Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-07-23
CHRIST AND NlcoDEMus.
International Sunday-SchooI Lesson fol
July &c, 1891.

International sunday-schooI Lesson for
July 26, 1891.
Especially Arranged from S S. QUARTERLY
LESSON TENT.-John SILT.
GOLDEN TEXT.-For God so loved the world,
that He gave His only begotten Son, that who
soever believeth in Him. should not perish, but
have everlasting lfe.-John 3:I6
CENTRAL TRCTH.-A new heart, BY faith in
Jesus, is the way into the kingdom of God.
| TIME-April GIG, A D. q. Five or six weeks
after the last lesson
| JESUS.-Thirty or thirty-one years Of age.
| About three months after His baptism, and
Just beginning His public ministry at Jerusa-
lem
PLACE-Jerusalem. The Euost-chamber in a
private house, perhaps Johns
( INTERVENING HISTORY.-SOon after the we'd
ding at Cana, Jesus and His mothers family
! went 10 Capernaum on the sea OF GaliIce. Aft
er remaining here short time lie went up to
Jerusalem TO the Passover april p. Here He
drove the cattle-dealers and money-changers
| from the temple, and, by His teaching and mira
| cles, won large number Of believers. Among
them was NicOdemus the teachings Of Jesus 70
whom form the subject OF our lesson.
HELPS OVER HARD Places. 'Hlicode-
mus" Pharlsee, member Of the Sanhedrim
| learned man. teacher of the law. We hear
/ nothing more OF him. except a defense OF Jesus
! John Z: 5O) till the time of Jesus DEATH three
| years later, when he seems To have become q
| true convert. John 10: S9.) 2. Game by night"
not from fear, but because he could converse
more quietly then. And it was prudent not to
commit himself till he had learned more.
Rabbit" L e, honorary title teacher,
master. 8 Jesus answered." his implied cues
ton. Born again" or anew, or from above.
lie needed q new life Of holiness a new prin-
ciple, alife like Gods. ). Born OF water and OF
the Spirit" born of water refers back to Johns
baptism OF repentance, saying that he must be
clcansed from his past sins, and confess public
" his remuneration Of his past life. Born Of the
Spirit refers to a new spiritual life. Without
public confession he cannot enter the visible
kingdom; without a new heart he cannot he
come a real member OF the kingdom Of God.
II. I'VE speak, Jesus and all who have eX-
pcrienccd the new birth. II. IF have" here
Jesus returns TO the singular number, because
He alone knew about Heaven. l3 Which is
in Heaven is ever in communion with
Heaven. 1t was ever plain and open before
Him. As God He was always there IA "As
Moses" etc: see Num- p 10 16 "Only begotten
Som" Gods Son in a close and peculiar sense,
different from that in which We are all Gods
children.
LESSON COMMENTS.
There is hardly portion of Scripture
with which teachers are more familiar
y
speallably precious portion; for it shows
the way of salvation so clea rly that no
one need seek for it in vain. Some may
prefer to put their main strength on the
passage of the brazen serpent, and
from that show the scholars how the
cross of Jesus is to them the way
of salvation and hope. Others there
are who will dwell on John 1916,
for them it is the best verse in all til
Bible. To help these latter, will be my
effort in this lesson. And in doing so
shall take division of this We rse that
once heard Rev. Arthur Pierson give,
which tome at the time was perfectly
new, and which have found to be very
helpful
There are in verse 18 of the lesson
five couplets of great Importance, Two
of them refer to persons, two to acts and
one to a state. Take first, the two that
refer to the Divine persons. We have
God the Father, and God the Son. Now
there are many who are not well in
structed in the Word, who think thai
the Father had very little % do with
their salvation. Iney have heard so
Iau"~. ABOUT Jesus as their Saviour, that
they gain the impression that the Faith
err had little to do with their redemp-
ton. In fact some, alas! think of God
as rather stern and forbidding, and of
the Son as the one who does all the low
ing of sinners. Let this verse instruct
them better in this matter. The Father
and the. Son were together in this mat
ter of redemption, and if either was the
author of it. it was not the Son but the
Father.
The second couplet of persons is the
world and whatsoever. The former en-
braces all who have lived, or who will
ever live on this earth. But lest any
timid soul should think that he was too
we have the blessed whose
ever. As the ignorant farmer said: |
THAT means you and me and every |
body" Yes, this wonderful verse has |
relations to me, poor and ignorant, it |
may be, or vicious and degraded. No |
one is shut out, whatever his sins or his |
position in this life. What a blessed |
word that! Now look at the two coup
cts that designate acts.
First there are two acts, loved and |
gave. These the Father exercises. God |
he Father first loved, and this love
made Him give. The fact is that love al
ways wants to give. for that's its very
nature. Love cannot be selfish, for to |
be selfish is to hate, and not to love. If
-Ou really love anyone You want to give !
hem that which shall make them hap
". Is this not so? Every birthday,
md each Christmas time proves this.
Hatred keeps, love gives, and it gives
he best it has, or it is not pure love.
These two acts are believing and
having. The first goes before the sec
md, and is its condition. For he who
loes not believe that God loves him,
md is willing to save him, will of
curse not turn to Him for the grace
hat he so much needs. But if any man
.eally believes that God in sincerity
,ffcrs him salvation. and so believes it
hat he puts ont his hand to take it, lie
las it ut once.
The fifth coup!ct relates ia two states,
ifc and death. Not perish but have
everlasting life" All are in danger of
in fact are sure to perish,
Inlcss they have life as the gift OF God.
But it Is not the desire of God tat any
hould perish, but that all should cone
o knowledge of the truth. This Is
yhy He gave, and gave His Son, and
his K 47,a CIV, ,v-iIlir,,r 70