the desire of ages-第110节

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such　conditions　existed；　he　desired　eternal　life；　but　he　was　not　willing　to　make　the　sacrifice。　The　cost　of　eternal　life　seemed　too　great；　and　he　went　away　sorrowful；　〃for　he　had　great　possessions。〃

His　claim　that　he　had　kept　the　law　of　God　was　a　deception。　He　showed　that　riches　were　his　idol。　He　could　not　keep　the　commandments　of　God　while　the　world　was　first　in　his　affections。　He　loved　the　gifts　of　God　more　than　he　loved　the　Giver。　Christ　had　offered　the　young　man　fellowship　with　Himself。　〃Follow　Me；〃　He　said。　But　the　Saviour　was　not　so　much　to　him　as　his　own　name　among　men　or　his　possessions。　To　give　up　his　earthly　treasure；　that　was　seen；　for　the　heavenly　treasure；　that　was　unseen；　was　too　great　a　risk。　He　refused　the　offer　of　eternal　life；　and　went　away；　and　ever　after　the　world　was　to　receive　his　worship。

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Thousands　are　passing　through　this　ordeal；　weighing　Christ　against　the　world；　and　many　choose　the　world。　Like　the　young　ruler；　they　turn　from　the　Saviour；　saying　in　their　hearts；　I　will　not　have　this　Man　as　my　leader。

Christ's　dealing　with　the　young　man　is　presented　as　an　object　lesson。　God　has　given　us　the　rule　of　conduct　which　every　one　of　His　servants　must　follow。　It　is　obedience　to　His　law；　not　merely　a　legal　obedience；　but　an　obedience　which　enters　into　the　life；　and　is　exemplified　in　the　character。　God　has　set　His　own　standard　of　character　for　all　who　would　become　subjects　of　His　kingdom。　Only　those　who　will　become　co…workers　with　Christ；　only　those　who　will　say；　Lord；　all　I　have　and　all　I　am　is　Thine；　will　be　acknowledged　as　sons　and　daughters　of　God。　All　should　consider　what　it　means　to　desire　heaven；　and　yet　to　turn　away　because　of　the　conditions　laid　down。　Think　of　what　it　means　to　say　〃No〃　to　Christ。　The　ruler　said；　No；　I　cannot　give　You　all。　Do　we　say　the　same？　The　Saviour　offers　to　share　with　us　the　work　God　has　given　us　to　do。　He　offers　to　use　the　means　God　has　given　us；　to　carry　forward　His　work　in　the　world。　Only　in　this　way　can　He　save　us。

The　ruler's　possessions　were　entrusted　to　him　that　he　might　prove　himself　a　faithful　steward；　he　was　to　dispense　these　goods　for　the　blessing　of　those　in　need。　So　God　now　entrusts　men　with　means；　with　talents　and　opportunities；　that　they　may　be　His　agents　in　helping　the　poor　and　the　suffering。　He　who　uses　his　entrusted　gifts　as　God　designs　becomes　a　co…worker　with　the　Saviour。　He　wins　souls　to　Christ；　because　he　is　a　representative　of　His　character。

To　those　who；　like　the　young　ruler；　are　in　high　positions　of　trust　and　have　great　possessions；　it　may　seem　too　great　a　sacrifice　to　give　up　all　in　order　to　follow　Christ。　But　this　is　the　rule　of　conduct　for　all　who　would　become　His　disciples。　Nothing　short　of　obedience　can　be　accepted。　Self…surrender　is　the　substance　of　the　teachings　of　Christ。　Often　it　is　presented　and　enjoined　in　language　that　seems　authoritative；　because　there　is　no　other　way　to　save　man　than　to　cut　away　those　things　which；　if　entertained；　will　demoralize　the　whole　being。

When　Christ's　followers　give　back　to　the　Lord　His　own；　they　are　accumulating　treasure　which　will　be　given　to　them　when　they　shall　hear　the　words；　〃Well　done；　good　and　faithful　servant；　。　。　。　enter　thou　into　the　joy　of　thy　Lord。〃　〃Who　for　the　joy　that　was　set　before　Him　endured　the　cross；　despising　the　shame；　and　is　set　down　at　the　right　hand　of　the　throne　of　God。〃　Matt。　25：23；　Heb。　12：2。　The　joy　of　seeing　souls　redeemed；　souls　eternally　saved；　is　the　reward　of　all　that　put　their　feet　in　the　footprints　of　Him　who　said；　〃Follow　Me。〃




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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　58

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Lazarus；　Come　Forth〃


Among　the　most　steadfast　of　Christ's　disciples　was　Lazarus　of　Bethany。　From　their　first　meeting　his　faith　in　Christ　had　been　strong；　his　love　for　Him　was　deep；　and　he　was　greatly　beloved　by　the　Saviour。　It　was　for　Lazarus　that　the　greatest　of　Christ's　miracles　was　performed。　The　Saviour　blessed　all　who　sought　His　help；　He　loves　all　the　human　family；　but　to　some　He　is　bound　by　peculiarly　tender　associations。　His　heart　was　knit　by　a　strong　bond　of　affection　to　the　family　at　Bethany；　and　for　one　of　them　His　most　wonderful　work　was　wrought。

At　the　home　of　Lazarus；　Jesus　had　often　found　rest。　The　Saviour　had　no　home　of　His　own；　He　was　dependent　on　the　hospitality　of　His　friends　and　disciples；　and　often；　when　weary；　thirsting　for　human　fellowship；　He　had　been　glad　to　escape　to　this　peaceful　household；　away　from　the　suspicion　and　jealousy　of　the　angry　Pharisees。　Here　He　found　a　sincere　welcome；　and　pure；　holy　friendship。　Here　He　could　speak　with　simplicity　and　perfect　freedom；　knowing　that　His　words　would　be　understood　and　treasured。

