Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-04-29
for the Au,ae Circle.
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON VI, SECOND QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, MAY 10.

Text of the Lesson, Luke xviii, 9-17-Mem-
ory Verses, 15-17-Golden Text, Luke
xviii. 1s-c9mmsntary by the Rev. D. NJ
stearns,
This Is called lesson on prayer, but 1t
might be better called lesson on how to
enter the kingdom of God. The kingdom
Is mentioned at least seven or oight times
in this chapter and tho last part of the pre-
oeding one. The Pharisees were told that
1t was among them or In their midst, not
within them (chapter xvii, 81, margin or
R. w, for 1t could not in any sense be IN
such Christ haters as they wero, but 1t was
In their very midst, In the person OF the
King, whom they were Watching their op.
portunity to kill. Chapter xviii, in which
our lesson Is, tells US who can and who can.
not enter this kingdom, which is yet to
be set up on this earth. Self righteous
Pharisees and rich idolaters, however
moral, and all who love this present world
cannot enter this. kingdom, but helpless
blind begaars- and suoh as have the spirit
Of fittle child, they can enter. The condi-
ton Of things on earth will become moro
and more like the days Of Noah and Of Lot
till the Son Of Man shall come.
9. "And He spake this parable unto GER
tain which trusted in themselves that they
were righteous and despised others" The
previous part of the chapter speaks Of the
coming Of the Son Of Man rs time when
God shall avenge His own elect-that is,
His elect Israel, for His elect church does
not cry for vengeance, but the redemption
of Israel is always associated with vengo-
anoe upon her enemies Elsa. xxxiv, g.;
111v, 4; xiii, ~. In worse 8 Ho asks If
there shall be any faith on earth or the
faith when this time comes. The church
having been taken to meet her Lord before
He comes to avenge His elect Israel, it will
be dark time. There will be many trust
ing in their own Righteousness, but there
will also be an afflicted and poor people
who will trust in the Lord (Zeph. Ill, 12).
10. "Two men went up into tho temple
to pray, the one Pharisee and the other
publican" The Pharisees trusted In
their own Righteousness. 1t is written Of
them in Rom. Z, 8, that being ignorant Of
Gods righteousness, and going about to
establish their own righteousness, they did
not submit themselves unto the righteous
ness Of God. Our Lord said to them that
they would see A Abraham, Isaac and Jacob,
all the prophets and many from north,
south, east and west In the kingdom Of
God, but they themselves thrust out (Luke
xiii, 90, 29). He also said that unless one
had more righteousness than that Of the
scribes and Pharisees 1t would be impos-
sible to enter the kingdom (Math. v, 20).
II, 10. This is the rooord Of the Phari-
sees so called prayer, as given by Him who
reads our hearts, whose eyes arc as flame
of fire. There Is not one petition in 1t. He
did not ask God for simple thing, but
just told God what good fellow he was
in his own estimation and how thankful
no was for 1t. He mentioned four things
that he did not do and two things that he
did. There were thus just six things In
his little talk with God about himself,
and six is the number of man, rs 666 Is
the number Of the beast, the man who
will be satan incarnate. There was no
humility, no sense Of sin, no knowledge
Of God nor of himself, yet he thought that
ho prayed, and no doubt won't away feel
ing we'll pleased with himself He Is q
picture Of multitudes of religious people
today who attend church regularly, but
are no more saved than he was. In their
own estimation they ar0 not sinners, never
were. They were born children Of God by
natural birth, or II not then, they think 1t
was all made sure by infant baptism, and
now they can tell you Of what they are
glad they are not, and OF some good things
which they do, and vainly think that all
is we'll. They arc followers Of Cain, who
despised Gods way and loved his own.
IS. "God be merciful to me a sinner"
This is tho substance Of the prayer Of the
poor despised publican who would not lift
up 30 much as his eyes to heaven, but
smote upon O truly contrite breast, as he
stood afar off and uttered these words
from his heart. He had no Righteousness,
and he knew 1t, but ho had plenty Of sin,
and he knew that too. He needed mercy,
and be asked for it, and he pleaded moth
ing but his sin and Gods redemption.
His prayer might be rendered, "God be
propitious to me, or "be reconciled to ne
because of atonement." He like right
eous Abel, acknowledged his sin and
looked to a sacrifice.
IA. II tell you this man went down to
his house justified" The man who want
ed nothing and asked for nothing received
nothing and went back to his house a
poor, self righteous, lost soul, but the
penitent publican who confessed his sin
and asked for mercy received mercy and
was instantly justified from all things
from which he could not be justified by
L. % h,,& Hn III, - ho1 1o,
can be justified. But the Righteousness
Of God, even Christ Himself and all His
merits, is freely given to every penitent
sinner who comes to Him (Acts xiii, 81,
80; Rom. Ill, 1924; <, 4; II Cor. v, 21).
Is. And they brought unto Him also
infants that He would touch them, but
when the disciples saw 1t they rebuked
them" The disciples did not know Him
even though they dwelt with Him. Even
James and John had to be reproved moro
than once, and the night before He was
cruoifed He had to say to another, Have
! been so long time with you, and yet hast
thou not known me, PhilipW All Of
them seemed to consure Mary's apparent
waste of precious ointment, but Jesus re-
buked them and commended her. We
need fear no ones oensure If only we have
His approval Therefore let US covet that
above all things.
16. But Jesus called them unto Him
and said, Suffer little children to come
unto me and forbid thom not, for Of such
is the kingdom Of God" 1t Is not their
innocence He refers to, for all are born In
sin, but they are helpers, dependent,
empty, self unconscious, conflding, cling
ing. They are not wise and prudent,
like the Pharisees, but thoy are utterly
helpless, like the publicans, and the leper,
and the blind men. The heirs Of the king
dom are such as these. Their need Is
their strongest plea, and the great heart
of compassion opens to them. See some
of the precious words to all who, by faith
In Christ Josus, have become Gods true