The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1897-12-01
THE sabbath SCHOOL LESSON
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR DECEMyER $.

Lesson Text. "Christs Humility and Ex.
altation," Phil. H., 1-tt-Goidcn Text:
Phil. H., 5-Commentary ON the Les.
son by the Rev. DIR. ID. NJ. stearns.
I. 'If there be therefore any consolation
In Christ, II any comfort of love, II any fell
lowship of the Spirit, II any bowels and
mercies." Consolation here Is literally
zone called to your side." and comfort II
Zone speaking beside you" SO we might
read, "If there is anything in Christ being
ever with you and ever talking to you, and
In having the constant companionship and
guidance and teaching of the Holy Spirit,
IL there Is anything in the tenderness and
compassion Of the Father manifested In the
Son by the Spirit then let 1t be seen in you
to the glory OF God that Christ may be
magnined.'
minded, having the same love, being of one
accord, OF one mind" Oneness of the
members OF the body In the service of the
head is something greatly desired by our
blessed Lord, as is very manifest in His
prayer In John xviii. and II will also be the
great desire OF all who are fully one with
Him. Not only does He comfort us with
the assurance, "As the Father have loved
Me, so have loved you, "but lie also adds,
"This is My commandment, that We love
one another as have loved you" John
xv., Q, 12).
3. "Let nothing he done through strife
or vain glory, but in lowliness of mind let
each esteem other better than themselves"
Another reading is, "In nothing follow self
seeking" jeremiah said TO his scribe,
Bnruch: "Seekest though great things for
! thyselfP Seek them not" der. xvi, 81.
Although the whole land was Abrams
and not Lots, vet rather than have strife
Abram told Lot to take his choice and
| 90 whittier he would. When the Philis.
tines strove for the wells which Isaac had
reopened, Isaac did not resist, but kept on
| yielding until there was room for all and
the strife ceased (Gen. KILL. 3, .; XVI, 22).
4. Look not every man on his own
| things, but every man also on the things
of others" Not enviously. as some would
pervert 1t, but desiring the welfare of Others
ms much as or more than your own. Love
seeketh not her own II Cor. KILL, 81. Let
Episcopalians seek and rejoice In the well
tare of Methodists, and so Methodsts of
Baptists, Baptists of Presbyterans, and sc
one all uniting heartily to seek the honor
Of the Head in the completion of His body,
the church, which has no name but Christ
| Il Cor. xii, ~. 13).
b. Let this mind be in you, which was
also in Christ Jesus" IL any man have
not the Spirit of Christ, he Is none of His
CRom. Will, 81. Now, every penitent sin.
ner who truly receives Christ receives also
the Spirit OF Christ, but some are more
/
Spirit than others. 1t is the privilege of
every believer to be filed with the Spirit
(Eph. ", 18), and led by the Spirit and to
walk In the Spirit and when one is only
willing to have no will but the will of God,
no choice but Gods choice, no way but
Gods way, no service but what He APP
points. God will quickly flll that one with
His Spirit and continue to MI him day by
day and moment by moment.
| O. "Who, being In the form OF God
thought 1t not robbery to be equal with
God" Another reading Is, Deemed not
his equality with God thing to grasp at"
He was not always saying: 81 am God;
created all things; own the universe; ! do
as l please In heaven and on earth, and
therefore you must bow to Me, and IL you
don't will make you, for have all power"
Those who are always grasping at their
position as II they might lose 1t, or at least
some OF the honor belonging to 1t, are very
small people, or people of very small minds,
whatever their position may be.
7. but made Himself of no reputation,
and took upon Him the form OF a servant
and was made In the likeess OF man." He
took not ON Him the nature Of angels,
which would have been a very great hu.
initiation, but as the children are pattakers
Of flesh and blood, He also Himself like.
wise took part of the same (Heb. H.. A. 16).
He emptied Himself of the glory which He
had with the Father before the world was.
and consented to endure the limitations OF
mortal body for over thirty-three years
not only so, but he consented to endure
such limitation under the most limited OF
earthly conditions such as the manger mt
Bethlehem. the humble home and the car
penter's shop at Nazareth.
s. And being found In fashion as a man
He humbled Himself and be came obedient
unto death, even the death of the cross"
The Son OF Man came not to be ministered
unto, but to minister and give His life a
ransom for many (Math. xy., 2S). He
consented to be despised and slandered
and misunderstood, prosecuted, blind
folded, buffeted, spit upon, scourged, led as
n lamb to the slaughter, crucifed
y. Wherefore also God hath highly en-
alted Him and given Him name which Is
above every name" He is now Mt Gods
right hand, with the Father on His throne
(Rev. ILL.,, 2l), and In due time all kings
shall fall down before Him and all nations
serve Him (Pa. lxxii., III. By His work
and by that alone, which He has finished
without help from man, eternal life Is free
ly given to every one who receives Him,
and a share in His glory aud place on His
throne (Jobn xviii, %; Rev. ill.,, 2D.
10. "That at the name of Jesus every
knee should bow OF things in heaven, and
things in earth, and things under the
earth" And so 1t shall come to pass, for
God has purposed it. "The Lord of Hosts
hath sworn, saying, Surely as L have
thought so shall 1t come to pass, and as
have purposed, so shall 1t stand" Elsa. xiv,
24. John saw the consummatlon OF 1t In
his vision when he heard every creature
which is in heaven, and on the earth, aud
under the earth, and such as are in the
sea, and all that are In them, saying,
"Blessing and honor and glory and power
be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne,
and unto the Lamb forever and ever
(Rev. ", 13). There Is none other name
under heaven given among men whereby
we may be saved.
IL. "And that every tongue should con-
fess that Jesus Christ Is Lord, to the glory
of God the Father" 1t shall surely be,
to the everlasting comfort and bliss OF
some and to the everlasting woe of others.
Saved and unsaved shall all confess that
Jesus Christ Is Lord. The saved shall re-
joice In Him as their Lord, while the un.
saved shall have to confess Him rs Lord
to their everlasting confusion, but In each
God will be gIorlned. See III Cor. H., 10,
16. A good test AS to whether We are now
honorlng Him as Lord is seen In verse IA
OF our lesson chapter. II by the Spirit we
have confessed Him as our Lord and daily
do so, there can be In our lives no MUIR
muring or dlsputing, no strife or envy. He
a. 90