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T H H XXH f t ’ i BU B I N E B I
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I NT E RNAT I ONA L L ESSON Commentary Outline and Exposition Blackboard Lesson Children s Division Object Lesson Golden Text Illustration By B. B. S utcliffe By G retchen S ibley By G race W. K ellogg ' By E lmer L. W ilder By A lan S. P earce Points and Problems B y A lva J. M c C lain , President of Grace Theological Seminaiy, Winona Late, Ind.
FEBRUARY 2, 1941 THE INDIVIDUAL’S RESPONSIBILITY REGARDING BEVERAGE ALCOHOL H abakkuk 2:15; G enesis 4:9-12; M ark 9:42-48; 1 T hessalonians 5:22
In the case of Cain (Gen. 4:9-12), the responsibility toward a brother was re jected. He got away from God’s man (Abel) by committing murder, but he could not avoid the man’s God, for he was faced with God’s question, “Where Is Abel thy brother?” Cain’s insolence is apparent in his answer, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Here is a clear re jection of res’ponsibility regarding his brother. Cain's punishment was pro nounced at once: He was to be cursed from the earth and become a fugitive and a vagabond. Thus the rejection of responsibility rises from covetousness, or a passion to possess either the property or position that belongs to another, instead of a recognition and acceptance of responsi bility to be a friend and helper of both the neighbor and the brother. n. A ccepting R esponsibility (Mk. 9:42-48) From the previous verses in this pas sage it may be concluded that the “little ones” are thtjse who believe on Christ, but who are not recognized among the immediate followers. Instead of forbid ding such a one, there should be a sense of responsibility to aid that one. It were better that a millstone were about the neck and one be cast into the sea than that one of these Who believe should be caused to stumble. The para mount Importance of this attitude is re vealed in the Lord’s saying that it were better to cut off the hand, or the foot, or pluck out the eye, if the trouble could be traced to one of these sources, than to cause offense to, or stumbling of, one of these "little ones.” To accept responsibility for neighbor and brother means to be ready to aid them. in. F ulfilling R esponsibility (1 Thess. 5:22) The one who would fulfill his respon sibility to neighbor and brother must avoid even the appearance of evil. In using this verse as a part of the tem perance lesson, the general principle may be recognized that fulfilling re sponsibility to neighbor and brother means the abstaining from all “appear ance of evil.” However, while this is true, the passage itself deals primarily with the fact of the Holy Spirit’s apply ing the truth to the mind and heart of the believer. We are to “quench not
H ab. 2 :IK Woe unto him th at crlreth hi« neighbor drink, th a t p n ttest thy bottle to him , and m akest him drunken also, th a t thou m ayest look on th eir nakedness! Gen. 4:9 And the Lord said unto Cain* W here Is Abel thy brother! And he said, 1 know not: Am I my brother’s keeper! 10 And he said, W hat h ast thou done! the volee of thy brother’s blood crieth, nnto me from the gronnd. 11 And now a rt thou cnrsed from the earth, which h ath opened her m onth to re ceive thy brother’s blood from thy hand. 19 When thon tlllest the gronnd, It shall not henceforth yield nnto thee her strength! a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thon be in the earth. Mk. 9:42 And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones th a t believe in me, it Is better for him th a t a m illstone were hanged abont his neck, and he were cast into the sea. 43 And if thy hand offepd thee, cnt it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire th a t never shall be quenched. 44 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 45 And if thy foot offend thee, cnt It off: It is better for thee to enter h alt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, Into the fire th a t never shall be quenched: 46 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 47 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck It out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God w ith one eye. than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: 48 W here their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 1 Thess. 5:22 A bstain from all appearance of evil. GOLDEN T EX T : «Abstain from all ap pearance of evil” (1 Thess. 5:22). DEVOTIONAL BEAD ING : Ezek. 2:16-21. Outline and Exposition L R ejecting R esponsibility (Hab. 2:15; Gen. 4:9-12) B ABAKKUK reminded the people curing property by unjust practices. These "w*es” were specially aimed at those who built up estates by covet- [These lessons are developed from outlines prepared by the Committee on Improved Uniform Lessons of the Inter national Council. The outlines are copy righted by the International Council of Religious Education and used by per mission. Scripture portions quoted are from the King James Version unless otherwise stated.]
Will You Pray for Biola in 1941?
Many friends of the Bible In stitute of Los Angeles have desig nated a certain hour each week during which they pledge to pray for this school, as members of Blola’s World-Wide Prayer Circle. Through this fellowship of inter cession, maintained by faithful prayer warriors, -many spiritual and material blessings have come to the Institute. What will be your part in this service in 1941 ? YOUR enrollment for this minis try will be welcomed by the Sec retary of the Prayer Circle, Miss Christina J. Braskamp, .558 So. Hope St., Los Angeles, Calif. ousness. Among the methods for tak ing property by unfair means was the practice of getting the owner into a be fuddled state through strong drink. This is the “woe” included in our lesson. The Revised Version renders it, “Woe unto him that giveth . . . drink, to thee that addest thy venom” thereto—perhaps in order to steal the neighbor’s possessions. The following verses' reveal that the same treatment will be measured out upon the head of the man who indulges in such schemes—schemes that reject the responsibility of taking care of, rather than despoiling, the neighbor.
of their responsibility regard- ■ ing their neighbors and pro nounced a series of “woes” against se
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