The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1910-01-25
The
Sunday School
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COM.
NIENTs FOR JANUARY 80.
Subject: Some Laws Of the Kingdoms
Matt. 5:f7-26, 3S-4O--Conl-
NIT Verse A.

NIT verse "A.
GOLDEN TEXT.--"Be ye there
fore perfect even as your Father
which is in heaven is perfect" Matt
5:48.
Midsummer A. D. 2S.
PLACE. Horns of Hattin.
EXPOSITION.-I. The Law of
the Kingdom Regarding Anger, 22-
26. BY the old law murder was for
hidden ". FL; CT. Elk 20:l3; Deut.
5:17): by the higher law of the King
dom anger. which is incipient murder,
is forbidden. Terms of contempt,
whereby brothers feelings are i'm
iured and his reputation endangered,
are forbidden. Jesus teaches that
there is a ''heIl of fire" ". 10) II
we have wronged another in the
smallest matter so that he hath
aught against us we should first be
reconciled to him before we seek to
bring an offering to God. The secret
of many an unanswered prayer is that
some brother has Just claim against
us which we have not settled. One
should not allow G. just claim to re-
main unsatisfied moment He
should seek agreement with every adj
versary quickly. Have aught against
thee" does not mean, as so often in
terpreted, have a grudge or bitter
ness against thee, but have a just
claim. We are not necessarily re-
sponsible for the grudge others hold
against us, but we are responsible for
the just claims. All just claims must
be settled sooner or later.
III. The Law of the kingdom Re-
garding Injuries, 38-41. The law of
Moses required exact justice in the
punishment of offences. An eye for
an eye, tooth for TOOTH" but the
law of Christ, the law of the King
dom, which is not for the administra-
ton of public justice, but for the
government of individual action, de-
mands the most thoroughgoing for
giveness of injuries. Evil Is not to be
resisted, even as Jesus Himself did
not resist it, leaving us an example
that we should follow in His steps
q Pet. 3:1S-23). When one injury
is done us, instead of resisting we
should stand. willing to receive an
other.
III. The Law of the Kingdom Re-
garding Giving and Lending, ~. The
heart should be open in love toward
all and the hand ever ready to give.
We should not only be ready to give
to the good and to the worthy, but
to the unworthy, to the unfaithful
and evil (cf Luke 6:30-35). We
should give to every one that asks Of
us (Luke 6:30). Should we take
this literally? Yes, but note that 1t
does not say that we should give to
every one that asks the very thing
that he asks. .'If a man will not
work neither shall he eat G. Thess.
3:10). But while we may not give
the very thing that is asked, we ought
to give. Giving with unstinting hand,
always giving, giving to all, is the
law of the Kingdom. That most
bothersome of men, the borrower,
should not receive the cold shoulder,
but a hearty welcome.
Nv. The Law of the Kingdom Re-
garding the Treatment of Enemies,
43-48. Love should go out to all,
not merely to friend and neighbor,
but to the enemy as well. The man
who does everything in his power to
undermine us. to blast our reputa-
ton, to curtail our influence, should
be the object of our kindest consid-
Grafton. When others curse us, we
should bless them; when others hate
us, we should do them good; when
others prosecute us and despitefully
use US, we should pray for them. The
more people there are to prosecute us,
the more there are for whom we will
have the privilege of praying. In this
way persecution becomes a means of
unalloyed blessing, stepping stone
on which we step higher into the life
of Jesus Christ. Happy is he, indeed,
who takes these words literally. He
will have no more anxiety from perse-
cutions and lies and ISLANDERS. BY
loving our enemies we shall ourselves
be sons of God, for the son is like his
father, and this is the way the heav-
emily Father acts; He returns blessing
for cursing, kindness for hate; He
maketh His sun, with all its healing,
fruit-giving power, to rise on the evil
and the good. That is very sug-
gestiye phrase, Ellis sum" When
you look up at the glorious sun again
just say, THAT is His sun and He
gives it to me-" To love them that
love us is no indication of grace; even
the publicans do the same. The last
verse is very wonderful, holding up
the perfection of God as our standard.
1t is really promise more than a
command, Eye therefore shall be per-
feet, even as your heavenly Father is
perfect" OR. w. The immediate
reference is to perfection in love, low
ing enemies as well as friends, bad
as well as good (cf. Luke 6:35, 36).
But it is clearly implied that in all
things Gods character Is our stand
ard (Eph. 5:1). Nothing short of
absolute likeness to Him should sat
isfy us, and it is to this that we are
finally to attain q Jno. 3:3).