Rockingham post-dispatch. [volume] (Rockingham, N.C.) 1917-1965, 1921-02-10
IMPROVED UEIycaz INTERNATIONAL
SINIMSQlOOL,
LESSON
LESSON FOR FEBRUARY Is
LESSONS ON CITIZENSHIP. (May
Be Used With Temperance
Applioations).
By REV. p. B. FITZWATER, ID. D.,
Teacher Of English Bible in the Moody
Bible Institute OF Chicago.)
20. 1890. Western Newspaper Union-l
LESSON rExT-Matt. 2e:lsse2

AE85CON sIEAI-MaIl. Z-.lo-Eh
GOLDEN TBXT-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 1t, Thou shalt |
love thy neighbor as thyself.-Matt. q: |
37-29
REFERENCE MATERIAL :, Matt. %: |
1-Ss; Mark 1s:13-17, 2S-37 Luke a0:20-2g. |
A-44; Rom. 1s:1-H; Phil. 3:n-21.
PRIMARY TOPIC-The Land We Love. |
JUNIOR. TOPIC-our Country.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPiCt
Getting Ready for Citizenship.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
Christian Standard of Citizenship. K
!. The Tribute Money (vv. 1929.
Tho pharisees and Herodians pur-l
rn0c' 10 adkyRp Jesus and bring Him
inta contt1A with the Roman govern
mo- [, so they came to Him with the
srN-h question, as 1t lawful to give
rSibgte to. Caesar or not?" At this
lime thp Jews were 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 ''Eo" would have at once
brought Him into conflict with the gov
eminent 1t Is not an easy matter for
Christian always to determine his
right relation to civil government.
Many a minister has made 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 a 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 rel
ceives Gods favor is placed under d
like obligation unto Him.
| II. The Great Commandment In the |
Law wv. 34-40).
|. 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.
l. TIL. 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.
| 2. The second commandment (vv-
S9-40). The second commandment is
like unto the first in that it centefs
in love. 1t is not said that 1t 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 ali our affections and
demands ALL Love is not mere emo
/. ton, but supreme desire for the well
fare of another and 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 neighb0r. 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. It is true that In the
sense Of being Ged's creatures all men
are Gods children, but in the New
Testament sense men are only Gods
children as they are in Christ. Beware
i Of the man who is constantly crying
for the brotherhood Of man and is al
> 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. AL
Z obligations resting upon man are EN-
braced in these two commandments
! Those who conform their lives to then
y are Gods children and are the very
best citizens.
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