Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1924-11-13
IMPROVED UNIFORM INTERNATIONAL,
Sll11ldayScllool
' Lesson '
CBy REV. P. b. FITzwATER. DID,. Dean
of the Evening School, Moody Bible In
stitute of Chicago.l
Co. 1924 Western Newspaper union.l
Lesson for November is
PETERS CONFESSION

| - 49, - ~S~''f N0OtOfN
LESSON TExT-Matthew 16.13-24.
GOLDEN TExT-Thou art the Christ
the Son of the living God.--Matt 1916.
PRIMARY TOPIC-Peter Speaks Out
for Jesus
JUNIOR ToPIc-Peter Takes His
Stand.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOP
IC-The Duties and Glory of Confess
ing Christ
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOP
IC-Does 1t Matter What One Believes
Concerning Christ?
This confession in some sense marks
the turning point in Christs ministry.
Hereafter 1t Is more restricted to His
disciples. Two reasons why this should
be sufficient are wv. 1-12): ~ The
Pharisees and Sadducees show their at
titude toward Him in their demand for
a sign, His answer is that none shall
be given save that of His death and
resurrection, as symbollzed in the ex-
periences of the prophet Jonah. (2)
The disciples show their inability to
understand the spiritual nature of His
teaching. When He warned them of
the leaven of the Pharisees and Sad
ducees they understood Him to refer
to bread, when He meant their doc
trine. 1t was at this crisis when Christ
turned from the nation which had re
jected Him that Peter made this great
confession. 1t was made in the Dor
ders of Caesarea- phlippi, practically
Gentle territory.
|. Occasion Of (vv. 1916.
Two questions of Christ provoked
this confession:
l. The question as to the opinion of
people concerning Him.
They recognized Him as a teacher
or a prophet of more than human au-
thority and power. Today, as then.
there is a diversity of opinion among
the people as to Jesus Christ Some
think He is only a man; others that
He Is a great teacher but nothing
more. Had He been content with this
He would not have been molested In
Jerusalem, for the Jews willingly ac-
knowledged Him as more than a hui
man teacher. 1t was His persistent
Gldltu w DG lllt 1OI-lldu, lllG SUI Ol
God, that sent Him to the cross.
2. The second question involved the
personal opinion Of the disciples con
corning Him. To be able to tell what
others think of Jesus is not enough;
there must be definite, correct and
personal belief on Him.
H. The New Body, the Church, An
nounced wv. 1920
Peter had made a noble confession
of Christ, so now Christ confesses him.
us Matt :32. 33). Christ declared
His intention of bringing into existence
a new body to the members of which
He viii give eternal life, and to whose
hands He will entrust the keys Of the
Kingdom. Peter was to have a distin-
guished place in this body. The keys
entrusted to Him were used on the
day of Pentecost, and again in the case
of Cornelius. Association In this new
body cannot be broken by death. for
the gates of hades shall not prevail
against it. This body. the church, Is
of heavenly origin, heavenly call
ing and a heavenly inheritance.
III. The Cross the Way to the
Throne (vv. 21-33)
This was, no doubt, startling to the
disciples They did not realize that
redemption was to be accomplished
through the passion Of the cross. SO
unwelcome was this announcement
that Peter cried This shall not be
unto thee" Peter later saw through
this darkness to the glory on the hill
top. beyond new hope then filled bis
breast q Pet l 3, ~. Victory through
death is yet the stumbling block of
y many Many are stumbling over the
doctrine of salvation and redemption
through the suffering of the cross.
~. The Cost of Disciplcsh;p wv.
24-27).
To follow Christ mears s"0ering. To
follow Him is to turn o''e's hack upon
the world Life can only be saved by
losing it. If we are going to be Chris
tians we must share Christ's suffering
We cannot 60 to heaven on fowery
beds of ease.
L. There must be denial Of self ".
24). There is wide difference be-
tween self-denial and denial of self
Self-denial is practiced everywhere by
all people, bnt only the disciples of
Christ or Christian people deny self
Christ takes the place of self.
. "Take up his cross This cross is
the suffering and shame which lie in
the path of loyalty to God TO do our
duty will lean suffering I'll Tim.
3:12).
3. Follow Christ. This means to
have the mind of Christ, to do like
Christ. All such shall be rewarded
when Christ comes in glory.
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