182
March 1928
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
-boys and girls, showing them how much ■Christ loves them, and inspiring in their hearts a love for Him. W e are living in a day when temp tation comes to our boys and girls in their tender years, and their only help is in knowing the Lord Jesus as their personal Saviour, so let us as teachers do •our part to get them to take their stand for Him.) Boys and girls, what do you think our Lord would do if He came down one of •our streets today and saw a group of •children playing? Yes, I, too, think He would stop and speak to them, and I just know He would place His wonderful hands upon each head, or pick them lip in His Arms. I am sure He would call each by name that belonged to Him, for you know all that belong to Jesus have their names in the Book o f life. Prayer. 'Lesson S tory : Last week we heard about a very wonderful trip up into a high moun tain with Jesus. (Review, emphasizing the power o f. prayer to change our lives and help, us to overcome temptation.. It also helps us to see the glory o f the Lord Jesus.) I wonder, boys and girls, if you know how much the Lord Jesus loves you, and how He longs to have every one of you for his very own. The Bible tells us that God’s will is for every one o f -you to be saved, and He wants you while you are just boys and girls (Mt.-18:14). He knows a boy or girl is worth a great deal more than men and women, for they have all their life to give Him. In our’ story today the people brought little children to Jesus, that He might put his hands upon them and bless them. His disciples found fault with those who brought them, and would have sent them away. But Jesus was much displeased with the disciples, and said: “Let the little children come to me, and forbid them not, for o f such is the kingdom of heaven.” He meant that only those who are humble and loving, like little children, shall come into His kingdom. Probably the children were brought to Jesus by their parents. Perhaps the Saviour was fired and weary, and the disciples did not want His rest to be disturbed; but Christ’s rest was to -do the will o f His Father, and no recre ation rested Him so much as to bless the world, and especially little children. The •desire of those who brought the little chil dren to Jesus was not only for Him to lay his hands upon them, but that He should pray for them (Mt. 19:13). Now we are going to repeat our memory verse, until each one can say it. “And He took them in his arms and blessed them.” (Parents, what greater joy could you -wish, than that your child should be touched by the world’s Redeemer? Have
you brought your boy or girl to H im?) Boys and girls, that is why we have our Sunday schools, to bring you to the Lord Jesus that He may bless you, for the greatest blessing you can have is to have Jesus as your Saviour. (Prayer.) A pril 29, 1928 The Cost of Discipleship Text: Mark 10:17-27;'12:41-44 'T 'H E story of the rich young ruler is given the same connection in each of the Gospels. , The Lord had started on His journey to death. He had called upon His disciples for self-denial. He had shown them that to enter His kingdom one must become as a little child. This gives greater emphasis , to His demand from the rich young man that he should relinquish his grasp upon riches and follow Him. This young man comes running to Jesus and, kneeling down, he asks, “ Good Mas ter, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” (v. 17). Let us give him credit for being sincere and for living up to,the light he had. However, he needed more light, for, with all his Religiousness, he was apparently not conscious of pos sessing eternal life. “What shall I DO to INHER IT ?” : was ever the question of the natural man. It is the very path on which the heathen are still toiling. The Saviour seeks to get at this young man’s motive. “ Why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is, God” (v. 18). Some have sought to use these words as a proof-text against the divinity o f Christ. They miss the point altogether. In no recorded instance in Jewish litera ture was a rabbi addressed as “ good.” It was an adjective reserved for God alone. This young men used the word as a title o f Christ, without apprehending the implication. Did he understand who it was to whom he was speaking? Jesus would refuse the application if he saw no more in him than a teacher. This youth needed a divine Saviour. Either Jesus is here repudiating His own sinlessness, or else He is claiming to be God. Which is it ? Let the context decide! Jesus next sends this proud religionist to the law (v. 19). He recites some of the commandments to him. You think salvation is by DOING. How far has your DOING progressed? Is eternal life in sight? The young man answers: “All these have I observed” (v. 20). There was no doubt sincerity in his answer, yet, like many another good and amiable citi zen, brought up in favorable surroundings, he was deceived. “A ll have sinned and come short o f the glory o f God” (Rom. 3:23). “Jesus beholding him, loved him” (v. 21). That is an interesting side-light. Here was a man of influence and means. Some would have jollied him along and secured his backing. He loved him — therefore He dealt plainly with him. Jesus recognized his sincerity and his good moral qualities. He never cast a chilling look on anything worthy in human nature, yet He would never allow that there was any degree of natural goodness that could merit eternal life.
“ One thing thou lackest.” There’s many a lovable man, clean and upright—yet with an irreparable blank in his life.’ An old man was once asked if a certain relative of his had been converted. He replied: “No, he is not a saint yet, but he is a very sweet sinner.” : The words describe many a man. ; "Go thy way,” said Jesus, "sell whatso ever thou hast, and give to the poor” (v. 21). Jesus knows where the shoe pinches. A little surgery was needed in this case. This young man evidently was not easily separated from his cash. The law was given to teach men their true condition. It had failed to teach this youth that money was his idol. Will he come, take up the cross and fol low Jesus? Alas—' ‘he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions” (v. 22). In plain words—money HAD HIM. Our Lord’s words in v. 24 describe his case. He “triisted in riches.” “H ow hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!” (v. 23). There is no merit in poverty and no evil in money itself. It all depends upon whether or not a man’s TRUST is in money. Even a poor man may be caught in the toils Of the love o f money, making the getting o f it his first thought. “ It is easier fo r a camel to go through the eye o f a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom o f God”, (v. 25). How few rich men accept Christ! The same may be said o f the would-be rich. When one’s chief thought is the attain ment o f financial success, he has little time for spiritual things. Our Lord’s statement has been explained as a reference to the gate of a-city called “needle’s eye gate” through which a camel could not pass. The idea o f such a gate, however, seems t o . lack confirmation. It is at least striking to note that the Greek words for “camel” and “ rope” are very similar, and there is a possibility of a copyist s error (camel-S'kamelos.” Rope —“kamilos” ). Whether the figure is that o f a camel or that o f a rope passing through the eye o f a needle, the thought is o f the humanly impossible. “ They were: astonished” (v. 26). Such a remark was enough to astonish any Jew. They had always regarded temporal pros perity as a special token o f divine favor. “ With men it is impossible,” replied Jesus, “ but not with God” (v. 27). The impos sible thing was not so much in saving a rich man as in making him “poor in spir it” so he would desire to be saved. That is a miracle of grace. In contrast with the case o f this rich youth is that o f the widow who gave her all (12:41-44). Jesus sat watching the people as they cast their gifts into the temple treasury. He saw the rich cast in much. He saw the poor give their pen nies, But He was always remarkable for seeing much in little, the sublime in the simple. A poor widow drops in her two mites. “ This poor widow hath cast more in than all they which have cast into the treasury,” said the Master. She had given glorious ly. The tinkling o f her two . coins has reverberated through the universe. Un aware that any eye had seen her, she had been made famous. To all time, the in cense of her sacrifice has remained in the church, like the perfume o f Mary’s ala baster box, which filled the house.
FRED S. SHEPARD ’S BLACKBOARD OUTLINE
C HILDREN
T T O M E
HERISHED JT lON ORED For to such belongeth the kingdom of God.—Mk. 10:14.
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