The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-08-05
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL,
Lesson vI.--Third Quarter, For
Aug. 7, 1910.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.

Prepared by Rev. D. M. stearns.
We have but one lesson in this far
reaching chapter which also looks on
to the kingdom, when the twelve apps.
ties shall sit on twelve thrones Judging
the twelve tribes of Israel (verse 2S).
According to the harmony, there
should come in the sequence Of events
between the last lesson and this one
the whole of Luke to xvii and John
vii to XII but the opening verses of our
chapter give a suggestive summary il
taken in connection with Mark x, 1,
Great multitudes followed Him. and
He healed them there; and as He was
wont He taught them again." He was
ever teaching them of the kingdom
and showing them by His healing all
manner Of disease something OF the
nature of kingdom in which the in.
habitant shall not say, / am sick, and
the people that dwell therein shall be
forgiven their iniquity Qsa. xxxiii, "a.
Christendom Of today, however, has
no more use for kingdom teaching than
1t has for our Lords teaching on di.
vorce (verses S-12), and can this be
wondered at when from so many pull
pits it is declared that there never was
a literal Adam, and Eve, completely
setting aside the Adam and Eve facts
as stated by our Lord in verses 4, 5
Why profess to honor Jesus even as
good man and set aside His plain
teaching as IL He knew nothing? Sure
ly this evil age must be fast drawing
to close, and the kingdom must be
drawing nigh. Will you be there?
From the story of the little children
onward this lesson is also found IN
Mark and Luke xviii, and It is the
first lesson since that on the transfig.
uration which is recorded by the three
To see the force of this we must con.
slider what we have just noted con
corning the large portion recorded only
by Luke and John. In a very recent
lesson we had some teaching concern,
ing the children, but now we have
contrast in the little children and the
rich young ruler between such as en-.
ter the kingdom and such as cannot.
They brought these little ones-in
Luke they are called infants-that He
might put His hands on them and
pray. The apostles are so out of har-
mony with the mind of Christ that
they actually rebuke those who
brought them. Jesus was much dis
pleased and uttered the memora BILE
words which have ever since been q
comfort to multitudes of mothers
hearts, Suffer the little children to
come unto me and forbid them not, for
Of such is the kingdom of God" "And
He took them up in His arms, put His
hands upon them and blessed them"
Mark K, II, 16. 1 like to associate
with this act and these words of His
the words of Zech. viii. 8, 1.-THE streets
Of the city shall be full of boys and
girls playing in the streets thereof"
For, while that refers to Jerusalem on
earth when it shall have become q
holy city, is it not true that all true
earthly JOY is but a faint suggestion
OF the joys of the kingdom? Receive
His word, receive Himself, as simply
and unquestioningly as little child.
Now mark the contrast Here Is q
young man, a ruler, very rich, having
great possessions, morally very good,
for he thought he had kept the COM
mandments from his youth up, and
certainly very earnest, for he came
running and kneeled to Jesus with his
question, "Good Master, what good
thing shall do that may have eter-
nal life?" That he might see himself
and his real need the Lord set before
him the commandments, for the inten-
ton Of the law is to bring us all in
guilty before God (Rom. iii. 19) that
we, seeing our guilt and our helpless
ness, may be willing to be justified
freely by His grace. The law as a
whole not seeming to affect him, for
in his self righteousness he fancied he
had kept all, our Lord brought him
face to face with the first one, Thou
shalt have no other gods before Me-"
by suggesting that he give all that he
had to the poor and thus transfer his
treasure to heaven, then die to self
and follow Jesus, for, as one has said,
HE who bears his cross is on his way
to his execution" That ended the In
terview, and he went away sorrowful.
He was Unconsciously an idolater;
his wealth and his morality and prob
ably his standing among men were
more to him than Jesus Christ and life
eternal; hence our Lords statement
that 1t was next to impossible for such
to enter the kingdom. Rich people
such as Abraham, David, Zaccheus
and others have been saved, so that
literal poverty is not essential to sal
walton, but poverty of spirit, con-
seriousness Of guilt and helpIessness
and nothingness before God certainly
is Elsa. Xvi, 2; Luke xviii, 10, IL; Matt.
v, 8; Tit. iii, 5, 81. This stirs a ques-
ton in Peters mind: Behold. we have
forsaken all and followed Thee. What
shall we have, therefore?" Verse 27.)
Then comes our Lords reply concern
Ing the kingdom with which we began
The lesson. Compare His words in
Luke xxi, 1880, Eye are they who
have continued with Me in Ny tempta-
lions. And / appoint unto you a king
dom. as My Father hath appointed
unto Me; that We may eat and drink at
My table In MY kingdom and sit on
thrones Judging the twelve tribes of