Middletown transcript., 1920-12-11
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S'iSON
LESSON FOR DECEMBER u
WHAT THE KINGDOM, or HEAVEN
IS LIKE.
Wy REV. 2. q. FITZWATER, ID. D..
Teachers OF English Bible IN tho Moody
Bible Institute OF Chtcago.)
ia 1920, Western Newspaper Union.)

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL - AaI4
l:26-a2: Luke 1851.
PRIMARY TOPIC = Sowing In Good
Ground.
JUNIOR roP1c-short Stories That Je-
sus Told.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
-Christ's Joy Of Finding the Lost.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
The Supreme Importance Of Christs
Sacrifice for the Lost.
!. The Parable Of the Hid Treasure
". ~.
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:
1. Christ is not hidden in 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 it is Gods free and gracious gift.
4. No warrant Is ever held out to a
man to conceal his religion after he
has obtained 1t.
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:
1. The field. This is the world ~.
38).
2. The treasure. In Psalm 135 Il we
are told that Israel, the chosen people,
is His treasure. The same truth is
set forth in different places and ways
(Deut. 1868; 14:2; 26:1S; 50: 8, 81.
The kingdom Of heaven as to its true
relation and bearing is now hidden.
Christ was primarily sent to the Jews ;.
it 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, which is worth in
finitely more than silver and gold and
the treasures of earth Il Pet. 1 :13, 10;
lisa. 53).
II. The Parable Of the Merchantmen
Seeking Pearls wv. As, 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 fall of Adam
in the garden Of Eden, has been hid
away from God, and that the Father.
Son and Holy Spirit are all actively
engaged in seeking for lost men.
1. 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-
chantman sold all-impoverished him
self in order to buy the pearl. Christ
Himself (Phil. 1863 to
purchase the one. pearl Of great price
by His own precious blood Il Pet.
1 :1S, 10; Eph. $3.50. Salvation is
without money and without price.
8. 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
ali others will be the chruch which He
has purchased with His own blood.
This truth is in harmony with the gen.
eral teaching Of Scripture, which sets
forth the different bodies of the re-
deemed. The redeemed family Of God
Is made up Of different orders, but the
one order which is exalted to the high
est place is the church, which He pur-
chased with His own blood and of
which He became the vital head
through the resurrection from the
lead (Col. 1:18).
III. The Parable of the Draqnet
wv. 47-5O).
This parable gives US a picture Of |
he consummation Of the kingdom.
Note the parts of the parable:
1. The sea-. This word when used !
n G figurative sense denotes peoples
IL IuUltAIuOCS \Adus : xtCvs IL s4Ols
This means. then, that out Of this
world shall be gathered multitude Of
;eople, good and bad.
2. The dragnet. The word met" is
translated dragnet. The drag
Jet cast into the seq, then, means the
PREACHING Of the Gospel in this age.
3. The dragnet drawn to the shore
vhen full. This means that when
3od's purpose is made full regarding
he preaching Of the Gospel in this age,
Iccount will be taken Of the results.
4. Assortment made by the angels.
II the day of this accounting the an
els will be the agents which shall
eparate the saved from the unsaved.
s. The destiny of the bad fish. The
ngels which are sent forth shall sew.
l. the wicked from among the just,
nd shall cast them into the furnace
f fire, where there shall be wailing
nd gnashing of teeth.
Gods Minute.