The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-03-22
THE SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR MARCH rs.

my Sneop hoco my VOICE. anu huo"
Them, and They Follow Me-" John T.,
27-Commentaryb by Rev. d. NJ. stearns
LESSON I.-Chrlst the True Light John
l., 1-l4). Golden Text, John l., 4, SIN Him
was life, and the life was the light OF
men," Three Of the leading words in this
gospel and also in Johns epistles are light,
We are all naturally darkness, but He so
loved US that He gave Himself for US and
gives Himself to US, and when we receive
Him He becomes to US both life and light.
Inasmuch as He Is the Creator OF oil things
how great Is the life and light
LESSON II.-Christ's First D Disclples John
l., 95-46). Golden Text, John l., 36, "Be.
hold the Lamb OF God" He remained on
earth till He had finished the work the
Father gave Him to do, the great work OF
atonement, and by His life had shown US
the life men ought to live. Now He wants
all the time till He shall come again those
/ who will not only let Him save them, but
who will follow fully In His steps and let
Him reproduce In them by His Spirit His
| own life to the glory Of God.
LESSON III.-Chrlst's First Miracle (John
H., Lily. Golden Text, John H., II, "And
His disciples believed on Him." At this
| feast and by this miracle He manifested
| forth His glory. He always encourages
His disciples to patience and faitafulness
by thoughts and glimpses OF His glory.
Consider and sac how He did this In the
case OF Abraham and Jacob, Moses and
Joshua, Isaiah, Ezekiel and Daniel, Peter,
| James and John and Saul OF Tar5us.
LESSON IV.-Christ and Nicodemus (John
Ill.,, 1-16). Golden Text, John ILL.,, 16,
"For God SO loved the world that He
gave His only begotten Son, that whose
ever believeth in Him should not perish,
but have everlasting life." No natural
man, however moral or religious, can un-
derstand the things OF God. He must first
receive a nature capable OF understanding
these things. he must be born from above.
LESSON V.-Chrlst at Jacobs Well (John
w., 5-15). Golden Text, John w., IA,
'Whosoever drinketh OF the water that
shall give him shalI never thirst" While
religious, moral people must be born
again sinners SUCH as this woman may be
born again. Even Samarltans may come.
All may receive the living water which
will be we'll In them ever satisfying and
flowing forth to bless others.
LESSON VI.-The Nobleman's Son Healed
(John w., 1855. Golden Text, John w.,
IS, "Jesus said unto him, Thy son ltveth.
And himself believed and his whole house"
In each chapter the way OF life and OF dis
cipleshIp Is set forth as believing, and IN
this lesson It Is believing without seeing or
feeling, inst believing His word because it
LESSON VII.-Christ's Divine Authority
(John ", 17.27). Golden Text, John w.,
AZ. .'Tbis is indeed the Christ, the Saviour
OF the world" In the last lesson dying
boy was healed, now 1t Is helpless man
who had been suffering for thirty-eight
wears, but It Is the same all powerful word
that docs 1t, the word by which all things
were created. All things were created oy
Him and for Him. He only knoweth the
Father, and He alone can reveal tne tne
Father. All judgment has been committed
to Him and likewise oil power.
LESSON vIIl.-Christ Feeding the Five
Thousand CJohn vi. 1-1D. Golden Text,
John yl., IS, .I am the Bread OF Life" He
Ia Ell Shaddai (Gen. xviii, y. the mighty
God, who Is all sufficient. He needs no
advice from US, nor any help. He Will let
US be His fellow laborers, but the work and
all provision for 1t and all the glory OF 1t
are wholly His. he can work entirely
apart from US, or He may take What We
have and bless and multiply It.
LESSON IX.-Chrlst at the Feast lJohn
vii, "A, 2S-37). Golden Text, John vli., 81,
III any man thirst, let him come unto Me
and drink" Bread and water represent
that which our bodies need for sustenance,
and one OF the great promises Is, Bread
shall be given him, his waters shall pc
sure" Elsa. xxxiii., 16). While we would
not think much OF such diet 1t Is sugges'
tive OF all our needs, and all that need Is
met In Him who Is the living bread and the
fountain OF living waters. The Jews kept
the feast: but knew Him not. We may be
/ very religious, but 1t Is Himself alone and
not ordinances that can satisfy. Paul took
pleasure and glorifed In inflrmities that
the wonderful power Of Christ might rest
upon him III Cor. Kill, 9-10)., All that God
does Is that His dear Son may be glorihed,
and when We receive and worship Him ana
honor Him God Is we'll pleased for the tes-
timony. The Christian must be ready to
spend and be spent. .,
(John yiii., 12, 31-36). Golden Text. John
Witt, 36. "If the Son therefore shall make
YOU free, ye shall be free indeed" Those
who think they are all right may, like these
self righteous Pharisees, be all wrong. III
q nan think himself to be something when
he is nothing, he decelEeth himself. These
blind Pharlsees were sinners and did NOT
know it. The poor woman was sinner
and knew it. A sense OF sin is necessary
before one can enjoy the forgiveness OF
LESSON XI.-Christ Healing the Blind
Man John ix., 1-11). Golden Text, John
tx. 25, zone thing I know. that whereas I!
was blind, now see" Not only do oil
things work together for good to them that
love God, but all things, all events, oil or
oumstances give God an occasion to WORK.
The blind and lame, the deaf and dumb,
the sick and dying, weak and the inhrn.
all give the Lord an opportunity either 10
be gloriaed in healing them or In maniIest-
Ing special grace by showing forth IN thelr
infirmities His meekness and patience un,
der trial, for the ornament OF meek and
quiet spirit Is In the sight of God OF great
price q Pet. ILL.,, A.: ,
LESSON XII.-Christ, the Good Shepherd
John T., 1-16). Golden Text, John z, II,
HI am the Good Shepherd, the Good Shep-
herd giveth His life for the sheep" IN no
sense q hirelIng, never seeking His own
will. nor His own glory, but always the
glory OF His Father and the good o; men,
Tor men and women are the sheep OF His
pasture, and children are his lambs whom
he gathers with His arm and carries IN
His bosom (Ps. c., 8; lisa. xl., 1D. when
we are willing to forget and deny sell and
live only for Him and for others, we Will
prove In our daily life that We have His
Spirit. All self seeking and self pleasing,
are contrary to His Spirit. We are saved
BY beholdlng Him, We grow by continuing
to behold Him, and We shall be IKE Him
when we see Him as He is (John l., ~, S6i
II Cor. ILL.,, 18; I John ill.,, O.-Lesson
Helper.