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M y - 1931 4. Study verses *&■>and 9 in connection with verse 24. How are men saved and made whole? What is the process of sal vation? Do these passages help us to ex plain1 the way God works in healing a sinful human heart? 5. What lesson can we learri from the submission of- Christ to His Father’s will (v. 30) ? Can we know the Father’s will for our lives if we are not willing to follow that which is revealed to us ? Recall some experience in which you have sought the will of God for your life. Have you had the assurance of divine guidance ? 6. Discuss the claims of Christ in re gard to His relationship to God (vs. 19- 23). What is suggested as to His rela tionship to men (vs. 24-29) ? Was Christ able to substantiate these claims ? What then should be our relationship to Him? Have you ever acknowledged Him as Lord of your life? 7. Discuss the fivefold witness to the truthfulness of the claims of Christ (vs. 33-47). What was the witness of John (cf. John 1:29, 34)? What greater witness was there than that of John (v. 36) ? How did the Father witness to the claims of Christ (Matt. 3:17; 17:5)? Where do we see Christ in the Old Testament Scriptures (v. 39; cf. Lk. 24:27, 44-46)? Can you suggest any place where Moses wrote of Christ (v. 46; cf. Gen. 3:15; 12:3)? _ ___ AUGUST 9, 1931 The Bread of Life J ohn 6 I f we accept Christ’s statements con cerning Himself in chapter 5, we shall have no difficulty in accepting the mir acle of chapter 6. One who had the power of God could easily feed five thousand, or walk upon the sea which He had created. The heart of the chapter is found in the discourse on “the bread of life.” P rep aratio n MONDAY: Underline some of the striking verses found in the chapter. Memorize one or two. TUESDAY: Carefully work out the outline of the chapter. WEDNESDAY: Prepare an outline for a missionary talk, using verses 1 to 14. THURSDAY: Suggest three practical applications which can be made of the material found in verses 16 to 21. FRIDAY: Write a 200-word paper on “Christ, the Bread of Life,” using verses 22 to 59 as the source of material. SATURDAY: Study verses 60 to 71, noting the climax of ilnbelief and faith brought out in these verses. SUNDAY: Choose a verse and use it as the basis for a devotional personal testimony. Expression I. T esting F aith “And this he said to prove him : for he himself knew what he would do" (John 6 :6). Christ often puts His disciples to the test, as He seeks to bring forth their
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3. Discuss the incident of Christ’s walking on the water. What practical ap plications ' can be made of the statements found therein? See especially verses 17, 20, and 21. 4. Study together the question and an swer in verses 28 and 29. How does God judge a person who is active in church work, charitable in his actions toward his fellow men, and doing the best that he can to live up to the commandments of God ? Will these works insure him an entrance into heaven? 5. Note the points of similarity be tween the mafina given in the wilderness as recorded in Exodus 16 and the bread from heaven which Christ offers in John 6. Discuss the comparison between t h e source, the purpose, the nature, the method of receiving, and the character istics of each. Make a practical applica tion. 6. Discuss the conditions Christ lays down for new life (vs. 29, 35, 37, 40, 47, 53, 65). In what sense did He mean that the disciples were to eat of His flesh and drink of His blood? 7. There was conflict between the ma terialistic view of life displayed by the Jews and the spiritual truth which Christ was seeking to present. Is it possible to accept the teachings of Christ as pre sented in this chapter purely from the standpoint of sense perception (cf. 1 Cor. 2:14, 15)? AUGUST 16, 1931 The Authority of Christ J ohn 7 T h e c o n fl ic t continues between Jesus and the Jews. The issues are clear ly drawn, and the people are divided. Some claim that He has a devil; others marvel, saying that “never man spake like this man.” The chapter presents an exceptional ar ray of significant arguments. Verse 17 can be used as the basis for an intensive experiment in the realm of applied Chris tianity. Knowledge of Christ’s divine au thority rests upon the individual deter mination to accept God’s will for the life. P rep aratio n MONDAY: The chapter may be divided into three sections in relation to the Feast of Tab ernacles, the first part coming before the feast, the second during the feast, and the third the last day of the feast. Divide the chapter accordingly, and write out a brief comment on each of the sections. TUESDAY: Select and memorize the outstanding verses of the chapter. WEDNESDAY: Study the attitude toward Christ as sumed by the various classes spoken of in the chapter. THURSDAY: Analyze and list the claims Christ makes for Himself. FRIDAY: Write a 200-word comment on verses 15 to 18. SATURDAY: Prepare a careful outline on “The Gos pel in Miniature” (vs. 37-39). SUNDAY: Select from the thoughts presented in this chapter one to be used as the basis
Christian Endeavor Helps We have been looking for mate rial suitable for Christian Endeavor meetings. We think we will find a great deal of help from your topics, if they continue to be like those in the sample copy just received. —F rom W oodland , W ash . faith and to train them in service. He could perform His work without them; still He seeks to make partners of those who follow Him, sending cases of need to stir their interest and to teach them sym pathy. Here He suggested to the disciples a great problem which they could not solve. From their standpoint, the situation was impossible, but Christ “knew what he would do.” It is a comfort to know that, when we are “boxed-in” by circumstances over which we have no control, Christ has solved the difficulty even before we are conscious of its presence. n G od ’ s A rithmetic “There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves and two small fishes: but what are they among so many” (John 6:9)? Five plus two, times One, equals five thousand plus. Strange mathematics! But the results which were obtained that day on the side of the mountain are no more marvelous than God’s ability to take of our meager talents and through them en able us to minister to the vast need of the world about us. III. T he C ondemnation of M aterialism “Labor not for the meat which perish- eth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you” (John 6:27). This day in which we live is one in which the God of the world is money, possessions, and a power over the material things of the earth. Men are seeking to lay up for themselves treasures which shall perish, never .lifting their eyes to the enduring heavenly treasures. How easy for us to center our affections in the things of this life! But let us look up, lift •up, and lay up our treasures in heaven. D iscussion 1. Using your concordance, construct character portraits of Philip and Andrew. What is indicated concerning Philip in John 1:43-48 ; 6:5-7; 12:21, 22; 14:8, 9? Concerning Andrew in John 1:40-44; Mark 1:16, 29; John 6:8; 12:22; Mark 13:3? Discuss the answer of Philip and Andrew in this chapter. The first cal culated the cost; the second emphasized the inadequacy of the resources. How are their objections like those which we raise today ? 2. What was the order of procedure Christ followed in the feeding of the hun gry multitude ? When He had received the loaves, why did He simply give thanks and not petition God that they be multi plied? Could not Christ today by direct revelation make Himself known to men everywhere? Why, then, does He depend upon the faulty and feeble efforts of men to distribute the loaves to the world?
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