The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1904-05-06
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON VI, SECOND QUARTER, INTER
NATIONAL SERIES, MAY 8.
Text az the Lesson, Luke xif, 35-4S.
Memory Verses, 4, 1-Golden Text.
Luke xif, 37-Commentary Prepared
by Rev. ID. VI. Stearns.

Memory Verses, 4, z-GOlden Text,
Lake Eli, 37-Commentary Prepared
BY Rev. ID. VI. Stesrns.
[Copyrisht. 1904. by American Press Association
There is n vast amount OF religion or
righteousness which In not real. Ii 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
part, like actors on a 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
leaven of the Pharisees, which il hy
pocrisy." Leaven in Scripture is in
variably something evil, corrupt and
corrupting Even in Matt. xiii and
parallel passages il refers TO the cor
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
scoff 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 il, 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 C23, -. 3+) 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 or
His grace and show forth His praises,
ministers of Christ and stewards Of the
mysteries of God (Col. i'll. 1-3; Thess
IL, -; Pet H. 8; l Cor. iv, y. 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 Il Cor. |, Z; Thess. l,
8, 10). See also | Pet. 1. ID.
In verses 81 and SO 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, II, 13.
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,
1923. not only the whole creation, but
believers also who have the first fruits
of the spirit are said to be waiting
eagerly and grooming for that redemp-
ton time when He shall come again.
We must note the difference between
His teaching 10 Israel i'm the gospels and
the teaching to the church in the epis-
ties concerning His coming again. In
the gospels il is generally His coming
in glory. as in the Old Testament, with
special reference TO Israel and the ma
tons. but in the epistleS il is His COM
ing to the air for His church (the first
stage OF His comingl. or. If ii 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- a message for the church except
in so far "a 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 serv-
ant" referring both to real servants
and to hypocrites whose portion will
be with unbelievers. The wise servant
is exemplied in the five wise virgins
OF Matt. ky, 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
Ave pounds In Luke xix. The faithful
servant is not only rewarded but who
can tell how much is included in. the