Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1910-07-16
PETERS
CONFESSION
Sunday School Lesson fer Juiy II. 1910
Specially Arranged for This Paper


FLACE.-The picturesque region around
CResarea Phliippi. az the base o. Mount
Hcrmon. About % miles northeast OF the
SEES OF Galiiee
Suggestion and Practical Thought.
The Disciples Have a New Vision
OF Jesus as the Nessiah-Vs. 1871.
He asked his disciples" after he had
been praying alone luke AS usual.
the great epoch. the new work. began
IN prayer-showing its importance
Ills object seems 20 have been 20 draw
out the faith OF his disciples. and TO
reveal 20 them more fully his nature
and his redeeming work Whom do
men say that the Son OF man am ,"
IA. Some say John the
Baptist returned 20 life. Among these
was Herod (Ma.t. 1871. -. Some.
Elias Greek form Of Eijah). who
VAS the expected forerunner OF the
Messiah (Mal 3: Matt. 11:1A. or
'Jeremias" G. eek OF jeremiah
representative o. the prophets. being
the first namel in the Jewish canon
Or one OF Oh prophets" g. O.. that
one OF the old ,'phets is risen again"
luke 9.f9
is. But v'om say ye that I am >"
Observe we" plural. and by position
in the Greek. .Nceedingly emphatic.
&c. And simon Peter" The some
what impui Joe nature OF Peter made
possible Co him quick insight. new
visions OF truth.
Thou art the Christ" The Messiah
Tor whom the Jews were looking. for
whom the ages had been preparing.
Tho %
one Jas alone can be the Savior OF the
world. No mere man however great
can be our Supreme Leader and
Savior
Il. blessed are thou" Because
thou hast opened thy heart TO the
truth. Faith. knowledge of Christ as
the Son OF God. almighty 90 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 Bar-iona." Simon. son OF John.
For flesh and blood hath not re-
vealed g unto thee"
The New Trust Committed 90 the
Disciples.-Ns. 1920 Although tho
understanding OF the Messiah and his
Kingdom was very imperfect. vet
Jesus showed them how great was the
trust committed 90 them. and how
heavy the responsibilities laid upon
them. This was part of their train
Ing Il would give them deep inter
est In TIE subject and lead 90 "a more
earnest search after the truth
IS. II viii give unto thee" as the
representative OF an. The others were
included, as Peter had nothing In
kind that the rest did not have Matt.
1915; John 20:23l. In Rev. PISA tho
u apostles are - foundation stones
OF the heavenly city. (See also Eph.
.. 2O).
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 10 try TO make
him worldly king according 90 their
Ideas Of the Messiah: and repel those
who saw that IL was impossible for
Jesus 20 do what they wanted their
Messiah 20 do.
The New Revelation as 10 How the
Christ, the Messiah, Must Accomplish
His WSrk.-Vs. 2l-23. Jesus now be
gan 10 tell his disciples what he must
do in order TO be the Messiah. lie
must suffer and die for the sins Of the
world. There Is no other way.
% Jesus said unto Peter" Pub
licly before them ali Get thee be
hind me. Satan" satan" means "ad-
versaTy," the great enemy" Of all
good. used in the Savior's time as a
proper name. He did not call his
apostle Satan. a devil. but he looked
for the moment through Peter. and
saw behind him his old enemy" who
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
er me, let him deny himself" Re.
nounce self as master and accept
Christ as master When the heart &C.
cepts Jesus and chooses God. then the
whole lower nature. all passions. aims.
desires. are TO be subjected not only
10 conscience, but 20 Jesus Take up
his cross" Daily. not merely Oh spe-
cial occasions. And follow me-" 90
what ] am doing. live according to my
plan and aim
The Supreme Example and Proof OF
the Above Teaching vs. 27-2S. The
life Of Jesus had presented to his fol
lowers seemed hard and discouraging
They may well have felt as PIiable
did when, on his way 20 the Celestial
City, persuaded by Christians pic
lures Of its glories 10 undertake the
journey, he suddenly found himself
plunged into the Slough Of DeSpond
and exclaimed. rs this the happiness
you have tod me all this while of?'
So Christ seemed in eject TO say
Are you discouraged? DO you hest
tate 10 follow me under such circum
stances? Let me open the windows OF
the Future. that you may see how my
teaching is fulfilled IN your leader
now on his way 20 suffering and death
but you shall see him raised from the
" -