The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-03-20
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
MARCH PA.
Lesson Text: "Purity Of Life"
Romans kill, S-14-Golden
Text: Thess. o.
Comm entary.


/. "After these things the Lord appointed
other seventy also and sent them two and
two before His face into every city and place,
whittier He Himself would come" Again, as
On former occasions, we choose without hesi-
tation the missionary lesson, believing that
the great business OF every saved soul Is to
live to make known the love Of God to sinners
rs far as possible and as quickly as possible,
throughout the whole world, thus helping to
answer our continual prayer, "Thy kingdom
come!" For the time of the kingdom when
the will of God shall be done on earth as in
heaven, cannot come until the King shall re-
turn. as may be clearly seen from the portion
following last weeks lesson duke XIX, II,
l2). Jesus had previously sent out the IL,
suggestive OF sufficient testimony of the IL
tribes Of Israel. Now He sends 10, suggestive
OF sufficient testimony for all the world,
for the nations which peopled the earth after
the deluge were 10. as in Gen. K, and the
church, which is His body. to be completed
before the national salvation of Israeli is to
be gathered from all nations The Lord ap-
pointed these messengers, and unless He ap-
points the messengers always they will run
in vain.
2. Therefore said He unto them: The
harvest truly is great, but the laborers are
harvest. that He would send forth laborers
into His harvest" Compare John iv., 35,
where He said on another occasion that the
fields were white to the harvest. In this
verse Of our lesson the great need is
1aborers, and we are to pray the Lord to send
them forth, which implies readiness to be
sent ourselves, for the 12 (Math. tx, 81. 38)
as well us the 70. who were taught to pray
thus. were all sent forth themselves. What
;rln hohl hnnar IN, ho rs,,;la 20
be laborer with God q Cor. ill.,, O. yet
what multitudes Of saved people, at least of
protesting Christians. seem to think that
salvation means that they are saved from
hell and made sure of heaven, and that is all.
The thought OF laboring with God to save
others does not enter their minds.
8. "Go your ways. Behold l send you
forth as lambs among wolves" So He said
also to the IL (Math. X, 16). Observe the
words II send you" and compare John xx..
p; xvii, IS, with Jer. j.. 7, 8, and let every
believer appropriate the message to jeremiah
along with Ex. iv.. IL, and say with Isaiah,
Here am I; send me" Qsa. vi, 81. Notice
the realities to which He calls their atten.
tion, Lambs among wolves" plainly telling
them what to expect, or, as He said even
more plainly TO the IL, "Fear not them which
kill the body" (Math. X, 2s). The night be-
fore He was crucifed He told them that
they woul1 be put out Of the synagogue and
even slain for His names sake.
4. Garry neither purse nor scrip nor
Shoes and salute no man by the way" They
are not to give anxious thought to temporal
things, but be sure that If they are faithful
to Him He Will see to them, as He said and
is still saying in Math. vi. 49, that il we
make His kingdom and His righteousness our
first concern He will see that we have food
and raiment. Neither are we to give time
and thought to the fashionable formalities of
life. but let dead people see to dead things
duke tx, COY. Let the dead in sins give
their time to the things that are not Of God,
but let those who have life in Christ be
wholly for Him and the things of His king
dom.
5. "And into whatsoever house We enter
first say. Peace be to this house" He who
sent them was the Prince of Peace Elsa. tx,
g.. When He came as babe in Bethlehem,
the angels sang, "Glory to God in the high
est, and on earth peace" duke H., 14).
When He stood in the midst OF them the first
night after the resurrection, His greeting
was ';peaee be unto YOU Iuke xiv. 36).
and His last gift to them before He died was
His peace John xiv. 2D.
6. And il the Son of Peace be there
your peace shall rest upon it; II not. it shall
turn to you again. Jesus has made peace
through the blood Of His cross. and all who
are far off and without God and hope may be
made nigh through Him who is ready and
willing to be their peace (Col. J., 20; Eph. IL,
13. 14). 1t is the high privilege Of every be-
lever to 60 forth in His name or send forth,
preaching peace by Jesus Christ and pro-
claiming in His name the forgiveness OF sins
to all who will receive Him (Acts ", 36;
Kill. 38, 39). 1t Is ours to make the procla-
nation; It is His to see to the results. The
preachers will be unto God sweet SAVIOR OF
Christ. in them that are saved and in them
that perish GI Cor. H., 15). We can offer
Christ to all; that is our part. God will out
Of those who are called complete the body OF
Christ.
7. And in the same house remain, eating
and drinking such things as they give, for
the laborer Is worthy Of his hire. 60 not
from house to house." 1t is all right to go
from house to house preaching the word as
Paul did (Acts Ky, 20), but it Is not the mind
of Christ to roam from house to house for
the sake of eating and drinking, for 1.-The
kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but
Ghost" rom. XIV, ID. Man shall not live
by bread alone. but by every word Of God
duke iv.. y, and it is possible to esteem the
words of His mouth more than our daily
food Job xiii, 12). John the Baptist was
content with locusts and wild honey. and
when the food of Jesus Himself is mentioned
We read only bread and fish and honey-comb.
s. And into whatsoever city ye enter, and
they receive you, eat such things as are set
before you." No such thing as asking help
from those who will not receive you. What
strange sight it is! I might safely say,
what monstrous thing, what dishonor to
God. to see the children of God going to
those who are the enemies of God for help to
carry on the work OF God!
g. And heal the sick that are therein and
say unto them, the kingdom Of God is come
nigh unto you." Instead of going as beg
gars, they were to so as royal givers. giving
health and peace and Joy to all who were
willing to receive them. God gave His Son;
the Son gave Himself; both have given the
spirit the Trinity give us all things richly to
enjoy and commission US to go in the mighty
name of Jesus and be the almoners Of their
bounties to all whom we can reach, not ask
ing gifts from men. but bestowing the riches
Of Gods grace upon all men. While Jesus
was personally on earth the kingdom was
nigh, even in the midst Of them in the person
Of the King, but rejecting Him they have de-
layed the kingdom. Lesson Helper.