Our　Saviour　appreciated　a　quiet　home　and　interested　listeners。　He　longed　for　human　tenderness；　courtesy；　and　affection。　Those　who　received　the　heavenly　instruction　He　was　always　ready　to　impart　were　greatly　blessed。　As　the　multitudes　followed　Christ　through　the　open

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fields；　He　unfolded　to　them　the　beauties　of　the　natural　world。　He　sought　to　open　the　eyes　of　their　understanding；　that　they　might　see　how　the　hand　of　God　upholds　the　world。　In　order　to　call　out　an　appreciation　of　God's　goodness　and　benevolence；　He　called　the　attention　of　His　hearers　to　the　gently　falling　dew；　to　the　soft　showers　of　rain　and　the　bright　sunshine；　given　alike　to　good　and　evil。　He　desired　men　to　realize　more　fully　the　regard　that　God　bestows　on　the　human　instrumentalities　He　has　created。　But　the　multitudes　were　slow　of　hearing；　and　in　the　home　at　Bethany　Christ　found　rest　from　the　weary　conflict　of　public　life。　Here　He　opened　to　an　appreciative　audience　the　volume　of　Providence。　In　these　private　interviews　He　unfolded　to　His　hearers　that　which　He　did　not　attempt　to　tell　to　the　mixed　multitude。　He　needed　not　to　speak　to　His　friends　in　parables。

As　Christ　gave　His　wonderful　lessons；　Mary　sat　at　His　feet；　a　reverent　and　devoted　listener。　On　one　occasion；　Martha；　perplexed　with　the　care　of　preparing　the　meal；　went　to　Christ；　saying；　〃Lord；　dost　Thou　not　care　that　my　sister　hath　left　me　to　serve　alone？　bid　her　therefore　that　she　help　me。〃　This　was　the　time　of　Christ's　first　visit　to　Bethany。　The　Saviour　and　His　disciples　had　just　made　the　toilsome　journey　on　foot　from　Jericho。　Martha　was　anxious　to　provide　for　their　comfort；　and　in　her　anxiety　she　forgot　the　courtesy　due　to　her　Guest。　Jesus　answered　her　with　mild　and　patient　words；　〃Martha；　Martha；　thou　art　careful　and　troubled　about　many　things：　but　one　thing　is　needful：　and　Mary　hath　chosen　that　good　part；　which　shall　not　be　taken　away　from　her。〃　Mary　was　storing　her　mind　with　the　precious　words　falling　from　the　Saviour's　lips；　words　that　were　more　precious　to　her　than　earth's　most　costly　jewels。

The　〃one　thing〃　that　Martha　needed　was　a　calm；　devotional　spirit；　a　deeper　anxiety　for　knowledge　concerning　the　future；　immortal　life；　and　the　graces　necessary　for　spiritual　advancement。　She　needed　less　anxiety　for　the　things　which　pass　away；　and　more　for　those　things　which　endure　forever。　Jesus　would　teach　His　children　to　seize　every　opportunity　of　gaining　that　knowledge　which　will　make　them　wise　unto　salvation。　The　cause　of　Christ　needs　careful；　energetic　workers。　There　is　a　wide　field　for　the　Marthas；　with　their　zeal　in　active　religious　work。　But　let　them　first　sit　with　Mary　at　the　feet　of　Jesus。　Let　diligence；　promptness；　and　energy　be　sanctified　by　the　grace　of　Christ；　then　the　life　will　be　an　unconquerable　power　for　good。

Sorrow　entered　the　peaceful　home　where　Jesus　had　rested。　Lazarus　was　stricken　with　sudden　illness；　and　his　sisters　sent　to　the　Saviour；

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saying；　〃Lord；　behold；　he　whom　Thou　lovest　is　sick。〃　They　saw　the　violence　of　the　disease　that　had　seized　their　brother；　but　they　knew　that　Christ　had　shown　Himself　able　to　heal　all　manner　of　diseases。　They　believed　that　He　would　sympathize　with　them　in　their　distress；　therefore　they　made　no　urgent　demand　for　His　immediate　presence；　but　sent　only　the　confiding　message；　〃He　whom　Thou　lovest　is　sick。〃　They　thought　that　He　would　immediately　respond　to　their　message；　and　be　with　them　as　soon　as　He　could　reach　Bethany。

Anxiously　they　waited　for　a　word　from　Jesus。　As　long　as　the　spark　of　life　was　yet　alive　in　their　brother；　they　prayed　and　watched　for　Jesus　to　come。　But　the　messenger　returned　without　Him。　Yet　he　brought　the　message；　〃This　sickness　is　not　unto　death；〃　and　they　clung　to　the　hope　that　Lazarus　would　live。　Tenderly　they　tried　to　speak　words　of　hope　and　encouragement　to　the　almost　unconscious　sufferer。　When　Lazarus　died；　they　were　bitterly　disappointed；　but　they　felt　the　sustaining　grace　of　Christ；　and　this　kept　them　from　reflecting　any　blame　on　the　Saviour。

When　Christ　heard　the　message；　the　disciples　thought　He　received　it　coldly。　He　did　not　manifest　the　sorrow　they　expected　Him　to　show。　Looking　up　to　them；　He　said；　〃This　sickness　is　not　unto　death；　but　for　the　glory　of　God；　that　the　Son　of　God　might　be　glorified　thereby。〃　For　two　days　He　remained　in　the　place　where　He　was。　This　delay　was　a　mystery　to　the　disciples。　What　a　comfort　His　presence　would　be