Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1921-04-14
LESSON FOR APRIL II
BIBLE TEACHINGS ABOUT WoR

GOLDEN TEXT-Not slothful in bust
ness; fervSnt in spirit; serving the Lord
Rom. 12:1I.
REFERENCE MATERIAL-Ex. 2O:9-11;
Prov 22:29; S:19; 31:1O-31; Eph. 4:2S.
PRIMARY TOPIC A Child Who
Helped.
JUNIOR TOPIC-The Ant and the Slug
gard.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
Workers and Shirkers.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
Labor Problems
Work in relation to God has a diff
ferent meaning than in relation to
man. In relation to God it means
continued activity directed to some
purpose or end. In relation to man it
means manual labor.
|. Mighty Works Wrought by Jesus
Mark 6:1-3).
As Gods obedient servant, Jesus
energetically gave himself up to His
work.
1. Teaching in the synagogue ". p.
This He did on the Sabbath day. He
could let no opportunity to do good
pass.
2. The result of His teaching wv.
2, 81. ID The people were astonished.
In their astonishment they asked
questions: (a) From whence hath this
man these things? (b) What wisdom
is given unto Him? (c) Is not this
the carpenter? (d) Are not His sis
ters with us? That His wisdom and
power were superhuman, they could
not doubt. The only answer to their
questions is Christ's absolute Deity.
(2) The people were offended ". 81.
Not being able to answer their own
questions and to believe their own
eyes and ears, they rejected Him.
This rejection was not because they
knew Him too well, but because they
knew Him not at all. His country
men judged Him by His brothers, sis
ters, and father, and therefore failed
to know Him. If people were to judge
Jesus on the basis of His own claims
and upon what He did, they could not
help but believe on Him.
II. "My Father Worketh Hitherto,
and | Work" (John SID.
Jesus had on the Sabbath day
healed an impotent man. They sought
to kill Him for this good deed, and
when He linked himself with God in
| this they more earnestly sought to
kill Him. They tried to kill Him be-
cause He made himself equal with
God. The special points of equality
with God were:
1. Giving life to the dead. No hu.
man being has ever been able to raise
another from the dead. The Jews
rightly interpreted His claim to being
able to raise the dead as a claim to
Deity.
2. Judging mankind No human be
ing is wise enough to Judge his fellow
being. Christ's claim to be the judge
of mankind they interpreted to be His
claim to Deity, and they were correct
Ill. The Man Who Will Not WorE
Should Not Eat QI Thess. 3:6-13).
There had developed among the
Christians at ThessalOnica a tendency
to idleness. Some were neglectinl
their lawful earthly callings-even tt
the extent that they were becoming {
charge to the church. From the con
text of the Thessalo1ian epistles i
would seem that this serious condi
tiOn was the result of wrong views
concerning the second coming ol
Christ. Such as this is wholly wrong
and absolutely contrary to the signifi
canoe of 1.-The blessed hope" The at
titude of those possessing an intel
ligent view of the Lords coming al
taught by Christ and the apostles, il
earnest attention to the present duty
occupy till l come" is Christi
charge. Speculative star-gazers hav,
brought this precious doctrine int,
disrepute. Unceasing fidelity to al
the responsibilities of the present il
the correct attitude of those who ar
waiting for the Son from heaven. I,
correct this wrong, Paul
1. Asserts his authority to com
mand ". g.. This authority wa
given him by Christ.
.. Commands them to Withdraw
from those who thus walk disorderl,
(v. g..
Those who are neglecting their law
full occupations for star-gazing shoult
be disfellOwshipped from the church
Let those who possess intelligenc
with reference to the blessed hope O
the Lords return take cognizance o
the disorderly conduct of those VIII
are idly speculating about these things
3. PauPs example wv. 7-9). Pau
pressed with great earnestness tn
doctrine of the Lords return, and We
consistently continued in his Lawful
calling. In order to not be chargeabl
unto them he labored with grea
earnestness night and day. When right
ly understood, the teaching of Chris
and the apostles concerning the Lord
return becomes a powerful incentive f
faithfulnesS in the discharge of duty
4. Those who will not work shoul,
not eat ". 1O). This is the righ
principle upon which to base all work
of charity. 1t is the efficient cure TO
pauperism. The right economic orde
has as its foundation principle: WorI
in order to eat. This should appl,
to all classes, rich and poor.
5. Busybodies exhorted wv. IL. 12)
Idle men and women always becom
busybodies. Paul's exhortatiOn is tha
they with quietness work and eat thei
own bread.
Mans Up-Reach.