　that　in　Him　dwelt　knowledge　which　no　human　being；　unaided　by　divine　agency；　could　comprehend。　They　needed　the　help　of　Him　whom　kings；　prophets；　and　righteous　men　had　foretold。　With　amazement　they　read　and　reread　the　prophetic　delineations　of　His　character　and　work。　How　dimly　had　they　comprehended　the　prophetic　scriptures！　how　slow　they　had　been　in　taking　in　the　great　truths　which　testified　of　Christ！　Looking　upon　Him　in　His　humiliation；　as　He　walked　a　man　among　men；　they　had　not　understood　the　mystery　of　His　incarnation；　the　dual　character　of　His　nature。　Their　eyes　were　holden；　so　that　they　did　not　fully　recognize　divinity　in　humanity。　But　after　they　were　illuminated　by　the　Holy　Spirit；　how　they　longed　to　see　Him　again；　and　to　place　themselves　at　His　feet！　How　they　wished　that　they　might　come　to　Him；　and　have　Him　explain　the　scriptures　which　they　could　not　comprehend！　How　attentively　would　they　listen　to　His　words！　What　had　Christ　meant　when　He　said；　〃I　have　yet　many　things　to　say　unto　you；　but　ye　cannot　bear　them　now〃？　John　16：12。　How　eager　they　were　to　know　it　all！　They　grieved　that　their　faith　had　been　so

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feeble；　that　their　ideas　had　been　so　wide　of　the　mark；　that　they　had　so　failed　of　comprehending　the　reality。

A　herald　had　been　sent　from　God　to　proclaim　the　coming　of　Christ；　and　to　call　the　attention　of　the　Jewish　nation　and　of　the　world　to　His　mission；　that　men　might　prepare　for　His　reception。　The　wonderful　personage　whom　John　had　announced　had　been　among　them　for　more　than　thirty　years；　and　they　had　not　really　known　Him　as　the　One　sent　from　God。　Remorse　took　hold　of　the　disciples　because　they　had　allowed　the　prevailing　unbelief　to　leaven　their　opinions　and　becloud　their　understanding。　The　Light　of　this　dark　world　had　been　shining　amid　its　gloom；　and　they　had　failed　to　comprehend　whence　were　its　beams。　They　asked　themselves　why　they　had　pursued　a　course　that　made　it　necessary　for　Christ　to　reprove　them。　They　often　repeated　His　conversations；　and　said；　Why　did　we　allow　earthly　considerations　and　the　opposition　of　priests　and　rabbis　to　confuse　our　senses；　so　that　we　did　not　comprehend　that　a　greater　than　Moses　was　among　us；　that　One　wiser　than　Solomon　was　instructing　us？　How　dull　were　our　ears！　how　feeble　was　our　understanding！

Thomas　would　not　believe　until　he　had　thrust　his　finger　into　the　wound　made　by　the　Roman　soldiers。　Peter　had　denied　Him　in　His　humiliation　and　rejection。　These　painful　remembrances　came　before　them　in　distinct　lines。　They　had　been　with　Him；　but　they　had　not　known　or　appreciated　Him。　But　how　these　things　now　stirred　their　hearts　as　they　recognized　their　unbelief！

As　priests　and　rulers　combined　against　them；　and　they　were　brought　before　councils　and　thrust　into　prison；　the　followers　of　Christ　rejoiced　〃that　they　were　counted　worthy　to　suffer　shame　for　His　name。〃　Acts　5：41。　They　rejoiced　to　prove；　before　men　and　angels；　that　they　recognized　the　glory　of　Christ；　and　chose　to　follow　Him　at　the　loss　of　all　things。

It　is　as　true　now　as　in　apostolic　days；　that　without　the　illumination　of　the　divine　Spirit；　humanity　cannot　discern　the　glory　of　Christ。　The　truth　and　the　work　of　God　are　unappreciated　by　a　world…loving　and　compromising　Christianity。　Not　in　the　ways　of　ease；　of　earthly　honor　or　worldly　conformity；　are　the　followers　of　the　Master　found。　They　are　far　in　advance；　in　the　paths　of　toil；　and　humiliation；　and　reproach；　in　the　front　of　the　battle　〃against　the　principalities；　against　the　powers；　against　the　world　rulers　of　this　darkness；　against　the　spiritual　hosts　of　wickedness　in　the　heavenly　places。〃　Eph。　6：12；　R。　V。　And　now；　as　in

