The Nevada County picayune., 1910-07-15
PETERS CONFESSION Sunday School Lessen for July IT, 1910 Specially Arranged for This Paper
1SSON TEXT.-Matthew 1e
Specially Arranged for This Paper

LESSON TEXT.-Matthew 1613-2s | Memory verse 26
 GOLDEN TEXT. T.-"Thou art the Christ. the Son of the living Goo. Matthew 16: IS | TIME,-Autumn of \. D. % | PLACE.-The picturesque region around | Caesarea Philippi, at the base of Mount | Hermon. About 25 miles northeast of the | Sea of Galilee.
 Suggestion and Practical Thought.
 The Disciples Have New Vision of Jesus as the Messiah-Vs. 1917 He asked his disciples" after he had been praying alone Huke) As usual, the great epoch. the new work. began in prayer-showing it's importance His object seems to have been to draw oGt the faith of nis disciples, and to reveal to them more fully his nature and his redeeming work Whom do men say that the Son of man am?"
 14 Some say John the Baptist returned to life. Among these was Herod (Matt lii, 9. Some Elias" Greek form of Eli1ah), who was the expected forerunner of the Messiah (Mal 4:5 Matt l1:14. Or "Jeremias," Greek of Jeremiah, representative of the prophets, being the first named in the Jewish canon. Or one Of the prophets" | e., that one of the old prophets is risen again" l uuke 9:19.
 l5 But whom say ye that l am?" Observe ''ye." plural, and by position in the Creek, exceedingly emphatic
 16 And Simon Peter" The some what impulsive nature of Peter made possible to him quick insight, new visions of truth.
 Thou art the Christ" The Messiah for whom the Jews were looking for whom the ages had been preparing The Son of the living God" such a one as alone can be the Savior of the world. No mere man however great can be our Supreme Leader and Savior.
 r. Blessed are thou" Because thou hast opened thy heart to the truth. Faith, knowledge of Christ as the Son of God. almighty to save and infinite in love: a heart in which truth finds natural soil; a character In harmony with Jesus; broader outlooks into truth-are all exquisite blessings Simon BarIona." Simon, son of John
 For flesh and blood hath not re- vealed 1t unto thee"
 The New Trust Committed to the Diseiples.-Vs. 1920. Although the understanding of the Messiah and his kingdom was very imperfect, yet Jesus showed them how great was the trust committed to them. and how heavy the responsibilities laid upon them. This was a part of their train. ing It would give them deep inter est In the subject, and lead to a more earnest search after the truth
 19 'I will give unto thee," as the representative of all. The others were 1 included, as Peter had nothing in | kind that the rest did not have (Matt. | ISIS; John 20:23) In Rev 21: II the l2 apostles are 12 foundation stones of the heavenly city tSee also Eph 2 s0).
 20 Tell no man" Only those who knew Jesus as they did, could under stand. To present Jesus as the Mes siah would lead some to try to make him a worldly king according to their ideas of the Messiah; and repel those who saw that it was impossible for Jesus to do what they wanted their Messiah to do.
 The New Revelation as to How the Christ. the Messiah, Must Accomplish His Work.-Vs, 21-23. Jesus now be. gan to tell his disciples what he must dc in order to be the Messiah He must suffer and die for the sins of the world. There is no other way.
 23 Jesus said unto Peter" Pub. ucly before them all. Get thee be. hind me. Satan satan means "ad- yersary," the great enemy" of all good, used in the Sayiors time as d | proper name He did not call his apostle Satan. devil. but he looked for the moment through Peter. and saw behind him his old enemy" who 1 had presented the same temptation in the wilderness.
 The Cross the Way to the Crown, | for the Disciples as for the Christ | Vs. 24-26. If any man will come aft. CT me, let him deny himself" Re. nounce self as master and accept Christ as master. When the heart ac, | cepts Jesus and chooses God, then the whole lower nature, all passions, aims. | desires, are to be subjected not only to conscience, but to Jesus. Take up | his cross" Daily, not merely on spe- cial occasions, And follow me-" do what am doing. live according to my 1 plan and aim.
 The Supreme Example and Proof of the Above Teaching ng-Vs. 272&. The | life of Jesus had presented to his fol. lowers seemed hard and discouraging | They may well have felt as Pliable | did when, or his way to the Celestial | City, persuaded by Christians pic. lures of it's glories to undertake the 1 journey, he suddenly found himself 1 plunged into the Slough of Despond. | and exclaimed, 'Is this the happiness