The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-07-16
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
JULY 20.
Lesson Text: "Taking Up the Cross
Luke xiv, 25-35-Golden Text:
Luke xiv, 27-Com-
mentary.

miracles would naturally have a great fol-
lowing; some from curiosity, some because of
the loaves and fishes, some because Of His
miracles Of healing, some because they really
enjoyed His teaching even il they did not
put It in practice; but oh, how few followed
Him as true disciples, accepting Him as
IsraePs Messiah and joining themselves to
Him for life or death till ths kingdom come.
Even of those who professed to be His disci-
Piles we read that after certain discourse,
many Of His disciples went back, and
walked no more with Him" John vi, 68.
And of the twelve chosen out OF all the rest,
one possessed by the devil sold Him for thirty
pieces Of silver, and in the time Of His sore
trial all forsook Him and fed Matt. XVI,
1850. Knowing the hearts Of all men, and
reading easily the inward purpose Of ovefy
one Of this great multitude, Lie turned and
said unto them:
his father, and mother, anl wife, and chill
dren, and brethren, and sisters, yea, AMI his
own life also, he cannot be My disciple" 1t
was written in the law that il any ono
hated his neighbor unto death the cities of
refuge were to give no refuge to him Dcut.
xix, 11-10; and the Spirit through John
writes that "Whosoever hateth his brother
is q murderer" and that IF a man say, l
love God, and hateth his brother, he is
liar" q John ill.,, Is; iv., 20). Yet here are
the Lords own words to the effect that we
cannot be His disciples unless We hate even
father and mother, wife and children. The
explanation is found in the fact that the
word "hate" is sometimes used to signify
flowing less" 1t is written that Jacob loved
Rachel more than Leah (Gen. xxx, 30), and
in the very next verse this is called hating
Leah. The same thing is seen in Deut. xxi,
1917. In Nal. J., 2, 8, we hear the Lord
saying ~ loved Jacob, and hated Esau;"
but the context shoYs that it was Esau's sin
and rebellion which caused God to show less
love to him than to Jacob. The Saviour's own
words on another occasion make plain His
meaning here. When sending forth the
and mother more than Me is not worthy Of
Me" Matt K, 81. And it is surely reason
able that the greatest lover should have the
greatest love. The truth here taught, then,
seems to be that not even tho dearest earthly
lies may be permitted to come between the
believer and his Saviour who died for him;
and that while we love those who are 50 dear
to us we must love Jesus more than oil the
rest But he also adds that we are to love
Him more than our own life. II our love to
Him necessitates the actual laying down OF
our life; it is to be done cheerfully.
81. "And whosoever doth not bear his
ciple." The cross Of Christ was that cruel
instrument of death on which He died when
He bore our sins and made peace for us Il
Pet. H., "a; Col. J., 20. Paul said that bylt
the world was crucihed to Him and He to the
world (Gal. vi, 14). And on the four differ
snt occasions on which Jesus gave utterarce
10 this saying Matt. K, %; xvi, 81; Mark
T., 81; Luke xiv, ~, He seems to tneutl
nothing less than death to oil that is against
Elm.
$3.50. 'sThis man began to build, and was
not able to finish" Such might be said OF
one who having laid the foundation was not
able to complete the building, and therefore
he might be made sport of for not counting
the cost beforehand, Christ is not OF this
world, and His Kingdom is not Of this world,
therefore those who identify themselves with
Him should consider we'll beforehand what
it may possibly mean to bo mot OF the
world" John xviii, &c; xvii, 13, 14. a
Christian is one who is given to Christ "out
Of the world" and then sent back into the
world" to stand in Christ's name against the
world while seeking to rescue as many as
possible from it John xviii, 6, 1S). II one
coufesses Christ before men as His Saviour,
and identifies himself with body Of Chris
tians then continues just as much mixed up
in the world and worldly ways as before,
such an one bas evidently not counted the
cost, nor understands what it is to be dis
ciple Of Christ.
81, 80. 'Or what king going to make war
against another king, stteth not down hrss
and consulteth whether he be able" etc. In
the. previous illustration the disciple was
looked at as builder and his life building;
here he is compared to q warrior and his life
a warfare. Jesus Himself is the great builder,
BE is the true Zerubbabel whose hands both
laid the foundation Of tho house and shall
also finish it (Zech. iv., o.. He is also man
Of war, captain Of the host Of the Lord (Ex.
xv., 3; Josh. ", 14), and He has considered
we'll the cost and the ability necessary TO
build His kingdom on this earth and over
como and cast out the enemy. he saw the
consummation and the way to it before lie
left the Glory which he had with the Father
before the world was; and for tho JOY set
before Him. he endured the cross, despising
the shame, and is set down at the right hand
of God Heb. xii. g.. where He ever Eveth
to make intercession for us Heb. VIII, ~,
while, we continue the daily warfare waiting
with Him for tho time when the kingdom
shall be His and ours.
83. tiSolikewise;. whosover he be OF you
that forsaketh not oil that he hath, he can
not be My disciple" All that one has Is
summed up in tho relations mentioned IN
verse rs; the nearest and dearest earthly
friends, and then our own selves, our very
life. How can one possibly forsako, or asin
tho R. v. renounce all these so rs to hold
and love them not as our chief good, but
only as minor things in comparison OF Him
whose disciples we profess to beS How can
we learn to say with Paul: II count all
things but loss for the excellency Of the
knowledge Of Christ Jesus my Lord" In
Paul's case it was brought about by sight
Of the risen and assembled Jesus as hls OWL
personal Saviour, and as Israeps true Messiah
TO sit on Davids throne and restore the king
dom to Israel at His glorious appearing.
This made Paul to live on earth as citizen
of Heaven, willing to bear anything in his
body of humiliation while he waited for the
glorious immortal body like unto Christ,s
iPhil. iii :, g 20, a1). Paul was a master build
or, and master warrior; but In reference
tohis life and service, be says: II live, yet
not ], but Christ liveth in me-" and u Ia
bored more abundantly than they all, yet
not I, but the grace OF God which was Wild
me" (Gal. H., 20; Cor. xv., 10y, Truly, ne,
like his great Master, renounced OIL tnat ne
had that he might glorify God. BY the same
grace Of God we may do likewise if we will.
81. ''Salt is good: but if the salt have lost
his SAVIOR, wherewith shall it be seasonedr'
The disciple is not only builder, and war.
rior, but he is also preServer OF the world
in which he is left for time, and preventer
of corruption. "Ye are the salt of the
earth" said Christ to His disciples in His
sermon on the mount (Matt. ", 19. AS pro
servers consider Lot in Sodo,n, and hear the
angel sent to destroy tho city. as he says to
Lot: Haste thee, escape thither; for can.
not do ANYTHING till thou be come thither:"
And sea God consenting to spare the cities it
only ten righteous had been found there
IC,a, xpii; %. xix 2N
IS. 'sIt is neither lit for tho land, nor yet
for the dung hill; but men cast it out" The
Master certainly says at least this much III
these words, viz. That people who profess
to be His disciples, but aro not. are the most
utterly useless and unsavory kind OF people;