Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1919-05-22
RRRovEp UKusRN INTERNATIONAL
SUNNS01OOL
LESSON
Ry REV. P. B. FITZwATER, ID. D..
Teacher Of English Bible in the Moody
Bible Institute OF Chicago)
tCepyrisat. 1919 BY Western Newspaper Inien.l
LESSON FOR MAY rs.
REPENTANCE.

LESSON TExTs-Jonah sl-lo: Luke Is:
1-5; Acts 1857, 81.
GOLDEN TExT-Repent ye. and be-
Heve the Gospel-Mark Ills.
ADDITIONAL MATERIAI<-Isaiah lie
10; Luke 3I-A: Acts 1880. 81; 2 Cor 1911;
2 Peter 3:9
PRIMARY ToPIc--God's Willingness to
Forgive.
JUNIOR ToPiC-The People of Nine
veh Repent
INTERMEDIATE TOPIC Turning
From Sin to God.
SENIOR AND ADULT ToPIC-The
Nature and Fruit of Repentance
|. The Repentance Of the People Of
Nineveh (3:1-10).
The following steps are noted in
their conversion
l. Hearing the Word of the Lord
wv. 1-4).
The Lord commanded Jonah to 90 TO
Nineveh, a great and wicked city. and
there preach the preaching" that he
babe him. Jonah's runaway expert
ence (see chapters l, p was such that
he was willing to obey God. His
chastisement was severe, but by Gods
grace he was now ready to execute the
commission. Jonah arose and went
unto Nineveh according to the word
of the Lord" ". 81. So great was the
city of Nineveh that ii required three
days to compass 1t; 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 overthrow" ". ~. Since
the kings palace seems to have been
in the south part of the city Jonah's
message soon found its way to him. If
bids him there would be more cities
turning to God
2 Believing God ". 81.
They not only believed God would
visit Judgment upon them, but believed
in God, and put heir trust in him for
mercy end salvation.
3 Repeated (vv. 5-9l
Their pentence wa saown in "a
proclaimine 81 fdst aad putting 81 sack
cloth wv. 30 These marks If hui
initiation were shown by ai, frem the
king on his chrome 10 the nest humble
man. (2) Cried nightly TO God (y.
81 In the midst Of their heLiiiaiion
they cried with intensity To CD. (S)
Turned from their evil ways g. 81
The final test Of penitence is tueaIng
from sin II Is hating sin badly III ugh
e. quit it.
4 Accepted by God w. icy, When
the NineYites turned from their evils
God rained from executing doom
upou tbem It averted Judgment, God
] is Interchangeable. His holy nature is
unaiterably 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
duke 10 40.
Repentance is necessary on the part
| of all, since all are sinners. The
wages of sin is death" (Rom. :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
rum titli slfio W SCI &c liiiii- iNS-
pentance is not merely a matter of
privilege but of absolute necessity IL
one would escape the wrath of God.
Repentance is the only door of escape
from perdition. 1t is not a question of
how great sinner one is that de-
termines the need for repentance, since
God cannot look upon evil: For thou
art Of purer eyes than to behold evil,
and canst not look upon iniquity"
(EIab. 1-13). No one can ever see him
/ in peace unless he turns from his sins.
i CO. commands men to repent (Acts
! 1850.
~. The Blessed Results Of Repen-
f tanoe (Acts 2 :3238).
!. Remission of sins. Remit means
to send away. The one who repents
is rid forever of his sins, for he is a
ne~ man in Christ.
lift of the Holy Spirit. When
Oh +; regenerated he not only is rid of
his sins. but God. the Holy Spirit,
takes up his abode in him. He is his
teacher, guide and defender These
blessed results ought to move one to
repent. The goodness of God ought to
provoke men to penitence.