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INTERNATIO NAL LESSO N Commentary Outline and Exposition Blackboard Lesson . Children’s Division Golden Text Illustration Object Lesson B y B. B. S utcliffe B y B essie B. B urch B y H elen G ailey B y A lan S. P earce , B y E lmer L. W ilder • Points and Problems B y A lva J; M c C lain , Ashland Theological Seminary, Ashland, Ohio
APR IL 7, 1935 THE HEAVENLY FATHER
The Lord declared that the works of which He spoke were those which are per formed through prayer (vs. 13, 14). Hence these verses that speak of prayer refer especially to intercession in relation to service. O f necessity, there will be the right motive behind this kind of prayer, as there was behind Christ’s utterance (cf. Jas. 4:3 ). And there will be also a knowl edge of the Father’s will, even as Christ knew and submitted to the Father’s will (cf. 1 John 5 :14,15). The boundaries o f such prayer are “that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” This consideration of the Father character ized all the petitions o f Jesus; He always sought the Father’s glory rather than His own; He had no wish, nor desire, nor hope, apart from the Father’s w ill; there fore the Father heard and answered the requests just as the Son asked. When we ask in this manner, we ask in Christ’s name, and we can be assured that the peti tion will have its answer just as we ask. IV. H e I s P resent by H is S pirit (15-24).' The Holy Spirit is given to, abide with each believer (vs. 15-17). His presence in the heart o f the one who is bom again is in answer to the prayer o f our Lord. By the Holy Spirit, the believer comes to know the Lord in His relation to the Father (vs. 18-20). Without the aid of the Holy Spirit, the Christian would be in darkness and ignorance such as characterize the world (cf. 1 Cor. 2:9-14; JohnT6:7-15), Through the Holy Spirit, the Christian is enabled to please the Father, and in the measure o f such pleasing there comes an ever-increasing manifestation o f the Lord (vs. 21-24). The one thing demanded o f all Christians who would realize the pres ence and instruction and power of the Holy Spirit is obedience. “I f a man Jove me, he will keep my words” (v. 23). Points and Problems 1. Since this lesson deals with God as “ The Heavenly Father,!’ we should begin with a clear understanding as to the scope o f that relationship. Is God the Father of all men? Modern liberal theology de clares that He is. But the Word o f God teaches otherwise. It is interesting to note that the International Lesson Committee seems to recognize this truth by including among the extra suggested readings the passages in John 3 :3-6 and 8 :40-47. The first passage teaches how we must become children of God by the new birth. The second just as clearly teaches that some people are not children o f the heavenly Father, but are children o f another “ fa ther,” the devil himself. 2. Even the liberal scholars, if they are fair-minded, admit that there is no New Testament text in which Christ taught di rectly the universal Fatherhood o f God. Dr. G. B. Stevens of Yale, in his Theol ogy o f the New Testament, very candidly writes: "It must also be admitted that there is no passage in our sources in which Jesus explicitly speaks of God as the F a -
P salm 103:1-5, 10-14; I saiah 40:27-31; M atthew 6:24-34; L uke 11:2; J ohn 3 :3-6; 8 :40-47; 14:1-31; R omans 8 :14-17; H ebrews 12:5-ll Lesson T ext: John 14:8-24.
save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him” (Matt. 11:27). Here is indirect evidence concerning the essential deity o f the Son. Only God could compre hend God; hence only God could reveal God. In Christ, there is such a perfect re velation of the Father that the Saviour could say: “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father” (v. 9). To see the love o f Christ, to experience His compassion, and to comprehend His hatred o f sin, is to know the Father’s love and compassion and abhorrence of iniquity. Christ had been with the disciples for three years, and in that time they should have grasped this truth. Therefore, He said to them: “ How sayest thou then, Show us the Father?” (V; 9). Christ referred His hearers to His words and His works as proofs that He and the Father are one (v. 10). Jesus Him self declared :■“ I have not spoken o f my self; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak . . . whatso ever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak” (John 12:49, 50). “Never man spake like this man” was the universal opinion of those who heard Christ’s words (John 7:46). Such words could only be the words o f God. And as far as the Lord’s works were concerned, who but God could perform them? Following His assertions of oneness with the Father, the Lord Jesus Christ gave an exhortation (v.. 11) which was both a reproof o f unbelief and’ an invita tion to faith. The words imply that if, in simple faith, His hearers could not believe that He was what He claimed to be, then let them believe Him because of what they heard and saw. III. H e I s W orking T hrough B elievers (12-14). By comparing yerse 10 with verse; 12, it will be seen that as the Father wrought through Christ, so He continues to work through believers. The Father dwelt in Christ, and He dwells also in those who believe on Christ. Because of this fact, the believer’s power for service is the same power by which Christ performed His work. BLACKBOARD LESSON
Golden T ext: “ Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him” (Psa. 103:13). Outline and Exposition I. H e I s U nknown to the N atural M an "( 8 ). O ur Lord had been telling His disciples that He was going soon to be with the Father. This announcement gave rise to the question by Thomas concerning the way to the Father. To this question Jesus replied: “I am the way . . . no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Then the Lord declared His essential oneness with God by saying: “ If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also.” . Philip immediately said: “ Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us,” This saying of Philip’s is important because it reveals man’s primal ignorance o f God, Man thinks of God as a power, or a force, or an essence o f some sort, or an' influence, or principle. These terms reveal that, in spite of the undoubted learning of some o f the men and women who use such language, there is a profound ignorance o f who and what God really is. And the root of this ignorance is found in the fact that men do not know Christ, in whom alone God can be known. Philip’s statement is important also because it reveals man’s primal search for God. Job voiced the cry o f all men when he said: “Oh that I knew where I might find him!” (Job 23:3). Men in stinctively feel that God is, but where He is they cannot tell, without Christ. All that man’s philosopy can do in the matter is to lead men, as did the philosophers of Athens long ago (Acts 17:23), to bow before the altar erected to “ the Unknown God.” Finally, Philip’s utterance is signi ficant because it shows man’s insufficiency in himself to know God. God Himself can not be found in nature, history, science, law, nor any o f the other avenues wherein men may walk in the hope o f finding Him. These lines o f approach manifest only the attributes o f God, such as His power, wis dom, and Justice; but His person remains hidden to men, except as revealed in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. The pagans know nothing o f God who is. a Father, and even the civilized and cultured peoples o f earth, who reject Christ, are in the same darkness. Hence, “ Show us the Father” is a universal cry. The answer requires a revelation, and that revelation is found only in Jesus Christ the Lord. II. H e I s R evealed in C hrist (9-11). Christ came to earth for the very purpose o f revealing the Father. “ No man hath seen Clod at any time; the only begotten Son . . . he hath declared him” ' (John 1:18). “Neither know.eth any "man the Father,
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