Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1918-04-11
IMPROVED UNrFoRn INTERNATIONAL
SUNlNYSGlOOL
LESSON
(By REV. p. b. F1TZWATER, d. D.,
Teacher of English Bible in the
Moody Bible Institute of Chicago.)
Copyright 1918. Western Newspaper Union.)
LESSON FOR APRIL Ia
JESUS REQUIRES CONFESSION
AND LOYALTY.

LESSON TEXT-Mark S:27-3S.
GOLDEN TEXT-W hosoever will come
after me, let him deny himself and take
up his cross, and follow me.-Mark S:34.
DEVOTIONAL NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
10S-10; Hebrews 1912, 12-15.
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL FOR
TEACHERS-Luke 9:18-27; 57-62.
PRIMARY AND JUNIOR TOPIC
Jesus and the Blind Man.
LESSON MATERIAL-Mark S:22-26.
PRIMARY MEMORY VERSE-He hath
done all things well.-Mark 1877.
The time has now come for Jesus
to take account of his ministry. Hav-
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
ciples for the tragedy of the cross,
which he knew was SO near. His
teaching gathers around the great
cardinal doctrines of the Christian
faith. He instructs them touching his
person, atoning death, resurrection
and glorious coming again. He knew
that in the measure that they intelli-
gently apprehended these things they
would be able to pass through the
ordeals before them. The same is
true today. Those who clearly appre-
bend the Divine Person, the vicarious
atonement, the glorious resurrection,
and second coming of Christ, are I'M
disturbed by the world tragedies of
the present hour.
/. Peters Confession of Christ wv.
27-3O).
Two questions of Christ provoked
this confession:
1. "Whom do men say that ann"
wv. 81, 2S).
This question referred to the opin-
ions of the people regarding Jesus.
Some believed him to be John the
Baptist, some Elijah, and some one of
the prophets. They all recognized him
to be a teacher or prophet with more
than human authority and power. To-
day, as then, there is a diversity of
opinion among people as to Jesus
Christ Some think that he was only
man, others that he was a great
teacher, but nothing more. Jesus was
not content with this acknowledgment.
Had he been satisfied with this, he
would not have been molested in
| Jerusalem, for the Jews willingly ac-
| knowledged him as much more than a
| human teacher.
2. Whom say We that 1 ann" wv.
20, BOY.
II. Jesus Teaching Concerning the
Cross wv. 1889.
Christ charged the disciples not to
make public his Messiahship, as that
would precipitate the crisis. The dis
| prepare them for the crucial hour of
| the cross.
| l. 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 lack of ap-
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
Of the nation. Truly, he came to his
own, and his own received him not
John Ill. To be rejected by ones
own friends aud relatives is doubly
painful.
| (3) BE killed."
This announcement was startling to
the disciples They had not yet come
to realize that redemption was to be
accomplished through the passion and
the cross. Jesus now states with
definiteness and certainty that he
must die on the cross. This necessity
was due primarily to the fact that it
was the divine purpose to make the
death of Christ the heart and core of
the atonement; and also, to human
hatred and opposition.
"a Rise again"
Though this was utterly incompre-
hensible to the disciples, he shows
them that this would be the glorious
issue of his death
III, The Cost of DiscipIeship ". 34)
The law of the Christian life is
suffering. To follow Christ means Il
turn ones back upon the world. TC
repudiate the world means to incul
the hatred of the world To be Chris
tians, therefore, means to share
Christ's sufferings.
!. There must be denial Of self {. 34)
This means the sufferings and sham,
which lie in the path of loyalty t.
God. To live the godIy life means
suffering e Tim. 3 :12).
3. Christ must be followed ". 34).
d This means to have the mind o
s Christ (Phil. 2:5) and to perform tn
:, service OF Christ.
/. w. The Issue of DiscipIeshlp Wv
Q 35-38).
> The blessed issue of following Chris
is a life of freedom here and now, an,
eternal life hereafter. Such sacrific
:, enriches the life that now is, and pre-