Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1921-01-13
IMPROVED UNIFORM INTERNATIONAL
S(JNI(lE!(SOI())L
LESSON
By REV. =. 3. FITZWATER, D. D,
Teacher of English Bible in the Moody
Bible Institute of Chicago)
@. 1920. Meslern NeE.na per Unlon.l
LESSON FOR JANUARY 16
OUR ALL FOR THE KINGDOM.

leighbor as thyself.-Matt. 1919
REFERENCE NIATERIAL-Matt 6:19-
IS; 19I-l5; Mark l0:1S-16; Tim. SO, TO-
PRIMARY TOPIC-Jesus the Children's
Friend
JUNIOR TOPIC-Gaining by Giving.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
Money, Help or a Hindrance.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
Money and the Kingdom.
Our lesson title is 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 ". 16).
For a full view of the characteris-
tics of this man see Mark 10 1870 and
Luke 1S:1S-30.
1. His virtues. % Courageous
Mark I'D. He was Of high stand
Ing-a rich young ruler Ouke 1S:1S,
23). To come to Jesus at this time
meant ostracism from the Jewish COM
monwealth. (2) Earnest (Mark 10 I'D.
He came and knelt before Jesus. 90
High aspirations ". 16). He wanted
eternal life. Though much taken up
with the things of this present life,
he felt the need of preparing for a
life beyond. (4) Pious and moral
". 2O). From his youth up he pro-
fesses to have conformed to Gods holy
law. (5) Confidence in Christ (v. 16).
He believed that Christ could inform
him of the good things" to be done
to inherit eternal life.
2. His errors. ID About Christ
". 16). He esteemed Jesus to be good,
but did not apprehend Him as God
| (2) Concerning himself. He was self
righteous. He thought he was good
and could do something good. (3)
| Concerning eternal life. He had a de-
fective 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 it as a gift from God Rom.
6:23).
II. How the Lord Dealt With Him
! wv. 17-22).
/. His Question-"Why callest thou
me good?" (v. 10. His object in this
was to lead the young man to a correct
| apprehension as to who He was. Be
fore giving him a chance to answer.
He declared that only God was good,
as if to say, 81 am good and there
fore God" If He is not God He is
not good; for if He was not what He
professed to be He was an arch i'm
postor, for He made himself to be
equal with God.
,. Jesus answer to the young mans
question (v. 1920. "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
of the self-righteous sinner (ROm. 8 10,
/ 20). If 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
curses instead of saves (Gal. 3:10).
8. Christ's command wv. 81, 22). In
Christ's command to go and sell his
possessions and distribute to the poor
He put His finger upon the weak spot
His going away sorrowful proves thai
he was covetous and did not love his
neighbor as himself When he hai
to make the supreme decision between
Jesus and his possessions he chose his
wealth and let Jesus go.
Ill. The Relationship of the Rich Il
the Kingdom wv 23-26).
1. 1t is difficult for the rich to ente
the kingdom wv. %, 24). This diff
Guilty lies not in the possession o
riches, for a man may possess grea
riches and be an heir of the kingdom
Many of the most useful men in an
cient and modern times have beel
men of wealth, but they like Abraham
chose to dwell in tents"-tO believ
in God at any cost-looking to a cit
that hath foundations. The difficult
lies in trusting in riches. Riches ar
deceitful (NIatt. 13 :22). The tendenc
of increasing wealth is to destroy tn
nObler life of the soul. It lulls int
security (Rev. 8 10. 1t leads to self
indulgence Il Tim. 6:9). 1t leads t
pride eek. 2S:5); (cf. Prov. 28:5).
2. Entrance into the kingdom is pos
sible, though difficult wv. %, 26). Il
It is possible for the grace of God t
sanctify riches. The mighty hinderin
influence may become a great infuenc
for good in the hands of a regenerate
and consecrated soul. (2) It is pOssibl
for the grace of God to open a man
eyes that he may see his downwar
course and repent. (3) 1t is possibl
for the grace of God to change ma
from self-seeking to self-sacrifice. q
It is possible for the grace Of God
make men humble.
~. Reward for Following Chri:
wv. 27-30).
Those who turn their backs upo
their kindred and possessions for tt
sake of Christ shall receive an hui
dredfold in this life and eternal lii
in the world to come. Those who 70
sake all to follow Christ shall reig
with Him in the glory.