Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1912-05-30
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson Ix.-Second Quarter, For
June 2, 1912.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Text Of the Lesson, Matt. vi, 1-1S.
Memory Verses, 2, s-eoIden Text,
Matt. vi, r. v.-comnentary Pre-
pared by Rev. D. M. Stearns.

Matt. vi, r. V.-Comnentary Pre-
pared by Rev. o. M. Stearns.
We have our choice today OF the reg
ular lesson in order or special lesson
on the Holy Spirit from Acts ii, III;
but, inasmuch as only by the Spirit can
the teaching of the regular lesson on
almsgiving. prayer and fasting be put
In practice, we will take the regular
portion with a look at the whole chap
ter, as we do not seem to have the rest
of the chapter in any subsequent les
son. The heart of the whole Bible
seems to be 1.-THE kingdom of God and
His righteousness verse 33l. The
Lord Jesus came to set up this kingdom
on the earth. but as they rejected it
and Him it will not be set up till He
shallcom again in glory. Meanwhileail
who become children of God by .receiv-
ing Jesus Christ and joint heirs with
Him should walk worthy of His king
dom and glory while they wait for 1t
Il Thess. il 12) Their motto should
ever and always be. First the king
dom of God Then there would be no
anxious thought about aught else, for
He gives the assurance that all will be
provided by our Father, who knoweth
all our need verses 81. 32l Whether 1t
be the service or prayer or fasting of
the daily life, there is one principle to
govern ell. 1t must be unto the Father,
who seeth in secret, who looketh upon
the heart and to whom all things are
naked and open. Not as pleasing men,
but God who trieth our hearts" q
Thess. ii, ~, is principal always to be
observed In contrast to that the most
religious people of our Lords time did
everything to be seen Of men (Matt.
xiii. 81 1t was even so in the days of
the prophets. and special feature of
the last days of this age will be turn
ing away from the truth and a form
of goodness without any power Qsa.
xxx, 10; Eek. Xxxiii, 81; Ii Tim. iii,
is; ~. 8, d. In each OF the three para
graphs of our lesson there IS contrast
between a present reward or approval
of men and a future reward from God
Himself, spoken of in verse 20 as
treasure in heaven We cannot serve
God and Mammon or God and the
devil, for the friendship of this world
is enmity with God, and that which is
highly esteemed among men is abom-
ination in the sight of God Verse "a;
Luke xvi, Is; Jas. iv. ~. There was only
one who always and in all things
pleased the Father, but He desires to
live His life in us and viii If we yield
fully to Him John viii, 20; II Cor. iv,
10, 11). He was manifestly approved of
God by the miracles and wonders and
sights which God did by Him (Acts IL,
22). Our instructions are to study, to
show ourselves approved unto God,
workmen that need not be ashamed
Oh Tim ii, 15). This can be done only
as we are Spirit filed like the disciples
on the day Of Pentecost, and like them
we must be willing to be misunder-
stood and even counted drunken or be-
side ourselves for His, sake. The old
word to Abraham is always helpful,
walk before Me and be thou sincere"
(Gen. xvii, /, margin), and also the oft
repeated words in Leviticus, unto the
Lord" and before the Lord" Con-
corning giving to any good work, the
motive of the donor is everything. If
the gift Is wholly and only unto the
Lord" desiring only His approval, then
it does not matter if people do know
Of it. 1t should be the love of Christ
constraining, and according to II Sam.
xiv, "a, | will not offer unto the Lord
Of that which doth cost me nothing,
and also according to Chron. xxx, IA,
"All things come of thee, and thine
own do we give thee" Concerning
prayer, it is real access to God by Jesus
Christ, remembering John V, IA, 10,
"This is the confidence that we have in
| Him, that if we ask anything accord
| ing to His will He heareth us, and If
we know that He hear us, whatever we
ask, we know that we have the petitions
we desired of Him." AS to this form of
| prayer which He gave at this time and
WHICH we SPOhS VI LII d 1OIllGl lCSSOu
on the beatitudes, the late DR.. Saphir
said of it: ut is a model prayer and
as such commends itself to the most
| superficial glance-approves itself at
once to the conscience Of man. The
| prayer is short, that 1t may be quickly
learned, easily remembered and fire.
| quently used, but 1t contains all things
81
simplicity it seems adapted purposely
for the weakness of the inexperienced
and ignorant, and yet none can say
| that he is familiar with the heights
| and depths which it reveals and with
the treasures of wisdom it contains"
In verses IA, Is, OF our lesson note that
communion with God as our Father de-
! ponds upon our forgiving others as He
| forgave us. This. like all the discourse,
| tr mt a condition Of caluotfnr, I11t an