Mrs. Grundy. (Tracy City, Tenn.) 1903-1930, 1920-12-09

LESSON TEAT-Matt l544-hU
| GOLDEN TEXT--1he kingdom of heav-
| en- is not meat and drink but righteous
ness. and peace and JOY in the Holy
| Ghost. rom l4:l7.
| ADDITIONAL MATERIAL - Mark
4:26-32. Luke l3:lS-2l.
| PRIMARY TOPIC = Sowing in Good
| Ground
JUNIOR ToPIC--short Stories That Je-
sus Told.
INTERMEDIARY AND SENIOR TOPIC
| -Christs Joy of Finding the Lost.
| YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
| The Supreme Importance of Christ's
| Sacrifice for the Lost.
{. The Parable Of the Hid Treasure
| ". Az.
The common Interpretation Of this
/ parable that Christ is the hid treasure
/ for which the sinner must give up
everything In order to buy salvation
Is false, for the following reasons:
/. Christ is not hidden in a field,
but has been lifted up and made a
spectacle to the world.
2. Nobody has ever been obliged to
buy the world In order to get Christ.
| 3. Salvation cannot be purchased,
for II is Gods free and gracious gift.
4. No warrant Is ever held out to a
man to conceal histreligion after he
has obtained It.
In order to find ground that Is safe
and that we may appreciate its beauty
and symmetry let us break up the par
able into Its component parts:
| /. The field. This is the world ".
3S).
Q. The treasure. In Psalm 1854 we
are told that Israel. the chosen people,
la His treasure. The same truth Is
set forth in different places and ways
(Deut. 1868; 14:2; 28:1S; 80: s, o..
The kingdom of heaven as to its true
relation and bearing is now hidden.
Christ was primarily sent TO the Jews;
II was for their sake, the hid treasure
that He bought the field.
3. The purchaser--the Son of God
(John 3:16}.
4. The purchase price. This was
the precious blood OF Jesus Christ.
Gods beloved Son. e-srr-fs wofSh In
finiteiy more than silver and gold and
the treasures Of earth Il Pet. :13. 49,;
lisa. 53).
II. The Parable Of the Merchantmen
Seeking Pearls wv. 45 46).
The view that this merchantmen
represents the sinner seeking salvation
Is contrary to the whole teaching Of
Scripture. This would make the sin
ner to be seeking for Christ, while
Christ is as indifferent as lifeless
! pearl. The whole burden Of revelation
. Is that man. since the fell of Adam
> In the garden of Eden, has been hid
away from God, and that the Father.
J Son and Holy Spirit are all actively
engaged In seeking for lost men.
l. The merchantmen. He is without
. question Christ. He Is actively en-
gagged In the search for pearls. In
this search he discovers one pearl of
great price.
: 2. The purchase price. The mer-
chairman sold all-lmpoverished him.
self In order TO buy the pearl Christ
impoverished Himself (phil. 1853 to
purchase the one pearl of great price
by His own precious blood q Pet
1:1S. 10; Eph. $3.50. Salvation is
without money and without price.
3. The pearl Of great price. This
] Is the church. Christ, the merchant.
!, man. will find other pearls Of great
. value, but the peerless gem set above
all others will be the chruch which He
: has purchased with His own blood.
. This truth Is in harmony with the gen.
erak teaching OF Scripture, which sets
, forth the different bodies of the re-
deemed.
~. Tho Parable Of the Draane,
wv. 47-50).
This parable gives us picture of
the contamination Of the kingdom.
Note the parts Of the parable:
/. The sea. This word when used
In figuratiye sense denotes peoples
or multitudes (Dan. 7:3; Rev. l7:15).
This means. then, that out of this
world shall be gathered multitude of
people, good and bad.
2. The dragnet. The word met" Is
properly translated dragnet The drag
net cast into the seq, then. means the
preaching Of the Gospel in this age.
3. The dragnet drawn to the shore
when full. This means that when
iod's purpose Is made full regarding
he preaching of the Gospel In this age
ccount will be taken of the results.
4. Assortment made by the angels
n the day Of this accounting the an
els will be the agents which shall
aparate the saved from the unsaved
s. The destiny Of the bad fish. TIL
1gels which are sent forth shall ser
the wicked from among the jus'