The Elbert County tribune., 1918-04-19
IMPROVED uMroRM INTERNATIONAL
SUyD6YS01OOL
LESSON
(By REV. p. b. FITZWATER. d. d.
Teacher of English Bible in the
Moody Bible Institute of Chicago)
Copyright 1918. Western Newspaper Union-)
LESSON FOR APRIL Fl
JESUS TRANSFORMED, OR A
PORCELAIN OF THE KINGDOM
OF GOD.
LESSON TExT-Mark 9:2-2s.

Son: hear We Hlm.-Mark 9:7.
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL FOR
TEACHERS-Matthew 17:1-2o; Luke s:2s-
40; II Peter 11-21.
PRIMARY TOPIC-With Jesus on the
mountain.
INTERMEDIATE TOPIC-Meeting DIFF
hculties with prayer.
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL-James 5:15-
49,
SENIOR AND ADULT ToPIC-vision
and service.
The hopes of the disciples were
crushed when Christ announced his
death on the cross. They were unable
to see how victory could issue from
death. Jesus took with him Peter,
James and John. and went into the
mountain apart by themselves. Ac-
cording to Luke. they went there to
pray Guke 9:2S). While, doubtless,
he longed for fellowship and sympathy
as the shadows of the cross were fall
ing upon him, his chief desire was to
get the disciples apart and into state
of receptivity, so that he might show
them the methods of the kingdom. Be
fore going into the mountain, he de-
clared that there were some standing
in his presence who would not taste of
death till they had seen the kingdom
of God come with power ". ~. That
their dropping spirits might be revived
and their confidence restored, he was
transfigured before them. The disci-
pies sorely needed such a vision. If
the faith of the disciples was to be
kept through the dark hour of the
cross which was looming large before
them the light of the eternal must
beam forth. The disciple now, as
then, needs a glimpse of the glory be-
yond the cross In order to face the is
sues of the hour.
|. Jesus Christ GIorifled on the
Mountain wv. 2, 81. He took his dis
ciples "by themselves" and was trans
figured before them" This shows the
purpose terminated upon the disciples
and not upon himself. Christ's rebuke
of Peter for his unwillingness to hear
concerning his death apparently for
time estranged the disciples from him.
To heal this breech, an unusual trans
action was required. His Shining raj
ment" was typical of that glory which
shall be manifest when he comes back
to the earth.
II. Peter, James and John Repre-
sent Israel In the Flesh In Connection
With the Kingdom ". p. Christ is
peculiarly the King of Israel. Accord
ing to Ezekiel 81 :21-27, they are to be
the central people In the kingdom.
This people shall be gathered from
among the nations, united as one in
that kingdom In their own country.
III. Moses and Elias Appeared In
Glory With Jesus wv. 4-13). These men
in the gloriifled state are typical of the
state OF the saints in glory. Moses,
who was once denied an entrance to
Palestine, appears now in glory, repre-
senting the redeemed of the Lord who
shall pass through death into the king
dom. The thousands of the Lord who
have fallen asleep, at Christ's coming
shall be awakened and pass into the
kingdom through translation. Many
shall be living upon the earth when
the Lord shall come, and they, with
out dying. shall be changed and pass
Into the kingdom Il Cor. Is :50-53;
/ Thess. 4 :14-1S).
!. Peters foolish proposal wv. 5, 81.
Moses and Elias, who had been
long time In glory, would be i'll Mt
home in tabernacle on the mountain
side. 1t would have been to Peters
credit to have been silent, since he
knew not what to say.
2. The Divine voice out of the cloud
wv. 7, 81.
He is declared to be the beloved Son
in whom God is well pleased. When
one desires to know what pieases God,
look at his perfect Son, Jesus Christ.
3. Jesus charge wv. 9-13).
He instructed them that they should
tell no man concerning the things
which they had seen until he had risen
from the dead.
~. The Mighty Power Of the Divine
Servant wv. 14-2e). When they de-
scended from the mountain, they saw
great multitude in state of per
plexity. The immediate cause of their
perplexity was the grievous state of a
young man who was possessed with a
demon ". 1S). The father of tie
the young man had appealed to the
disciples to cast the demon out, but
they were unable. When they brought
him to Jesus. the foul spirit was re-
buked ". 25), and came forth This
young mans state is representative of
the nations who are oppressed by the
devil. The people were grlevously op-
pressed.
There are times when the devil
Is especially active in the op-
preston of men. During Christ's So
journ on earth he seems to have been
very active, and we have reason to be-
lieve from the Scriptures that just pre-
ceding his second coming he will be
even more nctiyp. for ha lspouvc tbot