Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1914-05-06
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
lesson vl.--Second Quarter, For
May 10, 1914.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES
Text of the Lesson, Luke xvi, 1-13.
Memory Verses, 8, 9--Golden Text,
Luke xvi, 1o-Commentary Prepared
by Rev. o. M. Stearns.

young man who wasted his fathers
substance in riotous living duke XIV, 49,.
Now we read of steward who wasted
his masters goods.
We are all stewards of Him who Civ
eth us life and breath and all things;
in whom we live and move and have
our being; in whose hand our breath is
and whose are all our ways; who CIV
eth richly all things to enjoy. eActs.
xvii, %, IS: Dan. V, %: Tim. vi, ~.
We are either good stewards. using His
gifts for others as well as ourselves. or
we are selfish, using all things for our
selves only. The rich man OF next week's
lesson, we will find was unbelieying
and selfish The rich man of chapter xii
1920, was thoroughly selfish and fool
fish. The rich young ruler of chapter
xviii, %, was also more interested in
his riches than In proper use of them,
and in that connection our Lord said
that riches sometimes hindered man
from entering the kingdom. 1t is not
always so, for Zaccheus was rich and
Joseph Of Arimathea luke xix. 2. 81;
Matt. xvii, 50, as also were Abraham,
Isaac and Jacob, David and Others.
Money is not necessarily evil, but 1t
Is written, THE love of money is the
root of all evil" and it is better to fol-
low after righteousness. godliness.
faith, love, patience, meekness Il Tim.
vi. 10, III. This present world or age is
evil, it heth in the wicked one. the
devil is its god, its friendship is en-
nifty with God, we are not TO be con
formed to it. for we are not of 1t Gal
1, 4 John Y, 10; ii Cor. iv, 4 Jas. iv,
4; Rom. xii, 2; John xvii. II, 16). There
fore we cannot serve God and Nam
mon. or riches, but we can make good
use of Mamsnon and use this world
without abusing it (verses 8, 49,.
As to this unjust steward whom our
Lord uses as an illustration. he was
found guilty of defrauding his en-
ployer and was told that he must lose
his situation. He at once set about pro-
viding for himself when he would be
no longer steward by cutting down the
Indebtedness of all his lords debtors.
thus laying them under obligation to
him to befriend him when he would
dishonest fellow that he did not care
how much he robbed his master II he
could only provide for himself. His
master commended his shrewdness in
thus providing for his future, even
though 1t was at further cost to him
self. Our Lord did not speak well of
him, for He would not justify wrong
transaction. but He did say that this
bad man was wiser in his way than
those who made no provision for their
future In the world to come
have often been asked how our
and his sin. Our Lord did not COM
mend him; it was his own lord. or mas
ter. who told him. virtually, that be
was clever rascal in providing for his
future In this fraudulent way. Our
Lord said to His disciples that 1t would
be well to use all present opportunities
in their reach with reference to the
future that many might welcome them
in the kingdom. All believers are put
In trust with the gospel and with the
talents and pounds. and all are stew
ards of the manifold grace of God. and
some are stewards of the mysteries of
God, all have received the spirit to
profit withal q Thess. ii. q; Matt. XIV;
Luke xix; / Pet. iv, 10: l Cor. iv. /;
xii, Z, III. We are debtors to every
creature to give the gospel to all, and
by going, or helping others to go. and
thus win souls, We are gathering unto
Him those who will welcome us In His
kingdom. even though We may never
have seen them face to face on earth.
Thus we cause joy in the presence of
the angels now and great increase of
joy to ourselves in His kingdom.
We cannot remind you too often that
there are no degrees in salvation, no
one can be more saved than another or
more safe at one time than another
after Jesus Christ is truly received.
All who are in Christ are equally safe.
and safe forever. But all saved ones
are expected to serve the living and
true God as He may direct. and every
one shall receive his own reward ae-
cording to his own labor Il Cor iii. =:
Rev. xxi. II; Luke xiv, IA. The Phar.
isees who We're covetous or money lov
ers derided Him and His teachings.
desiring the approval of men rather
than the approval of God, and they
violently opposed the King and the
kingdom until they finally killed Him.
saying. I'VE have no king but Caesar"
Those who prefer the friendship of this
world are called adulterers (Jas. iv, A..
The true disciple is married to the
Lord TO bring forth fruit unto God
Rom. vii, a.. but Israel was an empty
vine bringing forth fruit unto himself.
degenerate plant OF strange vine
bearing wild grapes Hos. x. 1; Jer.
Ii, 81; lisa. v. p.
That which men esteem and which
God esteems are as far separate as hell
and heaven. and yet the great crowd.
many processing Christians included