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Golden Text: “Lay up for yourself treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust doth consume, and where thieves do not break through nor steal” (Matt. 6:29). * * * L esson in O utline I. A Study in Contrasts (19-23). 1. Before death (10-21). a. Rich man—beggar. b. Fine linen—rags that did not cover sores.. c. Sumptuous feasts-¿desiring crumbs. d. Many friends—-friendless. 2. After death (22, 23). a. A funeral—carried by angels. b. Torments—Abraham’s bosom. II. Unanswered Prayers (24-31). 1. Plea for relief refused (24-26). Because: a. It was unreasonable (25). b. It was impossible—“a great gulf fixed” (26). . 2. Plea for brethren refused (27-31). Because: a. They had been sufficiently warned through “Moses and the prophets” (27-29). b. A miracle would not con vince them (30, 31). * * * A pproach to the L esson ' J ’HE parables of chapter 15 had been ad dressed particularly to the Pharisees (cf. 15:3). In chapter 16, it is the dis ciples who are especially in mind. They are first given the parable of the unjust steward (1-13) to instruct them in the proper use of earthly riches in order to gain eternal life and its rewards (cf. vs. 9-11). Apparently the Pharisees were listening (16:14). We may imagine that in some way they showed their displeas ure. Because they were lovers of money, and because they held that their posses sion of riches was an evidence of God’s blessing, they scoffed at the message of .the Lord Jesus (v. 14). They were still further rebuked, not only because of their covetousness, but because of their loose ideas concerning the marriage rela tion (v. 18). It is perfectly evident from this background that the story of the rich man and Lazarus is aimed directly at the Pharisees who had failed to get the mean ing of Moses and the prophets concerning the proper use of .wealth, and who never sought to make any one rich and happy but themselves. * * H eart of the L esson I. A Study in Contrasts (19-23). V. 19. A certain rich man. This man is not named. The title, “Dives,” which is often given him, is from the Latin; it merely means “rich man.” Jesus presents this man as a typical example of one who
lose respectability in “the far country.” 2. We all belong to a prodigal race, for “we have turned every one to his own way” (Isa. 53:6). Jesus Christ has opened a way for sinners to return home. 3. This man began his downward ca reer by loving self, loving money, and loving pleasure. This love crowded out of his heart all affection for his father. When cured of his folly, he reversed him self. Baser desires were cast out. He loved his father with all his heart, mind, and strength. 4. Self-restraint, in line with the will of God, is far safer and brings greater joy than does self-indulgence, apart from the Father’s control. 5. The sinner or backslider in the far country always comes upon hard times. Calamities are sent to cause him to think of the Father’s house. 6. There are real pleasures in sin, but they are only for a season (cf. Heb. 11: 25). They invariably end in shame and remorse. True joy can only be found in fellowship with God. 7. God often gives permission to the stubborn and rebellious to have what they want when His choice for them would be something very different (cf. Psa. 106:14, 15). 8. There is nothing more irrational than sin. God gives to His own the spirit “of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Tim. 1:7). 9. The sinner who returns to God is hot made a servant but is received as a son. Yet the true son of God delights to take the title of a bond-servant of Je sus Christ (Phil. 1:1). 10. The prodigal not only loses proper ty, reputation, etc., but he ruins himself and debases and destroys powers of his soul that ought to be used in the service of God. Nothing short of the miracle of regeneration can restore such lost powers. 11. The sinner who thinks he is in dependent has only exchanged masters. There is no slavery so terrible as the slav ery of sin. 12. When the younger son planned to leave home, his appeal was, “Give me.” When he decided to return home, he was'1‘ready to say to his father, “Make me.” The sinner’s consuming passion is to get what he wants and enjoy that which pleases him. The Christian's one ambition is to become what the Father would have him to be, to be transformed into the likeness of Christ (cf. Rom. 12: 1 , 2 ). * * * G olden T ext I llustration Marcus Dods tells about preaching a sermon to his congregation in Liverpool from the episode of the prodigal son and the anger of the elder brother. He says: “As I was leaving the church, I was re quested to visit a dying man whom I had seen frequently before, but who was then apparently about to pass within the veil. He had been for years a careless and ir religious man. I had conversed faithfully and earnestly with him of Jesus and his salvation; and he had turned in sincere penitence to his'Father, and was, I be lieve, accepted of Him. When I entered, I found him in great happiness. I talked and prayed and left. “His brother-in-law followed me down stairs and said: ‘I cannot understand this at all. Here I have been serving Christ
A Pastor’s Favorite Of. all the religious magazines that I take, T he K ing ’ s B usi ness is my favorite, —From Dowagiac, Ky.
these twenty years, and I have never ex perienced such joy as he expresses; and yet he has not been a Christian:—if he really be one—for more than a few weeks.’ “Immediately I recognized the ‘elder brother,’ and I stayed long enough to show him just how he looked, in the light of the parable. I warned him of the dan ger of being angry and of refusing to go into the Father’s house to share the joy over the returning prodigal. The resuit was that he saw his error and was de livered from his envy.” * * * What to Do When We Do Wrong Luke 15:11-24 Memory Verse. —“Forgive us our sins” (Lk. 11:4). Approach. —When the crowds of people gathered around Jesus, He always had a message for them. The message which He kept saying over and over again to
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them was, “The Son of man is come to save that which was l o s t . ” N ow the s c r i b e s and the Pharisees th o u g h t that they were very good people, and that they didn’t need Jesus, to help them. They didn’t come to H im as c h ild re n did, ready to learn.
It made them angry when Jesus told them to repent and be sorry for their sins. But the Publicans and the poor people were glad to hear His good news. They lis tened eagerly to this story which He told them. Lesson Story. — Read Luke 15:11-24. Think of all of the things which this young man did. He ran away from home; he wasted all of his money; he lived a wicked life. But all of the time, his fath er was at home, wishing he would come back, and being ready to forgive him. Jesus said that God is like that. He is sorry when we do wrong, just as our par ents are sorry. He wants us to be sorry and to come back to Him to be forgiven. Then He forgives us, just as our fath ers and mothers do. Don’t you suppose that this young man was sorry,, all the rest of his life, for what he had done? I think he was. And I think, too, that he told all of his friends not to do as he had done. Don’t you think that this story was written in the Bible to make us more careful not to do wrong things which will make our parents un happy and will make us need to ask them and God to forgive us?
thinks it possible to serve both God and mammon. He is not condemned because he has riches, but be cause of the wrong use of his wealth. Clothed in purple. His outer garment
April 19, 1931 The Rich Man and Lazarus Lesson: Luke 16:1 to 17:37. (Lesson Text : Luke 16:19-31.)
was of wool, dyed purple. The under garment was a tunic of fine linen. Far ing sumptuously. The Pharisees seem
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