First Sunday in Advent.

"THE KING OF KINGS.”

Learn, 1 Tim. vi. 13-16. Passages to be referred to-2 Sam. vii. 12-17; Ps. ii., lxxii. ; Dan. vii. 9-14; John xviii. 33-37; Rev. xix. 6-21.

"The King of kings "" was a title well known in the East. It was assumed by the Persian and Assyrian monarchs, as one of supreme power, Ezra vii. 12. They had many kings subject to them, 1 Kings xx. 1. As given to Jesus, therefore, it points to the time when the kingdoms of this world shall become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ.

In order that we may see the certainty of this Kingdom, let us trace its history in Scripture :A Saviour is promised, Gen. iii. 15.

His Kingdom is intimated, Num. xxiv. 15; 1 Sam. ii. 10.

The distinct promise is given to David, 2 Sam. vii. 16; Ps. cxxxii. 11.

The Prophets tell of it, Isa. ix. 6, 7; Jer. xxiii. 5, 6; Micah v. 2 ; Zech. vi. 13.

The Forerunner announces it, Matt. iii. 2.

The Jews expect it, John i. 49. So do the Gentiles, Matt. ii. 2.

The World is ignorant of its character, Luke xvii. 20; John xviii. 36.

Satan offers it in temptation without the Cross, Matt. iv. 8, 9; Luke iv. 5, 6.

The World unconsciously acknowledges Jesus as King, John xix. 19.

He obtains the Kingship through suffering, Phil. ii. 9-11; Heb. xii. 2.

But you may say, Is Jesus really "King of kings now? Does He reign in the midst of all the evil we see around us? Yes, surely, Ps. ii. 1-9. Jesus is even now the " King of kings," Matt. xxviii. 18. But we must distinguish between

I. The Kingdom of Grace.-What is that? Rom. xiv. 17. It is all a hidden work within the heart of men now, Luke xvii. 20, 21. We have the history of this Kingdom given by Christ, Matt. xiii. His Spirit convinces of sin and of Satan's rule, John xvi. 8-11. He drives the devil out of the heart, Luke xi. 22. He establishes the reign of Jesus there, Isa. xxvi. 12, 13. The world knows it not, 1 John iii. 1, but thus the kingdom is being secretly advanced, Mark iv. 26-29.

II. The Kingdom of Glory.-What is that? Rev. v. 9, 10, xii. 10. It is the outward manifestation of Christ's glory hereafter, Matt. xxv. 21; Col. iii. 4. When He shall come to gather His own people, 1 Thess. iv. 14-17, and to be

glorified in them, 2 Thess. i. 10.

When He shall punish His enemies, Ps. ii. 9; Luke xix. 27; 2 Thess. i. 7-9, and His kingdom shall be established on every hand, Ps. xxii. 11; Rev. xi. 15. Then shall He be recognised as King of kings, Rev. xix. 16; Phil. ii. 11.

So that (as we read in Luke xix. 12-15) Christ has gone to receive for Himself a kingdom. When that is formed He will return to reign gloriously-and so we pray, "Thy kingdom

come."

Christian Reader, would you know Jesus as "the King of kings?"-you must receive and know Him now, Luke xxiii. 42. The kingdom of grace precedes the kingdom of glory, John iii. 3-5. If you would know Christ reigning, you must know Him suffering, Luke xxii. 28-36; 2 Tim. ii. 12; 1 Pet. iv. 13.

Second Sunday in Advent.

"THE WORD OF GOD."

Learn, Rev. xix. 11-13. Passages to be referred to-John i. 1-18; 1 Pet. i. 20-25; 1 John i. 1-4; Rev. xix. 9-13.

"THE Word of God" is a name that could only belong to Jesus. You and I may be the voice, the instrument for announcing the Word, John i. 23; Acts iv. 20; but He alone could be the Word. For what is a word? It is that by which the mind of one person is revealed and communicated to another. And who could make known what is the mind of God but Jesus? Luke x. 22; John i. 18; Heb. i. 2. He is the revelation of God, John v. 39; Luke xxiv. 27; Rev. xix. 10. And so it is, perhaps, that John, who is employed by the Spirit to complete the revealed Word, Rev. xxii. 17, 18, is the one who thus designates Christ "the Word."

No doubt you know this name best as applied to the Scriptures. They are the Word of God written, 1 Peter i. 23-25. Jesus is the Word of God incarnate (explain), John i. 14. These two, therefore, should perfectly agree with one another, Matt. xxvi. 54.

To prove, then, that Jesus is the Word of God, let us see from our Bibles how His life exactly corresponds with what God has said in Scripture, Matt. xxvi. 24, how He is thus the living Word, Heb. iv. 12. Look at St Matthew's Gospel, for instance, i. 22, ii. 15, iv. 14, viii. 17, xii. 17, xiii. 35, xxi. 4, xxvii. 35.

But take a few distinct utterances of God, and see how they were fulfilled by Him.

I. Concerning Sin. "Without shedding of blood is no remission," Heb. ix. 22; Luke xvii. 11. This is the word of God-and see how it is fulfilled in Christ. He is the sin-bearer, 2 Cor. v. 21; 1 Pet. ii. 24; and only by His blood-shedding is the sin remitted, 1 Pet. i. 19; John i. 29.

"I will not re

II. Concerning Pardon. member thy sins," Isa. xliii. word by the prophet of old. Jesus say and do? Matt. ix. 2, 6.

25. Such is the And what does How loving

How

is His word to the woman! Luke vii. 48. gracious to the penitent thief! Luke xxiii. 43. III Concerning Death. "O grave, I will be thy destruction," Hosea xiii. 14. Thus does God speak; and how does Jesus fulfil this word? Look at the daughter of Jairus, Mark v. 41; the widow's son, Luke vii. 14; Lazarus, John xi. 43. IV. Concerning Salvation. "Look unto Me, and be ye saved," Isa. xlv. 22, is the blessed utterance of old; and is it not the centre-point of all Christ's works of love? The leper, Matt. viii. 2. The woman with the

issue, Luke viii.