The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1923-07-19
LESSON FOR IULY n
JOHN THE APOSTLE

LESSON TExT-I.uke s:4s-5s; job,
1s:25-27; John Al s.
GOLDEN TExT-"God is love; AMI
he that dwelleth in love dwelleth In
God and God in him. John tls
1850; John 12R1-95: Acts 4:1s-aO,
Rev. Is
Whom Jesus Loved.
JUNIOR TOPIC--John. the Beloved
Disciple.
IC-John, the Bosom Friend of Jesus;
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
A Character Study Of John.
!. His Intolerance Of Irregular serv.
Ice uuke $40, 500.
John was conscientious in his intol-
erance of this disciple There seems
to have been no question but what the
man was really casting out devils,
even though he did not possess the
same credentials as the twelve apos-
ties. There seems to have been no
question as to the reality of the truth
which this disciple taught or the work
he did. The same spirit has been man.
ifested all through the Christian cen
turtles. Whoever witnesses truly Of
Christ and does His work has Gods
recognition. Christ rebuked Johns In
tolerance and declared that "he that
is not against us is for u.s." May We
everywhere show the same considera
ton to those who are doing the Lords
work even though they are not mem
bers of our particular church.
II. Johns Righteous Indignation
luke 9:s1-56).
/. Jesus Face Set Toward Jerusa-
lem wv. 51-53). He knew what was
before Him. He knew the awful fate
awaiting Him at Jerusalem. Even
| Though the dark shadow Of the cross
hung across his path He resolutely
neryed Himself for the ordeal. The
cross was NO accident. The supreme
purpose Of His coming was to save
the world through His sacrificial
death. This was in the plan of God
! from all eternity. The cross is the
grand center of the Christian religion.
| Everyone who follows Jesus must take
up his cross.
z. The Inh0spitable Samaritans w.
5S). The Lord was to pass through
that city on His way to Jerusalem
When the people discerned that Hh
face was set for Jerusalem they re
| fused hospitality to Him. This Insult
| to the Lord so aroused the anger Of
| John and James that they desired to
call down fire from heaven to destroy
the Samaritans 1t was Johns love for
his Lord that prompted this sugges-
/ ton. Christ rebaked him and cor
(, reeted his spirit, but He knew that II
| proceeded from heart Of love. Love
4 will brook ne insult to its object.
| Mistaken love has done much harm In
the church. The pages Of history are
red with the blood Of heretics, to the
everlasting shame Of the prosecutors.
Persecution is not the way to deal
with those who differ with US. The
spirit Is not only wrong, but 1t is fu-
tile, for the blood of the martyrs has
always become the seed Of the church.
May Christ's rebuke to John take from
our hearts the spirit Of intolerance
strsy men, but to save them.
III. Johns Care Of Christie Mother
(Jehn 10 :25-27.
l. Jesus Saw His Mother ". 26)'
Perhaps His physical suffering had -
dimmed His vision that He had not
seen her before. But even His death
agonies did not caAss Him to forget
her. While engaged in the redemption
Of the world, He displayed His tender
human interest In this beautiful act
The cross Is the center from which
love flows.
4 2. John Took Mary to His Ows
Home ". 27). The same John whs
wished to call down Are upon the in
hospitable Samaritans now was en-
gagged in the tenderest act Of human
affection. He was caring for the
mother Of his Lord. The reason jesus
entrusted her to John was that He
knew his real heart of love. He knew
that Johns experience was such that
he could enter into full sympathy wifs
her in her great sorrow.
w. Test Of Divine Birth Il jobs
1913.
Johns experiences In life were such
that now near the close Of his life NJ
declared that the supreme test OF fel
lowship in the divine life Is love. Love
Il the bond Of perfection-ths core
that binds all virtues into one harmon
ious bundle. All the fruits OF the
Christian life spring out Of this root
God is love. AL that ID good and
beautiful in our lives Is but the vefy
life Of God flowing through Us.
So With All Men.
All mon think all sunrta1 huf them