Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1886-06-12
nternatlonalsundaysohool Lesson.
BY REV. F. b. HAReRAvEs.
LESSON 10


Lesson u. June 20tH.
JESUS AND ABRAHAM.
John 8, 31-58. 44-59. Golden Text,
John 8, Sc. Time, the next day after
the last lesson. Place, the Temple at
Jerusalem.
1t was the morning Of the eighth day.
! The feast Of Tabernacles was oyer. 1t
lasted only seven days, but the eighth
day was a sort of holy cOnVOcatiOn with
special sacrifices Of its own. Jesus had
spent the night with a friend on the
Mount of Olives, and now, in the early
morning, He reappear5 in the temple
to continue His teachings, Part of the
time was spent ia the court of the WOm-
en-, but it is evident the latter part of
the lesson was delivered IN the court of
the Gentiles, as that was the only place
in Ethe temple in which the people
would cast stones at Him. He was
nearing the end of His ministry, and in
the center OF religious thought and &C
I tiVity, Jerusalem He now continues
His sublime declarations of ALessiahship
and the enumeration of those splendid
truths which are the heritage of our
race. From Jerusalem the crowds
would soon dispense to all parts of the
country. and in their hearts Jesus sOWs
that blessed seed which to-day Yields a
magnificent harvest in the earnest lives
of His devoted followers. Upon this
occasion He was the central figure in
the temple as lie had been on the pre-
viOus days OF the feast. An eager
crowd is gathered round Him, and TO
them He delivers His message Of free
dom. eye shall know the truth and
the truth shall make you free These
words raised an angry storm Of indig
] ma v7F F,r4nfauk from ElfH haawaHe Va
Jew prided himself on one thing it was
his freedom. He conveniently forgot
the captivities, overlooked national de-
featss ignored the present actual serf-
dom TO Rome, and always imagined
himself blessed with freedom. A part
of his morning prayer was: " Blessed
be the Lord our God. King OF the Uni
verse, who has made me a free man."
The Jew looked back TO Abraham, from
whom he claimed descent, and COnteu-
ded that as Abraham's son he was free.
With such feelings it was difficult for
them to understand Christ's words for
He taught them of spiritual freedom
They looked for a Messiah who would
restore the national glory, aud yet they
could not comprehend that 81 truth''
without which there can be no perDa-
nent national glory. Their pride OF
descent was a false LIGHT to them; their
descent FaYailed them nothing; they
were slaves to sin and form and ritual.
They were not fit for national indepen-
dence and its attendant hOnOrs; they
were not fit for that spiritual kingdom
which Christ came TO establish, SO he
taught them the divine principle of
liberty. eye shall know the truth and
the truth shall make you free" For it
is only in the truth of Jesus that we can
get perfect freedom from the slavery of
sin and thus be fitted for the true citi-
zenshIp Of Chust's Kingdom 1t viii
be well for the world when it learns
this lesson, as the principle here taught /
by Christ furnishes the solution to those
great social and economic questions
which now agitate society Our Savior
closed HIS discourse be re-asserting His
divinity, as He declared that He existed
before Abraham.
LESSON THOUGHTS,
/. True freedom can only be found
in Christ.
2. Lineage is nothiugi ceremony is /
nothing; the truth is everything
3. Do not be deceived with false
theories; get the truth as it is in Jesus. !
4. In the teachings of Christ we
have true light, and hence true liberty.
Freedom of thought-nOt free thought
freedom Of life, not free living.