Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1916-07-05
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson II.--Third Quarter, For
July 9, 1916.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.

Text Of the Lesson, I These. and ".
13- 1s-Memory Verses ~, f6. II.
Golden Text, ", 14-commsntary
Prepared BY Rev. o. N. stsarns.
1t is grand to have whole epistle to
mediate upon this week. and especial
~ such one as this. so full of the
glorious truth Of our Lords second
coming and its two stages. first TO the
air for His church and to the earth
with Us to set up His kingdom of
righteousness and peace The refer
ences 10 His coming In each chapter
we gave in last weeks lesson. and be
fore taking it up more fully let US
receive few heart lessons from the
whole letter. 1t Is from the three
with whom we have been travelling
recently. Paul and Silas and Timothy.
faithful and devoted witnesses to the
risen living Christ, and it Is to the
believers who lived on earth at Thes-
salonica. but were really In God the
Father and In the Lord Jesus Christ
as to their heavenly standing q Thess
1, l; III Thess. /, u. 1t was by the
gospel Of God and Of Christ. In the
power Of the Holy Spirit. that they
were led into this holy position and
the assurance of II. and the apostles
desire for them was that they would
walk worthy Of God, who had given
them this great Joy and called them
unto His kingdom and glory tchapter
1 s. 6; II. 2. 4. s. 8. IL: Ill. 2: ". u.
The one only thing that sinner ID
asked to do and can do Is 10 turn from
his sins to God and receive the Lord
Jesus Christ as his own personal
Saviour. That makes him to be In
God and in Christ and secures TO him
al the benefits Of the finished work
Of the Lord Jesus. life eternal the
forgiveness Of sins. acceptance In
Christ and joint heirship with Him
without any works whatever or any
merit on the part Of the sinner
Having eternal redemption, our one
occupation is summed up In serving
the living and true God, which means
with quietness doing our own bust.
ness, filing the place He assigns us.
living together with Him. as children
Of light rejoicing. IN everything giving
thanks and trusting the God Of Peace
to do all in US and through Us because
Of His faithfulness chapters 1. 8, ".
IL: Y. 5. 10. 1918. q, "a.
Having become followers Of Christ.
who suffered everything and was kill
ed for our sakes. we must not shrink
from suffering with Him and being
killed for His sake. never pleasing
men. but only and always pleasing
God. who trieth cur hearts Chapters
1 8: ~. IA. Is: iii. y. Being deiiv-
cred from the wrath to come. Of which
He speaks more fully in the second
epistle. our attitude should always be
that Of waiting for His return Our
Individual personal salvation is three
fold-we are saved. we are working
It out. and we wait for the redemption
Of the body at His coming. This b
simply stated In chapter 1 o, 10. but
zee also Rom '. l. 2: TIT u. I1-l3; l
John ILL., l. 2. There u another and
larger threefoId view Of salvation. COW
ering the whole church. which shall
BE- caught up AZ His coming. then the
salvation of all Israel At His coming
back with u In His glory. and after
that the salvation Of al nations. ~
that aviation one Of the greatess
words IN the Bible. has Z skiold sig-
nificance. reaching on to the kingdom
when the earth shall be filed with the
glory Of the Lord
Paul seems to have taught 90 much
about the blessed hope and associated
events that the believers feared lest
those who had died had missed . great
blessing and privilege. but he assured
them that those who might remain IN
IN the Lord came would not prevent
or 60 before or gain any advantage
over those who had died or. a. to their
bodies. fallen asleep tchapter ". -
ID. ! have many friends who think
that between death and resurrection
the soul sleeps and that there ID NO
conscious existence, but / cannot find
any foundation in Scripture for such
belief, 20 tell my friends that II l
shall die will be more alive than l
am now. believing Phil 1. 81. q; II
Cor. ". 8; Rev. vi. OIL; Luke xvi, p
As to His coming for Us and our
meeting Him In the afr. chapter ".
1918. with Cor. Nv. 3. 81, 80. makes
Il very real The Lord Himself shall
descend. the eame Jesus who assembled
from the Mount Of Olives (Acts 1. III.
3 trumpet shall sound. and ali the dead
bodies Of believers. whether buried In
The earth or in the depths OF the sea
sr burned to ashes. shall come to life.
and those who once lived In them when
hey were mortal bodies. but have
hnce death been with Christ In glory.
lhall live again In those resurrected.
ElOrffed bodies At the sams mo
ment. In the twinkling Of an eye, all
living believers shall be changed with