Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1914-03-18
SUNDAY SCHOOL
LESSON FOR MAR. IS
LESSONS BY THE WAY.
LESSON TEXT-Luke 1885.

GOLDEN TE\T-"NOt every one
that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall
enter into the kingdom OF heaven; but
he that doeth the will OF my father
who is in heaven. Mat 7:21.
The paragraph selected for our
study is wisely entitled Lessons by
the Way" and easily falls into three
sections. There are two parallels
about the kingdom. a reply as to who
shall be saved, and an answer TO the
advice given Jesus about Herod seek
ing after his life.
The first section is properly por-
ton OF the preceding paragraph which
relates to the incident of the woman
healed on a Sabbath.
l.. What the Kingdom of God h
like, w. 1921. The word, there
fore, (v. IS, II. VI, links this sec
ton with the lesson of last week
wherein we observed the effect upon
his adversaries when Jesus worked
his miracle of healing upon the wo-
man ". 49,, and they were put to
shame" V. II. With this fact in mind
il is easy TO reconcile the principles
advanced by the two different parallels
viz, the fact of intense opposition on
the part of his enemies, and that of
rejoicing on the part of his friends.
Symbols of Evil.
The faithful servants of an absent
but expected Lord are to watch for
him that they may give him suitable
welcome when he comes. This king
dom is to be outwardly prosperous
and grow to that extent that 1t shall
be a shelter to the birds, which rep
resent the nations. Eek. 1928. But
at the same time there is to be an in
ward growth as well, one of leaven
(yeast), putrefaction. See /. Cor. 5:67,
also Gal. $3.50. A mustard seed thus
growing large is abnormal; the birds
are symbolic of evil; so Jesus teaches
us here as elsewhere Matt. 1924
800, that the kingdom is to be OF a
mixed character, an intermixture of
good and evil, opposition and victory.
History has abundantly fulfilled these
predictions, though at the time Jesus
uttered these words nothing seemed
more improbable than such a sugges-
ed development, either OF outward
prosperity and power, or of such a
possibility of finding evil within.
Common Question.
III. Who shall be saved, w. 22-30.
What is more natural in view OF these
thoughts than to ask this question, a
question that is a most common one
still. Notice, he did not answer in a
way to satisfy idle curiosity, but di-
rected each to his own duty, to see If
they themselves had entered the king
dom rather than be concerned about
how many are TO be saved. The sec
ret then is still a secret. He told them
to Strive" (contend earnestly TO en-
ter in. Soon the door will be shut,
now they are able to enter, then not
at all. He is the door" John 1893.
There is one form of work which is
essential to the salvation of the be-
lever, see John 6:29. Works" altru-
istic service, is an essential part of
Christianity, being an evidence of
faith, James 2:17, IS, but altruism is
not the whole of religion as some
seem to imply. We do not drift into
the kingdom, Acts 14:22; I. Cor. 9:24-
27- Heb. All; Pet. ITO. All one
needs to do to be lost is to do moth
ing. To be saved calls for an honest,
earnest effort. Jesus again suggests
his return as he reveals the kind of
seeking which fails to find an entrance
In another passage (Matt. 1913, 14)
Jesus states this same thought. The
way of unrighteousness is broad, easy
to follow and many walk therein.
Whereas the way of life is narrow,
straight, and few choose to follow it.
To be even so familiar as to have
eaten and to have drunk in his pres
ence, or to have lived on the same
street, will not suffice, and will not
merit an entrance. In another con-
nection Matt. 25) Jesus taught that
even If admission is claimed on the
basis of actual service rendered there
was still lacking one thing. viz, the
Lords knowledge of them. To be
casually, specifically familiar with
him is not enough-they did not know
him. Many of our first people will
then be last" when that door is
closed. and they find themselves with
out blessed is he that cometh in the
name Of the Lord"
Word and Work-the two VS.
You'll soon get spiritually gorged II
1 il is all word and no work, and you
will soon be without power if it Is
all work and no word. If you want
to be healthy Christians, there must
he both word and work."-D. l.
Moody.
III. Warning about Herod, Wv. 81.
35. why the Pharisees gave Jesu:
this warning is hard to tell. They
were not interested in his safety par.
ticularly and perhaps only wanted e
brighten him and thereby limit ihs in
fluence and activity, see Neh. 6:9-11
Amos 1872. 10. There is no doubt
however, of the truth OF their words
and we know that Jesus never need
lessly incurred danger. He had hi
work to do and could not be killed
until IL was done, John 1880. Th'
mention OF the usurper called from
Jesus a revelation of his compassion
ate love for the city Of Jerusalem.