The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1900-05-03

THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson In the international Series fer
May Q, 1OOO-Jesus Warning
aad Inviting.

THE LESSON TEXT.
Matthew 1l:20-s0)
%. Then began He to vpbraid the cities
wherein most Of His mighty works were
done. because they repented not.
r. Woe unto thee, Choraxin! woe unto
tnee, Bethsaida! for II the mighty works.
which were done In you. had bees done In
Tyre and Sidon, they would have re-
pointed long ago In sackcloth and ashes.
e. But say unto you. 1t shall be more
tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day OF
judgment. than for you. pi. s'
q. And thou, Capernaum, which are ex-
alted unto Heaven. shalt be brought down
to hell: for II the mighty works. wnicn
have been done In thee. had been done IN
sodom. II would have remained until this
day.
a. But I say unto you. That 1t shall oe
more tolerable for the land of Sodom In
the day Of judgment. than for thee.
rs. At that time Jesus answered and
said, I thank Thee. o Father. Lord OF
Heaven and earth. because Thou hast hid
these things from the wise and prudent
and hast revealed them unto babes.
g. Even SO. Father: for SO 1t seemed
good in Thy sight.
N All things are delivered unto me OF
nav Father: and no man knoweth the Son,
hut the Father; neither knoweth any man
the Father, save the Son, and he tC
whomsocver the Son will reveal Him.
2s. Come unto me. all ye that labor and
are heavy laden, and ] will give you rest
90. Take my yoke upon you. and learn oil
me; for | am meek and lowiy In heart'
and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
30. For my yoke Is easy ana my ouroen
is light ~
GOLDEN TEXT.-Come unto me, all ye
that labor and are heavy laden, and Will
give Won rest-Matt. ll:S.
NOTES AND COMMENTS.
This lesson follows closely upon TIE
last lesson, and indeed the passage IL
in relation to the same incidvnt. Mat
thew's record of the conversation OF
the disciples of John with Jesus closes
with Matthew 1l:l4, but Jesus adds.
and very appropriately: He that hath
ears to hear, let him hear" 1t is with
this verse that the present lesson really
begins. But the Master speaks now
not so much of the work of John as OF
His own.
In reading !he passage, note:
Arrangement of Generation......vs l5-l.
Araignment of Galilean Cities .....Vs. W.
Jesus expresses Il Great Truth. ....vs. d.,
The Invitation of Jesus. .............Vs aS-o'
AITHlp vi h So
that hath ears to hear, let him hear:
One might think that such simple
thing need not be said, but many times
throughout the Gospels the same thing
is reiterated John had done notable
work; but few were affected. John had
preached great sermons; many heard
and applauded or criticised, but few
needed John was the messenger OF
the long-promised Messiah, voice
in the wilderness and sent to prepare
the way of the Lord and to make His
paths straight; and yet the people had
but little prepared their hearts for the
Redeemer. The people Jesus likens to
children. Their attention is fixed
upon trifles, and the things of God are
| neglected. Johns warning and Jesus
invitations are unheeded, and they &c
on piping and fussing.
Arrangement of Galilean Cities.-Bu'
Jesus was not content with this gen
cral warning. He makes it specific, and
| applies it to the cities, towns and vii
| lages near which He is at this time
| He mentions Chorazin. Bethsaida ant
| Capernaum. These three towns are &
little group at the head of the lake o1
Galilee. They are not probably picke6
out because of their special wicked
ness, but more likely because his hear
| ers had their homes in them. II
brought the application of His trutl
| very close to them. What was the fail
ing, the sin, of these people? 1t was
| the refusal to repent. If" Jesu.
says, 1.-THE mighty works. which were
| done in YOU, had been done in Tyre ant
Sidon, they would have repented Ions
ago in sackcloth and ashes" IF tn,
mighty works. which have been dom
in thee, had been done in Sodom, j
would have remained unto this day.
Verse "a clearly teaches that our re
sponsibility for right-doing increases
with our greater light. We are no
told that our responsibility is less i
we refuse to see the great light. Rattle
we are TO seek to the utmost to find on
what God wills. and then to act &C
cordingly. We may say that is not 81
much the light that actually gets int
our hearts, as the light we may hav
that gauges our responsibility.
Jesus Expresses Great Truth
Verses % to 27 do not seem, on littl
reflection, to be so much of a praye
as the form of expression would indi
| cate. but statement of fact. 1t i
true that in the prayers of Jesus man.
| a great truth has been uttered. Blu
here we have no indication that II
changed His attitude, or turned fror
addressing the people to speaking wit
Cod 1t was simply an appropriate
and impressive manner of stating
great principle. That principle is tina
il is not to the worldy-wise that Go
reveals His truth. God gives accordin
to the capacity of the receiver. If tn
things of this world crowd out n
thoughts of eternal matters. the
: there is no room for greater blessing
The things of God are revealed "unt
babes" This is not the same word @
children" in verse 16. There th
thought is of the needless. In the pre-
| ent connection it is the thought of I'll