The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1918-08-15
LESSON FOR AUGUST Is.
COMPRISING CHRIST.


LESSON TExTs-Juke I2.s-i2: Acts IL
n.
GOLDEN TExT-whosover shah con
fess me before men, him shall the son Of
man also confess before the angels OF
God.-Luke 1913
DEVOTIONAL READING-James 81
ADDITIONAL MATERIAI,-Psairns ig
i-2i; Mark b:lg-2O; John 1;l0-46; Acts 4.is.
20. I Peter s:i5
4. Importance OF ConfessinQ Christ
duke - :s12).
To confess Christ Is not easy; II has
never been easy. To do so means ex.
posure to ridlcule, contempt and per
secution. Regardless Of its issue. the
true disciple will confess his Lord.
I. Christ will confess before the an
gels OF God those who confess him
before men ". ~. The true disciple
will not be ashamed 20 let all men
know that he knows. loves, and serves
Christ.
n 2. Christ will deny before the an
kels OF God those who deny him be-
fore men ". 0). To deny Christ before
men may get one n little Of human APP
plause. but will surely bring one 10
loss Of heaven and 10 the sufferings Of
hell forever.
2. A pernicIous testimony II unpar-
donable ". 10). This testimony Is
the expression Of n heart utterly per-
verse attrIbuting the mighty works Of
the Holy Spirit as wrought by Christ
20 the devil (Matt. 1892; Mark 3 :29).
The objectionable sin will only be com
mltted by one whose heart Is incurably
bad. one whose moral nature Is so vile
that he fails TO discern between God
and the devii-a reprobate.
4. Divine aid given In testimony
wv. II. 12). In the most trying hour
the Holy Spirit will teach the disciples
what 60 say. and how 10 say II.
iI.-QuslIheatIons for Confesslnq
Christ tActs 1:1-1D.
Christ remained with the disciples
forty days after his resurrection to
prepare them for the important bust
ness Of witnessing for him. He had a
fve-fold object:
l. To convince the disciples OF the
absolute Certainty Of his resurrection
wv. 2. ~. Before the disciples could
undertake the great work for which
they had been preparing, the question
81 Christ's resurrection must be set
tied beyond doubt. No one can preach
the gospel who does not have certainty
Of conviction touching the resurrec-
ton.
2 To instruct the disciples In
things pertaining 20 the kingdom OF
God wv. 3. q. ~. Their unwilllngness
10 hear Christ's instruction (John 10;
u. 13) before his passion shut out
much valuable Information. so the Lord
tarrles to supply this need. They had
a wrong iden as 10 the kingdom being
restored. not as to fact. but as to time.
Christ had again and again predicted
coming kingdom in harmony with
the united testimony OF the prophets
Of Isrnel. They understood him Alright
ms 20 the fact Of the kingdom. hut the
time Of It's manifestation they failed 10
grasp. The disciples should be de-
A'hh'h hht i'li'b'h A'i hhfAhN
n mater!alistic conception. The king
dom is still 10 come: the time OF Its
coming is known only 20 God.
3. To show the disciples that their
business was TO witness for Christ to
the uttermost parts OF the earth wv.
4, s, 81 This witnessing was 10 he done
in the power OF the spirit. the result OF
which would be the formation Of a
new body the church. called out from
the world In the time OF the postpone
ment Of the kingdom.
4. To show the disciples the scope
Of their missionary activity ". 81. This
is shown TO be as wide as the world IT,
self. They were 10 begin M home and
10 the uttermost parts OF the earth.
Mission ,,orL haotns M boma and ends