THE KING’ S BUSINESS
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Lessons we may learn: £$ Is your church a place where people are helped, to know God, or is it a bar gain counter where you buy and sell home made candy and cakes, Christmas knick- nacks, etc? Do you girls ever sit during the sermon and admire Kate’s new spring hat and decide that with a bottle o f color- ine, a few flowers and some ribbon you could re-adapt your old hat to look much like hers? W e plan our work, our clothes, our parties at church service. 2. Does your temple need cleansing? God says that our bodies are His temple, therefore, we' are to glorify Him in our bodies (1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19, 20)' Are you in any sense living riotously? Are you feeding your body the right food to make and keep it well and strong? Are you over indulging in your favorites? Are you giving sleep and recreation their rightful portions o f time? Is your mind clean in the thoughts you think, because o f what you read and what you see? Do you clothe your body modestly and becomingly ? Is. your temple clean for God? 3. Contrast Christ’s indignation with ours. ' W e become angry when someone interferes with our comforts or rights: the street-car does not stop at our street ; some body carelessly knocks your hat; a friend does not keep her appointment. Christ’s anger never had its root in selfishness. When men abused Him He was unruf fled. It was only when He saw His brother man wronged or God sinned against that His anger rose. His very soul rebelled in righteous indignation when He saw God’s house polluted and desecrated. Are we hating sin as Christ did and does?
offered a way o f escape—Christ Jesus, but if men reject God’s offer they consign themselves (John 5:40). God is love hut God is a consuming fire also (Heb. 12:29). In our study o f Mark thus far we have seen only the love and compassion of Christ. Today we see His justice. Christ has only love and tenderness for those who are needy and seek Him. But those who spurn God He calls whited sepul chres, hypocrites, serpents, and vipers (See Matt. 23:13-33). In our last lesson we left Christ making His last journey with His disciples to Jeru salem. The Jews greatest' feast, the com memoration o f the Passover, which was kept every spring time, was on. It is estimated that 2,700,000 Jews from all parts o f the world came to Jerusalem for it. There was an unusual stir, for the word that the possible Jewish Deliverer and Messiah was among them brought great numbers and caused excitement. Observe how Christ was ushered into the city (vs. 8 - 10 ). These 'pilgrims brought their own national coins.—Money changers were in the temple for their convenience because the Jewish coin, the, shekel, was the only money accepted as temple tribute. They brought their animals for sacrifice. Often these too ;had to be exchanged., The arrangement was natural and legitimate. But greed and graft o f those in charge drowned all reverence for God and His worship. A big crowded city market may help us imagine the scene Christ saw as He entered. Imagine the din o f beasts and birds, the wrangling, jangling, dis puting and bargaining o f the crowds. Noise, filth, and confusion profaned the sanctu ary from morning until night.
BEGINNERS AND PRIMARY
By Mabel L. Merrill. ( Jesus Riding into the City.)
M EMORY VERSE : Approach—l have a picture o f an ani- blessed is he that cometh in the name mal that most o f you know, I am sure, and o f the L ord ” he.has helped some o f you to have some “Hosanna;
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