The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-04-03
SUNDAY SCHOOL,.
Lesson Ss~-Second Quarter, For
April s, 1914
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.

&uA@ XIV ~~%DfnFfeTE@FS Prepares
by Rev. o. M. ssearns. 80 {,
As He ate bread In the house Of one
OF the chief Pharisees on the Sabbath
day He not only healed a man who
had the dropsy civ, 1-6). bat He had
O. special message for the guests and
then for the host and later for one Of
the guests who had made an interest
ing remark. Oh, how He did live be-
fore God and seek the souls OF men,
fearing no ones frown and desiring no
ones favor. To the guests He taught
humility, for then as now there was
often a desire for the best place that
could be obtained. Humility Ii q rare
virtue, and few there seem to be who
ter than themselves Phtl. Il, 81. There
was only n who was perfect in hu-
miltty and lowrness. the speaker on
this occasion. and He could truly say,
II am meek and lowiy In heart CMatt
Il, 2N. Exaltng self is like anti
christ dan. II, 80; III Thess. II, 4: Rev.
Kill, s, q, but renouncing self is Christ
like, for He made Himself OF no repu-
atoH and took upon Him the form Of
a servant Phli. u. Z. 81. See also verse
IL Of lesson.
Ills message TO His host was In ref
erenc to a future rather than a pres
emit rec0mpense. How common It Ia
to be kind to those who can return. the
kindness, to invite those to enjoy our
hospitality who can return the invita-
ton How much of social life is filed
up in this wayS This may seem all
right for those who know no better
way. But when In church work. sup
posed to be the Lords work, people
act as IL money could be obtained only
by giving a present equivalent In the
form OF a lecture or an entertainment
or something to eat does IL not all
seem contrary 10 u Lords admoni-
ton to this hoSt2 My own intense con-
vtctton Is that giving or living only for
a present equivalent Ia all wrong, and
I have proved In a ministry Of over
thirty years that the love Of Christ and
the need Of those who never heard of
1t Will constraln people to give freely
TO help make Him known and gladly
await the ~recornpense In His kingdom
In connection with the resurrection of
the just
It does mot appear from the Scrip
lures that believers are rewarded at
DEATH though It Is a common saying
that he or she has gone to his or her
reward. The truth concerning the dead
In Christ Ia that they rest from their
laoorg and their works do follow them,
but rewards are promised only at His
coming again Grew. xiv, 10; xii, u:
I Pet ", ~. Here Is a plain reference
In verse II OF our lesson to the differ
ance between the resurrection Of the
Just and the unjust. That there shall
be both Is written in Acts xiv, Is, but
that there shall be a thousand years
between them is just as plainly writ
ten in Rev. Xxx, s, 6. The hour Of John
", %, does not conflict with this. for
the hour Of John v, Is, has already
lasted nearly 1900 years, and that of
verses %, %, may easily the two
~Eesurrecdons at the beginning and end
OF the thousand years.
His mention Of the resurrection OF
the just seem TO have led one Of the
guests to remark, blessed Is he that
shall eat bread in the Kingdom of
God" (verse 10, which ne evidently
with the resurrection. This
led our Lord 10 speak OF the great
supper and Of the way the invitations
were treated and Of the excuses which !
will make rather than accept ths
He seems to reply 10 this
remark Of the guest that men are more
In property and In earthly
than In the things oe the
kingdom. F%,:t
The things unseen and eternal are EHd
unreal to most people that things seem
and temporal hold all their attention
Contrast the way of the believers I'M
. Cor. ~, IL, 10. The redemption
which leads to the kingdom Is describe
Cd as a great supper fully prepareda4
and the invited mes have only to come
and enjoy It. II is probable that the
invitations Of this chief OF the Phara4
Bees, in whose house they were, had ain
been accepted eagerly, but the invita-.
tons Of which our Lord spoke ,wers
treated far otherwise. The great SAL:
yasdon has been fully prepared by sthR
LIE and death and resurrection Of the
Lord Jesus, nothing can be added to-
It; but, oh, the cost of 10. all to. the.
Father who gave His only Son and to-
the Son who gave Himself! And ali. is
offered freely, for "the free gift oE
God is eternal life In Christ Jesus our
I'VE are justified freely by
BIS grace through the redemption that
Ia In Christ Jesus" (aom. vi, %, r., vs.
LII, "a. How often we hear Him say
Come" from Gen. vii, / to Rev. XII.
"; notably in lisa. 1. Is; Matt, ri. Is.
and how frivolous are mems excuses
when compared with the Importance
Of the salvation offered them and the
glory Of His kingdom.
I have heard OF one man who was
led to accept the great invitation. by.
the remark, tHThere will be no q
at the bar Of God" Meantime. the
devil, the god Of this world, is busily
binding the minds OF them which be-
lieve not lest the light OF the glorious
gospel OF Christ, who is the image OF
God, should shine unto them (T Cor.
", 8, ~. Yet the word stands whose
ever viii, let him take the water oe
life freely"
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