Greene County herald., 1919-05-23
IMPROVED uNFoEh IHrERNlTIoNAL
|SUNlNYSGIlOOL
LESSON
by REV. iP. 3B BFITzwATER. D. D..
Teacher of English Bible in the Moody
Bible Institute of ChicasoJ
Copyright. 1919. BY Western Newspaper Unicn)
LESSON FOR MAY rs.
REPENTANCE.

REPENTANCE.
| LESSON TExTS-Jonah s:1-10: Luke III
Is; Acts 2:37, ss.
| GOLDEN TExT-Repent ye, and be-
teve the Gospel-Mark lis.
| ADDITIONAL NATURALIZATION 1:1o-
%; Luke s:1-l4; Acts 1880. 81: Cor. 7:s-u;
| ! Peter So
PRIMARY ToPIc-God's Willingness to
Forgive.
JUNIOR roPIc-Ths People of Nine
| veh Repent
INTERMEDIATES TOPIC = Turning
From Sin to God
SENIOR AND, ADULT ToPIC-Ths
Nature and Fruit Of Repentance.
!. The Repentance Of the People Of
Nineveh g :1-10).
The following steps are noted in
their conversion:
Wv. 1-4).
The Lord commanded Jonah to 60 to
INineveh. a great and wicked city. and
there preach the preaching. that he
bade him. Jonah,s runaway expert
ence (see chapters !, q was such that
he was willing to obey God. His
chastisAment was severe, but by Gods
grace he was now ready to execute the
commissions. "Jonah arose and went
unto Nineveh according to the word
Of the Lord" " 81. So great'was the
city Of Nineveh that 1t required three
days to compass it; that is, to visit its
very centers of activity. Jonah. COM
Ing from Palestine, doubtless entered
the city from the south, and during
an entire day going from center to CEN
ter cried, Yet forty days and Nineveh
shall be overthrown'' ". ~. Since
the kings palace seems to have been
In the south part of the city Jonahs
message soon found its way to him. If
every preacher would preach what God
bids him there would be more cities
turning TO God. fei
2. Believing God ". 81.
They not only believed God would
visit Judgment upon them. but believed
In God. and put their trust in him for
mercy and salvation.
8. Repented (vv. SOY.
Their penitence was shown In ~
proclaiming fast and putting on sack
cloth (vv. SD. These marks of hui
initiation We're shown by all, from the
king on his throne to the most humble
man. (2) Cried nightily to God ".
| 81. In the midst Of their humiliation
they cried with intensity to God. (3)
Turned from their evil ways ". 81.
The final test of penitence is turning
| from sin 1t is hating sin badly enough
to quit it.
A. Accepted by God ". 10Y. When
the Ninevites turned from their evils
God refrained from executing doom
upon them. 1t averted Judgment. God
Is Interchangeable. His holy nature is
unalterably opposed to sin. When men
repent from their sins his wrath. Is
turned aside. This is what is meant
by God repenting
II. The Necessity Of Repentance
(Luke 13:l-5).
Repentance is necessary on the part
| of all, since all are sinners. "The
wages of sin is death" (Rom. 6:23)
While God is unalterably opposed to
sin he is infinitely gracious. His holy
nature compels him to cause judgment
to fall upon those who will not turn
| from their sins to serve him. Re
pentance is not merely a matter OF
privilege, but of absolute necessity II
| one would escape the wrath of God
1 Repentance is the only door of escape
from perdition. 1t is not question OF
how great sinner one is that de
termines the need for repentance, since
God cannot look upon evil 'For thot
art of purer eyes than to behold evil
and canst not look upon iniquity'
(Hab. 1-13). No one can ever see hin
In peace unless he turns from his sins
God commands men to repent (Act
:30).
III. The Blessed Results Of Repen
tance (Acts 2:373S).
/. Remission of sins. Remit mean
to send away. The one who repent
Is rid forever Of his sins, for he is |
new man In Christ.
| 2. Gift Of the Holy Spirit. Whel
one Is regenerated he not only is rid o
his sins, but God. the Holy Spirit
takes up his abode in him. He is hi
teacher. guide and defender. Thes
blessed results ought to move one t
repent. The goodness of God ought t
provoke men to penitence.