Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1912-12-11
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson x.-Fourth Quarter, For
Dec. IS, 1912.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Text of the Lesson, Matt. xviii, 21-35.
Memory Verses. 21,s22-Golden Text,
Eph. iv, 80 (R. V)-Commentary
Prepared by Rev. D. M. Stearns.

III ldSJ ieSSOu we were WtTueu
against being an offense to any one be-
Onging to Him. for in touching those
who are His He is touched. even as
It is written, He that toucheth you
toucheth the apple of His eye" Czech.
II, 81. and as he said to Saul when per
scouting His people. why persecutest |
thou me?" tActs tx. A. Now he teach
rs us how TO deal with those who Of |
fend us verses 10 to 2OI-frst of all. |
q heart to heart talk with the offending
party alone (verse 15I i'm many in
stances that would without doubt set
tie the difficulty, and the two or three,
or the church. would not be needed.
Contrast the ordinary way of telling
others first and the general result of
increased separation and misunder
standings. When we work in Gods
way we can count on God working in
and with us lisa. XVI, -; Phil
Ii. ID; lesson verses IS. 19. The
precious assurance in verse 20 is not
often used in it's connection. but it is
precious in any connection with the
work Of the Lord and for many years
has taught me never to ask the Lord
W Ot III Jul MhCAi VIC hlNtN III us
name. but TO rest on His own assur-
ance that He is present
Peter had been paying attention and
wondering If he should go to man
who offended him more than once or
twice and probably thought that he
was stating an extreme limit when he
asked IL he should forgive him seven
times. Great. indeed. must have been
his surprise at the Lords reply, Not
until seven times, but until seventy
times seven" oversees 81. 22l. which was
equal to saying. Continue to forgive
till the kingdom comes"
II we would understand the teach
ing of the Spirit we must notice what
| He has said elsewhere upon any sub
jet. and | remember that Daniel was
told that after seventy sevens the
kingdom would come. bringing in ever
lasting righteousness tDan tx. 2H.
After sixty-nine sevens from the APP
pointed time Messiah was cut of and
had no kingdom TO show, just. as fore
told. the seventeen week is yet future,
but will surely come. We must there
fore continue to forgive those who give
us occasion to do so increasingly dan.
tx, 25-2T. He. being full of compass
sion. forgave their iniquity and de-
stroyed them not-yea. many a time
turned He His anger away. for
He remembered that they were but
flesh" Ps. xviii. 3Sl. That our Lord
was thinking of the kingdom in its
present phase Of mystery and future
manifestation seems clear from His
Illustration of the king taking account
Of his servants. The main point of the
lesson seems to be that those who are
forgiven so much should readily for
give the comparatively small Ofrenses
of others against them.
The contrast between the debt of the
man to his master and that of the othe'
servant to him would be somethinl
like the difference between 81 900 and
a 10 cents. What kind of n man, beint
forgiven freely the large amount, woul,
fail 10 forgive his fellow the trihe,
And yet many are just like that.
Our Indebtedness TO God cannot b,
reckoned. it Is so great Our iniquitic;
cannot be numbered. yet He freely an,
81 fully forgives ali who. with true peni
tence. turn to Him. saying. Though
Il your sins he as scarlet. they shall b,
as white as snow: though they be rec
s like crimson. they shall be as wool
Il. even |, am He that blotteth out tn,
transgressions and will not remembe
thy sins lisa. i. Is; kill 25l. Com
j pared with the mountain of our trans
gressions against God. which He fraPi,
81 forgives. the OlfenSeS of others againS
y us must be the verieSt tribes, viii
- should be as freely forgiven by us. Ell
abling us to pray sincerely. Forgive II
6 our debts as we forgive our debtors
Matt vi. 12,. To obtain the forgive
ness of our sins the only condition
a that we come with true penitence t
he Him who has said. Him that comet
. to me | will in no wise east out" ''Th
sins are forgiven. Thy faith hat
saved thee. Go in peace" John V
81: Luke vii. 4S-IOl.
But having become children of Go
by faith In Christ Jesus and having I'll
assurance of the forgiveness of OF
sins. there is need of constant forgive
ness because of constant detilemei
and shortcomings. the difference h
tween the forgiveness Of the rebel. Il
unsaved sinner and the forgiveness
a child i'm the Fathers house. The M
Heavenly Father and Your Heaven
Father of verse 35 of our lesson AZ
Matt. vi. Il. 10. show that If We fc
give" and IF We forgive not ref
e, to disciples and communion.
r. IL a child of God. as Peter was. =
a the disciples to whom He taught
AZ provar Should cherish an unfOroiNi