The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1905-03-09
The Slavery
of Sin
Sunday School Lesson for Mar. .l2.l90S
Specially Prepared for This Paper.
LEssoN rExr..-.1obn s.al.4o. Memorx

GOLDEN TEXT commit
teth sin is the servant Of sin John S:34.
TIME.-The Feast of Tabernacles, the
same occasion as last lesson.
PLACE.-Jerusalem in the Temple.
NOTE FOR THE TEACHER.-"The
teacher must aim to make the lesson so
interesting that the scholars will wish to
be present every time he leads the class.
Pupils are fond of teacher who stimulates
thought. Let us be on guard against
preaching. BY preaching, ] mean telling
pupils what they ought to do; trying to
make an impression. Give the truth a
chance. 1t will make an impression IL we
set II forth In proper attire. Let us teach.
The application may be soon made IL the
truth be attractively presented. often the
application will be made by the pupils
themselves, even before you finish teaching
before you begin to preach. 1t is possible
to teach so that teaching breaches. This
is the ideal way to preach. After ALL then,
we recommend preaching, but 1t is the
preaching of the true teacher--to teach
properly is to preach effectively. Prof.
w. w. White.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES. - The
power of sin: Rom. Z and s: Deut. 2S:l5-G;
Prov. 1:2i-32; Gal. 5:1, II; Rom. 6:16-23; Jas.
1925
Liberty in Christ Jesus: Rom. s:1i-2l :
Luke AIS. 10; lsa 81 Il; Rom. 6:22; Pet. 2:16
pare John S:32 with 1891
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
V. 81. Jews which believed on Him"
Not all of them accepted Jesus as their
Saviour and Friend, but merely be-
lieved that His claims were we'll found
ed, and tried to reconcile what He said
with their own ideas about an earthly
kingdom. Continue in my word" Try
to understand what | tell you, and let
your life be guided by My teach
ings and example. my disciples" A
disciple is learner. The most clear
evidence to ones self and others that
one is truly a disciple of Jesus. is given
by loving all men John 10: 53)
V. 32. "The truth" Jesus is the
Truth AS we continue His disciples
we shall more and more see things as
He sees them-as they really are and
in their right relations to one another
Truth shall make you free" When in
ignorance or doubt we are under bond
age, but when we know the truth we
are freed from anxiety, from uncer-
tainty, from the desire to do wrong.
V. SO. "They answered Him." Their
answer shows that they entirely mis-.
understood the spiritual meaning Of
His words "Abraham's seed" De-.
scendants of Abraham. Were never in
bondage" Jews were very proud, and
pride is a peculiarly binding sin.
V. "a. "Whosoever committeth sin is
the servant Of sin" Every one who
is living life of sin is the bond-slave
of Satan. Each separate sin is like a
chain binding him to sinful life. Bad
habits prevent him from doing what he
knows to be right and often longs to
do. No demon of evil binds with
stronger or more CALLING chains than
does the demon of strong drink. The
drunliard is the most abject slave.
V. 35. "The bondservant abideth MOI. +"
Rev. Ver) No servant has the claim
upon the masters home or property
that son has upon what belongs to
his father.
V. &c. THE Son" Jesus. Shall
make you free" AS the Son of God
He has power to release from servitude
and make us His own friends" John
Is: 15) and children of God
V. 81. II know We are Abraham's
Seed Jesus confirms their statement
that, according to the flesh. they are
descendants Of Abraham but goes on
to show that in spiritual sense they
are strangers to their great ancestor
hence do not belong to the kingdom of
God, which is spiritual.
V. IS. 81 speak with My
Father" From eternity, Jesus, the Son.
had been with the Father, and hence
had brought to earth true report of
Heaven and heavenly things. "Ye do
heard from your father" Will
ingly, or unwillingly, every son, to
some degree, repeats the characteristics
of his father. Jesus proved himself
Son of God Dy being Godlike in every
particular lsraeltes proved by their
devilish purposes and deeds that they
were animated by the spirit of the evil
one (See v. 44)
V. 49, "They answered" Jesus
hearers either cannot, or will not, un-
derstand, but go back to their old cry,
Abraham Is our father" Perhaps
some to-day are making the same sad
mistake, and because they have godly
parents or are accounted members of
good church. fancy that they are
Christians. though their lives are un-
godly and their hearts are strangers to
God "If We would do" II
YOU were in spirit like Abraham, your
lives would show It.
V. 40. Now ye seek to kill me-"
You as a race, are doing directly con-
trary 10 what Abraham would do were
he here, Abraham would have well
comod even a man who brought him
message from God, but these who
claimed descent from Abraham were
fierce to Kill Gods own Son. At a
later day Jesus taught this by parable
and the chief priests and Pharisees un-
derstood It. yet not even then did they
turn from their evil purpose Matt 21:
33-40)
Practical Points.
V. 81. II ones belief in Christ does
not lead him to righteous life, it Is
not a saving faith. Thou believest
there is a Gou; thou doest well;
but faith without works is dead Jas
2: 10, 20.
V. "a. Unless Christ now dwels with
us, We cannot dwell with Him here.
after, Father, | will that they also
who Thou hast given me be with me
where am,"-John II: "a.
V. 81. None but God himself can sat
isfy the soul which was created with