The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1912-08-02
INTERNATIONAL.
SUNI(GYSCIIOOL
LESSON
(By u. o. SELLERS, Director Of Eve
ming Department, The Moody Bible
Institute Of Chicago.)
LESSON FOR AUGUST 4.
THE WORTH OF THE KINGDOM.

LESSON TEXT-Matthew IS, A-5S,
i GOLDEN TEXT-"Seek We first his
kingdom. and his righteousness; and al
these things shall be added unto you
Matthew $685.
We have studied some of the prin
ciples that are to obtain In the es.
tablishing and the working out of this
new kingdom Jesus came to found
and the question naturally arises, SIS
1t OF sufficient value for me to con.
slider or seek to enter 1t, or to possess
it? In our lesson today there is set
before us four parallels Jesus favorite
way of teachlng) which he gave priv.
ately to his disciples and not to the
multitude, that ought to answer any
such questioning in our hearts.
The first two have to do with the
great value Of the kingdom, the sec
ond Its mixed character and final sepa.
ration, and the last. the great respon-
sibility Of those who possess It's
truths. In this entire group of par
ables found In the thirteenth chapter
or Matthew are four that are for men
who are careful to observe the out
ward development, and four others
that are for those men of faith who
see beneath the surface the hidden
things of the kingdom. Those men
who view the kingdom in each par.
ticular age as God sees rather than
as man observes.
Today's lesson sets forth the pur.
chase Of things of great value, the &C,
QUESTION and disposition of things of
a mixed value, and lastly, the use Of
these values after coming into the DOS.
session of them.
|. The hidden treasure, v. A. Per.
haps more properly this should be
termed the parable of the bought field
We need to remember that in all OF
these parallels the Master himself is
the important parsonage. He is the
one who sows the seed, etc. Hence
we understand that he is the one
who discovers this great treasure hid.
den In the field. He has already told
US that "the field Is the world" Matt.
1888.
Symbolism Of Pearls.
II. The pearl of great price, vs.. As,
As. This parable is very much the
same as the foregoing, yet 1t adds great
strength and force to this study in
values. We ought to be very clear In
our study and application The pearl
of great price may perhaps be taken
as symbol of sour salvation, but If
so for US to interpret the merchant
man as the commonality of man would
be for the sinner to purchase his own
salvation, thing as far as possible
for the New Testament teaching.
Why does Jesus speak of pearls to
| the Hebrews who did not esteem them
at all? What is the symbolism of a
pearl? The pearl is the one precious
stone that Is the result of a living
organism; 1t is the result of an injury
done to the life of the oyster, 1t has
always stood for purity and for In,
nocence. Is 1t then illogical for us tt
assume that Christ is the merchant
man who gave all to redeem (e. g.
buy back the lost souls of mankind
III. The drag net, vs.. 1850. This
parable Is another that deals with the
mixed character Of the kingdom here
upon the earth and of the final separa
tlon incident thereto. 1t is noticeabl,
that this is collective, not individual
fishing. There will be many move
ments that will ostensibly be for the
gathering OF men into this kingdom
but the principle here laid down Il
that one considered In the lesson Of
the wheat and the tares, viz, that ul-
tlmately there shall be cast out all
things that do offend In the flnality
Of all things the kingdom shall be
without spot or blemish. Hence we
do rot read into this parable empha-
sis upon any phase of evangelism.
Search the Scriptures.
". The householder, VS.. 51-53. In
the first of these parallels we had the
Word as the seed of this new kingdom.
in this the eighth of the kingdom par
ables We revert as 1t wege to the mat
ter of the Word. Jesus asks his
disciples If they understand the Word
he has spoken to them. Their re-
Spouse Is, "Yes, we do" Then Jesus
shows them what burden OF respon-
sibility due to possession rests upon
them. Jesus refers to the Scribes
whose work under the Jewish econ
omy was to transcribe and to interpret
and tells the disciples that they In a
like manner are to interpret the king
dom to all men. They are to bring
forth" hidden treasures. We must re-
member that Jesus taught In parallels
that hearing they might not hear"
ETC., hence We are to search the
Scriptures and bring forth these hid
den treasures of truth as we go about
doing our part.
Are We willing to pay the price for
the sake Of the pearl? Are we willing