Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1918-04-12
LESSON FOR APRIL "A
JESUS REQUIRES CONFESSION
AND LOYALTY.

LESSON TEXT--Mar 5:N-3s
GOLDEN Whoavever will come
after me. let him deny himself, and take
up his cross, and follow ine.-Mark S:H,
DEVOTIONAL READINGS-Romans
I0;S-lO; Hebrews l2:l-2, l2-l5.
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL FOR
TEACHERS-Luke SIs-27; 67-62.
PRIMARY AND JUNIOR TOPIC
Jesus and the Blind Man.
LESSON MATERIAL-Mark s:2-S.
PRIMARY MEMORY VERsE-He hath
done all things wel.-Mark 1887.
The time has now come for Jesus
to take account Of his ministry. Hnv-
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
clples for the tragedy Of the cross,
which he knew was so near. Ills
teaching gathers around the grent
cardinal doctrines Of the Christian
faith. lie lnstructs them touching his
person, atonlng DEATH resurrection
and glorious coming again. lie knew
that In the measure that they intelli-
gently apprehended these things they
would be able to pass through the
Ordenls before them. The same Is
true today. Those who clearly appre-
bend the Divine Person. tn, vicnrious
atonement, the glorious resurrection,
and second coming Of Christ, are UNI
disturbed by the world tragedies OF
the present hour.
!. Peters Confession Of Christ wv.
27.3O).
Two questions of Christ provoked
this confession.
/. "Wh0m do men say thpl ann"
wv. q, 2S).
This question referred to the 0pln-
ions Of the people regarding Jesus
Some believed hiv 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, us then, there Is II diversity of
opinion among people rs to Jesus
Christ. Some think that he was only
a man. others that he was Il great
teacher, but nothing more. Jesus was
not content with this acknowledgment,
Had he been satisfied with this, he
would not have been moested In
Jerusalem, for the Jews willingly ac-
knowledged him as much more than
human teacher.
2. "Whom say ye that amp wv.
20. 3O).
Jesus Lersistently claimed to b. 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 tlun
what others think, for upon II hinges
destiny and character. Some say II
matters little what we believe, just
80 our conduct is all right. The fact
Ia, our conduct Is the expression Of
our belief. What we believe, we al
ready are or nre 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"
u. Jesus Teaching Concerning the
Cross wv. 1889.
Christ charged the disciples not to
make public his Messiahship. as that
would preclpitate the crisis. The dis
clples needed much instruction yet to
prepare them for the crucial hour Of
the cross.
!. What he taught ". 3D.
~ "The Son of Man must suffer
many things"
He suffered physical WEAKNESS and
hunger, ridicule and contempt. and
even Misunderstanding and luck of up
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 Il IL. To be rejected by ones
own friends and relatives Is dOubly
painful.
(3) BE killed."