Middletown transcript., 1921-04-16
iMPRovED UNrreRM INTERNATIONAL
.SUYh6YS01O0L
LESSON
(By REV. p. B. F1TZWATER, p p.
Teacher of English Bible In the Moody
Bible Institute OF CAtcago.) t=
10 1921. Western Newspaper Union.)
LESSON FOR APRIL II
BIBLE TEACHINGS ABOUT WORK

BIBLE IEACh1NGS Ab0Ot "OnNs
LESSON TEXT-Mark s:1-s; John 5:17:
II Thess. 3:6-13.
GOLDEN TEXT-Not slothful in busi-
ness; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord
Rom. 1911.
REFERENCE MATERIAL-Ex. 2o:s-n:
Prov. 22:29; 2S:19; 31:10-31; Eph. 4:8
PRIMARY TOPIC - A Child Who
Helped.
JUNIOR TOPIC-The Ant and the Slug
gard.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
Workers and Strikers.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
Labor Problems.
Work in relation to God has 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 1t
means manual labor.
I. Mighty Works Wrought by Jesus
Mark 6:1-3.
AS Gods obedient servant, Jesus
eEergetically gave himself up to His
work.
l. Teaching in the synagogue ". y.
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. Q) 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? (O 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:
l. 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 q 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.
| III. The Man Who Will Not Work
Should Not Eat QI Thess. 3:6-13).
There had developed among the
! Christians at Thessalonica a tendency
! to idleness. Some were neglecting
their lawful earthly callings-even to
the extent that they were becoming
charge to the church. From the con-
| text Of the Thessalonian epistles it
would seem that this serious condi-
ton was the result of wrong views
| concerning the second coming Of
Christ. Such as this Is wholly wrong
and absolutely contrary to the signifi-
canoe of ''the blessed hope" The at
titude of those possessing an intel
| ligent view of the Lords coming as
taught by Christ and the apostles, is
earnest attention to the present duty.
occupy till l come" is Christ's
charge. Speculative star-gazers have
brought this precious doctrine into
disrepute. Unceasing fidelity to all
the responsibilities of the present Is
the correct attitude of those who are
waiting for the Son from heaven. To
| correct this wrong, Paul
|
msnd ". 81. This authority was
given him by Christ.
2. Commands them to withdraw
from those who thus walk disorderly
". g..
Those who are neglecting their law
full occupations for star-gazing should
be disfellowshipped from the church.
Let those who possess intelligence
with reference to the blessed hope Of
the Lords return take cognizance Of
the disorderly conduct Of those who
are idly speculating about these things.
| 3. Pauls example wv. 7-9). Paul
pressed with great earnestness the
doctrine of the Lords return, and yet
consistently continued in his lawful
calling. In order to not be chargeable
unto them he labored with great
earnestness night and day. When right
ly understood, the teaching Of Christ
and the apostles concerning the Lords
return becomes powerful incentive to
faithfulness in the discharge Of duty.
4. Those who will not work should
not eat ". 10Y. This is the right
| principle upon which to base all works
Of charity. It is the efficient cure for
| pauperism. The right economic order
has as its foundation principle: Work
in order to eat. This should apply
to all classes, rich and poor.
| s. Busybodies exhorted wv. II. 12).
Idle men and women always become
busybodies. Paul's exhortation is that
they with quietness work and eat their
| own bread.