November 1943
419
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that which does not belong to him. When he gets it from these other cans, we notice that he is not willing to return it. (Tilt the cân with the side down which has the inset, and the liquid will not pour out. Be sure that the 'mouth of the can is not toward the audience, or the inset will be ob served.) f Covetousness often leads to stealing and keeping that which belongs to others. This is what happened to Carl. He keeps that which he gets, refusing to give it back. (Each time a can gives the large can some blue water, turn the can over, showing that it keeps all it gets.) T^ere is just one cure for covetous ness, and that is the cross o’f Christ. When we put Carl Can in front of the cross, he is like a person who has been converted—he freely gives. (Tilt the can in the opposite direc tion.) You will notice that Carl no longer keeps that which belongs to some one else. It is not enough for a person to know that God’s law condemns the sin of coveting—he must come to the cross and accept God’s remedy for all sii, before he can be free from this sin. that a man lay down his life for his friends. 14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatso ever I command you. GOLDEN T E X T : “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another” (John 13:34). DEVOTIONAL READING: 1 John 4:7-16. Outline and Exposition t T h e F o u n d a t io n C o m m a n d (M k . 12:28-34) A I A HE SCRIBE revealed courage in asking his question. In the .A midst of the Pharisees with their formalism, the Sadducees with their rationalism, and publicans and sinners with their vices and igno rance, he dared to make known his desire to have the truth.
His question is the primary, one for every man. When he asked, “What commandment is the first of all?” the scribe did not mean, of course, which was first in the list, but first in im portance of spiritual value. In other words: What does God require? What, is the first duty of man? What is my own first duty toward God? There could be no nobler or higher question asked in that day, or in this day of prevailing lightness of thought con-' cerning eternal, things. In reply to the question, the Lord Jesus put the love of God and the love of man on the highest plane when He said, "There is none qther commandment greater than these.” The love of God must control the entire being: control one spiritually, psychically, mentally, physically; and the love of man must control every dealing between man and man. The very announcement of this require ment condemns all men. It reveals the inherent—even t h o u g h uncon scious-evil that is in man. Jesus did not mean that when a man loves God in such complete man ner as is here described, and when he loves his neighbor with entire self lessness, that by so doing he is saved. Even if this perfect attitude were pos sible, there would be in it no saving element. Rather, Christ suggests that Unless a man acquires a new nature which will enable him to love both God and man, he never can fulfill the requirements of this great and first commandment. The scribe discerned that in the Saviour’s answer there was truth. He assented to what Jesus taught, and he agreed that there could be no higher commandment. Hence, he must have been condemned by his con science, knowing he did not measure up to this requirement. Jesus saw His condition and said: ‘Thou art not far from the kingdom.” There was but a step between him and the kingdom. But until that step would be taken, everything else would be useless,* because all els.e would come short of fulfilling the demands of this first and great commandment. TI. T h e N e w C o m m a n d in D is c ip l e s h ip (John 13:34, 35) One may question whether a person may be a disciple of Christ and others may not know it. To be manifestly the disciple of Christ means to show such love for others as the Lord has for each beli^er: It was love that moved Christ to leave ‘the Father’s bosom for the manger’s cradle, and the glories and adoration of heaven for the rejection of earth. Love moved Him to yield Himself to unjust, and hateful treatment without complaint, finally giving His life on the cross. This He did and, doing it, revealed His love to the children of men.
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A - \ : | of one side to within 2% inches of the bottom, reaching two-thirds of the way across the can. When the can is •turned toward the inset, the water runs back of the inset and does not l come out. Discolor the water a light blue with the ink, and place a small amount in each can.)^ LESSON: I want you to meet Carl Can. I am sorry that it is necessary to tell you when I introduce him that he is guilty of the sin of coyetousness. Most people are guilty of this siij, before they are saved. Covetousness is the sin of wanting something which belongs to another. When people covet long enough, there is a danger of their trying to get that thing which does not belong to them. There is some light blue fluid in each of these cans. Carl Can wants Mark 12:28 And one of the scribes came ana having heard them reasoning together and perceiving that he had answered their well, asked him, Which is the first com. mandment of all? 29 And Jesus answered him, The firsl of all the commandments is, Hear, O Is raeli The Lord our God is one Lord: 30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God wtth all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. 32 And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there ,is one God; and there is none other but he: 33 And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacri- 34 And when Jesus saw that he an- swered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any gues- t Alt + 1 w John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, If ye have love one to another. 15:10 If ye keep my corrtmandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have k e p t my Father’s commandments, a n d abide tn his love. 11 These things have I spoken unto you, that m y ' Joy might remain in you, and that your Joy might be full. 12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. 13 Greater love hath no man than this,
DECEMBER 12, 1943 CHRIST’S NEW COMMANDMENT M a r k 12:28-34; J o h n 13:34, 35; -15:10-14
BLACKBOARD LESSON
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