Topic(s): Love, Wisdom

There is a legend about a king who decided to set aside a special day to honor his greatest subject. When the big day arrived, there was a large gathering in the palace courtyard. Four finalists were brought forward, and from these four the king would select the winner.

The first person presented was a wealthy philanthropist. The king was told that this man was highly deserving of the honor because of his humanitarian efforts. He had given much of his wealth to the poor.

The second person was a celebrated physician. The king was told that this doctor was highly deserving of the honor because he had rendered faithful and dedicated service to the sick for many years.

The third person was a distinguished judge. The king was told that the judge was worthy because he was noted for his wisdom, his fairness, and his brilliant decisions.

The fourth person presented was an elderly woman. Everyone was quite surprised to see her there, because her manner was quite humble, as was her dress. She hardly looked the part of someone who would be honored as the greatest subject in the kingdom. What chance could she possibly have, when compared to the other three who had accomplished so much?

Even so, there was something about her; the look of love in her face, the understanding in her eyes, her quiet confidence.

The king was intrigued, to say the least, and somewhat puzzled by her presence. He asked who she was. The answer came: “You see the philanthropist, the doctor, and the judge? Well she was their teacher!”

The woman had no wealth, no fortune, and no title, but she had unselfishly given her life to produce great people. There is nothing more powerful or more Christlike than sacrificial love. —Chad Ballard

Lighting Up

Topic(s): Evangelism

• “A good teacher is like a candle—it consumes itself to light the way for others.”
• "It is better to try to light a candle than to curse the dark.” —Chinese Proverb
• “Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.”

Three Writers, Three Themes

Topic(s): Bible Study, Faith, Love

There are three words which concentrate for us the meaning of the Christian life, at least on its human side. They are “faith” and “hope” and “love” (1 Corinthians 13:13).

In the spacious vestibule of a beautiful European cathedral, the floor consists of three massive slabs on which three Latin words are inscribed in large letters. On the first slab is the Latin CREDO; on the second, SPEIRO; on the third AMO.

First comes, credo: “I believe.” Next comes, speiro: “I hope.” Then comes, amo: “I love.” The three principal writers of our New Testament epistles are Paul, Peter, and John, and they come in that order. They all speak about faith and hope and love, yet each of them has an emphasis. First, Paul is distinctively the apostle of faith. Next comes Peter, the apostle of hope. Last come John, the apostle of love.

If you change their positional order, you foil the true spiritual order. Their present arrangement is designed to indicate the true order of spiritual progress. Take the nine Church Epistles. The first four emphasis the cross; the next three the church; the last two the Lord’s second coming. Take the nine General Epistles. The first two stress faith and works. The next two emphasize hope and growth. The next four (John and Jude) love and contending. Finally, the Apocalypse speaks of overcoming and inheriting. The thorn-crowned Christ of the cross is the glory-crowned King. —adapted from J. Sidlow Baxter, Explore the Book

Seeing the Big Picture

Topic(s): Bible Study

The New Testament is the most vital book in the world. Its supreme subject is the Lord Jesus Christ. Its supreme object is the salvation of human beings. Its supreme project is the reign of the Lord Jesus. Christ is the subject of its pages. He who figures in the Old as the Christ of prophecy, now emerges in the New as the Christ of history. Expectancy in the Old has become experience in the New. Prevision has become provision. The long-predicted is the now-presented. The four Gospels are the very crux of the Bible. They are the historical focus of Old Testament prophecy, and the factual basis of New Testament theology. —adapted from J. Sidlow Baxter, Explore the Book

Seeing the New Testament in Relationship to the Old Testament

Topic(s): Bible Study, Old Testament

The four Gospels correspond to the Pentateuch in showing the need for the Savior and foreshadowing His coming in type and prophecy. The Acts of the Apostles present the early history of God’s redeeming people, the church. They thus correspond to the historical books of the Old Testament—especially Joshua and Judges. The twenty-one epistles of the New Testament expound the meaning of Christ’s redemption in Christian life. In this way they correspond to the Old Testament prophetic writings. The book of Revelation corresponds in part to the books of Daniel and Zechariah and the last thirteen chapters of Ezekiel. —Survey of the Bible, Merrill F. Unger