123
March 1931
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
1. “Wherefore”—consider the mean ing and power of the resurrection. 2. “Be stedfast”—qot departing from the faith. 3. Be “unmovable”—in temptations and trials. 4. Abound in “the work of the Lord.” 5. Be assured your labor is not prof itless. A pproach to the L esson ’T H E First Epistle of Paul to the Cor- inthians does not deal so much with doctrinal as with m o ral, social, and ecclesiastical questions. Yet the essen tial doctrines of Christianity are clear ly stated and powerfully defended. The epistle begins with the subject of the death of Christ and its primal importance to the faith (1:13 to 2:5), and concludes with a masterful defense of the doctrine of the resurrection of Christ (chapter 15). The discussion about the resurrection does not appear to have been inspired by any question asked of the apostle by the Corinthians, but it seems, rather, to have been prompted by rumors that had reach ed Paul to the effect that some at Corinth were denying the resurrection of the dead (15:12). It has been conjectured that these skeptics were Jewish converts ,who had been tinctured with Sadducean in fidelity which they could not easily for get. More likely tjiey were Gentiles. Cul tured Greeks did not find it easy to be lieve in immortality (cf. Acts 17:32). Chapter 15 may be divided into three general, sections with important subdivi sions. First, the resurrection of Christ is taught as an absolutely essential part of the gospel (1-11). Second, the resur rection, of Christ gives perfect assurance that the dead in Christ will be raised, with bodies .like His, when He comes again (12-49). Third, those who are alive when Christ comes will be “changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye” ; and this event will complete the victory o,f Christ over death (50-58). * * * H eart of the L esson I. Paul’s Gospel (1-8). 'V . 1. I make known. Paul had spent a year and a half at Corinth during his second missionary journey (cf. Acts 18:. 1-17), The first epistle to the Corinthians was' written during his third missionary
them, emphasis was always placed upon the age to come and upon its rewards. 11. If we do not live daily in the light of eternity and seek to lay up treasure in heaven, we will never find sufficient in centive for a humble and self-forgetful life. . 12. The inequities and injustices , suf fered by the Christian may safely be com mitted to Him who judges righteously (1 Pet. 2:23). There will be a proper righting of wrongs when the righteous Judge appears. 13. Christianity has always had a spe cial interest in children. In non-Chris tian lands, their lot is a terrible one. 14. The sinner is saved by faith in Jesus Christ, not because he has a humble spirit. Yet the humility and the docility of a child are necessary before^ the sinner can enter the door of the kingdom of God. 15. The self-righteous Pharisee repu diates salvation by faith because it de mands humble confession of sin. The doctrine of salvation by works does not interfere with human pride. * * * G olden T ext I llustration James McDougall, a young Scotchman and a candidate for the ministry, was pn his way to the pulpit to preach his trial sermon. James had worked hard on that sermon, and he felt that it was a good one. He knew he had a good voice, and he was confident of making an excellent impression. As he walked up the aisle and; mounted the high pulpit steps, the pride in his face and walk was evident to everybody in the church. Old Robin Malair, the sexton, slowly ; ;shook his grizzled head. “I hae me doots o’ yon laddie,” he said to himself. The sexton had seen many a candidate mount those steps, some in pride and some in humili ty ; so now, he had his doubts. James McDougall .made a miserable failure in the pulpit that day. And when his wretchedly delivered sermon was done, he walked slowly down the pulpit steps, head bowed and heart humbled. “Ay, laddie,” .mused the old Robin, “if ye had gone up as ye came doon, ye’d have come doon as ye went up!” * * * Jesus and the Children Luke 18:15-17; Matt. 18:1-6 • Memory Verse. —“Suffer the little chil dren, and forbid them not, to come unto me, for to such belongeth the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 19:14). Approach. —Have you ever had a grown
Uses Blackboard Outlines I enjoy the magazine so much and L want my friends to try it. I especially enjoy the blackboard outlines in the Sunday-school Lessons. —From Elisabethton, Tenn.
dren to see Jesus and to have Him bless them, just as the priests blessed the chil dren in the temple. The disciples thought that Jesus was too busy to take time to do this. They thought that it was much more important for Him to speak to the fathers and mothers. But He didn’t feel that way. He said, “Children are ready to listen to me, and they are ready to be lieve what I have to say.” So Jesus wanted to see the children and hold them and bless them. He even said to the grown-up people, “You will have to be come like one of these little children if you wish to enter the kingdom of heaven.” Some of the people thought that this was a very, strange thing to say. But Jesus meant that they must' be willing to ask questions and to learn, just as a child wants to learn and know about every thing. You remember' that we said that Jesus is always ready to help us, if we come to Him for help. The children, wanted Jesus for their friend, and He was wait ing for them to come to Him. Jesus is waiting now. Do you want Him for your friend ? — o — April 5, 1931 Alternate Easter Lesson Lesson: 1 Corinthians 15 :l-8, 50-58. Golden Text: “Now hath Christ been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of them that are asleep” (1 Cor. 15:20). I. Paul’s Gospel (1-8). 1. Its power—by it they were saved 0 , 2 ). 2. Its source—received by revelation (3; cf. Gal. 1:12). 3. Its content. a. “Christ died for our sins” (3). b. Christ was buried (4). c. Christ rose on the third day (4). 4. Its confirmations. a. By the prophetic Scriptures (3, 4). b. By witnesses of the resurrec tion (5-8). (1) Cephas (cf. Lk. 24). (2) The twelve. (3) Five hundred brethren. (4) James. (5) All the apostles. (6) Paul. II. Victory over Death (50-57). 1. Necessity for it —“flesh . . . can not inherit the kingdom” (50). t 2. Living saints transformed (51-53). 3. Victory and sting of the grave destroyed (54-57). III. Practical Application and Exhorta tions (58). L esson in O utline
journey, probab ly near the close of his long m in istry at Ephesus. It had be come necessary to re s ta te the first principles o f t h e gospel because er rors had begun to
up person say to you, “Please go away ; I’m busy” ? Most g row n -up people have so much to do that sometimes they are too busy to talk to children or to play with them. Je- sus’ disciples thought that He was too busy to be bothered by the children.
creep into the church. Which also ye re ceived. ' The first appeal is to their own experience. They had joyfully accepted the gospel; they were still standing in the hope of the gospel; their expectation of salvation was grounded upon the gospel. Their past, their present, and their fu ture were all provided for by its message. V. 2. I f ye hold fast. Two provisos; are named. First, he declares that they must stedfastly hold the tru th ; they must not be shallow, impulsive hearers who soon forget. Paul had already commend ed them for their fidelity (11:2). Second, he affirms that they are saved, unless they
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Lesson Story. —You remember what crowds of people gathered around Jesus to hear what He had to say. More and more people kept coming. The mothers wanted their babies and their little chil
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