3. Notice, going back to Matthew 4, that our Lord chose men of varying tem peraments— Peter was impetuous, Andrew was quiet and reserved, James was serious and practical, John was loving. Does this not teach that there is room in the family of God for every type of personality? 4. W h y do you think our Lord selected men of such differing dispositions to be come His disciples and later apostles? 5. Do you think that believers ought to he able to get along together even though their dispositions may differ? Can you think of any good Scriptures along this line? (What about Eph. 4 :1-3; Rom. 12:9, 10, etc.?) 6. For what purpose did our Lord call the four men listed in Matt. 4:18-22? See v. 19. 7. W hat does it mean to he a “fisher of men” ? 8. W hat do you think are some of the qualifications of the man who would be come a soul-winner, a “fisher of men” ? List these on the blackboard and try to find Scriptures that teach each truth. 9. What was the response of the four men Jesus called? What kind of excuses could each have given to Christ? What excuses do people give today for not be coming Christians? W rite these on the hoard and discuss the Scriptural answers. 10. What kind of excuses do church- members sometimes give for not becom ing “fishers of men” ? April 11, 1954 Crosses Matt. 16:24, 25 DAILY READINGS April 5 — Bearing Christ's Cross — Luke 23:26 April 6 — Watching at the Cross— John 19:25-27 April 7 — Glory in the Cross — Gal. 6:12-17 April 8 — United in the Cross — Eph. 2:13-18 April 9 — Exaltation in His Cross — Heb. 12:2 April 10 — The Preaching of the Cross — 1 Cor. 1:17-19 THE LESSON IN BRIEF This is the time of the year when the attention of men is called to the cross. This is not a lovely subject in itself; but when one sees Christ on the cross the ugly picture takes on a new meaning. That cross then stands for unbelievable love, for willing substitutionary sacrifice, for the greatest triumph ever achieved—- victory over sin and death. Let us think 1. W h y do you think it is of value to read the daily Scripture readings as assigned with each lesson? How many in your society have been doing this? How much easier would be the discussion each of His cross and ours today. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
time if the teachings of the daily readings were in heart and mind. 2. How does the Saviour narrow the Christian experience to the individual in His words in Matt. 16:24? See how He does the same thing in Luke 14:25, 26. 3. W hat is the preface to our cross bearing according to Matt. 16:24? Discuss the meaning of the words come after me. This means to identify, to follow, etc. Think it through. 4. W hat does it mean to deny self? How is this done? How did the Lord Jesus do this? See Phil. 2:5-11; Matt. 26:39; etc. 5. In what sense does the believer also bear a cross? (Matt. 16:24.) W hat does the cross imply? See John 15:18-21. Can a man identify himself with Christ and still expect the friendship of the world? What is to be the Christian’s attitude to ward everything that is wrong? (1 John 2:15-17; James 4:4.) 6. What does our Lord mean in Matt. 16:25? Are many people today living only for this world and not for the next? What will be their terrible loss? (Matt. 16:26.) , 7. What should be the Christian’s atti tude toward life? (1 Cor. 3:12-15; 2 Cor. 5 :10 ; Col. 3:1-4, etc.) 8. What should be the Christian’s atti tude toward the Saviour and His cross? (Gal. 6:12-17.) April 18, 1954 When I Die, I Live Phil. 1:21; Gal. 2:20 DAILY READINGS April 12 — Resurrection Promised— Psalm 16:9, 10 April 13 — Resurrection and Life — John 11:21-27 April 14 — Victory Over Death — 1 Cor. 15:50-58 April 15 — A Living Hope — 1 Peter 1:3-5 April 16 — Death to Life — Eph. 2:1-7 April 17 — Risen with Christ — Col. 3:1-4 THE LESSON IN BRIEF Jesus Christ died to give every believer eternal life. ,W e know that is true, and we look forward with great joy to the coming of Christ and the inauguration of His great Kingdom. But, we often forget that eternal life begins now. The believer shares in the resurrection life of Christ in this life as well as in the next. This is the meaning of the Scrip ture at the beginning of our lesson and it is this truth we shall emphasize in the lesson today. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. W h y not read, or have read in the society, the resurrection narrative? The one in Matt. 28 is short and to the point. 2. Did our Lord need the angel to roll CONTINUED ►
Helps for Christian Endeavor and Other Young People's Groups By Chester J. Padgett, D.D. Associate Professor of Bible Biola Bible College April 4, 1954 Person to Person Call Matt. 4:18-22 DAILY READINGS March 29 — The Gadarene Evangelist '— Mark 5:18-20 March 30 —— Spectators Tell the News — Mark 7 :3 6 , 37 March 31 — Finding a Brother — John 1:35-42 April 1 — Finding a Friend John 1:43-49 April 2 — A Personal Relationship:— John 1:10-13 April 3 — A Personal Approach — 1 Cor. 9:20-23 THE LESSON IN BRIEF Christianity is pre-eminently personal. Someone has well said that the heart of Christianity is Christ in the heart. This truth stands out clearly in the Gospels. The Saviour was husy calling men one by one. The church has been built that way ever since. A man does not experi ence salvation through mass experience but through personal experience. Because this is true each sincere believer ought to purpose in his heart that he will seek to win men to Christ one by one. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. How did the Lord Jesus choose His disciples? (Matt. 4:18-22.) See also in this connection the following passages all of which teach the same truth: Matt. 9 :9 ; 10:1-4. 2. Notice that in the cast of the con versions of the book of Acts many of them are recorded in detail to show the personal character of conversion. Study Acts 8:26-39; 9:1-19; 10:1-48; 16:14, 15;
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