<TITLE>11. Par -</TITLE>L-16-5 The disciples today is a lot difference from the disciples of old. Today the disciples brings the speakers--or the seekers, rather... Instead of... The disciples of old brought the seeker into the Presence of God. And today the disciples of the day bring them into the presence of some church organization, some affiliation, some creed, some doctrine, instead of bringing them into the Presence of Christ.
We take the word "Christmas." It's very seldom you ever hear Christ's Name mentioned. You don't hear it mentioned. The lights and tinsel is all on Santa Claus, not on Christ. The people hardly knows what Christmas is really for. They've just paganized it and paganized it till it's all become pagan. It's a great commercial day of celebration. Now, if they want to make a commercial day like Mother's Day, or Father's Day, or son's day, or daughter's day, that's all right; but keep that commercial off of Christmas.
And I seen a sign not long ago, said, "Put Christ back in Christmas."

L-17-2 Now, they bring you to a church; you learn a creed. They bring you to a Christmas, and what do you do? You see a Santa Claus. They bring you to a church; you see an organization. But Christ brought them to the cross. And when you get a real disciple that'll point you to Christ, Christ will bring you to the cross where you are crucified with Him. And His Eternal Life and your life meet together, and your life dies, and you take on His Eternal Life, and then you're a son of God. Amen. What a difference from the disciple of old and the disciple of today.

L-17-3 If you mention to a disciple, "I would love to know the Lord Jesus."
"Well, now look, we belong to the certain-certain church, come down and join that--join us." See? Or, "We was... We belong to this certain-certain society and come join that." And now, that's what you hear.
But Christ Himself pointed people to His death and said, "Except a corn of wheat falls into the ground, it abides alone."
Oh, how different it is. Yes, sir. How different. But your life and His Life find each other, not at the church, not in a building, not in a creed, not in good works, but in the cross where you are crucified with Him. That's where you find Christ. You don't find Him by doing better, turning a new page, starting a new life, you don't find Christ. You find Christ only in death, not in a manger, not in a confession. To believe in certain creeds and fables, you don't find Christ there. A true servant takes you to Him, and He is the Word.

L-17-7 You say, "Then, Brother Branham, if Christ is on earth today, a real servant would take him to Him, Christ." Well, Christ is here in the form of the Word; and the Word brings Life, because He is the Word. Christ is the Word. Yes, sir. He is the Word Himself. The true servant always takes you to the Word.
Now, He is the Word. He is this Bible made living. And when you die to yourself with Christ like a corn of wheat, then the Word lives in you, brings forth the same results as It did in that living Corn of Wheat that had to drop into the earth. Amen. You're partakers in His resurrection. You're partakers with Him in all of His blessings, in all of His manifestations. You're partakers with Him in all that He did.


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