Gospel. Have we ever thought what the world would be like today without the influence of Christianity? It is easier to demonstrate the immediate power of Christianity in the life of the individual. Jesus Christ has saved men and women by the million from an evil to a good life. Jerry McAuley and Samuel Hadley, picked up from the very gutter, witness the miracle, but no more than does the brilliant Ion Keith-Falconer, taken from a life offering every inducement to selfish leisure and driven out into the active service of the Church in a dangerous foreign post. The followers of Jesus Christ, in the power of God, are really bringing about a new order in the world. II He who inaugurated the Kingdom spoke plainly of the things that were hindering its coming, of the conditions that must be fulfilled. In spite of Jesus' solemn warnings, men attempt to advance the cause by force, by a kind of bribery, by the mere turning of the wheels of religious machinery. When these devices fail, we are tempted to cry, "People don't want the new life." But Jesus' teachings and His whole life were set against these futile devices. He warned against the dangers of wealth, He insisted that certain religious systems blocked the new order, He denied utterly the power of brute force: faith in God and persistent, active, eager love of others, service and sacrifice this is what He demanded. And when men have been willing to go His way, they suddenly discover that He was right when He said, "The harvest is plenteous." Where everything else fails, true brotherhood wins again and again. III What of the future? Is there a single obstacle among those suggested by Jesus that could not be overcome if Christians really made up their minds to do so? The early disciples of Jesus had few resources at hand, yet they started out with buoyant hope. But have we not all the tools necessary, provided they are properly used? The Christian Church has at hand resources undreamed of by Paul and Peter as they struggled with their little flocks in those early days. Democratic institutions, schools and colleges, social settlements, a Church supplied with money and equipment-these tools we have and more we may create if we will. It is not the lack of this kind of resource that is holding back the fuller life of the world. The real need is for men and women who believe that God really wants this thing to come to pass, and are willing to stake their lives upon this belief. These have open to them the limitless resources of God's own power. With nothing but their faith, the early Christians laid the foundations of the Kingdom. They practiced Jesus' methods in a world that was far less friendly than is ours. They won, and many since that time have won as they were willing to follow His lead. Our failures come from plain unwillingness to leave our own schemes and work with Him in His way. This enterprise is God's enterprise. We cannot conceive of such a God as Jesus Christ made known to us, wishing anything but the highest and best for mankind. God works in the world, and waits for the opportunity to work in and through each one of us. Our attitude may delay the completion of the great undertaking, but it goes on to fulfil God's will. Our privilege is to join the work, to be one with Him in saving the world. Through the open doorway of prayer we enter into the fullest cooperation with Him. When Jesus gathered His disciples together to teach them to pray, the prayer He suggested began: "Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy Kingdom come." Do we need any further resources? Must we have some stupendous miracle? What if all those in the world who call themselves Christians should some morning decide, trusting in God, to practice the invincible good will of Jesus, sacrificing all their worldly interests and desires to that end? How long would the Kingdom delay then? Deliberately measuring the progress of nineteen hundred years, calmly facing the whole world situation today, carefully considering the resources at our command, have we a reasonable hope that the Kingdom enterprise can succeed in the world? SUGGESTIONS FOR THOUGHT AND DISCUSSION How much real progress has been made in the world since Jesus' day? Compare conditions today with those in Jesus' time-as to poverty, disease, industrial conditions, race and national antagonism, condition of women, education, home life, and democratic ideals and institutions. Compare similarly conditions today with those of fifty years ago. How much of this indicates progress? How much of world progress is due to Christianity? How far have Jesus' ideals gained acceptance in the life of the world? What are the possibilities for the future? Why has the Kingdom not fully come? Is it reasonable to expect that present obstacles can be overcome? To what extent does past progress give hope of ultimate success? Can the Kingdom actually be achieved in the world on the present lines of effort? If not, how? CHAPTER IV EVERY MAN OF EVERY NATION IN THE KINGDOM DAILY READINGS We may admit that Christianity has been the inspiration of progress in certain favored nations of the world. But what about that great half of the globe which has been but little touched by Christian influence? Are there conditions or races which the Christian religion cannot help? Was Christianity intended for any but certain special races or peculiarly gifted individuals? FIRST DAY: The Jews had this very idea about their own religion. Jehovah was their God, regarded almost as their own peculiar property. Even among Christians in the early days, the idea so persisted that there was a great argument as to whether or not it was necessary for a man to become a Jew before he could become a Christian. When the lawyer asked Jesus, "Who is my neighbor?" His reply cut across the solid conviction of His race. But he, desiring to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbor? Jesus made answer and said, A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho; and he fell among robbers, who both stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance a certain priest was going down that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And in like manner a Levite also, when he came to the place, and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he was moved with compassion, and came to To a Jew no one could be a neighbor but a Jew. In these rapid strokes Jesus made the Samaritan more neighborly than the Jew. Never again could racial bounds limit the expression of true Christian neighborliness. Every line of this story suggests that our common need should draw us all together. Is not our neighbor the man in need-whatever his race, whatever his country, whatever his condition? If a poor immigrant laborer fell into trouble like this on the road from New York to Chicago, who would be found "going by on the other side"? Who is to act the part of the Good Samaritan to the sick man in China living in a great city where there is no physician? SECOND DAY: Jesus discovered some of the finest responses of faith from those who were not Jews. He seemed to have no doubt of the possibilities of the foreign centurion, for He quickly responded to eager belief in Him. Indeed, He said that He had not found such great faith among the Jews. And when he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. And behold, there came to him a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And he stretched forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou made clean. And straightway his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus saith unto him, |