The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-07-24
SUNDAY SCHOOL
Lesson lV.-Third Quarter, Fol
July rs, 1914.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES

Memory Verees is, 17-GoIden Text,
Matt. XIV, 2f-commsntary Prepared
by Rev. D. M. stearns.
The introduction to this parable OF
the pounds oversees II, 12) seems to me
most Enthusiastically clear concerning
the postponement of the kingdom.
They thought that it would immedi-
ately appear, and they had reason to
think so. for John the Baptist and the
Lord Jesus and the twelve and the
seventy had all proclaimed it as at
hand Matt. Iii, q tv, IT; K, z; Luke
X, 81. 80
The mighty works wrought by the
Lord and the twelve and the seventy
indicated the coming Of the kingdom,
But when the rulers rejected the Mes,
siah, the King. and determined to kill
Him, that led to the unfolding Of the
present age OF a rejected Christ, a
scattered Israel and a postponed king.
dom until the king shall return. He
has gone to the far country to receive
the kingdom and to return and has in.
trusted His servants with pounds and
talents to use in His absence and give
an account Of at His return, and their
position In His kingdom will depend
upon their faithfulness in His absence.
That the kingdom will come at His
return is also plainly stated in Acts
iii, u, where we read that the heavens
have received Him until the times of
the restoration Of all things Of which
the prophets have spoken.
In the story OF the talents in Matt.
XIV, which should be studied with
this lesson, there 1s also an account OF
the far country, the goods tntrusted ia
the servants and the reckoning at the
Masters return. While In each rec.
ord we read Of pounds and talents
given to His servants to use, we read
that some were wicked and slothfuI
and finally found their place among
the lost, SO we must conclude that,Ha
gives opportunity TO all who profess
to be His servants to prove whether
they really are 50 or not. No real serv-
ant of His can ever be lost, though
some may be saved as by fire and have
no reward John K, %; ( Cor. fiji, 11-15).
In the lesson on the pounds He gave
the same to each, but in that ON the
talents He gave according to their abtI-
Rty, unto one five, to another two, to
another one. The pound given to each
may represent the Spirit given to every
n to profit withal Il Cor. xii, 2. The
Spirit spoke wondrousfy through Ba-
laam, and we have no reason to doubt
that Judas Iscartot did not do wonders
Hike the others, yet neither were true
servants. The talents may refer to the
special gifts Of the Spirit, given Vari-
ously and In different measure, as He
may see 1T q Cor. XII, S-11).
The first step is to receive the Lord
Jesus as Zaccheus did and thus obtain
salvation as the free gift Of God Duke
xix, Ito; Rom. vi, %; John i, IL; ill,
10; Rev, xii, ID, then, having become
q child Of Cod 1--we TO serve the living
and true God while we wait for His
Son from heaven q Thess. 1 8, 10;
Tit. ii, 11-13; Rom. v, 1, p. -
/ am continually glad that he has
appointed all service, prepared all
u good works beforehand, and that
he only expects Us to minister as, OF
the ability which He gtVeth, hohdtng
ourselves ready for any manner OF
service and wholly at His command
ment Eph. Il, 10; I Pet iv. IL: 4
Chron. xviii, ~. yi
I am also glad that It rs God who
workeEh IN us both to win and to do
Of His good pleasure, working all
things after the counsel of His own
will (Phdl. ii, 13; Eph. 4, III. Notice
In the STORY OF the talents the servants
say II have gained Ave talents more
or II have gained two other talents
while I'm the story OF the pounds they
say "Lord, thy pound hath gained ten
pounds" or "Terd, thy pound hath
gained five pounds" recognising that
while we work 1t is really God who
works, and yet He gives us the credit.
1t must be the vine bearing the fruit,
else 1t counts for nothing John Nv, 3D..
Whether the gain be FIVE talents orStwo
talents, ten pounds or five pounds, the
words OF approval are" Thou goodserv-
ant" or Thou good and faithful sery-
ant" Then notice in the reconpexlse,
authority over ten cities or FIVE cities.
ruler over many things, or, as we said
at the beginning Of the lesson, position
in the kingdom according to faithful
ness, reward according to work Euke
xiv, "A; Rev. xdi, II; II John g..
In reference to taking from the I'M
faithful servant shat he hath" &c is
explained In Luke viii, Is, by the
words, "that which he seemeth to
have" or as In the margin, ''thinkath
that he hath" He only seemed to be
a servant, thought that he was enc,
but was mot really one.
Oh, how necessary 1t is 10 be cure
chat we are Indeed In Christ, not think
Ing that 1t Is all right because we are
q bit religious or enjoy the service or
like to do good or are church members,
but certain that we can under the scru-
tiny OF those eyes, like q fame OF IRE,
say from the heart. 20 Lord, Thou
knowest that all my trust as a sinner
is In Thy precious blood which WAS
shed for me when Thou didst bear nay
sins ON Calvary q Pet. ii, "a; lisa. Lii,
8. 9: 1, IS; xiii, 25). The order In
Matt. XIV Is ready to enter in, then
faithfully serving. then with Christ
judging the nations. The order in Luke
XIX is saved. as was Zaccheus. then
faithfully occupying till He come or ,tiR
the triumphaI entry shall be fully roak
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