Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1917-04-04
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
LESSON FOR APRIL 8
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READERS
ACCORDING TO THE
INTERNATIONAL SERIES
Text of the Lesson, John xi, IT. "A.
Memory Verses, rs, 26-Golden
Text John XII, 25-COmmentary
Prepared by Rev. ID. M. Stearns.

lcXJ JONI M, mchtdIy
Prepared by Rev. ID. M. Stearns.
The lesson chapter today is out OF
the regular order, just one lesson, be-
cause of its being suitable for Easter.
This is the home In Bethany which
seemed to mean more to Jesus than
any other and to which we were In
troduced In Luke K, 3S42, when we
saw Martha serving, but not restfully,
Mary serving also, but finding time to
sit at Jesus feet and hear His Word
pnd commended by Him. We shall
visit them again two weeks hence.
In Matt. XVI, 9, It Is called the house
Of Simon, the leper, and we feel like
asking some questions, that We may
know the family better. But whom
shall we ask? Until we can see them
and inquire more fully, IL it shall then
seem best, let us rejoice with them
that Jesus loved each of the three, as
1t Is written, NOW, Jesus loved Martha
and her sister and Lazarus" Verse 81.
Many Marthas have been made glad
by this verse. / am glad because the
Son Of God loved me and gave Him.
self for me and that He loves with
everlasting love and to the uttermost
(Gal. ii, 20; Jer xxi. 3; John Kill, 1,
r. V. NJ. Why He permits sickness
and suffering and death to come to
those whom He loves is a constant
question with many, but there Is COM
| fort I'm the assurance that God is love,
His way Is perfect. No real evil can
ever come to His own, and the suffer
ings OF this present time are not
worthy to be compared with the glory
which shall be revealed in US q John
iv, s.; Ps. xviii, 80; xci, 10; Rom. will,
49,. Why He did not go to them as
soon as He received the word, but
abode two days where He was (verse
O., is another perplexity, but we must
have absolute confidence in Him and
keep singing, "Just and true are Thy
ways" Rev. XIV, -.
1t would be well II the last clause OF
verse 4 held us under all circumstances,
"For the glory Of God, that the Son of
God might be glorifed." Glory to God
In the highest is the first thing, and
then peace duke ii, IA. When He did
come Martha met Him first and Mary
little later, but both greeted Him
with the same words, Lord, IL Thou
hadst been here my brother had not
died. oversees 81, 32). They sound re-
! proachful, but He understood and loved
them just the same. He spoke TO Mar
tina OF resurrection, but she thought
that He spoke of some far off event
(23-26D. The resurrection of the right
eous should be to believers an ever
present possibility and also the thought
Of being caught up without dying, both
Of which He here asserts. See also
Thess. Nv, 1918; Cor. XIV, 50-53. Not
something In the far distant future,
but possibility any day. "Yet very
little while, He that cometh shall come
and will not tarry" CHeb. X. 81, r. W.
Mary did not come TO Him until Mar
tina returned and said, THE Master is
come and calleth for thee" Then she
arose quickly and came unto Him
oversees %, 90 | wonder how the
Jews comforted her verse 81. How
would you comfort such a sad heart
God is the Father of mercies and the
God of all comfort, who comforts us
that we may comfort others, but 1 re-
member only one place where it Is
written, Comfort one another with
these words" Oh Cor. l. 3, 4; l Thess.
iv, 49,. OF too many it might be said
Miserable comforters are We ALL Dob
xvi, p. In due time they came TO the
tomb, and Jesus wept and groaned in
Himself oversees 80, 3S).
On this occasion, as He entered Jeru
salem and In Gethsemane are the three
occasions on which il is recorded that
Jesus wept, but He was ever a man OF
sorrows and acquainted with grief
lisa. lii, 81. When lie said, Take ye
away the stone" Martha objected, as
if 1t were an impossible case, for he
, haG been dead four days. His reply IL
J for each OF us and for every day, "Said
) not unto thee that IL thou wouldest
believe thou shouldest see the glory Of
God?" Verse 40) The same truth is
In Ps. xvii, 13-I believed to see. The
,, worlds motto is. Seeing is believing,
: but the Christian believes I'm order tc
: see. Jesus talked a moment with His
Father and then cried with loud voice
Lazarus, come forthw Instantly h
7 was at the mouth OF the tomb, alive
and well, but still bound hand and foot
with the graveclothes and his face
, bound about with the napkin. The
same word that gave him life brought
; him also to the mouth of the cave
! Some day that same voice will brint
D forth all the dead. the righteous at tn,
D beginning OF the thousand years ant
the unjust at the close of that periot
, chapter v, %. 29).
1t probably gave fear and trembling
!, to some to see a dead man stand NJ
with the graveclothes still on him, bul
D Jesus said, "Loose him and let him go,
and soon he is freed from the habili
' ments OF death. oh, the wonder work
ing Christ; truly man, for He wept