Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1922-12-21
LESSON FOR DECEMBER "a
A LESSON IN TRUST AND PRE-
PAREDMESS

LESSON TEXT-Luke 12:13-40.
GOLDEN TEXT-The life is more thar
meat, and the body Is more than raiment
Luke 1928.
PRIMARY ToPIC--The Story of a
Foolish Rich Man
JUNIOR TOPIC-A Foolish Rich Man.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
Rich Toward God
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
! True Riches.
! Since on October we had lesson
on the birth and childhood of Jesus,
many will doubtless prefer to have
this new lesson instead of the Christ
mas lesson.
/ |. a Warning Against covetousness
wv. 1920.
/. The Occasion wv. 1870. One Of
the company requested Jesus to be
umpire in a disputed estate Two
brothers were in trouble over an in
| heritance. Christ refused to enter the
sphere of the civil law and warned
against the spirit of avarice. Christs
mission was prominently spiritual.
2. Enforcement of the Warning wv.
162). The parable of the rich man
6AOWS NiCaIly lidl W DC COnCC1Htu
with earthly riches while neglecting
God is the height Of folly. The Lords
warning is of great importance today;
for many are seeking gold and forget
ting God. Note "a his increase in
goods ". 16). His riches were rightly
obtained, for the ground brought forth
plentifully. This shows that q man
may be rich because Of the Lords
blessing upon him. (2) His perplexity
". ~. His land was producing more
than his barns would hold. He did not
want 1t to 60 to waste. II he had pos
sessed the right views of life and q
sense Of stewardship before God, he
would have seen that his barns at least
had enough for his personal needs and
that he could have distributed his sur
plus to the needy and for benevolent
purposes. (3) The fatal choice wv.
Is, 1917. He chose to enlarge his
Darns and give up his life to ease and
luxury. 1t ought to be a delightful
task for men whom God has made
rich to devote their time and energy
to the distribution of their possessions
to benevolent purposes. "a The aw-
full indictment (vv. 20, 21). God calls
him a fool.
II. Tho Certain Cure for Anxiety
wv. 32-34).
Having shown the folly of the rich
man who gained gold but lost God, He
now urged the disciples to trust God
md dismiss all anxious care. He as
sured them that they need not be anx-
ious even for the necessities of life.
Note
1. The Argument wv. %, 23). This
is summed up in one brief sentence:
''The life is more than food, and the
body is more than raiment." The God
who gave the life and made the body
should be trusted to provide food and
clothing.
2. The Illustrations (vv 24-2S). ~
Gods care for the fowls wv. 24-26).
The ravens do not SOW nor reapA-they
have not storehouse or barn, yet they
live, for God feeds them. If God does
not forget the fowls, certainly He
would do more for His children. (2)
Gods care for the flowers of the field
(vv. ~, 28). If God is SO careful Of
: those flowers which appear but for a
day, how much more will He clothe
His children!
8. The Exhortations wv. 29-34). ~
Make not the getting of food and
clothes your CHIEF concern. Trust God
to provide them. (2) Seek the king
dom of God ". 31). Those who make
Gods kingdom first shall have all their
needs supplied (Phil. 4:19). (3) Be
not afraid ". 32). Gods good pleas
ure is upon His own, and all good
things will He give them. (4) Prac-
tice self-denial in order to be able to
give gifts to those in need (vv. SO, 34).
The doing of such deeds will tend to
lift the thoughts upward to God-to
trust Him.
III. Be Ready for the Coming of the
| Lord wv. 35-40).
i Having warned the disciples against
! the acquisition of worldly goods while
1 forgetting God, and shown them the
! needlessness of anxiety for food and
! clothes, He shows them the blessed
ness of being in a state of readiness
when the Lord shall come Convic-
! ton as to the certainty of the Lords
coming is the sure cure for worldliness
and anxious care. This attitude Of
1 heart He made clear by two parallels
that of the returning of the Lord and
that of the thief. The Lord will be so
pleased with those who are waiting
for Him that He will take delight in
/ sitting at the banquet with them, and
even serve them. The parable of the
thief shows that the time of the Lords
coming is not known.
I PauIs Wish.
/ count all things but loss for the