The Plea of Jesus: Come Unto Me. The Lord Jesus does not bid the laboring and heavy-laden "go and work." Those words would carry no comfort to heavy consciences - it would be like requiring labor from an exhausted man. No. He bids them "Come." He does not say, "Pay Me what you owe." That demand would drive a broken heart into despair - it would be like claiming a debt from a ruined bankrupt. No.

Teaching before experience. In two separate paragraphs of the Acts Luke tells us that the early Christians in Jerusalem sold many of their possessions, held the rest in common, and distributed goods and money 'as any had need' (2:44, 45; 4:32-37). Are we to deduce from this that they set a pattern, which all Christians are meant to copy, and that private property is forbidden to Christians? Some groups have thought so.

For this reason he assumed human form, hid his invisible nature under visible guise, and kept the visible nature free from the stain of sin. Undoubtedly, it would have been easy for him to save the human race without assuming the garment of the flesh. He could have overthrown the power of death by a simple act of will. He could have made the father of that power, sin, disappear by exiling it from earth in such a way that no trace of it would remain on the earth.

Servants Where You Least Expect Them. There may be true servants of God in places where we should not expect to find them. The Lord Jesus has many 'hidden ones' like these wise men. Their history on earth may be as little known as that of Melchizedek, Jethro and Job. But their names are in the book of life, and they will be found with Christ in the day of His appearing. It is well to remember this. We must not look round the earth and say hastily, 'all is barren.'