Acts 4:29-30 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant to your servants, that with all boldness they may speak your word,… I. THIS DESCRIPTION — Child — seems to be an eternally appropriate characterisation of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1. Is it not appropriate to Him as we dwell on the infinite past? Great as the mystery of His pre-existent life is, we cannot accept the authority of Scripture and deny that pre-existence. He was ever God's holy child. 2. Is it not appropriate of Him as we study His incarnate life o, earth? There are always in His conduct and character the simple beauties we admire in a child — freshness, sensitiveness, wonder, simplicity, even to the point of exquisite artlessness, which is the child's glory. He wanted everybody else to be a child even as He felt He was a child, and, so He said, "Except ye become as little children ye cannot enter into the kingdom of God." 3. Is it not appropriate of Him as we contemplate the life He is living now? He lives still, and lives to care for, to help, to bless us. "He is able to save to the uttermost them that draw near unto God through Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for us; for such a High Priest became us, who is holy, guileless, undefiled." That guilelessness is the distinctive virtue of God's holy child Jeans. II. THE HISTORY OF THIS CHILD CHRIST ILLUSTRATES MUCH IN THE LIFE OF MANY AN ONE WHO IS ALSO GOD'S CHILD. As we have seen, Jesus Christ is in some senses unique as God's child — His only begotten Son. But in many aspects He is the Brother, the Type of every one who is God's child. "He is not ashamed to call us brethren." Remembering that, we notice — 1. God's child may be born in very lowly circumstances. 2. God's child is often brought up in the midst of most adverse circumstances. We recall Nazareth where He was brought up who was "God's holy child Jesus." 3. God's child should early be accustomed to the means of grace. You find it said of God's holy child Jesus, that His custom was to go to the synagogue at Nazareth. 4. God's child will be the subject of the highest spiritual consciousness. 5. God's child will show that he is the subject of this highest consciousness by his daily life. 6. God's child must develop into a future of beauty and strength. Growth is the law of life. (D. Thomas, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,WEB: Now, Lord, look at their threats, and grant to your servants to speak your word with all boldness, |
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