Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-27
Sunday School Lesson
BY
Rev. Hugh T. Stevenson.

forget the place she filled IN those
early formative days.
The Masters Friends.
Omitting the temperance lesson, we
have studied the lives of men who en-
ioyed close fellowship with the Lord
Jesus in the next five lessons. We saw
Peters developing faith: We observed
how he grew from weakness to spirit
ual strength, so that the man who
failed Jesus by denying Him three
times became the leader in the early
days of the history Of Christendom.
The same Lord, who transformed the
wavering and vacillating disciple into
the rock-like apostle, develops His
church and builds His kingdom by
using people who have failed. Christ's
attitude toward Peter when He re-
stored him upon the shores OF Galilee
ought to encourage all who have denied
their Lord that He will give them an
other chance.
In the experience of Thomas, the
honest doubter, we saw another MEM
Der of the apostolic college whose
faith wavered. He had urged all the
apostles to face death with the Lord
when He returned to Bethany from
Perea at the call of His friends, who
sent word of Lazarus serious illness.
Thomas refused to accept the testi-
mony Of the other apostles and the
woman. We saw how Jesus met his
doubts and gave to Thomas an oppor-
tunity to test the reality of His resur-
rection. The apostles attitude Of re-
quiring facts that would stand an acid
test investigation has revealed to us the
solid foundations of our faith.
Christ commanded the centurion,
who exhibited greater faith than He
had seen in all Israel and healed the
mans slave, as a reward for the GEN.
turion's faith in the power and au-
thority of the Lord Jesus. His heart
went out to the rich young ruler whose
appeal to the Master for information
concerning how he might earn eternal
life brought forth the demand that
he sell all that he had and give to
the poor The great Teacher touched
the mans idol when He called upon
him to put Christ ahead of riches and
offered him a place in His ranks.
Jesus loved him for his noble life and
the Masters invitation. We cannot
allow money to rule our life If we
want to follow the Lord. Zaccheus
had the proper attitude toward money
after Christ had spent night in the
publcan's home.
Missionary Service.
Stephen, the Hellenistic leader. was
chosen a deacon when the young
church faced the possibility of a great
division over the problem of caring
for the poor. He recognized the world
mission of Christianity. He cham
pioned his views in debates and crossed
swords with Saul of Tarsus. When
the eloquent pleader for an expansion
of the gospel into all the world died
for his faith he won his greatest VIC
tory. Saul, who closely watched his
death, was impressed by his prayers
for those who differed with him. Al
though he tried to suppress his feelings
by an aggressive persecution of the
church, Saul had to surrender when
he met Jesus and heard His voice
Henceforth he became the champion
of Stephens ideals. Timothy, one of
his converts, became a great help to
Saul in his missionary work.
From letter written to one of his
missionary churches we saw in our
temperance lesson that we needed to
use spiritual weapons to win the world
for Christ. We start with self-control
in all things. 1t is that spirit of good
will that will bring peace to men
throughout the world as the angels
sang when Christ was born in Bethle-
hens manger, which we studied in our
lesson for last week. The influence of
our Christian home training in the
study of the Bible and the applica-
ton of the principles of Jesus to af-
fairs of today will bring an era of
good will and peace among all men
and nations.