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T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
December, 1936
they receive Him and are converted, the Bible becomes an open Book to them, and they find joy in reading it. This may explain why some of you boys and girls do not enjoy or understand any thing in the Bible. When the new birth has come through your accepting Christ as Saviour, the Bible becomes a new and liv ing Book.
cannot understand the Bible. It is a locked Book to him. Here is a third key. Attached to it is a red cross, reminding us of the death of the Lord Jesus Christ on Calvary’s cross. The key fits the lock! The lock opens, and the chain falls from the Bible. People cannot understand the deep truths of the Bible until they accept Christ as Saviour. When
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JANUARY 17, 1937 JESUS THE WATER OF LIFE J ohn 4:1-54
Lesson Text: John 4:7-26. Golden Text: “Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst” (John 4:14). Outline and Exposition I. O bstacles to S ecuring the W ater of L ife T here cometh a woman o f Samaria to draw water” (v. 7 ). Her need for more than literal water was revealed by her condition. She was reli gious to a certain extent, she worshiped in a certain fashion, she was sinful in a- cer tain matter, and she was thoroughly dis satisfied with all she possessed (cf. vs. 9, 12, 15-23). Her religion held no hope for her; her worship was necessarily a thing of form and she knew not what she worshiped; her sin was ever before her, living as she was with a man not her husband, and in her life there was dissatisfaction, a longing for better things. In this condition she met Jesus, the Water of Life, a meeting acci dental on her part, but providential on His. She found the Giver of the water of life sitting beside the well of water and desir ing a drink (v. 7). Obstacles were in the path to her ob taining the water of life, obstacles raised by racial prejudice, difference in religion, natural hesitancy of her sex, social distinc tions, and the fact that she was a sinful woman, and that He was a stranger and a man. Added to these obstacles there was the woman’s distrust of this Stranger (v. 9) ; her pride, in connection with the well and the religion of the Samaritans (vs. 11, 2 0 ); her darkness, which she would have denied but was forced to confess in her eagerness to obtain the mysterious living water (v. 15) ; her sin which she vainly tried to cover (vs. 16-19), and finally her dependence upon tradition from which it was difficult to move her (v. 20). All of these things were natural obstacles in the way of secur ing the water of life. BLACKBOARD LESSON
II. T h e H elps to S ecuring th e W ater of L ife On the part of the woman there was the eager desire to obtain that water of life, a desire sufficiently strong to cause her to ask for it, though she did not understand its significance (v. 15). “ G ive me,” she said while understanding so little about that for which she asked. Behind the ask ing was dissatisfaction with everything which she possessed, even with life itself. She had been a woman of many men, and her life was given in open sin, thus ostra cizing her from the companionship of the women in her town (v. 17). It is reason able to believe that she spoke only to men upon her return to the city (cf. vs. 28, 29). Following her desire to receive, there came the discovery that the One to whom she spoke knew all about her, being fully ac quainted with her life’s history and her present status (vs. 17, 18). There was agreement with Him as far as she could go in her ignorance (v. 19), and there was dissatisfaction with her religion which was void of comfort and assurance, hence a religion in which she must have lost faith (vs. 20, 25, 26). On the part of Christ there was the eager desire to bestow the water of life. In Christ’s method of dealing with this woman there are many lessons for those who would be channels through which the water of life might flow. First, He gained her attention (vs. 7-9) by requesting a drink from a stranger, a woman of a race with which He, a Jew, should have had no dealings. Overriding all the difficulties, racial, religious, social, He fastened her mind upon what He said. As a man He said: “ Give me to drink.” As God He says to all: “ If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.” Second, He gained her interest (vs. 10- 12) by suggesting that there was some thing better than the water of the well beside which He sat. Third, He deepened her desire (vs. 13- 15). The implied promise must have fallen with terrific force on the ears of the woman, for such a thing as never xthirsting had never before entered her mind. There was in it also the suggestion that the thirst of her soul might be satisfied. Fourth, He awakened in her a conviction of sin (vs. 16-20) by letting her know that He wras aware of her sin, thus bringing her to confession of it. He did not dwell on it, but left her conscience to apply the rebuke. She attempted to keep away from such a troubling topic by changing the subject. However, with divine wisdom He used the
Who
Said
" Depression? ” C ertainly n ot annu itan ts o f Wheaton College. For Wheaton has never failed to meet a single annuity payment promptly when due. Wheaton’s growth has not been stopped by the depression. During the last quarter cen tury, Wheaton has notably advanced in Aca demic standing and influence. It has become nationally known. It now draws its students from 47 states and from 15 other countries. With more than 20% increase in student body in one recent year alone, its expanding facilities have been taxed to the limit. A Life Annuity Contract with Wheaton College is therefore safe. It is backed by the entire resources of this rapidly expanding but conservatively managed institution. It cannot ' become lost or stolen; is fire-proof; cannot be attached or garnisheed for debt; and pays the elderly holder annually a larger income than most other safe investments. As nearly as pos sible, it is “ depression-immune.”
You should investigate — will you clip the coupon, please.
MR. GEORGE V. KIRK, Vice Pres.
Box KB-1236
Wheaton College, Wheaton, Illinois. Please tell me, without obligation, how I may pro vide an income for life, for myself or a survivor.
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