The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1888-01-25
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
Notes on the Lesson for jan
uary 29-"Peter Confess
ing Christ"
From the Chicago Standard

From the Chicago standardl
The lesson for tine above date may DO found
In the sixteenth chapter Of Matthew, from the
thirteenth 10 the twenty eighth versos
DAILY READINGs
M.-Tbe Connection. Matt Is: 3. 10: L.
THE Lesson.
W.-1hc Son Revealed Matt. IL: 2o-30
The Ignorant Void john IL: %, 70
F.-Coniessing the Son. uke II: ST.
Saving Confession Rom ~: GIL
S-Luke's Story. Luke o: 1871.
BREAKFAsT VERSES
M-@Jesus Christ the Same" Heb 10: 8.
with You Always" Matt Is: 20
WI and my Father" John 1U: 30.
T-"Equil with God" Philippians 2: o.
f.-"first-born." Psalm 50: "a
S-~Inat Colfessoth not" / John A: y
h-"Ihe Decree" Psalm 2: Z
INTRODUCTORY.
In the far northern part OF Palestine is
little VILLAGE called Banias. Ii is the relic OF
once proud Cesarea PhIiiIp. Even history
would have weli-nlgh forgo,t-n the place but
for the fact thai once, eighteen hundred year,
ago. Master and hls group OF perpatetic
students made sortle TO it, borders, and
there in one of It's shady resting- places, held
q quiet but sign fcant conversat on. 1t Is not
the only Roman city which Is beholden to the
sacred narrative for its lasting remembrance,
the other city OF this name on the coast beng
chiefly familiar to US to-day as the place OF
Paul's incarceration. The inland city OF
tesarea 10 notable a. the scene Of the great
confes sion. he disciples were here brought
face 10 face W IN Jesus and with the pointed
and personal query, ~Whom say We that Ianiy"
Let every Sunday-school come near enough to
the "coasts of Cesarea Phippi" to-day to hear
that souls inquiry and listen to the souls re-
spouse as well
WHAT THE LESSON TEACHES
What do men say ttdt he Son Of man ann
He was the Son OF man. That, IN sense,
covered it all. But men had their varying
opinions to the character OF this noble per-
sOnago. All seemed to know of him, but their
ideas Of his person and purpose greatly diff
fered SO to-day, how many there are who
know of him, how few who really know the
Son Of man in his real and divine personality
How much more talk about Christ than exper-
fence of his power!
And they said some sag. They are quick to
respond, and they have GLIB answer 10 give
Some say this. some that, "John the Baptist
ELIAS, Jeremiah, or some other one oft he
prophets They know the popular mind quite
well. Do they know as well the mind OF the
Father?
Whom say ye that ami Two questions
really, according az we place the emphasis.
Whom say yeF Who am i? The fitst inquiry
concerns our personal Relationship. What
think We of CHRISTI" We know other mems
views. What are our OWN We have our
lessons in church history learned, what of
personal Christian experience! Christology
is one hing Christ in the heart Is another.
Read again, ~Who am II" lac says. 1t is the
voice of an intimate Put guesses aside; as
though knowest me, who am II Does not this
question come straight AID strong 10 many a
student many teacher, many preacher OF
Christ to-day, "Whom say We that l ann"
Thou art tie christ, the Son Of the Lining
God Confession Is better than conjecture.
1t Is easy TO utter the latter There have
been an abundance of pretty compliments
Il
vlniiy. She highest model of life" said
Strauss; will never be SURPASSED" said
Renan. Words, words. only Here put be-
side all such as those, Peters PLAIN and po-
tent confession, Thou art Christ the Son OF
the living God" All. this signifies.
Ny Father which is ia heaven Learn
here the genesis of the doctri ne OF the per-
son OF Christ IL Is not man-guesseI IL Is
heaven-revealed Flesh and blood would
have conceived something entirely different
Rousseau well said in effect, The inventor
of such life as Jesus would be greater than
the hero himself" Why did he not go on to
accept of the heavenly revelation?
Upon this rock. This is controversial soil
The ground all about is strewn with the rocks
and cudgels of debate. We do not well.
There is here much stimulus for the CHRIS
tian life. let us rescue this passage to Its
true uses of comfort and consolation. IL is
In reality revival doctrine, and should
oftener be chosen as an awakening text Ont
of such as thou art Peter, weakly, strong,
waveringly, stumblingly LOYAL, half-instruct-
ed, but possessed now of this one great
fruitful thought, God-imparted, that Jesus
is the Christ of the living God even or such
as thee, o Peter with that one great truth Oh
the tongue, in the heart, in the life, wilt
build my spiri ual house Beautiful Is not
that enough to melt the proudest, 10 stir the
weakest, to enhearten aud rejoice us all.
bound ia heGyen There are not two codes
Of legislation. There are not two Scriptures.
I he doctrines Of Christianity are the everlast-
ing truth Of God Tho prohibitions and sane
tons, which, led by the Spirit within us, and
the Book and the Life before us, we are
prompted to regard are not passing and tenn
porary. They are part of God. They are OF
the godlike in us, and are pledge and proph-
ecy of the celestial.
Tel no man: momentary withholding.
The resurrection loosed their tongues.
Straightway Christ hal appeared unto them,
risen from the dead, they went forth with a
new voice sounding in their ears: go We
in to all the world and preach" Do you Won
der that the evangclists lay such stress upon
the resurrection? Did their Master do other
wise?
This shall not be- Possibly time-serving,
enervated church may at periods through
the CENTURIES be heard lifting tho same ne
proof to the Master Possibly, so-called
believers here and there word-lovi easy
going, may be found denying the sacrficial
element in "the kingdom ana the patience" Of
Christ If he hears no rebuke it is becaus o
he reads not the Word
Get thee behind me. 1t is our Lords way
of meeting temptations; there Is no wavering,
no dallying 50 did he meet the testings of
the wilderness So does he teach Us to resis,
limitations of evil to-day.
an offence INTO me. SO soon after his grea'
confession an offence to his Master. Tho
rock of strength has become stone of stumb-
ling. Yes, Peter has the primacy both il
faith and unfaith and we dare not put the
burden of his succession A upon the Pope.
He is the herald and harbinger of Us all. Lei
it not elate us; let it maze Us very humble.
For my sake The life that is lived for
Christs sake is ever tingly kept The life
of dependence upon Christ-is not that tho
literal sense of the original?-is never lost
II is linked with the living God Its anchor
is cast within the veil.
IN exchange for his soul That is, to TO
purchase it Do we err in suggesting this
meaning? Who can set price upon the
soul? What can be rendered as an exchange
for it? When sacrificed what can replace itt
Think of il.
According TO his rorks. Entrance is b.
faith: the reward is according to works. La,
us work while the cav lasts, for the night
cometh when no man can work.
BRIEF HINTS
| Notice az suggested in these verses: Th'
limits of Christ's earthly pilgrimage Tilt
Socratic and Christly methods of instruc-
ton. The scrptural designations OF Christ
H. i,,tt No. brisffa mia I