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THE K I N G ’S B U S I N E S S
and the clothes with? x Father. Who gave father the strength so he was able to work and earn the money? God. Let us bow our heads and thank God for his goodness to us all, and for our fathers and mothers, and. ask Him to help us show our love by helping father and mother in every way we can. Lesson Story.—How glad we are to have Oliver back with us this morning. He has been away for some time, but do you know he has been helping his father and mother start a little Sunday School over where they live, and so I think he had a good excuse for being absent from our class, don’t you? Clara can you tell us about God choosing a people and giving them a land? (Review last week’s story). We have one of the most interesting and beautiful stories in the Bible today, and I believe some of you can tell us the first part of the story. (Let a child begin the story beginning with the jealousy of his brothers, and carry it to a point where he leaves out some part; then ask another to continue it, and so on. Review up to chapter 47, and then tell story.) Do you boys and girls think we can learn some splendid lessons from Joseph, and the way he treated his brothers, even though they had hated him, and treated him so cruelly? Yes we can learn to be gentle and kind to those who are not kind to us; we can learn to forgive as Joseph did, and that is what the Bible teaches us to do. Even though Joseph suffered and was taken far from home, yet he was happy because he had done right and we are told a number of times that the Lord was with Joseph and helped him in the new land. Gen. 39:2, 3, 5, 21, 23. Joseph obeyed and served the Lord in the new land and God honored him and gave him a posi tion next to the king, because God helped Joseph to tell the king the meaning of a dream. Then there came a great famine in the land, and God gave Joseph great wisdom in saving and storing up food for the three years of famine. Make live before the children this fascinating and beautiful story of Joseph bringing his father and brothers and all thein stock and possessions down to Egypt and caring for them. You know boys and girls when ever I hear this wonderful story of the way Joseph showered kindness upon his brothers and saved them from starving to death, it makes me want to hear more, and then I remember that I am going to meet Joseph up in heaven, and can sit down and have him tell us all about the time he had, and how God was with him through it all. We will have some great story hours up there, won’t we? This is just the place to learn our memory verse. “Honor thy father and thy mother.” How happy Joseph made his old father by bring ing him down where he lived and taking care of him. Jo seph’s mother went home to heaven when he was a little boy, so that is why she is not mentioned in our story. I wonder if we are honoring our father and mother and doing all we can to make them happy? You know one of the best ways to honor them is to obey them. The Bible tells us to obey our parents in the Lord. Closing Prayer. m JANUARY 20, 1924 Moses Called to Deliver Israel Golden Text: “By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.” Heb. 11:24, 25. Lesson Text: Ex. 1:1 to 12:36. Devotional Reading, Psa. 130. ~ ' The brick-kilns of Egypt! The four hundred years of affliction in Egypt had been distinctly foretold, (Gen. 15:
But, while there was a descent so far as man was con cerned, there was an ascent in the manifested glory of thè Redeemer. The triumph of divine grace in the life of Abraham was glorious; in Isaac’s history it was blessed too; but the monument of divine grace in the book of Gen esis is the old man Jacob, Israel in Egypt.—Gibson. The story of Joseph’s life is real history; it was written, however, not merely as history, hut that we in this present time might he definitely helped thereby. “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learn ing, that we through patience and com- DEVOTIONAL fort of the Scriptures might have hope” COMMENT (Rom. 15 :4 ). Here “the Scriptures” John*A. Hubbard means the Old Testament writings, and for those who are going through fiery trials and experiences hard to he understood, few if any, portions of the Old Testament afford m ore, comfort and patience and hope than Genesis 37 to 50. Joseph’s ex periences illustrate more vividly, perhaps, than any other Old Testament record thé comforting truth of Romans 8:28,— “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.” In the Sunday School Times of Oct. 20, 1923, are these words: “Not everything that comes into the Christian’s life is good. The Bible does not say that. What it does say is that ‘all things work together for good to them that love God.’ ” Into Joseph’s life there were permitted to come many things which were not only not good, but positively evil; but God made them work together for good. Hatred is not a good thing; but it was through the hatred of Jo seph’s brothers that he was sold as a slave. Slavery is not a good thing, but it led to Joseph’s being taken to Poti- phar’s home, where he was maliciously slandered by Poti- phar’s wife. Slander is not a good thing, but it led to Jo seph’s imprisonment. To be in prison on false charges is not a good thing, but it brought Joseph into contact with Pharaoh’s butler who for two whole years forgot Joseph and the promise made to him. To be forgotten under such circumstances seemed a miscarriage, but it resulted in Jo seph’s being spoken of to the king at just the right time. He was released, exalted, made ruler of Egypt, and was made a blessing to many thousands, among whom were thos'e who sought to ruin him. In speaking to his brothers concerning their treatment of him, Joseph said: “And as for you, ye meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, to bring to pass, as at this day, to save much people alive.” (Gen. 50:20 R. V .). May God enable His suffering children (of whom there are many in these trying days) to take from the Scriptures the needed patience and comfort! Joseph Caring For His Father And His Brothers. Gen. 37; 47:1-12. Memory Verse. . “Honor thy father and thy mother.” Ex. 2 0 : 12 . Approach.—How many of you boys and girls had break fast this morning? Did you enjoy it? Who thought about breakfast and got it ready? Yes, mother got it ready. Does mother ever forget about having something for you to eat at meal time? , No, indeed, she ELEMENTARY , never forgets. You are so nice and Mabel L. Merrill clean this morning, and somebody worked to have your clothes all clean and ready for you to put on. I wonder who it was? Sure, it was mother. Who earned the money to buy the food
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