The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1921-01-13
LESSON FOR JANUARY IS
OUR AL FOR THE KINGDOM.


GOLDEN TENT-Thou shalt love thy
neighbor as myself Matt. 1918.
REFERENCE MATERIAIS-Matt si9.
.; isi-lB; Mark loISls. Tim. So 10.
PRIMARY ToPIc-Jesus the Children.
Friend
JUNIOR ToPIC-Gaining by Giving
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
Money, q Help or a Hindrance.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
Money and the Kingdom.
Our lesson title IL likely TO be mis-
understood and therefore the teaching
misapplied Christ did not directly
nor by implication teach that eternal
life could be obtained by parting with
possessions.
!. The Young Man ". l6).
For n full view OF the Characters
ties OF this man see Mark lO:l7-D and
Luke lS:1s3O.
I. His virtues. ~ Courageous
MARK I0:l7). lie was OF high stand.
Ing-a rich young ruler uuke ISIS.
~. To come To Jesus at this time
meant ostracism from the Jewish com
monwealth. (2) Earnest MARK l0:lO.
lie came and knelt before Jesus. t8
High aspirations ". l6). He wanted
eternal life. Though much taken up
with the things OF this present life.
he felt the need Of preparing for n
life beyond (4) Pious and moral
". 20). From his youth up he pro
fesses to have conformed to Gods holy
law. (5) Confidence In Christ ". ICY.
lie believed that Christ could inform
him Of the good things" TO be done
to inherit eternal life.
2. His errors. ~ About Christ
". 49, He esteemed Jesus TO be good.
but did not spprehend Him as God.
t2) Concerning himself. He was eelf'
righteous. He thought he was good
and could do something good. (3)
Concerning eternal life. lie had a dc
fectlve theology-he thought that
eternal life could be obtained by good
works. He did not know that the
only way to get eternal life was TO
receive IL as q gift from God (Rom
6:23).
u. How the Lord Dealt With Him
wv. 1922.
I. His Qusstlon-"Why callest thou
me goodl" ". ~. His object In this
was TO lead the young man TO a correct
apprehension as to who He was. Re
fore giving him chance 20 answer.
lie declared that only God was good
AZ
fore God" II He is not God lie is
not good for II He was not what He
professed to he He was an arch i'm
postor. for He made himself to be
equal with God.
2. Jesus answer to the young mans
question ". 17.20). "If thou wilt en-
ter into life. keep the command
ments." Christ met him here on his
own ground. namely. that OF the law.
The law reveals sin-shuts the mouth
n the selfrighteous sinner from. 3 10.
10Y. II one insists on getting life by
doing something. the law Is what must
be done. kept. This no one has ever
done. nor indeed can do, for the law
,'urses instead OF saves (Gal. 800.
8. Christ's command (vv. 81, 22). In
christ's command to 20 and sell his
possessions and distribute TO the poor,
lie put His finger upon the weak spot.
His going away sorrowful proves that
he was coyetous and did not love his
ne'ghbor as himself. When he had
to make the supreme decision between
Jesus and his possessions he chose his
wealth and let Jesus go.
~. The Relationship OF the Rich to
the Kingdom wv. 1920.
!. II is difficult for the rich TO enter
the kingdom wv. %. 24). This diff
Guilty lies not In the possession OF
riches, for a man may possess great
riches and be an heir OF the kingdom.
Many of the most useful men In an
men of wealth. but they like Abraham
chose TO dwell In tents"-to believe
and obey God at any cost-looking to
a city that hath foundations. The
difficulty lies In trusting In riches.
2 Entrance into the kingdom IL pos
sible, though difficult wv. %. 26). "a
II Is possible for the grace OF God to
sanctify riches. The mighty hindering
influence may become a great influence
for good In the hands of regenerated
and cohsecrated soul. t2) II is possible
for the grace OF God to open a mans
eyes that he may see his downward
and repent. t3) II is possible
for the grace OF God to change a man
from self-seeking to selfsacrifce. (4)
II is possible Tor the grace OF God to
make men humble.
~. Reward for Following Christ
(vv. 27-30).
Those who turn their backs upon
their kindred and possessions for the
sake of Christ shall receive an hun
dredfold In This life and eternal life
In the world to come.