Middletown transcript., 1918-07-27
IMPROVED uNlPoRli INTERNATIONAL
SONl1YSC|1O0L
LESSON !.
By REV. P. B. FIToWATER. D. D..
Teacher of English Bible in the Moody
LESSON. FOR JULY %
oBEYINc GOD.

| eeOSObU ] VII 6O1U ~
osEYINc GOD.
LESSON TEXTS-Matthew 4:1S-22: job
A:22-24; James 1:22-H.
GOLDEN TEXT-If ye love me. ye vii
keep my commandments.-John A:15.
| DEVOTIONAL READING-John 15:S-1i
| PRIMARY TOPIC-Loving God and do
ing his will.
LESSON MArER1AI-Matthew 4:1s-2
| James 1:22-N
INTERMEDIATE, SENIOR AM
ADULT TOPIC-obedience: To whom
Why? How?
ADDITIONAL WATERFALL Chron
tcles 1918: Psalms 1G::17-1S; Matthew SIS
John 15:12-14; John 1856, II.
Obedience is vital part Of our re
ligion. The obedience of the Chris
tan is not legal but filial. Eterna
life is not secured through obedience
but obedience is the tangible evidence
that one possesses 1t.
!. The Call Of the First Disciple,
Matt 1922.
1. BY whom-Jesus Christ ". 49,.
Jesus is the Son Of God. Since hi
Is equal with God. he has the right t.
call. Those who hear his call should
render instant amt hearty obedience.
2. The circumstances of their cal
". 1877.
The call came to them while they
were busy with their business inter
ests. God always calls men who are
vitality engaged In some business, not
those in idleness.
3. The nature Of ". 1917.
It was a definite call, in that def.
mite men were called into q definite
service.
(1) To follow Christ. We must fol-
low Christ before we can serve him.
Only Christians can do Christian work.
We should follow him to be like him,
in order to win others to him.
(2) To win men for him-"Fishers
of men," Christ calls men into work
of the same character as that in which
they were engaged. They had been
fishing for fish; now they are to be
fishers of men. When Christ calls
men he does not call them to lower
service. This is fine case Of promo
ton. Men catch fish to kill and feed
upon them, but Christ's disciples catch
men to make them alive and feed
them.
4. Response to Christ's call wv. 20.
22).
(1) They left their business inter-
ests Immediately.
(2) They not only left their bust
ness. but James and John left their IA
Their also. Following Jesus sometimes
means turning ones back upon bust
ness interests and dearest friends and
relations. Regardless Of what 1t
costs, the true disciple will rem
der instant obedience to the call
of Christ, because he has right to
call us, and we can trust his wisdom
to not call until he has need.
u. The Motive for Obedience (John
IA :22-24).
The grand motive actuating obedi-
ence is love to Christ. The proof that
we do love him is that we obey him.
Even when we may not be conscious
Of unusual outgoings Of the affection,
the conclusive evidence that we love
is that we obey. Keeping his COM
mandments means such a regard for
them that we highly treasure them rs
something precious. The reward for
such obedience Is to have Christ's
prayer for us to God to send his Holy
Spirit upon us (John 4:16. ~. Then,
too, the Father will love us, and he
and the Son will take up their abode
with us. This abode is not temporary
but permanent.
III. The Kind Of Obedience That
Counts (James 1:22-27).
1. The obedience Of deeds wv. %
24).
Hearing Gods Word will do no good
unless it is accompanied with obedi-
ence. Hearing and not doing is as
futile as beholding ones face in a
looking glass and forgetting what man.
ner of man he is. Calling Christ Lord.
and not doing what he says, will avail
nothing Matt. 1921. 22). To pretend
to know God and not keep his COM
mandments is to lie Il John 2:4).
2. The obedience Of perseverance
". 25).
We should not only look into Gods
Word and admire its projections, but
steadfastly and persistently do the
things required. Only those who thus
persevere shall be blessed In their
deeds.
3. The obedience of speech ". 26).
The one who has genuine religion
will control his tongue. Just as the
physician Outlines can diagnose the
physical condition Of the patient by an
examination of the tongue. so the
moral and spiritual condition Of the
can be determined by the
speech of the Individual. The one
who does not control his tongue proves
that his religion is empty and void.
4. The obedience of kindness ". 27).
Those who have received the kind
ness of God will manifest that kind
ness in their lives. This kindness will
express itself in ministering to the ia
therless and widows.
5. The obedience of purity of life
". 27).
The Law of God enjoins upon his
not only purity of life, but
abstinence from all appearance of evil.
The one who has been made a partak-
er Of the Divine nature keeps himself
from the sins of the world. It means
his senaratinn from the things of the