Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1918-09-20
IMPROVED vNlloRn INTERNATIONAL
SUYDYSQlO0L
LESSON
by Rev. L. Il, FlTHWATEE, d, D.,
Teacher Of English Bible In the Moody
Bible Institute Of ChicagoJ
Copyright l0lS, by Western Newspaper unlonl
LESSON FOR SEPTEMBER ~
FRUITS OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE

/ LESSON TEXTS Matthew 2j;li-3O; ST.
/ t.
GOLDEN TEXT-All things are yours;
:. and ye are ChrIsts and Christ Is
Gods Corinthians 3:2l-23.
/ DEVOTIONAL NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. 9;
1875
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL FOR
TEACHERS Psalms l7l5 Isaiah 5i;ll,
Acts lG;s5 Romans 2:lO, 5;l-2.
!. 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 IN 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 10 watch;
the second was failure to work. By
talents Is meant, the gifts which God
has entrusted TO his servants. II may
be natural cndowments, special endue-
mcntS Of the Spirit or 1t may be the
gospel Of Jesus christ. With refer
ence to these talents note:
|. Their distribution wv. II, 49,,
| % A sovereign one. The servants
belong to the Lord ms well as the
money (2) An intelligent one. The
distribution was made on the basis OF
the ability Of each servant. The rem
| rnnai.aI tnt
bccnuSe the Lord knew that he would
he incapable Of using two or five. (3
A purp0sefu one. The talents were
given to be traded with. They were
not given for the servants own use.
hut stock-in-trade for the enrichment
Of the master.
.. 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 hve.talented man put their
talents to use. which resulted In
large Increase. II Is always true that
the right use Of talents Increases them
The one-talented man hid his In the
earth. The unmstaknble sign Of the
one-talented man Is that he is hiding
his talent. The two-talcnted and five
talented men are always busy.
3. The accounting for the talents
wv. 19.30).
| ~ Its certainty. There Is day
coming when the Lords servants shall
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
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: swell done" promotion: ruler
over many things" and entrance upon
the ~ Of the Lord" For the falthless
one there was awful punishment which
consisted Of eproach-"slothful; :" be-
ing stripped and cast into outer dark
/ ness.
u. Characteristics Of the Subjects
Of the Kingdom Matt. 5!1-12).
These heatItudeS are connected with
each other with the strlctest 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.
I. Poverty Of spirit ". -. To he
I poor In spirit does not mean to be
without money but to come to the
end Of self, to he in state of abso-
lutte spiritual beggary, having no pow
or to alter his condition or make him
self better.
. 4 profound grief because of this
spiritual bankruptcy ". ~. The
mourning here is not because OF ex-
ternnl cares, hut keen consciousness
of guilt before n holy God.
3. A humble submission TO Gods will
] anu hDtllPH't W HIS fbHlllulluS Nllll-
out asking the reason why ". ~. This
IS the 0utgrowth of mourning for splr-
/ itnnl insolvency.
4. An intense longing TO conform to
the laws Of the kingdom ". 6). Hav-
Ing received the righteousness Of
4 Christ rs free gift, every desire Of
his soul is to be filled with righteous
ness.
). Merciful ". y. Al this stage the
subjects Of the kingdom take on the
character of the King. Christ was
merclful; his followers will be like
/ wise.
@. Purity of heart w. 81. This heart
/ purity begins by having our hearts
4 sprinkled from an evil conscience with
4 the blood of Christ, and Is maintained
/ by living in fellowship with him. Those
/ who have pure hearts can see God ev-
4 erywhere.
7. Peacemakers ". 81. Those who
have been reconciled to God by Christ
not only live In peace, but diffuse peace.
8. Suffering for Chrls,'s sake ". 10Y.
The world hated Christ and crucified
him. Those who live for him shall
suffer persecution III Timothy 3:12).
Q. Suffer reproach ", 1D. II means
suffering under false charges. In such
case we shall glory in 1t because 1t