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Christ's　day；　they　are　misunderstood　and　reproached　and　oppressed　by　the　priests　and　Pharisees　of　their　time。

The　kingdom　of　God　comes　not　with　outward　show。　The　gospel　of　the　grace　of　God；　with　its　spirit　of　self…abnegation；　can　never　be　in　harmony　with　the　spirit　of　the　world。　The　two　principles　are　antagonistic。　〃The　natural　man　receiveth　not　the　things　of　the　Spirit　of　God：　for　they　are　foolishness　unto　him：　neither　can　he　know　them；　because　they　are　spiritually　discerned。〃　1　Cor。　2：14。

But　today　in　the　religious　world　there　are　multitudes　who；　as　they　believe；　are　working　for　the　establishment　of　the　kingdom　of　Christ　as　an　earthly　and　temporal　dominion。　They　desire　to　make　our　Lord　the　ruler　of　the　kingdoms　of　this　world；　the　ruler　in　its　courts　and　camps；　its　legislative　halls；　its　palaces　and　market　places。　They　expect　Him　to　rule　through　legal　enactments；　enforced　by　human　authority。　Since　Christ　is　not　now　here　in　person；　they　themselves　will　undertake　to　act　in　His　stead；　to　execute　the　laws　of　His　kingdom。　The　establishment　of　such　a　kingdom　is　what　the　Jews　desired　in　the　days　of　Christ。　They　would　have　received　Jesus；　had　He　been　willing　to　establish　a　temporal　dominion；　to　enforce　what　they　regarded　as　the　laws　of　God；　and　to　make　them　the　expositors　of　His　will　and　the　agents　of　His　authority。　But　He　said；　〃My　kingdom　is　not　of　this　world。〃　John　18：36。　He　would　not　accept　the　earthly　throne。

The　government　under　which　Jesus　lived　was　corrupt　and　oppressive；　on　every　hand　were　crying　abuses；extortion；　intolerance；　and　grinding　cruelty。　Yet　the　Saviour　attempted　no　civil　reforms。　He　attacked　no　national　abuses；　nor　condemned　the　national　enemies。　He　did　not　interfere　with　the　authority　or　administration　of　those　in　power。　He　who　was　our　example　kept　aloof　from　earthly　governments。　Not　because　He　was　indifferent　to　the　woes　of　men；　but　because　the　remedy　did　not　lie　in　merely　human　and　external　measures。　To　be　efficient；　the　cure　must　reach　men　individually；　and　must　regenerate　the　heart。

Not　by　the　decisions　of　courts　or　councils　or　legislative　assemblies；　not　by　the　patronage　of　worldly　great　men；　is　the　kingdom　of　Christ　established；　but　by　the　implanting　of　Christ's　nature　in　humanity　through　the　work　of　the　Holy　Spirit。　〃As　many　as　received　Him；　to　them　gave　He　power　to　become　the　sons　of　God；　even　to　them　that　believe　on　His　name：　which　were　born；　not　of　blood；　nor　of　the　will　of　the　flesh；　nor　of　the　will　of　man；　but　of　God。〃　John　1：12；　13。　Here　is　the　only　power　that

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can　work　the　uplifting　of　mankind。　And　the　human　agency　for　the　accomplishment　of　this　work　is　the　teaching　and　practicing　of　the　word　of　God。

When　the　apostle　Paul　began　his　ministry　in　Corinth；　that　populous；　wealthy；　and　wicked　city；　polluted　by　the　nameless　vices　of　heathenism；　he　said；　〃I　determined　not　to　know　anything　among　you；　save　Jesus　Christ；　and　Him　crucified。〃　1　Cor。　2：2。　Writing　afterward　to　some　of　those　who　had　been　corrupted　by　the　foulest　sins；　he　could　say；　〃But　ye　are　washed；　but　ye　are　sanctified；