Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1917-03-17
LESSON FOR MARCH 1s
JESUS SAVES FROM SIN.

LESSON TEXT-John s-12, 31-37, 56-5s
(Read entire chapter.
GOLDEN TEXT-If the Son therefore
shall make you free, We shall be free IN
deed--John S:36-
Teachers should sketch rapidly in
chronological way the events in the life
of our Lord. (See any good harmony
and show that this lesson belongs TO
the period of the Galilean ministry of
Jesus when he had gone up to Jerusa-
lem to attend the feast of the taber-
nacle (John 7:1-52). Let us be sure
to load our guns with temperance am
munition, be familiar with facts, take
careful aim, concentrate all we have
to say upon one definite aim, and then
pull the trigger e. g. be sure to shoot
a temperance charge and make tenn
perance application.
I. The Slavery to Sin. Jesus preyi-
Gus references to water (Chs- and .
and to bread (ch- 81 were occasioned
by outward occurrences; so with this
reference to light. In the treasury ".
2O) near to Jesus as he spake were tw0
colossal. golden lamp stands around
which when lighted the people gath
cred with rejoicing. Amid the blaze of
this illumination, Jesus exclaims: 4
am the light of the world" What is
more beneficent than light as it re-
veals, cheers and brings life. health
and happiness to mankind? Without
light there is no vision. Without Jesus
there is no spiritual wisdom. Without
light we know not whittier we are go
ing. Without Jesus we grope in the
darkness. Every ray of light, of truth,
of holiness and love comes from him,
for God is light, and in him is no dark
ness at all q John 1 :15). Some think
that, these words We're occasioned by
the onlookers, seeing what Jesus had
written in the sand (vv. LID. The
first step in the slavery of sin is blind
ness; the second is habit and the
third is that of absolute slavery <(Prov.
5 :22). Jesus was the incarnation of
the light of God. We cannot con-
ceive of Jesus making such an asser-
ton as this, and being merely a good
man.
II. The Possibility of Freedom (vv.
31-36.) These words We're spoken to
t'those which had believed on him. and
as the result they were to know the
truth, and the truth should make them
free. knowledge and liberty come from
continuance (abiding) in the word of
God tJohn IA :15; 16 :12-13). Many men
reject Jesus Christ because they claim
| they wish to have their liberty, and by
so doing they lose their liberty. A dis
| ciple is a learner; Jesus is the teacher
| the entrance examinations to the
| school of Christ are the simple and
| necessary condition of believing or ac-
| cepting him as Lord and teacher. The
scholars are all the disciples who con-
| tinue under his instruction. The OBJ
| ject of the schooling is to make per-
| feet men, unto the measure of the
/ stature of the fitness of Christ (Eph
| 4 %; Col :12). Christs school is not
only in the church and in the Sunday
school and Young Peoples society, but
! 1t is everywhere, in the home, in the
Office, at work and play; wherever one
/ is trying truly to live according to
| Christ's will, he is In his school, and
that school is open both day and night
| there are no vacations and no recesseS
| The text book is the Book of books
We need not argue as to the necessity
! of sin, but realize the fact that all are
under sin (Rom, :12), but being IN
der sin does not necessitate our abid
ing there, nor is sin necessary to oui
| being. This freedom here is from sir
and the love of sin and the curse anC
| the penalty of sin and the bondage anG
| corroding care of sin. 1t is also menta
freedom, freedom for Christian &C
| tivity. A knowledge of the Englisf
Bible is a liberal education, and bring:
true liberty to those who are thus edu
Gated. AS contrasted to that we have
the slavery of sin wv "a, &c., Tht
/ drunkard is slave because he is re
strained from doing what he knows hs
ought to do He cannot even do wrong
freely for his conscience constantly up
braids him. He is slave because ht
| is compelled to bear the consequence.
of sin against his will. The way OF
escape ". 36) is through the son : ''E
the son therefore shall make you free
| We shall be free indeed
ILL., The Authority (vv- IS, so. Tht
Jews took exception to the words o.
Jesus (33-55). When did Abraham SCI
Jesus? Read the 18th and 10Th chapter:
of Genesis, and we find that one of tbs
three who visited Abraham was differ
ent from the other two, and remained
behind while two went on to Sodom
| The one who remained was the Lort
Jesus, Jehovah appearing in human
| form before his later incarnation q.
Jesus OF Nazareth.
81 Am" is the name Of Jehovah
| Jesus here takes that name to himself