The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-03-06
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOE
MARCH 10.
Lesson Text: ts7'he Rich Young
iiu1er," Mark x, a. oI--Go!i-
Gu Text: Matt vi, g.
Commentary.

y. 'Aad Thcn Ha va; g,%n i2r', into Ia.
way tne:r came one running 'and kneeieh -
Him and asked Him. Good Mastc:. what
shall do hat may inhnr;i nternai lire?'
This event. g also recorded by ;!Oth Matthew
and Luke. 1t is in each Immediately pre-
cedrd by tn" saying oi Christ that VIZ must
become ;lS littl" children in or1e: t. enter
the kingdom. ard ii is followed by Peters
remarks about their having left ai! ;lGl the
question a. to Whist th"y should Dnvc. aud
the Suviours reply. BY comparing the
three account. We Iiad that tnis earnest.
anxious soul was foung ma2, Il ruler and
very rich. These facts, coupled with that of
his running after Jesus and !;neeling down
before Him in the street, seem to indicate
very great earneaJnes- "n his part in refer
ence to this grent mattur OF eternal life.
Is. And Jesus said unto him: Why
callest thou Ne good! There is non" good
but one. That is God AZ if He said. In
calling Mo good. do you. confess that am
God: He does not, as wo might heartily
receive the younc mau, saying, lam so glad
you have asked Mn. Sit down with Me
minutes for 1t il yery easy" He does not
think in His heart: Now. here is L splendid
catch. must get him by all means. Think
what his social position and influence will
be to us and think whnt his money will do
for us. We must have him.
10. Thou knowest the commandments.
DO not commit adultery. Do not kill, DO not
steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not,
Honor thy father and mother Thus ill all
swer to His question He takes him, a5 he did
the lawyer, at once to tho law, and 70 what
VIC call the second table, his dut.! to man, Tor
we can only prove our love to God by CUR
love to our fellows. Before we can know the
way to life eternal we must have our eyes
opened to see our guilt and inability to do
anything to obtain this eternal life.
90. "And he answered and said unto Him.
Master, all these have l observed from MY
youth" We will suppose that no was thor
oughly honest in this roply and actually
thought he had not failed in any Of these
commands. but it is evident That he neither
knew his own heart nor the spirit Of the law
as Jesus taught it CBIath. ". 21-2S). or he
would not thus have justified himself. Paul
speaks of this kind of righteousness which
this young man had as '.mere own righteous
ness which is Of the law" but he learned to
count it all as dross when he saw the right
business which is Of God by faith Phil. ill.,,
y.
81. "Then Jesus. bcholding him, loved
him and said unto him. One thing thou lack
est; so thy way. sell whatsoever thou hast.
and give to the poor, and thou shalt have
treasure in heaven, and come, take up tho
cross and follow Me-" There IS no one whom
Jesus does not love. He loves those who are
dead in sins (Bph. H., q, 81, but His heart
went out with Il special love to this young
man. The one thing he lacked was just this
knowledge of the love Of Christ
90 "And lie WAS cad at that saying and
went away grievcd. for ne had great posses
sions." Jesus had now put His hand upon
the sore spot as when He said to the wo-
man Of Samaria, $50, call thy husband
Empty and dependent rs little child we
must come il we would know Him and HIS
love and gracc and fullness.
%. "And Jesus looked rouad about and
saith unto His disciples, How hardly shal!
they that have riches enter into tho Kingdom
of God" The kingdom of God meant Rore
to Jesus than it meant to His disciples or
than it means to many Christians now. l
this day listened to Y sermon preached to
about 20O0 people in st. Gilcs's Cathedral.
where once tho voice of John Knox rang out
the truth. in which the rea kingdom which
Jesus and all the prophets preached was
wholly SET aside.
o. "Aud the disciples vera Gstonished at
His words, but Jesus anSwer.tn again and
saith unto them, Children, how hard is 1t
for them that trust in riches TO enter into the
kingdom OF God" There is not neces- :rily
any sin in money. 1t is the love OF money
II Tim. VI. 1G). Or, rs Jesus h9re puts it, the
trust in or reliance upon riches, instead OF
upon the Giyer of every good gift, who
Giveth us richly all things to enjoy. Abra-
ham was rich, and David and TaecheuS and
many Others whom the Lord saved. 1t is
not said that "Not any miGnty or noble is
called" but mot many mighty, rot many
noble" q Coz. j., 26). One has we'll said,
THANK God for the letter ~ "
%. 1T is easier for came! to go through
the eya Of needle than for q rich man to
enter into the kingdom Of God 1t IS simply
impossible for any man. rich or po3r. to enter
the kingdom without being born from above
John ill.,. ,, 5, y, but that is not probably
the truth taught here. IT there was in u
large city gate a small gate which only y
camel could 90 through with difficulty b.
unloading, and II this small gate was called
''a needles eye it would help Us TO- under
stand these words OF the Saviour. Whatever
illustration He had in mind. 1t is plain that
He teaches us that it Is next to impossible for
ons Who is rich to enter the Kingdom OF
heaven, but God, who is love. has made full
provision for whosoever wftfrecs:ye His love
(Rev. xii, 17).
26. And they were astcnished out OF meas-
ure saying among themselves, Who. then,
Gun be sayed?' 1t would Seem that to tho
minds OF the dlSclplcS Jesus ndu SPOKEN, uol
OF a bare possibility, but OF an impossibility,
at least as far Us all the rich were concerned.
This with many othor passages Of Scripture.
such as I Tim. vi, 2, IT; Zeph. j., is; Ps.
Xix. 6, T. should certainly teach us not to
covet riches, except as they may bo used for
Him and His kingdom. 1t is possible to be
poor, yet make many rich. to seemingly have
nothing and yet possess all things III Cor. vi,
10Y. Think OF Him who, though He was rich,
yot for our sekes became poor and let Him be
our durable riches az well a. righteousness
II Cor. will. o. Prov viii, 18).
81. And Jesus. looking upon them, saith,
With men it is Impossible. but not with God,
for with God all things aro possible" There
lis nothing too hard or too'wonIerful for the
Lord, for His name is wonderful (Gen. xviii.
IA; Jer. xxi. II; Judg. xiii. Is, margin
:Is,.., ix.. s.. When simple faith receives the
wonderful Saviour and Lord, the most COM
.nlouplace life will become wonderful by His
indweIling and outworking The great thing
on our part is TO know our nothingness thai
w. may not seek to bring Hin anything, but
our poor worthless selves. TheD H. will
glorify Himself in :s.-L"sson Helper.