December, 1942
THE K I N G ’ 3 BUS I N E S S
455
INTERNATIONAL LESSON Commentary Outline and Exposition Blackboard Lesson Childrens Division Object Lesson Qslden Text Illustration By B. B. S utcliffe By G retchen S ibley By B arbara L inbsay By E lmer L. W ilder By A lan S. P earce Points and Problems By H omer A . K ent , Professor at Grace Theological Seminary, Winona Lake, Ind.
in. His S a l v a t io n (11-14) i j Our Lord was rejected by the mass of the people (v. 11). He came unto His “own” possessions, a word in the neuter gender; and his “own” peo ple, a word in the masculine gen der, received Him not. John bore wit ness to-this even before it was mani fested, speaking by inspiration of God. But our Lord was received by some individuals among the people (v. 12). To believe that Jesus speaks the truth does not necessarily save one; to “ be lieve on” Him means to trust in, com mit to; and receive Him. It means to act upon what is believed. Only such believing is the channel through which ’.ife is received from God in Christ. An illustration of both these aspects of the truth may be seen in 1 John 5:10, 11. * Those who received Him were born of God (v. 13). These are three errors corrected by this one verse: regenera tion does not come by “blood,” or heredity; nor by the “will of the flesh',” or self-effort; nor by the “will of man,” or the operation of organized society. There can be no regeneration until one is “ born of God,” by accept ing the Lord Jesus as Saviour and Lord. “The Word became flesh” (R. V.)— not “was made”—-by His own design and volition (v. 14). Here is something absolutely unique. No other living be ing ever "became” as the result of personal decision or volition, but this One consciously willed to enter' hu manity and live upon the earth as a man, and He did. V v In that Man there is the life and light and love of God, available for every person by each one’s simply accepting, the Lord Jesus for what He is and claims to be, the eternal, un created, self-existent God, the Saviour of men. Points and Problems 1. "In the beginning was the Word" (John 1:1). Unquestionably “ t h e Word” is Christ. As a word in any language is the expression of a thought, so Christ is God expressing HJmself to men. In the brief section introduced by the above words, Christ is revealed as eternal. “In the begin ning” Christ was. He did not begin to exist when the heavens and the earth were made. Much less did He begin to exist when He came at Bethlehem.
JANUARY 3, 1943 THÈ GLORY OF THE SON OF GOD J o h n 1:1-14
John 1 : 1 In the besinningr was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, - 2 The same was In the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth In darkness! and the darkness comprehended it not, 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness^of that Light. 9 That was the true Light, which lightetji every man that cometh into the world. . . ^ 10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came' unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as maiiy as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will j»f the flesh, nor of the will of man, bpt of God. 14 And the' Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (aiid we beheld his glo^y, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth; GOLDEBi TEXT : *^A.nd th© Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). DEVOTIONAL READING; Col. 1:9-18. Outline and Exposition I. His D eity (L 5 ) * N THE BEGINNING” speaks of the eternity of the Lord Jesus Christ. Genesis 1:1 speaks of the “begin ning” of creation; 1 John 1:1 of the “beginning” of our Lord’s life upon earth; but the “ beginning” of John 1:1 cannot be e x p r e s s e d in human language. There was separate personality yet unity of essence with God (v. 1). Jesus Christ is coeternal with God, was God (not became), and is uncreated (v. 2). He is the Creator of all things (v. 3), and here is the .final answer to all teachings concerning the eternity of matter. [Lesson material is based on outlines of International Sunday School ‘Lessons copyrighted.by the International Coun cil of Religious Education and is used by its permission. Scripture portions quoted are from the King James Ver sion unless otherwise stated.\
Jesus Christ is the only Source of life, and hence of light (vs. 4, 5). It was the living God in Christ who said, “Let there be light” (Gen. 1:3). With out Him there could be ho life physi cally, psychically, or spiritually, II. His W itness (6-10) Here John tells of our Lord’s rela tion to creation. The Light did shine everywhere, and the darkness could not comprehend it (quench, or over come it). However man may treat what comes from God, of necessity the Light continues to shine because He is Light as well as Life. The world knew Him not, and His own received' Him not (vs. 5, 10, 11). Nevertheless the Light was present, and is present today, and in that Light pien may walk, if they will. It has been- said that one’s own name could be inserted in the Bible record, and here is one such place: “There was a man sent from God, whose name was . . , and each be liever may insert his own name be cause each believer is one “sent from God” to. tell of our Lord Jesus Christ. TWO NEW WRITERS Because of the illness of Alva J. McClain, President of Grace Theological Seminary, Winona Lake, Ind., the- department, "Points and Problems," is being furnished by Homer A. Kent, a Professor in the Department of Church History and Practical Theology in the same institu tion. Mr. Kent is a graduate of the Bible Institute of Los An geles, in the class of 1918. While appreciating his excellent ma terial in these columns, readers will pray for Dr. McClain's con tinued restoration to health. The Children's Division is pre pared t h i s mon t h by Mrs. Thomas Lindsay, a graduate of Wheaton College, who has had a graduate fellowship in English and Christian Education in the same institution. Mrs. Lindsay has enjoyed broad opportunities in connection wijjt supervision of Christian work among boys and girls.
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