November, 1935
419
T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
with the cords of love. A church which is bound together with the love of God will stand against all the powers o f Satan. As long as the rubber band holds them to gether, the toothpicks stand. (Stand them on end.) They have to stand together or they fall. They have to have teamwork. When Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls, it was necessary that there should be teamwork. First, there had to be the teamwork with God. Unless the people worked with God and did the things He wanted them to do, their work would be useless. Then, too, the people had to have team work with Nehemiah. He could not do all the work by himself. Not only did they have teamwork, but they were bound to gether with the cords of loyalty to their leader and of trust in God. On numerous occasions the enemies tried to break the teamwork o f Nehemiah and his workers, but they were unsuccess ful. The work progressed, and the walls were completed. God is looking for people in this day who are willing to do teamwork and remain bound together with the cords o f love. When He finds them, He uses them for His service. He was above them, not because he was greater or better than they, but because this position enabled the people to hear. Ezra himself would be hearing and heed ing the Word that was read, just as would be the experience of the humblest among them. When the Book was opened, all the people stood up, as though to acknowledge that they were in the presence o f their Superior, and they reverently harkened to what was read. Praise was offered by both Ezra and the people (v. 6). Humility was manifested in the bowed heads. They “worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground.” When the Book is read to day there is in evidence Very little of that kind o f reverence and humility and wor ship that characterized the people in Ezra’s day. And the absence o f these qualities may account, in large measure, for the prevailing ignorance of that Book in modern times. It should be remembered that wherever the Book is found, there is also the Person o f whom the Book speaks —the Lord Jesus Christ (cf. John 5 :39 ; 2 Cor. 3:18). All joking, riddles, and smart sayings, which involve the Word of God, should be shunned by Christian people, for they lead to irreverence. III. T he M anner of the T eaching (Neh. 8:8). Ezra and the men associated with him read “ distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand.” This lesson gives a brief but perfect example of cor rect teaching. There was information ; the facts were made known. There was in struction ; the meaning o f the facts was taught. There was illumination ; the people were caused to understand. There was inspiration ; the teaching led to action. I V. T he R esults o f the T eaching (9-12). The consciences o f the people were reached (v. 9). Having heard and under stood the law of the Lord, the people real ized that they were sinful and in danger
Mr. Ridgway , and part of his *lIron Rose” Bible Class of more than three hundredmen.
Object Lesson T oothpicks and T eamwork Objects: About twenty-five toothpicks, bound together with a rubber band. Lesson: Did you ever see a good ball game where there was no teamwork? No, I am sure you never did. You have to have teamwork in the game o f life, too, to make it worth while. As long as these toothpicks have team work and allow this rubber band to bind them together, it would be very difficult to break them. One, alone, can be broken easily. But, notice, the rubber band pulls the toothpick back as soon as I start pull ing one away. This bundle o f toothpicks reminds me of the people o f God, who are bound together Lesson T ext: Ezra 7:10; Neh. 8:1-3, 5, 6 , 8 - 12 . Golden T ext: “Thy word have I hid in mipe heart, that I might not sin against thee” (Psa. 119:11). Outline and Exposition I. E zra ’ s P urpose (Ezra 7:10). E zra , the scribe and priest, had set his heart to know, and to do, and to teach the law of the Lord. He knew that underneath all the troubles o f his people were disobedience to and ignorance o f the law o f God. He would put first things first and thus recall his people from their disobedience and bring them once more into favor and blessing under God. With this desire in his heart, he had asked and received permission to lead a com pany o f the captives back to Jerusalem. II. T he R equest for T eaching (Neh. 8:1-6). At the anniversary o f the feast of taber nacles, in the seventh month, the people asked that Ezra should bring “the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded to Israel” (v. 1). The people knew “the law” was not the word of Moses, but the word o f the Lord, given through Moses (cf. Acts 10:33). Accordingly, Ezra brought the Book be fore all the people—men, and women, and all who could understand (v. 2). And the people, old and young, gathered with eagerness to hear and to understand (v. 3). It was an all-morning service, and “the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.” The reading continued from “morning until midday” —and in that time, a large part o f the Pentateuch could have been read; never theless, the listeners did not tire o f the message. They gave careful heed to the words which instructed, comforted, and inspired them. Ezra opened the book in the sight o f all the people (v. 5). He stood upon a pulpit in full sight of the congregation (v. 4).
X/|ron Rosers##—A l l— Three hundred o f them —Roses for Sweetness—iron for strength—and Mr. William H. Ridgway, the magnetic iron master o f Coatesville, Pennsylvania, has held them spellbound now, Sunday after Sunday, for nearly half a century. Mr. Ridgway, at the age of “ 77 years young,” is well known to T imes readers for his pithy weekly “ Busy Men’s Comer.” He has written mis terse and forceful summary of the lesson high-spots every week without a break since 1907. Friends of the T imes , especially business men, tell us his “ Comer” is the most popular feature of all the T imes ’ rich lesson material. But the T imes fairly teems with features quite as engaging to Sunday school workers as a whole. Dr. James Leon Kelso’s unsurpassed discus sions on that most interesting subject, archaeology— direct and forceful Cartoons by Pace—the delightful “ Say, Fellows” column for boys and “ Little Jetts” for everyone by genial Wade Smith—Mother Ruth’s wholesome and illuminating talks to girls—the exhaustive weekly Lesson Commentaries by Dr. McQuilkin, of Columbia Bible College—and many other captivating features— All these combine to make the T imes the complete and outstanding lesson publication of the day. No matter what your Sunday school work may be, you will appreciate the T imes — the one rich help you cannot well do without. It is easy to subscribe. Simply check the square^below which interests you, and mail us this advertisement with your name and address written4 in the margin. It is not necessary to enclose the: money—we will send you a bill later on. May we\ hearfrom you? □ Yearly, $2.25—in clubs of five or more, $1.75. O 24 weeks, $1. □ Ten weeks Get Acquainted Offer, 25c cash with order. □ Sample copiesfree.
DECEMBER IS, 1935 EZRA TEACHING THE LAW OF GOD E zra 7:10; N ehemiah , C hapter 8
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