The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1918-04-18
SUNDAY SCHOOL
Lesson 4.-Second Quarter,
April %, 1918.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES
Text OF Lesson, Mark $50 5o-Menory
Verse, I John 4;2t-GoIden Text,
Mark e:35-commentsry Prepared
by Rev. D. M. Stearns.


by Rev. D. NJ. Stesrns.
Repeatedly Christ told them that he
should suffer and be killed. and rise
again the third day (vss. 30-32), but
know Of no one who believed IL except
Mary Of Bethany. They had other
thoughts than his and therefore could
not receive his words. This IL no doubt
the reason why so many today cannot
receive the teaching concerning his
coming again TO set up his kingdom
on this earth. They have their own
thoughts concerning the kingdom being
within us, and that we are here to win
the world to Christ. and other tradl
lions whereby the word Of God Is made
void. and they know not the thoughts
of the Lord Paul says. by the spirit,
that Christ died for our sins according
10 the Scriptures and that he was
buried. and that he rose again the third
day according TO the Scriptures q Cor.
1873. ~, meaning the writings in the
Old Testament; but how few seem to
see these truths In type, and In plain
statement, In Gen. -: Eek. IL: Lev.
10: Ps. %: lisa. So: and elsewhere.
II might be said TO many today. as well
as to those In his day. aye know not
the Scriptures, nor the power Of God"
Pride and ambition were among the
sins Of the disciples then as now. for
AZ they journeyed they had been dis
putting as 20 who should be the great
est (vss. $3.50. by little child whom
he took In his arms. and set in the
midst Of them. he taught them the
great lesson of lowliness and humility.
When. on the last passover night there
was a strife among them as to who
should be the greatest. he called their
attention TO the fact that he was among
them as one who served ULu. 30 :24-27).
Ambition TO be somewhat Is from the
devil who told Eve that II she obeyed
him she would be as God. and this was
his own sin (Gen. 3:5; lisa. II :l3. 14).
Jeremiah's advice Ia his scribe Baruch
was good. "Seekest thou great things
for thyself1 Seek them not" der,
~ ~ We need to remember that God
resisteth the proud. and giveth grace
10 the humble" aud to consider him
who though he was rich. for our sakes
became poor. Il Pet. 8 3: 2 Cor. 8 :9).
According 10 the harmony of the
Gospels. the incident of the tribute
money. recorded only in Matt. II :24-27,
comes in before this Of the little child.
In this matter also there was a bit Of
pride on the part OF Peter. for when
asked II his master paid tribnte, II
would have been more becoming In him
TO have asked Jesus. instead Of answer
ing as III he was an authority and knew
II all. Our Lord. rather than give Of
Tense submitted TO paying what Peter
had put him into. but he did not draw
upon the treasurer. Perhaps the treas
ury was empty. This mode OF obtain
ing money to pay this bill is TO me as
wonderful, II not more SO. than the
fish story In Jonah.
The lesson incident OF vss. 3S-41. In
dicates another bit OF self-lmportance,
though II seemed like zeal for the
Lord. and jealousy for his cause. How
common the word is now. or something
similar 20 II. "He followeth not u.s."
And the same spirit Is all too manifest:
Let us forbid him, or dlsapprove OF him,
or talk him down. because he does not
see as we do, or fellowship with us.
oh. to have more Of his spirit who
said. Forbid him not. for he that Is
not against us Is on our part" What
surprises there will be when he who
judgeth righteously shall reward every
one according TO his work. and not
even cup % cold water given In his
name shall have lost rs reward.
The remaining verses of our lesson
chapter (42-50) are imong the most
awful on rec ~d.Ass three times he
mentions hellbstcss. , fire that never
shall be gu, .siod. lie alone knows
what II means anc he does not want us
TO know, for he is not willing that any
should perish, IL was not prepared for
us. but for the devil and his angels
(Matt. 20 All. but wi erever II is and
whatever II Is, II must be awfully real.
Perishing must lbe IN indescrlbably
fearful thing br "God so loved the
world that be gave his only begotten
Son that whosoever belleveth in him
should not perlsi. but have everlasting
life." When we try TO think what II
must have neapi TO him TO give up his
Son to suffer In our tead. and what II
must have meant 10 his Son to give up
the glory which he had with the Father
before the vaHn was, and TO sojourn
about thir tfsu years In a mortal
body. as q zoo tnny, In world which
he had mao r. put witch would not own
him nor ~ I've hp; desplsed and re-
tected OF Inen, a alan of sorrows and
acquainted with grief, wounded for our
transgressions, bruised for our iniqui-
ties. bearing our sins In his own body,
all that we might not perish-then we
must conclude that 10 perish must be
truly awful thing. The reality Of the
torment OF the lost may be better imag-
ined from the description In Rev.
14:1O. IL, and yet there are those who
sas there Is no hell. thus ;laking light
Of the love Of God and the anguish
of Gethsemane. and Calvary, and max
ing God a liar.