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T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
November, 1936
2. "Which drown men in . . . perdition” (v. 9). Devout Bible students, through the centuries, have not been wrong in seeing in these words a veiled reference to Judas whose lust for money laid the snare into which he fell to his destruction. Our Lord referred to him as “the son of perdition” (John 17:12). 3. “Love of money” (v. 10). The Greek word "philarguria" is used to describe this devastating disease. Trench says, “It dif fers from the ordinary word for covetous ness in denoting avarice, a love of money already gained, rather than an active grasping after more.” The Pharisees were "philargurot,” lovers of money (Lk. 16:14), not merely covetous as the Revised Version suggests. 4. “The root of all evil” (v. 10). The translation is probably too sweeping. The Revised Version says, “a root of all kinds of evil.” This is certainly true. 5. “Which some reaching after have been led astray from the faith, and have pierced themselves through with many sor rows” (v. 10, R. V.). In this statement the apostle doubtless has primarily in mind the ministers of the church. In the follow ing verse, notice Paul’s exhortation to Timothy. Through “reaching after” money, more than one minister has compromised with unbelief and, in so doing, they have ultimately brought many sorrows upon their heads. The “man of God” must “flee these things,” for there is the savor of death in them. Golden Text Illustration Said Moody at a meeting in Northfield: “Dr. Bonar, these people would like to know how to live the victorious life about which you are preaching.” Said Bonar: “I do not like to speak about myself, but for fifty years I have had ac cess to the Throne of Grace.”— S elected .
a Jewess. Probably Timothy, as a child, knew about the Greek gods and philoso phies, but the Bible tells us that his mother taught him to love the one true God, and to learn His Word. And now Timothy was preaching about this true God to the friends of his childhood. Paul often thought of him. He knew that these old friends would many times try to persuade Timothy that he was mistaken, that the Greek idea, which was to try to be good, to be just, and to seek the truth, was enough. Paul wanted Timothy to remem ber that he was not seeking the truth, but that he had found it and was to show it to others. He told him to flee from these other ideas and to preach the Word of God. He warned him that he would have to endure afflictions, but he pointed to his own life, which was full of hardships, and said joy fully, “I have fought a good fight,” and “there is laid up for me a crown of right eousness.” This is what he would have Timothy remember: to keep the faith.
Lesson: Boys, how would you like to have a shining sword like this one? This is the sword of a great soldier. Did you know that the Apostle Paul was a great soldier, as well as being a great mission ary? Paul was a soldier of the cross. This sword reminds me of what he said near the end of his earthly life: “I have fought a good fight.” He was a good Christian, and, therefore, did not fight with his fists. He fought with the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. Inasmuch as this sword re minds us of the Bible, each one of us should have a sword. Here is a map of Paul’s journeys, which reminds us of something else he said: “I have finished my course.” He is here speak ing as if he were a runner on a race track. He was a great runner. He did not quit in the middle of the race, but he finished his course. This map shows the territory over which he ran with the gospel. This red cross suggests something else very important about Paul. ■ He said: “I have kept the faith.” The cross speaks to us of the death of Christ for the sins of the world. At another time Paul said: “I de termined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.” It is a fine thing for a great soldier and athlete to “keep the faith,” and to proclaim Christ to those who are in sin. Soldiers are rewarded for faithful serv ice, and athletes receive awards for win ning races. Paul, too, expected a reward. He said that it was a “crown of righteous ness.” Here is a white crown to remind us of the reward Paul is to receive. Each Christian should be a faithful sol dier, a victorious runner, keeping the faith, and receiving the reward. God, the I AM of the Old Testament, the immutable and eternal One, filling all of the past, present, and future. The seven Spirits reveal the fullness of God in the perfection of His energy. The Spirit is the executive of the Godhead, and hence His place is “before” the throne, which, as the book reveals, is the throne of righteous, exact, and perfect justice. The divine salu tation comes from Jesus Christ, the Man, the Anointed One. He is “the faithful wit ness,” faithful in both word and deed; “the first-begotten of the dead,” being the first who ever rose in resurrection life; “the ruler of the kings of the earth” (R. V.), who rule by His permission, and who will one day acknowledge His lordship (cf. Phil. 2:9-11). II. T h e D oxology (5, 6 ). “Unto him that loveth us, and loosed us from our sins” (R. V.). He loves us now, and He has washed us from our sins for ever. The love expressed is in the present tense, while the washing is in the past tense and has been made possible by the shedding of Christ’s blood (v. 5). Having washed us and continuing to love us, He has made
Object Lesson A S oldier ’ s R eward
Objects: A cardboard sword, covered with silver paper, a map of Paul’s mission ary journeys, a cardboard cross, covered with red paper, and a cardboard crown, covered with white paper.
DECEMBER 13, 1936 JOHN’S VISION ON PATMOS R evelation 1:1 to 3 :22
Paul’s Last Letter 1 T imothy 6; 2 T imothy 4
Lesson Text: Rev. 1:4-18. Golden Text: “Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth” (Rev. 1:17, 18). Outline and Exposition I. T he S alutation (4, 5). U NTIL the fourth century the early church believed that the inspired writer of the Revelation was John, the apostle, and the Johannine authorship of this book is acknowledged likewise by evangelicals today. The book is addressed to the “seven churches which are in Asia.” These were churches then in existence, chosen because they were typical or repre sentative of the church to the time of the end. We have need to remember that the special addresses to these churches (Rev. 2 and 3) form but a part of the Revelation, which is addressed to all of the Lord’s serv ants (cf. v. 1). As was given to Abraham a revelation concerning Sodom’s doom, so to the church in this book is given a fore gleam of the world’s doom. The salutation comes with grace and peace from the triune
Memory Verse: “A doer of the work . . . shall be blessed in his deed” (Jas. 1:25). Approach: Last week we talked about the shortest letter which Paul wrote. This week we are going to talk about his last letter. Paul knew that he was soon to die. He was an old man and he had suffered
many hardships. His body was worn out. Most of his Christian friends were away p rea ch in g . Winter was coming. It would be cold, and he had no coat with him. The days and nights seemed long, and his books had been left behind. Paul felt the
need of talking with a friend, so he wrote a letter to Timothy whom he called his “dearly beloved son.” Lesson Story: Paul did not write this letter to complain about the sad state that he was in. He wrote it to encourage Timothy, and to help him to “stand fast in the faith.” Timothy’s father, you remem ber, was a Greek. Timothy’s mother was
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