The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1918-04-11
LESSON FOR APRIL Ia
JESUS REQUIRES CONFESSION
AND LOYALTY.

GOLDEN TEXT-Whosoevc will come
after me- let him deny himself. and take
up his cross. and follow me.Mark S:3i
DEVOTIONAL READINGS-Roman
10:S-l0; Hebrews l2:i-2 1918
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL FOR
TEACHERs-Luke 9:lS-27 S7-62.
PRIMARY AND JUNIOR TOPIC
Jesus and the Blind Man
LESSON MATERlAL-Mark S:22-26
PRIMARY MEMORY vERSE-IIe hath
done all things well.-Mark 1887.
The time has now come for Jesus
to take account Of his ministry. Hay
ing been rejected by the rulers, he
goes into retirement with his disciples.
His primary object in his teaching
during this time is TO prepare the dis
clplcs for the tragedy of the cross,
which he knew was so near. His
teaching gathers around the great
cardinal doctrines Of the Christian
faiih. He inStruc.S them touching his
person. atoning death, resurrection
ana glorious coming again. He knew
that in the measure that they intelli-
gently apprchcndcd these things they
would be able to pass through the
ordcals before them. The same is
true today. Those who clearly appre-
hcnd the Divine Person, the vicnriOuS
atopemCnt, the glorious rcsurrection,
and second coming OF Christ, arc un-
disturbed by the worsl tragedies of
the present hour.
!. Peters Confession of Christ wv.
27-3U.
Two questions OF Christ provoked
this confession:
!. "Whom do lucn say that | nm!"
(vv. 81, PSI.
This question referred to the opin-
ions of the people regarding Jesus
Some believed him to be John the
Baptist, some Elijah and some one of
the prophets. They Ill recognized him
TO he Il teacher on prophet with more
than human authority and power. To
day, as thcn, there is Il diversity OF
opinion among people as TO Jesus
Christ. Some think that he was only
Il man, others that he was a great
teacher, but nothing more. Jesus was
not content with this acknowledgment
Had he been satisfied with this. he
would not have been mulcStcd in
Jerusalem. for the Jews willingly ac-
knowcd:scd him as much more than a
human teacher.
:. "Whom say ye that am?" wv.
%, 3O).
u. Jesus Teaching Concernna the
Gross Wv. 31-33).
Christ charged the disciples not to
make public his Messiahship, rs that
would precipitatc the crisis. The dis
ciplcs needed much instruction yet to
prepare them for the crucial hour of
the cross.
/. What he taught ". 31).
G) "Thc Son Of Man must suffer
many things"
He suffered physical wcariness and
hunger, ridicule and contempt, and
even misunderstanding and lack of np-
probation on the part of his friends
and disciples.
(2) "Be rejected of the elders, chief
priests and ScribeS."
These were the nations official rep
reScntativeS, the very ones who should
have known and received Christ and
recommended his reception on the part
of the nation. Truly, he came to his
own, and his own received him not
John ] III. TO be rejected by ones
OWN friends and relatives ia doubly
painful.
(3) "Be killed."
This announcements was startling to
the disciples. They had not yet come
to realize that redemption was to be
accomplished through the passion and
the cross. Jesus now states with
detniteness and certainty that he
must die on the cross. This necessity
was due primarily 10 the fact that 1T
was the divine purpose to make the
death of Christ the heart and core Of
the atoncment; and also, to human
hatred and opposition.
(4) "Rise again"
Though this was utterly incomprc-
hcnsible to the disciples, he shows
them that this would be the glorious
issue Of his death.
III. The Cost of DiscipIeship ". 34).
The law of the Christian life Is
suffering. TO follow Christ means to
turn ones back upon the world. To
,rpudiatc the world means to incur
the hatred of the world 70 be Chris
tianS, therefore, means to share
ChriSt's suifcrngs.
!. There must be denial OF self 3D.
This means the s,Ifcrings ana shame
which lie in the path of loyalty TO
God. TO live the gohly life means
suffering e. Tim, 3:12).
3. Christ must be followed ". By.
This means 10 have the mind OF
Christ U'hil. 2:5) and to perform the
service of Christ.
". The Issue of Discipleship wv.
35-3S).
The blessed issue of following Christ
is life Of freedom here ana now. and
eternal life hereafter. Such sacrifice