Middletown transcript., 1921-02-12
IMPROVED uRlF0RN INTERNATIONAL
SUNDNSQl00L
LESSON
(By REV. p. B. FTTZWATER, d. D..
Teacher Of English Bible in the Moody
Bible Institute Of Chicago.)
(@, 1920, Western Newspaper Cnion.)
LESSON FOR FEBRUARY 13
LESSONS ON CITIZENSHIP. (May
Be Used With Temperance
ApPIications).


LESSON TEXT-Matt 22:15-22.
GOLDEN TExT-Thou shalt love the
Lord thy God with all thy heart, and
with all thy soul. and with all thy mind.
This is the first and great commandment
And the second is like unto it. Thou shalt
love thy neighbor as .thyself.-Matt. y:
37-39
REFERENCE MATERIAL - Matt. %:
l-39: Mark 12:13-17, 1881: Luke 20:2o-26,
l-44; Rom. 13:l--4; Phil. 3:17-21
PRIMARY TOPIC-The Land We Love.
JUNIOR TOPIC-Our Country.
INTERMEDIATES AND SENIOR TOPIC
Getting Ready for Citizenship.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
Christian Standard of Citizenship.
I. The Tribute Money wv. 1922.
The Pharisees and Herodians pur-
posed to entrap Jesus and bring Him
into conflict with the Roman govern
u1ent, so they came to Him with the
subtle question, "Is it lawful to give
tribute to Caesar or nOt?" At this
time the Jews We're CALLING under the
yoke of the Roman government. Some
even denied the right to pay tribute
to the government. To have answered
this question by "yes" or mo" would
have involved difficulties. To have an
swered ''yes" would have conveyed the
impression OF endorsement of all that
the Roman government did. To have
answered mo" would have at once
brought Him into conflict with the gov
ernment. 1t is not an easy matter for
Christian always to determine his
right relation to civil government.
Many minister has made a failure
of his work because he tried to solve
the problem. Christ's reply to this
question, properly understood and ap-
piled, is the final word on the sub
ject. Until the civil authorities de-
mand of us that which is violation
of Gods law, we are bound to render
unto them obedience. Render unto
Caesar the things that are Caesars"
means the highest obligation. Since
enjoying His protection and care it is
our duty to owe all allegiance to Him,
TO yield our lives to Him in service,
worship and praise. Every one who
enjoys the benefits of civil government
is obliged to pay the taxes which
are necessary for the support Of that
government, and every one who re-
ceives Gods favor is placed under a
like obligation unto Him.
II. The Great Commandment in the
Law wv. 34-4O.
For the third time in one day the
Lord is tried by hard questions. While
these questiOners were actuated by
wrong motives, we may be forever glad
that they put these questions to Him
because of the invaluable truth which
His answers set forth.
1. The first commandment (vv.34-
3S). "Thou shalt love the Lord thy
God with all thy heart, with all thy
soul, and with all thy mind" This
means that supreme and undivided
love to God is the first and great COM
mandment. This at once shows that
mans supreme obligation is to God.
1t is wrong to evaluate mans char
acter on the basis Of his morality as
expressed in his relation to his fellow
man. Real righteousness is doing the
right thing with God. The greatest
immortality of which man can be
guilty is his failure to respond to the
demands of God. The one who does
not supremely and with undivided af
fection love God is the greatest sin
rar Tho ono outstanding oOndamniny
sin is unbelief in God and refusal to
love and obey him.
! 9 The second commandment wv.
39-4O) The second commandment is
like unto the first in that it centers
in love. 1t is not said that it is equal
unto the first; that would not be true.
A man may love himself, but not SUI
premely. Ones love for his neighbor
may be either too much or too little.
The measure set is love for self. We
should love God better than ourselves.
He is worthy of all our affections and
demands all. Love is not mere emo
ton, but a supreme desire for the well
fare of another and a willingness to
do everything possible to secure that
end. The command to love our neigh
Dor is involved in the command to love
God. To pretend to love God is folly
if we do not love our neighbor. No
one does really love his neighbOr who
does not love God. To attempt to
establish a brotherhood among men
without the recognition of the Father
hood of God is utter nonsense. Men
become children of God by faith in
Jesus Chrust. 1t is true that in the
sense of being Gods creatures all men
are Gods children, but in the New
Testament sense men are only Gods
children as they are in Christ. Beware
of the man who is constantly crying
for the brotherhood Of man and is at
the same time rejecting Jesus Christ.
The only real way to bring in the
brotherhood of man is to preach Jesus
Christ unto the race and secure their
acceptance of Him. We thus become
brothers in the real sense Of the term.
when we have God as our Father. All
obligations resting upon man are en-
braced in these two commandments.
Those who conform their lives to them
are Gods children and are the very
best citizens.