The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-05-08
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SUNDAY SCHOOL,
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Lesson W.-SeCond Quarter, FoF
May 10, 1914
the INTERNATIONAL SERIES

by Rev. Q. M. stearns. "a
Our last lesson was concerning q
young man who wasted bis fathers
substance in rIotous living duke xv,18I
Now we read Of a 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 breatb+iS
and whose are all our ways: who CIV
eth richly all things to enjoy. . (Acts.
xvii, %, %; Dan. V, %; ! Tim. Vi, ~.
We are either good stewards. using His
gifts for others as we'll as ourselves, or
we are selfish, using all things for our
eel YES only. The rich man OF nextweeks
lesson, we will find, was unbelieving
and selfish. The rich man Of chapter xii,
1920, was thoroughly selfish and fool
tsh. The rich young ruler Of chapter
xviii. %, was also more interested in
his riches than in a proper use OF them,
and in that connection our Lord said
that riches sometimes hindercd a man
from entering the kingdom. 1t is not
always SO, for XacCheus was rich end
Joseph Of Ar1mathea duke xix. 2. Q;
Matt. xvii. 81. as also were Abraham,
Isaac and : cob, David and others.
Money Is not necessarily evil, but it
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, ~. This present world or age is
evil, 1t lieth in the wicked one, the
devil is It's god, It's friendship Is en-
nifty with God, we are not to be coI;-
formed to it. for we are not Of It (GaIs
1, 4; I John v, 10; II Cor. ". 4; Jas. ",
4; Rom. XII. 2; John xvii. ii. 1Gl. There
fore we cannot serve God aud Mann
mon, or riches, but we can make good
use Of Mammon and use this world
without abusing 1t oversees 0, 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
have no employment. He was such a
dishonest fellow that he did not care
how much he robbed bis master If be
could only provide for himself. His
master commended his shrewdness in
thus providing for his future, even
though It was at further cost to him
self. Our Lord did not speak well of
him, for He would not Justify a 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
Lord could commend this unjust man
and his sin. Our Lord did not com
mend him; 1t was his own lord, or mas
ter. who told him, virtually. that he
was a clever rascal in providing for his
future in this fraudulent way. Our
Lord said to His disciples that 1t would
be we'll to use all present opportunities
in their reach with reference to the
future that many might welcome them
Ill Jl6 kluSuOm. AL DGlISN ClS 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 witha! q Thess. ii, 4: Matt. xxvs
Luke xix; I Pet. ", 10: l Cor. ", j;
Xii, Z, ~. 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, ever 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 TINT
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 mny direct. and every
!" one shall receive his reward &c.
cording to his own labor II Cor. Iii. 81
Rev. xii, II; Luke xiv. a. The Phata
isees who were cOvetous or money low
ers derided Him and His teachings.
" desiring the approval Of men rather
than the approval Of God. aud they
= violently opposed the King and the
kingdom until they finally killed Him,
saying. I'VE have 10 king but Caesar"
Those who prefer the friendship Of this
world are called adulterers GAS. ", A.
n The true disciple Is married to the
= Lord to bring forth fruit unto God
t (Rom. vii, A.. but Israel was an empty
6 vine bringing forth fruit unto himself,
n a degenerate plant Of a strange vine
bearing wild grapes tHos. K. !; Jer.
Ii, q; lisa. v, q. =
That which men esteem and which
God esteems are az far separate as he'll
and heaven. and yet the great crowd
many processing Christians included
prefer the ways Of man and the praise
n Of men because the god Of this worlt
Ie hath blinded their minds. Let us con
slider we'll IL we are faithful to th,
Ls trust committed to US, desiring in al
IS things the approval Of our Lord, who's,
~ stewards we are, and remembering
. that we must give an account to Hin
- Of our stewardship.