The Dermott news. (Dermott, Ark.) 1910-1977, 1918-04-04
LESSON FOR APRIL 7.
JESUS SETS MEN FREE.

DEVOTIONAL READING-Psa. 7a:l-li.
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL FOR
rEACHERS-Matt.1 5:1-sl; II Cor. 3:17. 10:
Sal 5l-&.
PRIMARY AND JUNIOR TOPIC-Je-
ms and the deaf man.
MEMORY vERSE-He hath done all
hings well. he maketh even the deaf - :.
hear and the dumb to speak..Mark
SENIOR AND ADULT TOPIC-a
dan liberty.
This lesson deals with the last o8
those four events which mark the
.risis in the life Of our Lord at Caper.
aaum. 1t occurred just before the third
period Of his Galielean ministry and
the time Of his final departure for Jeru.
salem. We have seen what the af&f.
.ude Of Jesus was toward the law q
his nation. In this lesson we see his
attitude toward the rabbinical tradi-
tons Of the people which were the
opinions OF men and not the law OF
God. Just so many today look upon
the forms and ceremonies Of the
church as being verify the law Of God.
Moreover. these traditions were made
pretext whereby men evaded the
law. So today we find men very relie-
lous and punctilious In their cburchlyl
duties, who fail mlserably In their ap.
plication OF the moral code to conduct
The analysis falls into four general
i divisions One, the accusation. wv
i-5. two. the answer. wv. 8-18) three.
The application. WV. 1929, and four.
the Illustration. wv. 24-3O.
1. The Accusation. wv. 10y. The
growing hatred OF the Pharisees, led
them to make long Journeys from Jeru-
salem that they might spy on Jesus
! and find pretext for ACCUSE son.
While they were studying him. they re-
vealed their ideas OF the kingdot.l OF
+ God. They took special notice that
the disciples OF Jesus ate without
washing their hands. We must not I'M
+ derstand this To mean so much the re-
moval Of detilement. as the neglect OF
n ceremonial observance over which
the Pharsees were punctilious, wv. ).
A.. Verses three and four illuminate
certain traditions to which the Jews
adhered tennciously. Thus exempli.
fed we can see that their ideas OF
mans relation to God were largely .
matter of external ceremony. Purity
to them was an outward matter largely
governed by the traditions OF men, ".
y.
II. The Answer ". 6-13). The an
swer OF Jesus reveals the very oppo-
site ideal. He begins by calling tho
Pharisees hypocrites. A hypocrite Is q
play actor-one who hides behind
mask. Applying the prophecy OF
Isaiah. Jesus plainly tells the Pharisees
that they are hiding their true chnrac-
ter behind the mask of ceremonial
cleansing. Such play acting is but .
poor imitation OF the real heart con-
dition demanded OF God, (Psa. 81 :10).
Their hearts were far from God, even
though With their lips they professed
to serve him. The love we express to
God consists not In ritunlstic worship.
but In doing his will from the heart.
~. The Application, ". 1d-23
Jesus takes advantage OF this dlscuU
sion. and. turning TO the multitude, up
on whom the Pharisees would bind q
grievous burden OF ceremonialism ana
falsehood (Matt. % ~. warns them
that II Is not SO much that which en-
tiers into man that defiles him. as
that which issues from him ". 15). II
seems quite natural that In their per-
plexity the disciples should ask Jesus
what he meant by that In his reply
(vv. 1929. Jesus shows very clearly
that "the issues Of life" prov. :23),
reveal the corruption which Is within.
(See Matt. IL "a. 35 Gen. 9 10; James
+ 8;10-12). II the heart be not cleansed
what will IL avail II we wash the
hands7 What then is the application
f Tor this present day? Clearly We are
taught the danger Of lip service with /
/ out a change OF heart. Substituting
good for the best is sin. Forms and
ceremonies are good and have their ]
place; they are significant for they are &
important teaching factors; but they
must not be substituted for a pure
heart. We must beware lest we hide
behind such mask.
There Is here also plain teaching a.
to Jesus estimate of the Pentateuch
and inferentally Of the prophecy of |
Isaiah. He specifically calls II the
Word of God" Surely We can accepe
his estimate as contrasted with the
tradition of the elders or the con
sensus Of modern thought"
Less talk and more walk,
Less wishing and more doing.
Loss preaching and more practicing.
1 Al nj To- anA NJ hn
Finally, we have two illustrations
as TO how Jesus sets men free. cd
Jesus silence appears to deepen faitA l.
In the pleading Syrophenician woman L
| ". 24-30).
Co We have the cure Of the dear
and the dumb man. wv. $3.50; ip-N
Simultaneous healing. showing divine
power.
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