Ellsworth American., 1914-02-25
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson IX.-FiTSt Quarter, For
March |, 1914.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Text of the Lesson, Luke xii, 1884.
Memory Verse, 15-GoIder Text, Luke
xii, 34-Commentary Prepared by
Rev. o. M. Stearns.

REV. u. W. SIedTHS.
In the last verse of the previous les
son He said. The Holy Ghost shall
teach you" On the last night that
He was with them. ere He suffered.
He said. 'The Comforter. the Holy
Ghost. whom the Father will send in
my name. He shall teach you all
things. He will guide you into all
truth. He will show you things to
come, He shall testify of Me tJohn
xiv, &c; XIV. &c; xvi, 49,. and many 9th
er things He said of the Spirit of
Truth But we are blind and deaf and
so slow to perceive or hear spiritual
things.
Well might He say of each of us. Il
have written to him the great things
of my law, but they were counted as a
strange thing" tIIos. viii. 12i When
He spoke of false teaching even the
disciples thought He referred to bread
for the body. and now here is a man.
one of the company so little impress
ed by the great truths of our last les
son and the solemn things of the fu-
ture that he is more concerned about
bit or edftnly properly.
Is it not so still. and are not men,
with rare exceptions. so occupied with
things temporal that they can scarce
find time to give a thought to things
eternali How weighty and heart
searching the Masters words, "a
mans life consisteth not in the abun-
dance of the things which he pos
I
ness is idolatry" tCol. iii. 81, how much
we need the words. Having food and
raiment, let us be Herewith content
Trust not in uncertain riches, but in
the Living God, who giveth US richly
all things to enjoy q Tim. Vi, 6-S, 10.
How aptly and forcibly our Lord set
forth the truth in the parable of the
rich poor man who could only talk
with himself about the smallness of
his barns and the abundance of his
fruits and his goods. and if he had
larger barns what an easy. merry time
he might have for many years to come
He seemed to have no thought of God.
who had caused his ground to bring
forth plentifully. nor of the poor, with
whom he might share his goods. There
was no one TO be considered but him
self He knew nothing of the love of
God and therefore had no love for
God nor for his fellow men. But God
said unto him. Thou fool. this night
thy soul shall be required of thee"
(verse 20l
Now what were barns and fruits
and goods TO him? He had to leave
all and went out OF the world poor
indeed. like the rich man of Luke xvi.
1926. How often we read of one who
died at his desk in the Office or sitting
In his home or taken by an accident
and the words come to mind. Thy
soul is required of thee" and the great
question is. Was he saved? and then.
Was he rich toward God? 1t is possi-
Bile to be saved as by fire and have no
rewards for service. no crowns to cast
at His feet Il Cor. ill. Ills: Rev.
iv. 10l.
A true believer may still be so blind
ed by the sod of this world as to fail
to see the advantage of treasure in
heaven and so lay up treasure for
himself in this world which must all
be left behind when he is called out of
the world. From verse % He speaks
TO His disciples. truly saved men. all
but Judas lscariot iJohn xiii. 10. III.
and teaches them that since they are
now children of God there is no room
for anxiety about food or raiment.
The kingdom Is made sure to them
verse 32j. and if they will row live
re NJ Ey-in nrlt
unto God and winning souls to Him
He will see that all things necessary
for this life are given to them
The teaching of verse 81 and Matt
vi, 49, is not that of seeking our souls
salvation. for the words were spoken
to saved men, but 1t teaches saved
people that as such their first aim in
life should be the coming of the king
dom for which we pray when we say
from the heart. Our Father. who art
in heaven. Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth as in heav-
en-. There is no use talking Of ex-
tending the Kingdom. for there is no
kingdom to extend 1t was at hand
when our Lord was here. in their very
midst in the person of Himself rhe.
King. but when they cried 1--WE have
no king but Caesar" and killed their.
Messiah they caused the Kingdom to
be postponed till He shall come again
See carefully Luke xix. Ills: Matt
xiii. 80: Acts ill., 20. 21. We are in
the age between the postponement of
the kingdom and its coming at the sec
ond coming of Christ. the mystery hid
in God from the beginning of the
world. but specially revealed to Paul
(Eph. ill., oil: Rom. xvi. 25-20. Seek
ing the kingdom seems to me to mean
counting all things but loss for the
excellency of the knowledge of Christ
Jesus our Lord Phil iii. 81 and max
ing the supreme object in all church
life. social life and business life. to
make known In all nations as quickly
as possible His great salvation for
"whosoever Will that His body. the