Ellsworth American., 1916-03-08
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson W.-First Quarter, For
March II, 1916.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.

Text Of the Lesson, Heb. XII, 81, to xii,
2-Memory Verses, xii, I, 2-Goldsn
Text, Heb. xii, I, 2-commentary Pre-
pared by Rev. D. M. Stsarns.
This lesson ON the heroes and mar
tyrs of faith was probably suggested
to the committee by the previous les
son ON the death of Stephen. If word
or phrase gives the key to chapter or
portion this is certainly the faith
chapter of the Bible. for the word Is
found twenty-four times in this chap
ter But we must look at chapter K. 3S.
for the reason why OF this chapter.
THE just shall live by faith" sen
tence quoted three times in the New
Testament. the other two places being
Rom. |. II: Gal lii. IL. and all three
quotations of Hab. II. 4. Before we
can live by faith we must be justified
by faith. made Just or righteous Rom
V. II. and that takes us to the first be
lieve" in the Bible in connection with
righteousness Gen xv. u. He believed
In the Lord. and He counted II to him
for righteousness. This also is quoted
just three times in the New Testament
(Rom ". 3: Gal. lii 6; Jas. II. 81. so
these must be very important sayings
Our first great need Is Righteousness.
the kind that God requires and ha,
provided fully in Christ and can he
obtained only by faith rom. Z. 8. a.
Then. being saved. We must glorify
Ca h,r - rIsxb<,.,,,a Nfo ana <hta To-,
Is by faith. for as we have received
Christ Jesus the Lord 30 must we walk
in Him (Col. IL 81. Faith and patience
are the two essential things IN the dai
ly life Of the believer. steadfastly I've
holding the Lord Jesus. implicitly be-
lieving His word and waiting patiently
for His return (Heb. vi. II. Is: Z. 35-37:
XII. 1-3. Faith Ia not what we feel or
zee. but Is q simple trust In what the
God Of Love has said Of Jesus AZ the
Just. Unsaved people cannot possibly
please God (Rom. Will g.. and only by
faith and obedience can saved people
please Him. BY believing Gen. 1 I.
with Ps. xxxfil 6. We know how the
world was made.
Abel believed that the only way for
= sinner to approach God was by sacri
fee and shedding Of blood ~ taught to
his father In Gen Ill. q. Cain did not
believe God. and therefore his rejec
don by God. Enoch was fully agreed
with God In everything and was Will
ing to bear the scofing Of the ungod
ly tAmos III. 8: Jude IA. 16). Noah
believed in an approaching judgment
and In obedience to God prepared for
Il Abraham did not consider himself
nor Sarah nor seeming impossibilities.
but was fully persuaded that God was
able and would do what He promised
rom. ". 1921. The word Of God
things to come sustained
Isaac and Jacob and Joseph and the
parents Of Moses and Moses himself.
The unseen heavenly city and the rex
ompense Of the reward were verita-
BILE realities to Abraham and to Moses.
the one to live a. q stranger
and Q pilgrim here and the other to
turn his back upon all the pleasures
and treasures and prospect Of prefer.
ment In Egypt. Daniel feared mot the
Hons den. nor his friends the nery fur
mace, nor David the giant Goliath. he
cause to each the living God was q
glorious reality.
While many are mentioned By name
In this list Of people Of God, We can
not bot adore the grace which men
lions Rahab among such ~ these and
even associates her With Abraham In
James II. 23-2n We wonder ~ We
read OF Barak and not Of Deborah. but
we notice the words and others" Of
verse IS and pray for grace to be will
ing to Be counted among the '.others.- :
though not mentioned by name. The
mystery Of the sufferfngs Of the saints
we may not understand. but we can
trust the wisdom Of a God Of love and
wait patiently for Him to make It
plain. This Is our faith and patience.
These al '-and others" died In faith.
not having received the promises. but.
having seen them afar on. were per-
suaded Of them and embraced them
oversees 80. so. believe that the be-
heving ones before the deluge saw
more Of resurrection and glory in the
cherubim within the garden Of Eden
than many believers now see. Write
l. and r.. box PIG Harrisburg. Pa.
for booklet on the cherubim-) That
they without us should not be made
perfect seems to me to indicate that
fhev- With m are waiting for the man.
Hesitation Of the Sons Of God In our
resurrection bodies tverse 10: Rom
viii. 1921.
In the opening verses Of chapter XII
We are told that even our blessed Lord
himself was sussained In His suffer
ines BY the JOY set before Him. He
ever lived In the love Of His Father
and in the glory Of the kingdom Of
which He was always speaking and
for which He n still waiting. % Paul
prays In II Thess. III. s. that our hearts