The Brinkley argus., 1912-12-13
INTERNATIONAL Sl)NRNS0nO0L
 LESSON (Dy D. o. SELLERS. Director or Eve ming Department The Moody Bible ln- stttuts of Chicago)
FSS()lY
LESSON FOR DECEMBER 15
FORGIVENESS.

l bO00bV
 LESSON TExT-Astthew s:15-So. | GOLDEN TEXT-"Be ye kind 10 one
 other. even as God also in Christ forga'e
 ou."-Eph. sac R. V.
 Our Lords teaching on the subject
 of humility as studied in last week 'Iesson is inseparably connected with
 that of today. It presents strong
 contrast between human aud divine
 forgiveness It sets before us that
 which at first seems to be unattalh- able Someone has raised the query
 whether or not forgiveness is ever possible where any trace of selfish | ness remains. He who has the shep-
 herds heart of humility has also 1 forgiving heart or else he does not truly care to aAys lost and wandering sheep, w. n and 13.
 This lesson naturally divides itself into sprecept w. 1kr32 and parable w.
 22-36.
 Prsespt is Plain.
 1. The preeept is very plain and quite logical. If you have been wronGed, 70 to him (your Drother) who wronged you and frankly come to an Nnderstanding. Go alone and have 1t ont with him" Most quarTels will
 settae themselves if men will only see
 "sJs to eye" It Is the repetition of our grievances by the second or third
 party that usually adds fuel to the
 fire. The other steps are just as log
 ical+ The outcome is suggested in
 vexee IS. that to all the disciples, not
 to Peter alone, is given the power to admit and to dism1Ss from the com munjon of believers. It Is the prerog- atfye of the church to bind and TO
 looss and to have agreement in pray CT: The church must erect standards of conduct, but in thus erecting stand ards the church must ever come to
 the Father with tender compassion
 on behalf of the lost sheep
 Verses 19 and 20 have been quoted in thousands of prayer meetings with often only the slightest realization of their full significance. Three is an attainable number; more than that is less easily obtainAble, and has the added danger of harboring a hypo- crite, thereby spelling that harmony
 (Acts 2:1) that is 90 essential to the preaence of the Holy Spirit.
 Peter (v. 21) suggests that there k . point of possible limit for our humility and forgiveness. True, he
 Hrar ho of no
 70, even to that of the perfect num-
 her seven, but Jesus completes that and again multiplies 1t by seven; not that 4S0 Is the exact number of times to exercise forgiveness though that would uapally suflice. but rather an H. limitabae number of times. Resent ment, wrath. anger. glamour and evil speaking are admOnished to put away" (Eph. 4:31). and in the words |of the Golden Text, Be kind. tender hearted. forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven ns." There is no deep work of grace lin the human heart until 1t Is willing to ''let" these things be put aside. As though to make assurance doubly sure in the minds of his followers, Jesus gives us a parable (v. 23-35) In which he applies the precept just given.
 God 10 King.
 God, the King of Heaven, is taking account with the sons of men, his bond servants. At the outset one Is brought into his presence who owes about 412,O00,00O "a talent of gold
 sQuals roughly about $1.200. .00O); he is h0pelessly In debt and had not to pay" This is picture of fallen. lost humanity standing in the presence of l righteous God (Luke TAB. Ps. 1O3 :: 3. etc. This man is brought into the Kings presence. and bo are we
 brought John 1S:7-s and Rom. 14:
 10). The terrible ought and ought
 not of the law Is practically
 presented in Matthew 25.. The
 dsbt of our sins is hopeless one for
 any to pay except mighty Saviour l q. Peter 2:24)
 1 Let the law have it's course is the
 meaning of verse 25 tread Gal. 3:1O). | aSA& W4&AA - 8lACfSaa .SO0kEM86 A8 HIo' ssntsd io verse 2S There we see the i compelling power of the compassion ! Of God, a shown in the person of
 Jesus Christ his Sen. loosixg the
 man Snd setting nim absolutely free from debt. Once men catch a I slimpse of tksir debt of sin. they. too l will fall down and cry for mercy. Sal vasion is by grace (Epn. 2.8, s), and l by grace ouiy. From verse 27 on we
 see the Lord, immediately dealing with 1 this servant in grace. There is. no future penalty held over his head So God stands ready to deal with us so
 soon as we acknowledge tho absolute imp0ssibiitty of paying the debt and
 call upon him for mercy.
 I The hardness of the human heart I is suggested by tthe awful sin of In. l gratitude pictured in the latter part l of this parable (v. zS-35). As twelve ! millions of dollars is to seventeen such is the possible ana almost in, credible hardness of the natural heart l ot man. How few of us would dare I to stand upon our rights" in the church or as individuals, did we but more often take stock of Gods deal
 ings with us in his matchless grace
 Yet we see this scene being re-en acted about us almost daily. What
 e solemn warning D contained in