The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-03-11
SABBATH SCHOOL,
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOk
MARCH 8.
Lesson Text: "True Love to ones
Neighbor." Luke K, 25-o'-
Golden Text: Luke K, ~
Commentary.


25. "And, behold O certain lawyer stoou
up and tempted Him. saying, Master, "na'
shall do to inherit eternal life?" ThrouSn.
out the whole Bible we see on the one manu-
the love and grace of God. aud on the otner
the perverseness and sinfulness OF man. III
the Intervening verses between this lesson
and the last one we see Jesus, God manifest
in the flesh, steadfastly setting His lace To-
ward Jerusnlem to die, sending messengers
before Him to preach the kingdom and 20
heal the sick, rejoicing in spirit that babes
see what wise men cannot. and ever bearing
with the self life that remains even In H'5
disciples. We see. on the other hand, the
unsavec resisting Him and the saved follow
Ing Him so imperfectly. And now we have
In the LAWYER a sample OF the wise and pru.
dent, and in Mary a sample OF the babes OF
verse 81.
26. ':He said unto him, What is written in
the law2 how readest thou?' One OF tue
earliest recorded utterances OF Christ Is that
threefold cit IS written" of Muth. iy.. 4, Z.
10. each time fIom the fifth book OF the law.
There is no, light on things spiritual, heaven
ly and eternal apart from Him who Is the
Word OF God. and the written word which
snaaks OF Him Elsa. viii. 90 X. " Luxe ",
22). ,.
II. "And He answering sRid, Thou shalt
love the Lord thy God with all tiny neart:
etc. Jesus did not ask What thlnkest tnou!
or CHOW do you explain!' but SIMPLY aSkeo
fer quotation from Scripture, ana lhe iaw-
YER gave Him promptly correct quotation
from Deut. VI. 5. and Lev. xix, IL, and IN
these words q correct and concise summary
of the law, for love is the fulfilling OF the law
(Rom. xiii, 10). This must mean whole
hearted love to God and to man such as was
never fully seen on enrth except in the Lord
Jesus Christ Himself He Is the end OF the
law for righteousness to every believer.
%. .."And BE said unto him. Thou hast an,
swered right; this do. and thon shalt i've.
he wanted to do something to inherit eter-
nal life, and here Is his task, this and moth
ing short OF it, perfect loveto God and to his
neiphbor. There must be no failure in any
point or at any time. for "whosoever shall
keep the whole law and yet offend In ono
point. he is guilty Of aW (Jas. H., 10). 1t
must be God first and whole heartediy In
every detail OF life, and your neighbor rs
yourself all the time, or else all is failure.
30, "But he, willing to justify himself. said
unto Jesus, And who is my neighbor?" We
are either justifyiDg self and condemninG
God, or justifying God aud condemning self
oil the time. Most people are willing to DO
the former, because to do the latter Is very
Illuminating 10 Ssll tuu SCH ID dpl w ~ WI
proud. Sec chapter xvi, 10.
80. "And Jesus answering said. A certain
man went down from Jerusalem TO jericho.
From the city OF peace TO the city OF palm
trees (Heb. vii, 9; Deut. xxxiv.. -, from tho
cit, of cruciiixion (Rev. XII, 81 to the city OF
earthly comfort and rebellion against God.
is surely a spiritual down grade and Will
bring ones soul into the hands OF thieves,
who, If they do not actually take ones lie,
will surely take away muca that ougnt 10 Do
given to our rlghtful King and Redeemer.
81. "Aud by chance there came down a
certain priest that way. and when be saw
him he passed by on the other side" Apply
John ILL.,, 16, II, to this priest and then to
Yourself II necessary and answer to God tho
question. See also Nal. H., 7, and consider
what a strange messenger OF the LORD o!
Hosts this priest was Are You better one:
More after the Lord 8 own hearth 1t Is easier
to the flesh not to see trouble, or II seen to
pass BY on the orher side. but 1t Is not loving
your neighbor as yourself.
32. "And likewise Il Levite passed ny on
the other side" The Layites were separated
to stand before the Lord, minister unto Him
and bless In His name (Deut X. 81. Con-
slider this Levite ia the light Of that fact. In
Mol. H., 6, the Lord says OF Levi. HE walked
with Me-" IT this LevIte had been walking
with God that day he would have had COM
passion upon the poor man i'll trouble.
SO. but q certain Samaritan, rs ho
iourneyed, came where he was, and Waen
he saw him he hud compassion. The priest
and Leyite were On the downward roan, like
the one who fell among the thieves. He was
half dead as to his body, but they appear to
be wholly dead as 10 amy heart oi compass
sion. This Samaritan may hive been on his
way up to Jerusalem, for his conduct Ger
tainly Indicates an upward tendency. HOW
like Christ in His coming to tho one IN
trouble and having compassion upon him.
81. brought him to an inn and took care
of him." See now he gave his time, skill,
oil and wine, beast. care. money anu his
promise. Well has one said, "What seVep
hued rainbow Of mercy" Jesus is surely
showing to this lawyer the love OF God as
manifested in His own life, that the lawyer
may see what real love is and how and to
whom it is to bu manifested. Blessed de-
spised One! On. to know Thee better and be
more like Thee.
35. "Tako care Of him, aud whatsoever
thou spendest more. when 1 come again l
will repay thee" II lie would have people
take care of people. how much more will He
take caro- of His own. y fearful heart, do
believe that "He careth for you q Pct. ",
~ If He by you would care for others,
cheerfully let Him use you. and your time
and your skill. ii He has given you any. ami
your money and be content to wait till De
comes again for your full reward, Of which
all present Joy is but foretaste (Luke xiv,
IL Rev. xii. 12).
Sc. which now of these three. thinkest
thou, was netghbor unto him that fell among
the thieves2" The lawyer asked where ho
might find his neighbors, but Jesus who read
mis- heart and would hold him to his first
question. taught him how to be a neighbor,
as we'll as where to find his neighbors. Notice
how Jesus always makes him answerh his owA
question. What q skillful teacher!
81. And he said, H. TINT showed mere:
on him. Then said Jesus unto him. Go, and
do thou likewise" The cnly way to obtain
eternal life Is to recsiye Him who Is The
Life (John j., %: Rom. W., %; John ' +,
12). All commands to do, or TO keep tn,
law, are intended to humble US. to shut our
mouths, to make us see that all our righteous
nesses are only as filthy rags (Bom. ill.,. T.;
Lsa. XIV, 81; that so We may cease our vai
doings to obtain life, accept Him who waits
to become our life and our Righteousness.
and then let Him live out His life through
us to the glory Of God III Cor w., 10. IL;