McNairy County independent. (Selmer, McNairy County, Tenn.) 1902-1969, 1918-04-12
IMPROVED UNFoRM INTERNATIONAL
SUNGSQl0OL
LESSON
(By REV. +. b. FlTZWATER, ID. D..
Teacher of English Bible in the
Moody Bible Institute Of Chicago.)
Copyright. 1918, Western Newspaper Union.)
LESSON FOR APRIL n
JESUS REQUIRES CONFESSION
AND LOYALTY.


up his cross. and follow fne.-Mark s:A
DEVOTIONAL READINGS-Romans
i0:s-1o; Hebrews 12:1-2, 12-15
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL FOR
TEAcHERS-Luke 9:1s-N; b7-62.
PRIMARY AND JUNIOR TOPIC
Jesus and the Blind Man.
LESSON MATERIAL-Mark s:2-S
PRIMARY MEMORY VERSE-He hath
done all things well.-Mark 1887.
The time has now come for Jesus
to take account of his ministry. Hav-
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
ciples for the tragedy of the cross.
which he knew was so near. His
teaching gathers around the great
cardinal doctrines of the Christian
faith. He instructs them touching his
person, atoning death, resurrection
and glorious coming again. He knew
that in the measure that they intelli-
gently apprehended these things they
would be able to pass through the
ordeals before them. The same Is
true today. Those who clearly appre-
bend the Divine Person, the yicarious
atonement, the glorious resurrection,
and second coming of Christ, are I'M
disturbed by the world tragedies Of
the present hour.
I. Peters Confession Of Christ wv.
27-30).
Two questions of Christ provoked
this confession:
/. "Whom do men say that ann"
wv. 81, 2S).
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 all recognized him
to be teacher or prophet with more
than human authority nd power. To
day, as then, there is a diversity of
opinion among people as to Jesus
Christ. Some think that he was only
man, others that he was great
teacher, but nothing more. Jesus was
not content with this acknowledgment.
Had he been satisfied with this, he
would not have been molested In
Jerusalem, for the Jews willingly ac-
knowledged him as much more than
human teacher.
2. "Whom say We that 1 ann" wv.
20. 800.
Jesus persistently claimed to be the
Goldman, the very Son Of God. He
wanted the personal opinion of the
disciples concerning him. To be able
to tell what others think Of Jesus is
not enough. There must be definite,
correct and personal belief in him,
which is worth infinitely more than
what others think. for upon 1t hinges
destiny and character. Some say 1t
matters little what we believe, just
so our conduct is all right. The fact
is, our conduct is the expression Of
our belief. What we believe, we al
ready are or are fast becoming. Doc
trine and ethics are inseparable. The
doctrinal belief concerning the person
of Christ, which entities one to the
name Christian, is that he Is the God
man, God manifest In the flesh. May
each one hear him putting the personal
question, "What think We Of Christi"
II. Jesus Teaching Concerning the
Cross wv. 31-33).
Christ charged the disciples not to
make public his Messiahship, as that
would precipitate the crisis. The dis
ciples needed much instruction yet to
prepare them for the crucial hour Of
the cross,
/. What he taught ". 81.
~ 1.-THE Son of Man must suffer
many things"
He suffered physical WEAKNESS and
hunger, ridicule and contempt, and
even misunderstanding and lack of APP
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
resentatives, 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 I'LL. To be rejected by ones
own friends and relatives is doubly
painful.
(3) "Be killed"
This announcement 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
definiteness and certainty that he
must die on the cross. This necessity
was due primarily to the fact that 1t
was the divine purpose to make the
death of Christ the heart and core Of
the atonement; and also, to human
hatred and opposition.
(4) Rise again."
Though this was utterly incempre-
hensible to the disciples, he shows
them that this would be the glorious
issue of his death. Life out of, or
through, death is Gods universal law
In nature and grace.
2. How the disciples received his
teaching ". 32).
So unwelcoTe was his teaching
touching the cross that Peter. the
spokesman of the disciples, rebuked
him. Victory through death is still
the stumbling block to many.
III. The Cost of piscipleship ". 34).
The law of the Christian life is
suffering. To follow Christ means to
turn ones back upon the world. To
repudiate the world means to incur
the hatred of the world. To be Chris
tians, therefore, means TO share
| Christ's sufferings.
1 Thnro ilst he denial of self L 2iA