RESS. (WHAT A FRIEND WE HEVE IN JESUS)
MORE THAN 1900 YEARS AGO THERE WAS A MAN BORN CONTRARY
TO THE LAWS OF LIFE. THIS MAN LIVED IN POVERTY AND OBSECURITY.
HE DIDN'T TRAVEL EXTENSIVELY, ONLY ONCE DID HE CROSS THE
BOUNDRY OF THE COUNTRY HE LIVED. HE POSESSED NEITHER WEALTH
NOR INFLUENCE AND HIS RELATIVES WERE INCONSPICOUS AND UNFLUENTIAL
AND HAD NEITHER TRAINING NOR EDUCATION.
IN INFANCY HE STARTLED A KING, IN CHILDHOOD HE PUZZLED
DOCTORS, IN MANHOOD HE RULED THE COURSE OF NATURE WALKING ON
BILLOWS AS IF IT WERE PAVEMENT AND HUSHING THE SEA TO SLEEP
HE HEALED THE MULTITUDE WITHOUT MEDICINE AND MADE NO CHARGE
FOR HIS SERVICE.
HE NEVER WROTE A BOOK, YET ALL THE LIBRARIES OF OUR
COUNTRY COULD NOT HOLD THE BOOKS THAT HAVE BEEN WRITTEN ABOUT
HIM. HE NEVER WROTE A SONG, YET HE HAS FURNISHED THE THEME FOR
MORE SONGS THAN ALL THE SONGWRITERS COMBINED. HE NEVER FOUNDED A
COLLEGE, YET ALL THE SCHOOLS PUT TOGETHER COULD NOT BOAST HAVING
AS MANY STUDENTS. HE NEVER PRACTICED MEDICINE, YET HE HAS HEALED
MORE BROKEN HEARTS THAN ALL THE DOCTORS FAR AND NEAR. HE NEVER
MARSHALLED AN ARMY, DRAFTED A SOLDIER OF FIRED A GUN YET NO LEADER
HASEVER MADE MORE VOLUNTEERS, WHO UNDER HIS ORDERS HAVE MADE MORE
REBELS STACK ARMS AND SURRENDER WITHOUT FIRING A SHOT.
EVERY SEVENTH DAY THE WHEELS OF COMMERCE SEIZE THEIR TURNING
AND MULTITUDES WIND THEIR WAY TO WORSHIPING ASSEMBLIES TO PAY
HOMAGE AND RESPECT TO HIM. THE NAMES OF THE PAST PROUD STATESMAN
OF GREECE AND ROME HAVE COME AND GONE BUT THE NAME OF THIS MAN
ABOUNDS MORE AND MORE.
ALTHO TIME HAS SPREAD MORE THAN 1900 YEARS BETWEEN THE PEOPLE
OF THIS GENERATION AND THE SCENE OF HIS CRUCIFIXON, HE STILL LIVES.
HARROD COULD NOT KILL HIM, SATAN COULD NOT SEDUCE HIM, DEATH COULD
NOT DESTROY HIM, AND THE GRAVE COULD NOT HOLD HIM. HE STANDS FORTH
TODAY UPON THE HIGHEST PINNACLE OF HEAVENLY GLORY, PROCLAIMED OF
GOD, ACKNOWLEDGED BY ANGELS, ADORNED BY SAINTS AND FEARED BY DEVILS
AS THE LIVING PERSONAL CHRIST, OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR.
YES HE'S LORD OF LORDS AND KING OF KINGS. HE'S ABEL'S SACRIFICE,
NOAH'S RAINBOW, ABRAHAM'S RAM AND ISAAC'S WELL. HE'S JACOB'S LADDER,
MOSES'S ROD, DAVID'S SLINGSHOT, SAMUEL'S HORN OF OIL, HE'S ISIAH'S
SUNDIAL, HEZEKIAH'S HEALING, PETER'S SHADOW AND PAUL'S CROWN OF
RIGHTEOUSNESS.
HE'S A HUSBAND TO THE WIDOW, A FATHER TO THE ORPHANED. TO THOSE
WALKING IN THE DARK NIGHT, HE'S THE BRIGHT AND MORNING STAR. TO
THOSE WALKING THE LONESOME VALLEY, HE'S THE LILY OF THE VALLEY.
THE ROSE OF SHARON, HONEY IN THE ROCK AND THE STAFF OF LIFE. HE'S
THE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE, THE ROCK IN A WEARY LAND, THE PRINCE OF
PEACE AND THE SAVIOUR OF MAN'S SOUL.