Third Sunday after the Epiphany.

"THE CONSOLATION OF ISRAEL."

Learn, Luke ii. 25-30. Passages to be referred to for reading,-Isa. xl. 1-10; Luke ii. 25-38; 2 Cor. i. 3-7; Rev. vii. 9-17.

THIS must be a title of our Lord, for Simeon, who waited for "the consolation of Israel," was satisfied in receiving Christ, Luke ii. 28-30. It does not mean that Christ is to give consolation, though that is true, Isa. lxi. 1-3, but that He himself is the consolation, and that of Israel, or His covenant people, Ps. i. 5.

Now, we know that our Lord promised the Holy Ghost as a Comforter, John xiv. 16, 26, xv. 26. And this will explain the title before us. A comforter's work is to give consolation, and so the Holy Spirit applies the things of Jesus, John xvi. 14, 15. He did so to Stephen, Acts vii. 55. He did so to the eunuch, Acts viii. 39. And thus He may do with you and me, Rom. xv. 13. Prophecy tells us how one day He will be thus indeed the Comforter, and Jesus the Consolation of Israel, Zech. xii. 10.

To understand this, let us notice :

1. What is consolation? It is the comfort whereby we are held up against spiritual evil. It is faith, Luke i. 47. This was Paul's comfort, 2 Tim. i. 12. It is hope, Rom. xv. 13. This was Abraham's comfort, Rom. iv. 18. It is love, Phil. i. 9. This was Peter's comfort, John xxi. 17. It is joy and peace in believing, and this is the comfort of all the faithful, Rom. v. 1, 11. It is in fact the fruit of the Spirit, Gal. v. 22, 23, Rom. 3-5.

2. Is the Lord Jesus Christ all this to the soul? Yes, indeed He is, Ps. iv. 6, 7; Phil. iv. 19. He brings all that is precious to the souls of His people. Every spiritual blessing is wrapt up in Him, Eph. i. 3. Is sin a burden? Rom. vii. 24, 25. Is pardon needed? Rom. viii. 1. Is righteousness required? Jer. xxiii. 6. Are we longing for acceptance with God? Eph. i. 6. Is Satan tempting? Luke xxii. 32. Christ meets every want. He is our peace, Eph. ii. 14. Our

hope, Col. i. 27.

But are we to say that this is true for every one? I fear there are many who find no consolation in Christ now, Prov. i. 24, 25; Isa. xlviii. 18; Matt. xxiii. 37; John v. 40; who will find none in Him hereafter, Rev. vi. 16. But He is still the consolation of every one that believeth, John v. 24, iii. 16; Isa. lv. 1, 2,; Rev. iii. 18, vii. 14-17.

Why, then, should you and I not go to Him boldly, and ask Him "mercifully to look upon

our infirmities?" He is qualified to help and defend us in everything, Matt. viii. 16, 17; Heb. iv. 15, v. 1, 2. He is given by God to be our comfort, Eph. ii. 14; Acts x. 36. Let us not be deluded by the passing comfort which Satan can supply, Luke vi. 24, xvi. 25. Jesus only is the true Consolation of His people.

Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany.

"THE POWER OF GOD."

Learn, 1 Cor. i. 21-24. Passages to be referred to,-Ps. cxlvii.; Matt. ix. 1-8; Luke ix. 37-43; John xvii. 2.

To know God's power, without knowing Himself, will only produce fear. A giant in your streets would terrify you, for you would not know what use he might make of his power; but, if some one were to assure you that, though powerful, he was kind and good, you would cease to be alarmed. So with God: we know of His power from what we see about us, Rom. i. 20; but this only produces fear, Ps. lxvi. 3. In the Bible, He tells us how He will use His power, Rom. i. 16; and thus He is pledged, Matt. xxvi. 53, 54. In Jesus, He shows us how He will use His power, John v. 19. Jesus is "the Power of God." Consider

1. His Power over Creation. Everything was made by the Lord Jesus, John i. 3; Eph. iii. 9. See Nicene Creed. Everything is upheld by Him, Col. i. 17. He changes water into wine, John ii. 9. He stills the tempest, Mark iv. 39.

He walks on the waves, Matt. xiv. 25. withers the fig-tree, Mark xi. 20-22.

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2. His Power over all flesh. This He confesses to have received from the Father, John xvii. 2. We see it in His dealings with man—the blind, Luke xviii. 42; the paralytic, Mark ii. 12; the leper, Matt. viii. 3; the withered, Matt. iii. 5; the wounded, Luke xxii. 51. We see it with animals the fish, Matt. xvii. 27; the ass, Mark xi. 2; the cock, Mark xiv. 30; cf. John vi. 9.

3. His Power to forgive sins. He always taught men that they were sinners, Matt. ix. 13; but, at the same time, showed His power and willingness to forgive the sinner!-thus, to the paralytic, Matt. ix. 6; the poor adulteress, John viii. 11; the woman who was a sinner, Luke vii. 48.

4. His Power to give life. We see this in the three stages of death-the death-bed, Mark v. 42; the funeral, Luke vii. 15; the tomb, John xi. 44. We see it in Himself, John x. 18; and the secret of this marvellous power He explains, John v. 26.

These points show Jesus to be the Power of God, Heb. iii. 4; John xvii. 2; Mark ii. 7; Rom. iv. 17. But more, they show the Power of God pledged to and acting for us—this is what we all want. We are 66 set in the midst of so many and great dangers," 1 John ii. 16, v. 19; the frailty of our nature prevents our standing

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