The Dolores star., 1922-12-15
LESSON FOR DECEMBER
JESUS AMONG FRIENDS AND FOES

isIi
REFERENCE MATERIAI-Luke 2:A.
Is.
PP-MARY TopIC-Jesus in the Home
of FIR ends.
JUNIOR ToPIC-Jesus Among Friends
and Foes.
INTERMEDIATES AND SENIOR TOPIC
Friends and Enemies of Jesus.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
-Christ's Methods OF Dealing with Peo-
pie.
1. Jesus In the Home Of Friends
Uuke O:3s-42).
There is no place where true charac-
ter Is so clearly revealed as at home.
l. His Reception ". 3s). Martha
was the head of the home, therefore
she received him. II would be line
thing II all homes were open to re-
celve Jesus.
.. Mary Sitting at Jesus Feet ".
800. She, of fine spiritual discern.
ment. knew that sitting at the Lords
feet and hearing His Word was that
which would please him most.
3. Martha Cumbered About Much
Serving ". 400. Both sisters loved
the Lord. 1t would be impossible to
say which loved the more; but Martha
was bent on providing Il fine meal for
Him. She was trying to do so many
things that she was on the verge OF
distraction. This had so completely
got on her nerves that she found fault
with Jesus for permitting Mary to
leave the kitchen to listen to His
teaching. Not only did she criticize
her sister and Jesus, but she assumed
the authority to command Him to send
Mary back to the kitchen to help.
!. Jesus Answer wv. Al, ~. Q
Rebuked Martha ". 4D. He did this
tenderly, for He knew that she loved
Him sincerely t2) Defends Mary
w. 42). He declared that but one
thing was necdful, and that Mary had
chosen that good part which could not
be taken away from her.
u. Jesus Among Foes IN :l4-23; %
80; 37-5D.
l. Charged With Being in League
With the Devil wv. 1i-23). Being un-
willing to receive Him as the Son Of
God, and yet unable to account for
His mighty works, they declared He
was casting out demons through Beel
zebub, the chief of demons. Jesus
exposed the fallacy of their reasoning
by showing that in that case Satan
would be arrayed against himself, and
therefore would destroy his own king
dom.
.. Refused to Believe His Miracles
(vv. 29-32). They asked for sign,
to which He replied that they would
have a sign from heaven in His death
and resurrection. He reminded them,
however, that their request showed
unbelief surprising that of the heath
en- queen Of the South, and the wicked
people of Nineveh.
3. Wickedness Denounced wv. 81.
5D. He pronounced six woes upon
those who were opposing Him and
seeking His destruction.
U The Pharisees wv. 37-41). These
He denounced for (a) punctil
iously observing some minute rites and
at the same time breaking the Ten
Commandments. They carefully tithed
the small herbs of the garden while
practiclng injustice to their fellow.
men and Withholding love from God.
lie pointed out to them the folly of
attending to these external acts while
the heart was filled with wickedness.
(b) Desiring public recognition "
43). This is II common sin today
(c) For feigning humility ". Az. He
compares their hypocrisy to graves
which are on level with the ground
and may be stepped upon unconscious.
ly by someone, and thus defiled. We
can avoid those who make their van.
ity known by boasting, but some are
filled with this same wickedness who
do not thus make it known.
(2) The Lawyers wv. 1854. Jesus
structures on the hypocritlcal Phari.
sees aroused the lawyers, one of whom
Indignantly declared: You are insult
ing us also" In replying to this
Christ pronounced three woes upon
them; (a) for placing burdensome re.
quirements upon the people to which
they themselves would not sumbit
". 4o). (b) For the murder of Gods
prophets wv. 47-5D. He showed
that their attitude toward Him was
the same that was shown to the
prophets by their fathers. (c) For
keeping back the knowledge of God
by false Interpretation of the Scrip.
lures wv. 52-54. There Is no
"ickedness perhaps so great as that
OF supposed teachers of Gods Word
VINO Keep Its precious truths from
the people by pervertlng Its meaning