The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1916-03-09
LESSON FOR MARCH IL
HEROES AND MARTYRS OF FAITH
LESSON TExT-Heb. Ill: 1914


LESSON TExT-Heb Ill; 1913
GOLDEN TEXT-Let US run with pa
t1ence the race that Is set before US
looking unto Jesus the author and per
tector of our faith.-I1eb. 12:1. :.
There are two kinds of heroism for
which medals are awarded in this
country. Congress confers a medal
of honor" for distinguished services
and extraordinary heroism in war
The Carnegie hero fund IN peace"
bestows medals and pecuniary recog-
milton for heroic deeds performed in
preserving and rescuing human life.
and the first medal thus issued was
given to a boy for rescuing another
boy from drowning
l., Faith Defined, v. I. This is per-
haps the most quoted and succinct
definition we have Of faith What fol-
lows is but the illustration and ap-
plication of the fact. Faith is an "as-
surance" CR. W. The ground of this
assurance and conviction is the word
of God. (See Rom. 1O:1O. The only
sure ground for a dynamic and intel
ligent faith is Gods word: put to the
acid test of experience it never fails
Faith is not fatalism. To believe God
is to rely upon him unhesitatingly with
an unfaltering assurance as to the full
hllment of his promises, q John $40;
John 5:24; Act. 27:2s; Rom. 4:19-21.
IL. Faith Declared, w. 4, S. Faith
had been declared and manifested by
many illustrations before the death OF
Stephen:
(a) Abel, at the risk of his brothers
anger, obeyed the unseen God ana
earned his approval; his heroic, mar
tyred spirit still speaks to men w. 4
CD Enoch, the diligent seeker after
God, in world of lawlessness lived
life well-pleasing to him through
faith that made his presence real (vv.
s. g..
(c) Noah (v.O, lonely man of faith
(Gen. $50, chose the unseen God and
preached righteousness rather than
avoid the ridicule OF his neighbors
Noah reckoning the invisible as tan
gible, continued to build his ark and
became blessing to the 2ace
(d) Abraham and Sarah (S-12). Not
knowing whittier they went, by faith
these lonely pilgrims unerringly fol-
lowed an invisible God to an unseen
country; but a faith greater still led
them to dwell in the land" and not
possess it (v. 10). Their faith re-
deemed them from the mere emigrant
character. They looked for city.
which had foundations, whose builder
and maker is God"
(e) Moses (23-28) showed his faith
by right choice. He weighed values
and had respect unto the recompense
of reward" His faith endured, as
seeing him who is invisible" Moses
saw by faith the 'reproach of Christ
that which Christ suffered for the re-
demption of the world, as being Of
greater riches than the treasures Of
Egypt"
These, and others not mentioned.
are summarized by their having &C
complished ten different things (32-
400. They performed great deeds Of
heroism (32-34; they endured great
suffering and persecution (35,36). All
of this suffering was to issue in a
greater reward with the glory that
was to come rom. 8:18, II Cor AIT.
49,. All these men of faith obtained
a good report" These saints had wit
ness borne to them through their faith
Truly witnessing. their names and
deeds are recorded for our good, yet
even they did not receive the promise.
l. e., all that had been promised by
God had not been fulfilled in them.
Such promises were only fulfilled
when Christ the Messiah came. Some
thing better than they had received
came when he came, and without his
coming they were not made perfect
They did not receive, but the promise
Of God had not failed. They will yet
receive his ful6llment when the roll
of the heroes of faith Is perfected. and
we, together with them, shall be
made perfect" wv. 80. 4O).
III. Faith Demanded, ~: I, 2. The
Holy Spirit has given us this long list
OF heroes as an exhOrtation to stir up
those living to the performance Of
their duty. The roll call of triumphant
heroes is not yet completed. All these
mentioned are witnesses, not onlook-
ers. These are they who have testi-
ucU " NOu dIu " LILO lTuCu OI MS
word. In the light of this testimony
and on the same ground of their tes-
timony, we are to do several things:
1. To clay aside every weight" No
runner carries any weight beyond that
which is needful. Some things are
burdens that are not necessarily sins
Every such thing binders our running
and should be laid aside
g. "The sin that doth so easily beset
u.s." Literally, that wrap themselves
about us as an ill-f1tting garment, and
which trip or impede the runners
progress. These sins mot sim are
those little devil habits and practices
which must, for that reason, be laid
aside.
3. Run with patience the race set
before u.s. There must be steaG1ast-
ness and endurance. II church mem
bers were as faithful In following UP
as the average business house is, VS.
would have less of lapsed church mem
bers and fewer boys and girls who
drift away from the Sunday school
4. Looking unto Jesus " This is the