The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-02-06
SABBATH SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
FEBRUARY 10. -
Lesson Text: "Christ and the Chill
dren," Matt. xviii. l. 1-14-Golden
Matt. xviii, 14-Com-
mentary.

... mentary.
1. "At the same time came the disciples
unto Jesus, saying, Who Is the greatest In
the kingdom of heaYen?" After the trans
fguration Jesus cast demon out of child.
foretold again His death and resurrection
and wrought miracle to pay the tribute
money for Himself and Peter. Then follow
the incidents OF to-day's lesson. This was
not the only time that the twelve or por-
ton of them talked OF greatness In the king
dom. ...
2. Sand Jesus called o little child unto
Him and sat him In the midst of them" The
little child was not afraid to come to stran-
ger. There must have been something win
some about Jesus that drewthe children and
the simple minde1. How could II be other
wise? Object lesson teaching Is the very
Oldest kind, for God began to teach this In
the garden Of Eden BY the tree Of life, the
cherubim, the sword and the coats OF skins.
3. Sand said, Verify say unto you except
ye be converted and become as little children
We shall not enter into the kingdom OF
heaven" The first thing Is not position In
the kingdom, but the qualification to enter
the kingdom, land therefore the Lord said to
Nicodemus that even he, good. moral, rellg-
1ous man. must be born above, born of water
and the Spirit, ere he could see or enter the
kingdom Of God CJohn ILL.,, $50.
4. "Whosoever, therefore, shall humble
himself as this little child, the sameis greatest
in the kingdom of heaven" The child came
when called and yielded itself to Jesus for
HIS pleasure without saying. won't /! or,
What for? or. What will you give me? 1t
had no requests nor preierments, but was
content to be in Jesus's hands and dealt with
as he might please. Happy child! Let US
be like Htm-just so let thy Father do what
He will, just to know that He is true and be
still. ' II.
s. "And whose shall receive one such
little chld in My name receiveth Me-" AS
soon as we come to Jesus and In simplicity
receive Him We become children of God
(Jobn j., 12) and members of the body Of
Christ CEpb. ", 3O). 1t is as ifHe said to the
Father concerning each one, "Receiye him
as Myself, and If he oweth ought put that
to Ny account" Phil. IT, 18).
6. "But whose shall offend one Of these
little oles which believe in Ne 1t were better
for him that milestone were hanged about
his neck. and that he were drowned In the
depth Of the sea-" As truly as Jesus appre-
ciates and will reward every good thing
done to His redeemed, so surely will he pun
ish every evil thing done TO them CMath.
XIV, 46) or every good left undone.
z. "Woe unto the world because OF Of
lenses, for 1t must needs be that offenses
come, but woe to that man BY whom the Of
Tense cometb." There are stumbling blocks,
many, both in the church and out of 1t, and
there are many temptations to be offended,
but Jesus said elsewhere that though we
should be put out OF the synagogue or even
slain for His sake we must not be offended
(John xvi, 1. q. It Is q privilege to suffer
with Him and for His sake.
8. "Wherefore II thy hand or thy foot Of
fend thee, cut them off and cast them from
thee. It is better for thee to enter into life
halt or MANNED rather than having two
hands or two feet to be cast Into everlasting
fire." There is fire, and It is as everlasting
as life. It was prepared for the devil and
bis angels (Math. XIV, 41), but whosoever
does not have his name In the book OF LIE
shall be cast therein (Rev. TX, Is xxi, 81.
9. Sand II thine eye offend thee pluck it
out and cast 1t from thee. It Is better Tor
thee to enter into life with one eye rather
thap, having two eyes, to be cast into hell
fire." The Lord Jesus who made these bodies
and knows better than anyone else the I'M
portance Of each member says plainly that,
II the losing OF q hand or foot or an eye
could be the means OF causing us to escape
hell fire, it would be better far to lose that
member than to keep 1t and let 1t lead Us
the fire is not quenched mark k, R-4S.
10. '"Take heed that ye 6espise not one Ct
these little, ones, for 1 say unto you that In
heaven their angels do always behold the face
OF My Father, which is In heaven" How
ever poor and unlearned may be the messen-
ger who shall warn you to dee from the wrath
TO come, despise him not. his guardian an
gels are In constant communication with
heaven (Heb. H., 15), and II We despise the
messenger we despise the Lord Jesus, whom
he represents (LuEe T.. 16).
II. "For the Son of Man Is come to save
that which was lost" The Lord Jesus would
not have come from heaven and suffered
Tor cur sins IL we could have been saved
Without Him, but knowing the realities OF
hell and the awful torment awaiting the lost
He endured all things which He suffered
to saYe the lost, The sailor boy had more
Of His spiclt than many have to-day when ne
would not be shut up, but kept at the people
til they were compelled by Gods spirit to
listen. y .. - '.
12. "How think YEP II man have hun
dred sheep, and one of them be gone astray,
doth he not leave the ninety and nine and
goeth into the mountains and seeketh that
which is gone astray?' Going astray is more
serious business In the Lords eyes than In
ours. ...
lo. 'ApQ, IL 30 De tnat n6 nnQ II. verify 1
say unto you he rejoiceth more OF that sheep
than of the ninety and nine which went not
astray." How can we who have been led to
receive Jesus realize more fully what we
have been saved from and the cost Of our
salvation, that so we may be more truly
grateful 10 Him who has saved US and de-
vote ourselves more fully to Him that
through Us He may save others? Let US
earnestly ask Him to be more filed with his
spirit to this end, and as we read Of the tor
ments of the finally impenitent believe that
God means what he says then surely we
shall greatly rejoice over one soul saved.
IA. Gwen so it Is not the will OF your
Father which is in heaven that one OF these
little ores should perish" 1t is plainly
written that "God is not willing that any
should perish. but that all should come to
repentance" QI Pet. ill.,, 81. In Eek.
xxxiii.. II, 1t is written "As live, saith the
Lord God. have no pleasure in the death
of the wicked" John. ILL.,, 16, shows the
provision de has made for all, and John vi,
81, says that none will be cast out who
come. while John L, %, says that having
received eternal life it Is impossible that any
power can pluck them out of His hand. Let
us see to it, then, that We are wholly IN
Jesus's hanus for the salvation OF the LOST
and by His grace kept from being
stumbling Diock TO any.-Lesson Helper.