The Republican., 1924-09-25
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
Prepared Especially for The Repub-
lcan by Rev. U. S. Wright, DID.


SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER %, 1924.
REVIEW: Opening Period of Christ's
Ministry. Matt. IA; Mark /; Luke
1-5:1G; John IA
Fer God so loved the world, that He
gave His only begOtten Son, that
whOsOever believeth on Him should
not perish, but have eternal life
John 3:16.
THE VENTURE OF GOD
1t was a daring thing for God TO do
when He came into the life of men. 1t
was the translation of Heavens Ian
guage into the speech of earth and
that is difficult but it is the only way
by which the message may be carried
God took the risks and the Cross and
the Garden, the Church and the King
dom are the results. Jesus came in
to an atmosphere tinged with re-
bellion and colored by hate. Revolt
had been and was again until Je-
rusalem was a smoking ruin and it
was in trying to express Gods road
to peaceful living and the continuance
Of the nation that gives the setting
for the thinking and speaking of
Jesus. Remember the war passions
of 1917 and Is and something of the
tense feelings of His day may be
realized and the beaten pacifst, writ
ing in a prison cell from which he
was taken to be beaten again and de-
MED protection might have written
the story of Jesus from an angle ex-
pressive of the day in which He lived
God loved much to dare what He did
when He did
There are three periods that have
been covered in the quarter. The first
is that of preparation for even Jesus
would not attempt His task without
it. How much greater is the need for
lesser men! 1t includes that birth
under the singing sky which the hear
ers speedily forgot since the visitors
of the Babe never gave a follower in
the band of disciples. Wonder with
out works is as dead as faith unat-
tested by them. Toilers and teachers,
prince and priest, ignorance and wis
dom wondered and talked for a week
and day and then the silent process
ses of God moved on leaving them be-
hind. In the midst Of the hills of
Nazareth storied with His peoples
history, the Boy grew in understand
ing of the world that made process
sion past the door of the carpenter
Joseph's shop in which He learned in
dustry, skill of hand and brain, and
the bargain-window into many
mans soul was opened before His
eyes that looked thru it to, the man
within. The synagog claimed Him,
the open heard Him pray, the Temple
allured Him and He came to His ma
iority with intensest consciousness of
the openness of God to any child's or
mans approach. Then the preaching
of the Baptist brought Him from His
task of home caring to the walking in
obedience until the vision and the
wilderness for the adjustment of His
thinking to the new circumstances
that His venture involved. Along the
friendship road victory in spirit and
with the joy of wedding bells ring
ing, He closed this period of prepa-
ration.
Then He set siege to Jerusalem 1t
was the Passover time and the Tenn
pie must be made ready for the wor-
ship of all the earth and it saw His
first challenge in it's cleansing. Nico-
demus followed and was met with un-
f1inching courage and uncovered
standards even tho it meant the loss
of the city of His dream. For months
He tarried, laying slow siege only to
be rejected and refused a hearing.
Utterly disheartened He buried Him
self in Samaria.
But Samaria was kinder far than
Jerusalem for it sent Him out with
spirit elate and with renewed powers
He attempted the 1anking movement
that would ultimately bring Him
again to the Capital. For Jerusalem
was in His heart and could not be
taken from either thinking or plan
ming. After the friendliness of Ca
pernaum was assured thru the noble
mans gratitude He turned as natur-
ally as flower to sun-"even as you
and T'-to the old home folks and the
old home place for support in His
newer attempt to get His message
thru. But they knew Him too well to
accept any hint of a better way than
they were already travelling toward
revolution. Hot passion instead of the
peace He preached almost ended His
endeavors and would but for His
splendid courage in the presence of a
mob. Disappointed but undefeated He
called helpers to His side and began
the missionary movement that will
not cease until the last, lone figure