The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1914-08-08
INTERNATIONAL.
SUNlGSQ1O0L
LESSON
ny r. o. SELLERS. Director of Evening
department. The Moody Bible Institute.
LESSON FOR AUGUST 9
The BARREN FIG TREE AND THE
DEFILED TEMPLE.

Temperance
| LESSON TEXT-Mark ll:I2-S3
1Ol.DEN TEXT-"By their fruits We
snail know them" Matt. 100
Event crowds fast upon the heels Of
event during the days of this most
tragic week In all the history of the
world. temperance means restraint
and constrainingly proper use of God
given appetites and privileges, hence
the significance of this lesson as EN-.
phasizing the principles Of temper
ance.
!. Sealing, w. 1914. The day fol-
lowing his triumphal entry into Jeru-
salem Jesus and his disciples journeyed
from Bethany, his abiding place, each
night, into the city. Seeing leaves
upon the fig trees, he had a right
10 look for fruit, for the fruit of that
tree comes before the foliage. But
none Is found, and Jesus seals its
oarrenness. His act was a parable
In action. Hosea 10:1. Profession had
superseded possession, and Israel is
therefore to be judged, set aside, un-
til the day when they shall look upon
MIN whom they have pierced. Moth
Ing but leaves Is condemned to per-
petual fruitlessness because of the
sin OF fruitlessness. His act was a
ratification Of the condition of the
tree.
Cleaned the repnIs
u. Cleansing, w. 1919. Entering
the familiar scenes of the city and
tenSple. whence the hosannas had
echoed so loudly the day previous,
Jesus saw Its dissertation and degrade
ton. Outwardly a delight, 1t was in
wardly deceitful, "a den of robbers"
and his anger waxed hot. Everything
he saw and banished was in some way
connected with the temple worship.
Even SO the most holy things created
by the wisdom Of a loving God may be-
come the instruments of the most des-
picable degradation. Ostensibly in
the name Of religion these temple mer-
chants were in reality ministering to
self and private gain. AS at the
beginning Of his ministry so again
Jesus exercised his authority and
cleansed the temple from its pollution
and for time ". 16) guarded 1t
from further dissertation.
The temperance application at this
point Is very clear. Appetite, men,
tai or physical. is a God given faculty,
but must be kept within control. Prop
erly used they are a delight, a bless
ing to the man and his friends. Al
lowed to rule and appetites are terrif-
lc task masters. Purify the fountain
of a mans heart, govern his motive
and the stream Of his acts will bless
all, himself included.
~. ForglvIng, w. 2o-25. The next
day on the way from bethany to Je-
they again passed the fig
tree and 1t was withered. The disci- |
pies marveled at the swift execution
Of his curse and Peter calls attention
10 1t, v. 81, Matt. 21:12, 20. In reply
Jesus again emphasizes the lesson,
Have faith in God" This does not |
mean that this is an explanation Of |
how he withered the tree, but rather
Why 1t had died, Israel was placing
ts trust elsewhere than In God. and |
therefore withers from the roots UP
ward" Notice that the root is not |
blasted. and a beautiful tree will again
blossom forth from the living root.
So Israel shall once again spring up
INTO q new and fruitful nation. lisa.
,7:6. Jesus teaching by this tree is
IN illustration Of wherein Israel had
allied. They had not faith in God.
Faith can remove mountains, and no
iificulty can hinder those who have
aith in God. Mark 9:23. Faith grows
ipon the word, Rom. 1877, yet love is
greater, I Cor. 1872. II we really de-
IRE the things we pray for, we shall
lave them" We not only expect but
20 beyond in our petition and count
Is ours the things asked for. The
ack of forgiving spirit will effect
tally shut US out from God. A warm
,reath breathed upon the tense Of q
elescope will effectually shut out the
heavens so a shadow Of doubt or a
,reath of suspicion of others In the
will shut US OF from the an
wer to our petitions ". 25). 1t is
that Jesus links with his
declarations concerning the possibili.
les Of prayer the charge that In 1t
Va mus. exercise the grace of forgive
less. It Is here that we learn why
many Of our prayers are not an
wered.
Authority Challenged.
w. Challenged, w. ass. Upon
gain entering the city and the tenn
lie, there came to Jesus the chief
riests, scribes and elders who chal.
enged the authority by which he
wrought these things, undoubtedly re-
erring to his triumphal entry and to
ID cleansing of the temple. His
eply ia Q counter challenge concern
az the baptism of John. For at least
wo years John had been dead and
is voice silent with Q probable for
etfulness on the part of these men.
nd decreasing influence of his mes
age upon their lives. Yet the ques- ,
ion Of Jesus had projected power as
g Srough. John back to them with
his question as to his authority. was
from heaven, or Of men?" That