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BLACKBOARD LESSON GHE FOCUS of TÇUf HUMILITY. I F1E~ - JE5V/5 THOU THOU-OTHERS Ü H I ' " T - i - YOURSELF. H umbled H imself “ Ho f^eput&tioix. V. 8._ To whom did Jesus particularly speak? Was He giving a lesson in eti quette, or did He seek to bring out a lesson that is applicable to the Christian of every age? What place did He tell the guests to avoid? What danger does one face who seeks the highest place? V. 9. Is it always true that “pride goeth before destruction” ? Do those who seek the highest places often find that they are cast down to the lowest place? What- feeling will come to one who is thus degraded? V. 10. What place did Jesus tell a guest to choose? May it be possible for one to take the lowest place in mock humility? What does the host say to the one who, in true humility, takes the lowest place ? Are those who are truly humble always appreciated among their fellow men? Does God always know them? When will He give them “glory” ? V. 11. What general rule is laid down? Are there ever any exceptions to this rule? What classes did Jesus-have in mind when He spoke of those who exalted them selves ? What kind of people had humbled themselves and come to Him for help? Can there ever be true humility without a proper sense of the evil that sin has wrought in our liyes? V. 12. How important a man was the host on this occasion ? Did the Lord Jesus fear to rebuke him? What kind of. people did He tell him not to summon as guests? Did this mean that he should never have social occasions when his friends and relatives could be invited? Why do men usually invite their friends or rich neighbors? Was Jesus warning against a selfish spirit? V. 13. What kind of people are to be called to “a feast” ? Do these represent the outcasts and the beggars?- Would the proud and the rich be likely to expend much money or love on such sufferers? V. 14. What promise is given to those who remember the poor? What present J.Q.H. Apr,s 1951.
recompense may a host receive who re members .the unfortunate? When will he receive his full reward? 18:15. Who were brought to Jesus? Why were they brought? How did the disciples feel about their coming? V. 16. Did the mothers feel the rebuke of the disciples? Were they perhaps tak ing their children away? What did Jesus say in rebuke of the, disciples? In what sense does the kingdom of God belong to such as these children ? V. 17. How must the kingdom of God be received? What traits of a child did Jesus have in mind? Was there included in His language a rebuke of the Jewish teachers who ppded themselves on their learning, their i reputation, and their re ligiousness? Did these teachers constant ly show that they refused to become as- “babes in Christ” ? . * * * P ractical P oints 1. The “chief seats” are still very much in demand. Society pays a high price for the, privilege of being counted among the Four Hundred. 2. Only those who have come to know their own sinfulness and have partaken of the saving grace of Christ ever learn to esteem others better than themselves (cf. Phil. 2:3; 6:7). 3. Pride always leads to humiliation ; humility always leads to honor. The re verse of this principle seems to be true at times, but sooner or later God’s law will be found to be correct, 4. God does not forbid ordinary hos pitality among Christian brethren. He demands, however, that this rule be ex panded by Christian love until every Christian home is made a center for ser vice and blessing to the poor and the un fortunate. 5. Cherish all your friends, but re member that one day you will count as among your best friends those whom you have led to Jesus Christ. They will be your “glory and joy” when you stand with them in the presence of the Lord (cf. 1 Thess. 2:19, 20). 6. There are some gains in the “pres ent evil world” (cf. 2 Tim. 4:10) which are received by the proud and the selfish, but which must be refused by the godly. In the day of the “resurrection of the just” the situation will be reversed; the worldly-minded will lose all they have lived for, but the Christian pilgrim will have “a crown of glory” (2 Tim. 4:7, 8). 7. If you would prove to the world that you are a true Christian, give to the poor to meet both their spiritual and their temporal need (1 John 2:17): 8. The slogan of the proud is : “Climb up higher.” The Christian humbles him self under the mighty hand pf God until He is due time says : “Come up higher” (cf. 1 Pet. 5:6). 9. Neglect of the poor and the suffer ing is neglect of Christ (cf, Matt. 25:35). 10. One of the distinguishing marks of the religion which is sometimes loose ly called modernism is the stressing of the values of the present life, along with a very uncertain note about the future life. It seems to seek to make a heaven on earth by proclaiming a social gospel and by advocating the uplift of society. This is quite contrary to the message of Christ and His immediate disciples. With
Friendships should not be cultivated sole ly for personal gratification. V. 13. Bid the poor. In oriental lands there are always found many wretched and repulsive-looking sufferers who eke out a miserable existence by begging. It is such as these that Jesus had in mind (cf. Matt. 25:35). V. 14. They have not wherewith to recompense. A true follower of Christ is moved by self-sacrificing love; self-seek ing is thrust away from him. The rich Pharisees must have been deeply hurt by such rebukes, for they considered that their possession of great wealth was an evidence of very special blessing from God. In their minds, the. poor were suf fering the judgment of God and had their own habits or sins to blame for their mis fortune. The resurrection of the just. The rewards of the Christian who learns humility lie in the future life. The ex pression, “resurrection of the just,” im plies that Jesus saw a distinction between the resurrection unto life and the final resurrection unto ju d gm en t. Other scriptures make the distinction even more clear (cf. 1 Cor. 15:23; 1 Thess. 4:16; Phil. 3:11; Rev. 20:4-6). II. A Child—Example of Humility (18: 15-17). V. 15. Bringing unto him . . ■' babes. It" was a common custom of the Jews to bring their children to noted teachers that they might bless them. It may have been with such a thought in mind that the mothers brought their babes to Jesus. It may be that some of the parents had come to know Him as more than a teacher. The disciples . . . rebuked them. The dis ciples had been discussing with Jesus the subject of marriage and divorce. Perhaps they looked upon the coming of the chil dren as an improper interruption of their important discussion. V. 16. Jesus called them. The implica tion is that the mothers were leaving be cause of the rebuke by the disciples. The Lord Jesus summoned them back. Mark (10:14) adds that He was displeased with what the disciples had said and done. Suffer . . . forbid them not. For empha sis, the statement is put both positively and negatively—permit them to come, re fuse them not the privilege of coming. Mark adds that He “took them in his arms, and blessed them, laying his hands upon them.” To such belongeth the king dom. This teaches that children have the necessary' characteristics of humility and teachableness which fit them for the king dom. All who would enter the kingdom of God must come with that childlike spirit. V. 17. Shall in no wise enter. It is evident that here again Jesus was thrust ing at the proud and lofty Jewish rulers who claimed the monopoly of the king dom. It was made plain to them that neither their wealth nor their power nor their reputation would recommend them to God. * * * L esson Q uestions 14:7. At what place was this parable spoken? What miracle had been wrought there? On what day of the week did this occur? What feeling was aroused among the Pharisees? Whose guest was Jesus ? What kind of spirit did Jesus notice among the other guests?
I Yield Lord, I yield, for Thou hast conquered, Often as I fight, I fail. Now to Thee I yield me wholly, That in me Thou may’st prevail. Time and talents, plans and pleasures — Teach me, Lord, to yield them all; Thou shalt have Thy way, dear Master, Only make me heed Thy call. —S. F. Forrest.
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