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B u s i n e s s
October 1930
tion did he ask ? Is it possible to obtain eternal life by “doing” (cf. Rom. 6:23)? V. 18. When Jesus said, “Why callest thou me good?” did He imply that He was not good? Did He imply that He should be addressed as God? V. 19. To which commandments of the decalogue did Jesus point the man? Why did He refer the inquirer to the law? V. 20. What did the man reply? By what title did he address Jesus? Was this a correct manner o f address? What claim did he make concerning his past life? V. 21. Why did Jesus love him? How did Jesus know what he lacked? What de mands were made o f him? V. 22. Was the young man happy when he heard what was required? What made him sorrowful ? What choice did he make that day? Can any one ever find joy who refuses Christ? _V. 23. What did Jesus say to the dis ciples ? Did He mean that it was difficult for God to save a rich man, or rather that it was unlikely that rich men would desire to enter the kingdom? Vs. 24, 25. How did this impress the disciples ? How did Jesus describe the real difficulty before rich men ? What illustra tion did Jesus use? Vs. 26, 27. What effect did Jesus’ words have upon the disciples? Did they mis understand His meaning? Is it God or is it the rich unbeliever who puts up a bar rier between himself and God? Is God able and willing to save all men? * * * P ractical P oints I. A man may be young, rich, devout, upright in character, of good reputation, honored as a religious leader, and yet fail to meet Christ’s terms and enter the king dom of God. |2. A man may be moved' by good re ligious impulses and even make his neigh bors believe he is a Christian, and yet know that the “one thing” necessary to salvation is lacking in his life. 3. Jesus was a tactful soul winner. He met men on their own level, but never left them there unless they refused to be lifted to His higher standard. 4. “ Those who feel secure, Jesus refers to the law; the contrite He consols with the Gospel.”—Bengel. *S. The only thing God requires o f the sinner is that he shall believe on Jesus Christ (John 6:28, 29). 6. No one ever yet has secured any thing from the Lord Jesus who owned Him merely as a teacher (cf. Rom. 10: 9, 10). 7. One may have money without hold ing it covetously. God has many faithful stewards who use their wealth for His purposes. 8. One may be “rich” without having a large amount of money. It is not the amount that signifies, but the tightness of the grip. 9. “Delays are dangerous.” Opportun ity knocked at this young man’s door and he lost it. * . 10. This man was lost in spite of the fact that the Lord Jesus loved him. All lost sinners are in his class (cf. John 3: 16). II. Earth’s rich men may be very poor in God’s sight. He knows the heart. 12. The world’s rule is “buy and get.” God says, “ Sell and give,” and by this
and ceremonies so carefully observed by the Jews, yet in a mechanical way. The young man answered that he had done all those things “ from his youth.” As Jesus looked on him, His heart went out to him, yearning over him, and He said: “One thing thou lackest.” This was—love. Love first of all to God, next to others. When Jesus revealed to him the lack in his heart, and called him to “leave all and fol low,” the heart o f the young man clung to his possessions. He turned away from the Master’s call. How does the story end ? Does it say that he went away happy? Ah, no. The soul that turns from Christ never knows true joy. But to all who hear His call and obey it, He gives happiness exceeding any the world can give. As we read and study the lesson to day, we learn that if we answer “yes” when His call comes to us, our lives will be, blessed for all eternity. Prayer. November 30, 1930 Zacchaeus the Publican, a Business Man Converted Lesson: Luke 19:1-10. Golden Text: “The Son o f man came to seek and to save that which was lost” (Lk. 19:10). * * * L esson in O utline I. A Seeking Sinner (1-4). 1. The place—Jericho (1). 2. The seeker—Zacchaeus (2). a. A “chief publican.” b. A rich publican. 3. His post o f observation (3, 4). II. A Seeking Saviour (5). 1. Looking for Zacchaeus. 2. Calling Zacchaeus. 3. Inviting Zacchaeus to fellowship. III. A Saved Sinner (6-9). 1. He received the Lord (6 ). 2. He endured criticism for Christ's sake (7 ). 3. He gave proofs o f his salvation ( 8 ). 4. He was acknowledged by the Sav iour (9). IV. The Saviour's Method (10). A pproach to the L esson ! J ESUS was on His way to Jerusalem for the passover, knowing full well that at the end o f the journey He would find the cross. For a tim« He had been in Perea, east o f the Jordan, and beyond the reach of_ the Jewish leaders who were plotting His destruction. Until “his hour” came, He avoided danger. The scene o f the present lesson lies at ericho. This was an important city in the Jordan valley, about fifteen miles from Jerusalem. It was a large city with a trop ical climate. It was known as the City of Palm Trees. * * * H eart of the L esson I. A Seeking Sinner (1-4). V. 1. Was passing through Jericho. Jesus had set His face steadfastly to go 1. Seeking the lost. 2. Saving the lost. * * *
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means obtain a “gilt-edged investment” which will pay rich dividends in heaven.- * * * G olden T ext I llustration Mr. Nathan, a converted Jew, said that when he found Christ he hurried home to tell his father. But his father was horri fied and said: “ Get out o f my house, and never darken that door again until you retract those words.” He then wrote to his mother, telling her o f the joy that had come to his heart, and he received this reply: “ You are no longer a son o f mine. I have cast you out of my heart with a curse.” He met his sister on the street, and she turned her face from him. His brother reported him dead. Then, said Nathan: “I prayed and said, ‘O my Fa ther 1 I’ll have to give it all up. Father has driven me from his house; mother has cast me out of her heart; sister turns her face from me; and brother reports me dead.’ Then this promise flashed through my mind, ‘When thy father and thy mother forsake thee, the Lord will take thee up,’ and I clung to that promise.for dear life, until I saw my father, mother, and sister converted to my Saviour, and I expect to see my brother a follower of the meek and lowly Jesus.” * * * A Man Who Failed Jesus Mark 10:17-24 Memory Verse. —“ Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind” (Matt. 22:37). Approach. —How grieved the Lord Jesus Christ would be if after your name should be written: “The boy (or girl) who failed Jesus 1” Lesson Story. —One day during the last three months of Jesus’ earthly ministry,
there came running unto Him a young man o f wealth and prominent position in the community. This y o u n g ruler bowed before Jesus as a r a b b i , or teacher, thus show ing his r e s p e c t . Then he asked what he shall “do” that he might have eter
nal life. The Jews had many ceremonies, laws, and customs, which doubtless this young man had carefully kept and fol lowed. But his heart was not satisfied. Fie somehow knew that eternal life could not be earned in these ways, and he was sincere in his question. Jesus searched the young man’s heart, asking why he called Christ “good.” Was it an acknowledgment that He was from God? Then He re minded the young man o f all those laws
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