The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1904-05-03
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON VI, SECOND QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, MAY 8.

Text of the lesson, Luke xii, 35-4S.
Memory Verses, 4, 2-Golden Text,
Luke xii, 37-Commentary Prepared
by rev. ID. Nj. stearns.
Copyright, 1904. BY American Press Association
There is vast amount of religion or
righteousness which is not real. 1t is
merely outward form, like the chaff
which has the form OF the wheat, but
there Is nothing within. The scribes
and the Pharisees of our Lords time
had an abundance of that kind, and He
called them hypocrites, those who play
q part, like actors on stage. In Matt
xiii he so called them seven times,
and in the first verse of our lesson
chapter He said, Beware We of the
ieaven of the Pharisees, which is by
pocrisy." Leayen in Scripture is in
variably something evil, corrupt and
corrupting. Even In Matt. xiii and
parallel passages it refers to the corr
rupted food of the church in this pres
ent age called the mystery of the king
dom, the teaching which, according to
the last part of our lesson, encourages
those who profess to be servants, but
scott at the coming Of Christ and min
gle with the world.
A true child of God and servant Of
Christ is heartily with Him., hears
| the word of God and keeps it, has a
single eye to the glory of God, lays up
treasure in heaven, in all things seeks
the kingdom, has no anxiety about tenn
poral affairs and no fear of DEATH The
man of the world and the hypocrite, on
the contrary, are always seeking more
of this world and living unto them
selves. See chapter XII (23, 2S, 34) and
the portion Of chapter xii up to where
our lesson begins
AS the redeemed Of the Lord, risen
with Christ our affections are there
where He is, at the right hand Of God.
| We believe that our life is hid with
Christ in God, that He has given us
! His kingdom and glory and that we
are here as His witnesses to testify of
His grace and show forth His praises,
ministers of Christ and stewards of the
mysteries of God (Col. Iii, 1-3; Thess.
ii, II; / Pet. ii, o; Cor. Nv, p. AS such
we are decidedly not Of this world, but
with loins girded and lights burning
we wait for our Lord from heaven
waiting for the coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ serving the living and
true God and waiting for His Son
from heaven q Cor. |, 7; Thess. /,
8, 1O). See also Pet /, IS.
In verses 81 and 38 of our lesson the
attitude is not only waiting, but watch
| ing that Is, expecting, for we will not
be apt to watch for what we do not ex-
pect 1t is written In Heb. x, ~, 10,
that after the Lord Jesus had offered
one sacrifice for sins forever He sat
down on the right hand Of God, from
henceforth expecting till His enemies
be made His footstool. In Rom. viii,
1928, not only the whole creation, but
believers also who have the first fruits
of the spirit, are said 10 be waiting
eagerly and grooming for that redemp-
ton time when He shall come again.
We must note the difference between
| His teaching to Israel in the gospels and
the teaching to the church in the epis-
| ties concerning His coming again. In
| the gospels it is generally His coming
in glory, as in the Old Testament, with
special reference to Israel and the ma
lions, but in the epistles it is His COM
| ing to the air for His church (he first
stage of His coming, or, if it is the
last stage, His coming in glory, then
the church is represented as coming
with Him. Verse SO of our lesson can
not be message for the church except
in so far as the waiting" is concern
ed. for when our Lord returns from the
wedding the church will be with Him.
The last part of our lesson is devoted
to the faithful and wise steward or
the opposite, and the matter of person
al responsibility is set forth. -Four
times we have the phrase ''that sery-
ant" referring both to real servants
and to hypocrites whose portion will
be with unbelieyers. The wise servant
is exemplified in the five wise virgins
of Matt. XIV. and the faithful servant
| is seen in the men with the five and the
two talents in the same chapter and in
the men whose pounds gained ten and
five pounds in Luke xix. The faithful
servant is not only rewarded, but who
can tell how much is included in the
words ruler over all that he hath?'
Verse 44) We cannot but think of
with me in my throne" and eve shall
reign on the earth" (Rey. Iii. 81; V, 10l.
That which our Lord gives us He ex-
poets us to use faithfully in His serv-
ice. giving the gospel TO every creature
and rightly dividing the word of truth
to His redeemed, keeping in view that
we must render an account of our
stewardship. He wants people rooted
and grounded in love. rooted and built
up In Him and established in the faith
(Eph. Iii, II; Col. H. y. and this can be
accomplished only by the word Of God
faithfully ministered by the Holy Spir-
ii through His servants. Dreadful will
be the loss of those who have given
stones for bread. things intellectual
and ethical instead of meat in due sea.
son. The stripes will be In proportion
to knowledge and opportunity abused.
The servant who is cast out with I'M
believers never was true servant. but
one like Judas Iscariot, who was only
of the number Of the twelve, for true
child Of God can never perish (John X.