Middletown transcript., 1920-11-27
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LESSON
LESSON FOR NOVEMBER 28
HOW JESUS THE KING WAS RE
CElvED.
tBy REV. P. B. FlTZWATER, DID,.
Teacher of English Bible In the Moody
Bible Institute OF Chiczgo.)
t@. 1920. Western Newspaper Unionl

HOW JESUS THE KING WAS RE.
cEWED.
LESSON TEXT-Matt. IL and L.
GOLDEN TEXT-Come unto me all ye
that labor and are heavy laden. and win
give you rest.-Matt. u:2&
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL-Luke 7:ls-
IS: O:13-b. q, 2; n:.4-26. q, g.
PRIMARY TOPlC--The Kind Deeds Of
Jesus
JUNIOR TOPIC-Friends and Enemies
Of Jesus.
INTERMEDIATES AND SENIOR TOPIC
Choosing Jesus az Our Teacher.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
The Response OF Men to the Ministry
Of Jesus
The teacher should keep in mind
the progress of thought in Matthew
and resent these lessons accordingly.
IN chapters 5 to we have the laws
Of the kingdom; chapters s and g. the
mighty works to demonstrate the
Kings ability to administer the affairs
Of the kingdom; chapter 10, the prop
agation of the kingdom through the
sending forth Of the twelve; chapters
II and II, how the kingdom was re-
ceived. =.
!. Four Glasses Of Hearers (ch. 11).
i. Perplexed hearers like John the
Baptist I'll PLY. John believed that
Jesus was the Christ ". q. but was
somewhat perplexed as to the manner
Of the establishment of the kingdom.
In the Old Testament predictions there
were two lines in the Messianic
prophecies; the one set forth Christ
as the suffering one, as in Isaiah So,
and the other, as the invincible Con-
queror, as in Isaiah g. Indeed, in
Isaiah COL, 2 we have the two ad-
vents in one view (see Matt. 3:1O-12).
He said that the ak Is laid unto the
root Of the trees and that there was
to be separation of the cfaff from
the wheat and burning of the chaff,
but now the King was occupied mere
~ with the opening of the eyes Of the
blind, etc. John saw Christ as the
one who would remove the sins of the
people by the shedding of his blood
John 1 :29), but he failed to see the
interval between the time Of his suffer
ings and the time of his triumph.
Since this interval between the first
and second comings-the nature of the
age In which We live-was not known
until Christ revealed it in the PARALLELS
Of the thirteenth chapter, we do not
wonder at Johns perplexity. Johns
faith was not failing him, neither did
he send this deputation to Jesus for
the sake Of his disciples. He wac a
true prophet and a faithful man, but
he was perplexed.
2. Violent hearers I'll :12-19). These
we're willing to receive the kingdom
according to their own way, but were
unwilling to conform to its laws. They
seized it with violent hands. Christ
told them that before the prea ching
Of John the Baptist. the prophets and
the law were the sources of ascertain
ing the Divine will. and that If they
would receive John, he would be the
Elijah to lead them into the kingdom
age. Elijah is to appear Immediately
before the coming of Christ in judg-
ment (AIal. As, g., and direct the
hearts of the people to the King. Their
ears we're closed to everything but
their own carnality. They would not
repent when called upon to repent by
John, nor rejoice when called upon by
Christ to rejoice wv. 17-19).
3. The stout-hcarted unbe' :'vers
I'll :2O-24). In Chorazin, Betl. aida.
aad Capernaum, Christ had done most
of his mighty works. but the people
deliberately set their hearts against
him and his message. 1t was not for
lack of knowledge and opportunity
that they were uns;rved, but for their
purposeful rejection of Christ. Tyre
and Sidon, SOdom and Gomcrrah were
filed with immoral prOfligates and
idolaters. but they will be more tol-
erably dealt with In the day Of judg
ment than those who wilfully reject
Christ.
4. Hearers who are babes in spirit
I'll :25-3C). There were some among
those who heard Jesus with childlike
faith, who believed that Christ was the
Messiah, and they opened their hearts
to receive him. Christ invites those
who have the babe-like spirit to come
to him. and to all who come to him
and receive him he gives rest.
u. The Antagonism Of the Kingdom.
(ch. 12).
In chapter II we saw the shameful
indifference of the Jews to their King.
In this chapter we see positive and
bitter antagOnism manifesting itself
against him. They are not only with
out a heart for him, but do their best
to destroy him. The immediate oc-
casion of their wicked determination
was Christ's relation &c the Sabbatft
Because the hungry disciples plucke'l
corn and Jesus healed the withered
hand on the Sabbath day, they sought
to destroy him. They accused him of
being in league with the Devil. Jesus
with unanswerable logic showed them
that they had blasphemed against the
Holy Ghost, and were therefore guilty
of an objectionable sin. They did not
deny the miracle but sought to account
for It without owning him as the Mes
rs~