mow ing the lawn or feeding the chickens — if in any of your work at home or at school you have been unhappy and made others unhappy by the words and actions in your life, pray that the Lord Jesus w ill cause you to want to do everything as though He were watching and listening each moment. Sept. 12, 1954 Christian Citizenship Christians ought to demonstrate their growth in grace by their attitude toward the civil government as well as in their attitude toward individual men and w om en both inside the church and outside. Christians ought to be the best citizens in the community. Moreover, they ought in every way to be concerned about the welfare of their fellow men and to be easy to live with. A Divine Exhortation Rom. 13:1-7 This passage appears in the practical section of Romans. In chapters 1-8, Paul lays a doctrinal foundation for Christian living. Chapters 9-11 deal in sort of a parenthetic way with the Jewish prob lem. Then beginning with chapter 12 and continuing to the end of the book, we find exhortation after exhortation as to how the Christian life ought to be lived. The seven verses before us now show how the believer ought to conduct himself in relation to civil government. Paul tells us that government is ordained of God (w . 1 ,4 ). Rulers are the min isters of God put in position for man’s welfare. It should be borne in m ind that as Paul wrote this passage Nero was the Roman emperor. In spite of that fact Paul urges the recognition of the min istry of rulers. W e ought to obey the laws o f the land except when those laws go against some clear command of God. Then “ . . . we ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). A Divine Limitation Rom. 13:8-10 Debts of most kinds are to be dis charged as quickly as possible. Believers ought to pay every creditor in full but the debt of love should never be thought of as having been finally cared for. Love to others is to be a perpetual and in exhaustible debt always due and always in the process of being paid. Such an attitude is a spiritual fulfilling of the law. A Divine Recognition 1 Cor. 3:4-9 There was a party spirit prevalent in the Corinthian church. Some exclusively followed one leader or another. This sort of thing is strongly denounced by Paul. Each spiritual leader has some contribu- and Cooperation Rom. 13:1-10; 1 Cor. 3:4-9 Pointers on the Lesson
SUN DAY SCHOOL LESSON HELPS Homer A. Kent, Th.D. • Allison Arrowood (children) Lesson material is based upon outlines of the International Sunday School lessons copyrighted by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.
Sept. 5, 1954 Growth Through Useful Work Col. 3:23, 24; 1 Thess. 4:10b, 11; 2 Thess. 3:6-13 Pointers on the Lesson The matter of growth in the Christian life continues to be the subject of our study this week as it has been during the past several weeks. God wants growth, development, maturity among H is follow ers. And there is no reason w hy each Christian should not grow spiritually. A- bundant means have been provided for this growth as w e have already seen in the preceding lessons. Further consideration of this matter is before us today. Working as unto the Lord Col. 3:23, 24 The chapter is which these verses occur is on the subject o f the risen life (v. 1). Verses 23 and 24 suggest that one way to live the risen life is to do everything as a service unto the Lord. Verse 22 makes it clear that the Apostle had in mind Christian slaves in relation to their mas ters. If such folks in their humble station could serve the Lord in their work for their masters, it is certainly possible for us who are free from such slavery to ren der service to the Lord in the daily rou tine of life. The thought comes to mind here that one does not have to preach a sermon or teach a Sunday school class to serve the Lord. It can be done in the kitchen, in the store, or in the field. Serve the Lord in “ whatsoever ye do.” Tending to One's Own Business 1 Thess. 4:10b, 11 The Apostle urged believers to a more practical demonstration of their Christian life. He wanted them to abound more and more in the things of the Lord. He wanted to see in them an ambition to be quiet and calm even when circumstances seemed disturbing. There was a restless spirit in Thessalonica because of failure to under stand some of the aspects of the second com ing of Christ. He further urged at tention to one’s individual affairs rather than being meddlesome in the affairs of others. Furthermore, he is anxious that they be diligent in the matter of manual labor. He wanted no pious idlers there who would cause trouble and become par asites upon others, (cp. 2 Thess. 3:11.) Being Constant in Well Doing 2 Thess. 3:6-13 In this practical section Paul com
mands a cessation of fellowship with those who walk disorderly (a military expres sion). Such withdrawal may bring such to their senses. Moreover, the Apostle ex horts a follow ing of his way of living as he followed Christ. He then proceeds to show by example and precept the duty of believers to provide for their own support if that is possible. The Christian ought not to be a sponger (w . 8-11). Those who are guilty of laziness he exhorts to rectify their ways (v. 12). A ll believers he ex horts to stedfastness in upright conduct (v.13). Memory Verse: "And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men" (Col. 3:23). If the Lord Jesus were to be a visitor in your home, are there many things that you would do differently from the way in which you now do them? Perhaps you would wash the dishes faster, keep your room cleaner, obey your parents without complaining, fight less with your brothers and sisters, and be more polite. God’s W ord tells Christians, “ Whatso ever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.” God also says, “ Be not weary in well doing.” If every boy and girl who knows the Lord Jesus as personal Saviour would obey these two verses how much happier homes and schools and neighborhoods would be! The Lord Jesus is not going to visit in your home as a guest whom you can see, but He is present every second in the home and in the life of those who are bom again through faith in Him. W hen Paul wrote a letter to the Chris tians in the town of Thessalonica he re minded them that some of their members were refusing to work and support their families. These members were sinning in their leisure time. Paul commanded them to work and to be busy about the Lord’s business rather than being a poor testi mony to others who did not know the Lord Jesus. They were not to grumble and com plain about having to work; they were to not be weary in w ell doing. If you have been careless in your work at home, if you have argued with your parents about having to help them, if you have thrown your hat and coat on the floor when you come home from school, if the dishes you have washed have been partly dirty, if you have grumbled about Helps For the Children Everyone has Work to Do 2 Thess. 3:6-13
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