The Arvada enterprise. (Arvada, Colo.) 1908-1970, 1918-04-04
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SUNlNYSUQQL
= LESSON
(By q. o. SELLERS. Acting Director Of
the Sunday School Course Of the Moody
Btblo Institute, ChicaSo.)
(copyrtsht. 1913. Western Newspaper Union)
LESSON FOR APRIL 7.
JESUS SETS MEN FREE.

JESUS SETS MEN FREE.
LESSON TExT-Aark 7:1-S7.
GOLDEN TEXT-If the son therefore
shall make you free. ye shall b free In
DEVOTIONAL READIN0-Psa. Mill.
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL FOR
TEACHERS-Matt. 15:1-31; II Cor. SIT. Is;
PRIMARY AND JUNIOR ToP1c-,s-
s,,s and the deaf man.
MEMORY vERsE-He hath done all
things WE'LL he maketh even the deaf to
hear and the dumb to speak.-Mark 7:7
SENIOR AND ADULT TOPIC-Chris-
tian liberty.
This lesson deals with the last Of
those four events which mark the
crisis in the life Of our Lord at Caper-
naum. 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 atti-
tude Of Jesus was toward the law Of
his nation. In this lesson we see his
attitude toward the rabbinical tradi-
lions of the people which were the
opinions Of men and not the law Of
God. Just 20 many today look upon
the forms and ceremonies Of the
church as being verify the law Of God.
Moreover, these traditions were made
a pretext whereby men evaded the
law. 80 today we find men very relig-
ious and punctilious in their churchly
duties, who fail miserably in their ap-
plication Of the moral code to conduct.
The analysis falls into four general
divisions: One, the accusation, wv.
1-5. two, the answer. wv. 8-1S) three.
the application, (vv. 1929. and four.
the illustration, (vv. 24-37).
I. The Accusation. wv. 1-5). The
growing hatred Of the Pharisees, led
them to make long journeys from Jeru-
salem that they might spy on Jesus
and ind q pretext for accusation.
While they were studying him, they re-
vealed their ideas Of the kingdom Of
God. They took special notice that
the disciples Of Jesus ate without
washing their hands. We must not un-
derstand this to mean 40 much the re.
moval of defilement. as the neglect O..
a ceremonial observance over which
the Pharisees were punctilious. wv. 8,
~. Verses three and four illuminate
certain traditions to which the Jews
adhered tenaciously. Thus exempli.
ned We can see that their ideas Of
mans relation to God were largely q
matter Of external ceremony. Purity
to them was an outward matter largely
governed BY the traditions of men, ".
~.
u. The Answer ", 8-1S), The an.
swer Of Jesus reveals the very opf,o-
site ideal, He begins BY calling the
Pharisees hypocritex. A hypocrite Is Q
play actor-one who hides behind a
mask. Applying the prophecy Of
Isaiah, Jesus plainly tells the Pharisees
that they are hiding their true eharac.
ter behind the mask Of ceremonial
cleansing. Such p,ay actins b but Q
poor imitation of the real heart con.
dition demanded Of God, (Pa. 81 10Y.
Their hearts we're far from God, even
though With their ilps they protested
to serve him, The love We express to
God consists not in rltualistic vorship.
but In doing hin viii from the heart.
M. ~. A..,,es%... f. ,A.as,
Jesus tskes sdvsnt..e ~ hi, discn,.
,,on .nd t,,nI., \, n. ,nnit,tud. mn.
On whom tie Pharisees would bind q
grievous burden Of ceremonlalism and
falsehood (Natt. $50, warns them
that Il 70 not 20 much that which en-.
tiers into q man that dellles him, a.
that which Issues from him ". 49,. II
seems quite natural that In their per.
plexity the disciples should ask Jesus
-, 20 ~, Y...,. .s.,,,. -. .,..C.,
W. .
tnat the Issues OF IKE" (ffov. 4:ZS),
reveal the corruption which In within.
S.Ini9. 70 N. 49,. n. No, .,.. n..d
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Tor mi. nr.sent d.v, Cie.riv NO .rc
tsu.ht ne hsnss, ~ lin eery,cs with.
ont a chance AZ Mari. auhstitutinp
.nra o.. m. 49, 4. -. rr.,,,,. .nI