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T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
April, 1936
IV. T he D anger o f I ntemperance (21:34-36). In the light of the suddenness of our Lord’s return (v. 35), there is great need of the believer’s being on guard against Self-gratification. “Take heed to your selves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunken ness, and cares o f this life, and so that day come upon you unawares” (v. 34). Our Lord enjoins watchfulness upon His hearers (v. 36). He would have the main objective ever before the heart—the imminent return of the Lord. He would guard His followers from an emotional ism that would cause them to forget that a steady downward course is marked out for this present evil age. Some people point to improvements that have been made in the physical, mental, and even the moral spheres, and would offer these changes as proof that the world is grow ing better. But our Lord looks upon this age from a spiritual viewpoint; thus viewed, it is evil, and grows worse and worse. Our Lord urges prayerfulness (v. 36). Prayer is the crowning protection against the evils o f this age. It is the fountain head of blessing, but in our experience there issue from it only trickling rills, when there might be flowing rivers. When the church owns her impotence, prayer power will be realized once more, and the needed blessing will follow. Points and Problems 1. The Biblical material for this lesson is, for the most part, taken from Luke 21, a chapter which deals almost entirely with prophecy and the Lord’s return. Since such chapters are not often selected by the International Committee, many teach ers will want to make the most o f the op portunity and teach the whole chapter. For such I would like to point out that the section included in verses 12 to 24 inclusive is really a great parenthesis in troduced by the clause, “But before all these.” This entire section can be omitted without any apparent interruption, for verse 11 connects perfectly with verse 25 : “Great signs shall there be from heaven . . . And there shall be signs in the sun . . . ” Verses 10 and 11 and verses 25 to 32 refer to the time of the end immedi ately preceding the coming of the Lord. The parenthetical section, verses 12 to 25, covers apostolic history to the destruction o f Jerusalem, and then sweeps across the entire present age with one brief state ment, “until the times o f the Gentiles be fulfilled” (v. 24). 2. The Committee has entitled this les son “Building for the Future.” In the last three verses (34 to 36) we may find at least three useful rules to guide us in the important business of building for the fu ture: First, "take heed to yourselves”— an admonition against the sinking of eternal issues beneath the affairs o f this present evil world. Second, “watch ye therefore” for the coming of the Lord in whose mighty hands the future rests. Third, “pray always,” because only in such communion can we be ready for the com ing day. 3. In the matter o f stewardship, the Bible reveals a number of different stan dards o f giving: First, “ the tenth,” given by Abraham (Gen. 14:20) and Jacob (Gen. 28:22). Second, “ tithes," of which at least three may be found, in Numbers 18:21-26, Deuteronomy 14:22-27 ; 26:12. Third, “ the half," offered by Zaccheus (Lk. 19:8).
a poor widow came. Jesus could see that she was very poor indeed. Most people as poor as that wouldn’t have put any thing at all in the box. But the widow stopped and dropped in two small coins. Jesus could see that these coins were mites. It would take eight mites to make one o f our pennies. Even in that country a mite wouldn’t buy very much of anything. It was worth so little that there was a rule in the temple that if any one put money in the box, they must put in at least two mites. It would seem that the widow wasn’t helping very much when she dropped in her two mites. But that was not what Jesus thought. Jesus knew that the woman had given all that she had. This meant that she had kept nothing for herself. And the Lord Jesus said that this poor widow’s gift of two mites was a better gift than all the money the rich men gave.
BLACKBOARD LESSON
Fourth, “ as God hath prospered,” the standard set by Paul (1 Cor. 16:2). Fifth, “ beyond their power," the voluntary ac tion of Macedonia (2 Cor. 8 :3 ). Sixth,1 “ all . . . she had,” which seems to be the all-time record (Lk. 21:4 ).‘, Notice that “the tenth” is the lowest of all, yet not many Christians have gotten that high. Golden Text Illustration Edison said that whenever by theory and analogy and calculation he assured himself that the result he was after was impossiblejiihe knew then that he was on the verge of a great discovery. When Marshall gazed on the solemn beauty of the Virginia mountains, near the birthplace o f Patrick Henry, he said, “No wonder Patrick Henry was an ora tor.” , But an old farmer said, “Young man, those mountains have been there ever since, but we have never had another Pat rick Henry.” Ulysses S. Grant was called by his. mother “Useless Grant” ; but in the awful days o f the war, Lincoln said, “The great thing about Grant is his persistence. He has the grip o f a bulldog. When he once gets his teeth in, nothing can shake him off.” William Pitt was once asked by a group of people what quality was most needed in a Prime Minister. One said, “Knowl edge,” and another, “Eloquence,” and an other, “Toil.” ;• Pitt said, . “ No, it is pa tience.”-— Homiletic Review. A Gift That Pleased Jesus L u k e 20:22-25 ; 21:1-4 Memory Verse:' “ Freely ye have re ceived, freely give” (Matt. 10:8). Approach: In our story last week, Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem. After He reached there, one of the first things that He did was to go to
Object Lesson T h e Q u in t u p l e t s .
Objects: Five wire-spring clothespins, a small flask-shaped bottle of vinegar, an imitation cigarette, an imitation playing card, an imitation theater ticket, an imi tation invitation to a dance,'a large mag net, a piece of black cloth two feet square, a piece of red cloth two inches wide and two feet long, and a piece of white cloth two feet' square. (Sew one edge o f the red strip to the black, and the other edge o f the red to the white. Allow a few inches o f this black, red, and white cover to overhang the table where the lesson is to be given. Dress two of the clothespins as boys, using crepe paper. Dress the other three as girls;) Lesson: How would you ■ like to see some quintuplets?. Because I knew you would, I brought some with me. I am sorry that they are not all girls, but two are boys. Here they are. It will not be difficult for you to guess that they are the “ Clothespin Quintuplets.” We will put them on the black side of the table. Did you know that life has two sides? Between the black and white sides of life there is the red, reminding us of Christ and His death for us. All people are sinners by nature and therefore start on the black side o f life. The Holy Spirit is like a magnet, con stantly pulling people from the black side of life to Christ, the Saviour, and then •on to the white side. This large magnet pulls Carl along until he comes near to the red, and then he stops and looks back at this bottle which represents whiskey. He knows that he must leave whiskey behind if he goes over on the other side o f life. Finally the mag net succeeds in getting him to the red and over on the white side. Kate, too, hesitates as the magnet leads her along. It is this playing card which causes her to look back, just as Lot’s wife looked back to Solom. But Kate goes on and joins her brother.
the temple. As the Lord Jesus taught in the temple, many people came to . ask Him q u e s t i o n s . Some of the people thought to them selves, “Who is this man, anyway, and why is he here t e a c h i n g u s ? ” Others questioned
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Jesus about things which they had read in the Old Testament, and they tried to trip Him up in His knowledge of things writ ten there. This made Jesus sad. When people acted like this, He knew that they were not coming to the temple to worship God. Lesson Story: One day Jesus stood at the doorway o f the temple. Near Him was a box where those entering to worship might put a gift of money. Jesus watched the people as they went by this box. Soon
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