Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1918-09-12
LESSON FOR SEPTEMBER ~
FRUITS OF THE CHRISTIAN LIE


LESSON. TExTSadatthew Is :l4-ao, ST.
GOLDEN TExT-An things are yours:
and We are Christ's, and Christ Is
.God's-I Corinthians s:z1-2s
DEVOTIONAL READING-GaIatians s..
1875
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL FOR
TEACHERaPsalms 17:15. Isaiah Sill:
Acts 1873. Romans 2.10s 5:1-2-
I. The Parable of the Talents.
This parable, like that of the Ten
Virgins, is associated with the second
coming of Christ. In both instances
there is evident an unpreparednesS on
the part of the people In the first
case there is failure of the inward life !:
In the second, there is failure to use
the gifts which have been entrusted to
them. The first was failure to watch !;
the second was failure to work. By
talents is meant. the gifts which God
has entrusted to his servants 1t may
be natural endowments. special endue-
ments of the Spirit. or 1T may be the
gospel of Jesus Christ. With refer
ence to these talents note:
I. Their distribution wv. IA. 15).
(1) A sovereign one. The servants
belong to the Lord as well as the
money. (2) An Intelligent one. The
distribution was made on the basis of
the ability of each servant. The rea-
son one man received one talent was
because the Lord knew that he would
be incapable of using two or five. (3)
A purposeful one. The talents were
given to be traded with They were
not given for the servants own use.
but stock-in-trade for the enrichment
80
3 Employment of the talents wv.
1919.
In this employment all the servants
recognized that the talents did not be-
long to them. The two-talented man
and the f1ve-talented man put their
talents to use, which resulted in a
large increase. 1t is always true that
the right use of talents increases them.
The one-talented man hid his In the
earth The unmistakable sign of the
one-talented man is that he is hiding
his talent. The two-talented and five
talented men are always busy
g. The accounting for the talents
(vv 19-3O).
ID Its certainty. There Is day
coming when the Lords servants shall
I give an account to him for the use they
have made of their talents (2) The
/ time of. This is at the coming of the
Lord Those who are using their tai
ents will rejoice when the Lord comes
| that they may present unto him their
I talents with increase But the one
| talented man will have fear and dread
against that day. (3) The judgments
| announced. To the faithful there was
reward. This reward consisted OF
praise: "Well done ;" promotion: "rulel
over many things" and entrance upon
| the 10y of the Lord" For the faithless
| one there was awful punishment which
consisted of reproach-"slothful ;" be
| ing stripped and cast into outer dark
ness.
| H.. characteristics Of the Subjects
Of the Kingdom Matt 5:1-12)-
These beatitudes are connected with
| each other with the strictest order OF
logical sequence. They set forth the
characteristics of those who are sub
jects of the kingdom They fall into
| three groups: four in the first, three in
the second, and two in the third
| l. Poverty of spirit w. 3D. To be
| Door in spirit does not mean to be
/! without money, but to come to the
| end of self, to be In a state of abso
lutte spiritual beggary, having no pow
L
self better.
g A profound grief because of this
/ spiritual bankruptcy w. 49, Ths
| mourning here is not because of ex
ternal cares but a keen consciousness
of guilt before a holy God
8. A humble submission to Gods vii
| and obedience to his commands with
| out asking the reason why ". 3D. Thi.
is the outgrowth of mourning for spir
| itua1 insolvency.
f. An intense longing to conform tt
| the laws of the kingdom w. 81. Hav
| ing received the righteousness o.
Christ as a free gift. every desire O
his soul is to be filed with righteous
| ness
S. Merciful ". D. At this stage thu
subjects of the kingdom take on tn
character of the King. Christ wa.
merciful; his followers will be like
| wise.
6. Purity of heart ". 81. This hear
purity begins by having our heart
sprink1ed from an evil conscience witt
the blood OF Christ, and is maintaines
by living in fellowship with him. Thos
who have pure hearts can see God ev
erywhere-
Z. Peacemakers ". 81. Those VIII
have been reconciied to God by Chris
not only live In peace, but diffuse peace
/ g. Suffering for Christ's sake w. 10)
The world hated Christ and crucifie'