The Coolidge examiner., 1936-08-14

Improved O SUNDAY
Uniform c@,o~r
= SSON =
BY REV. HAROLD L. LUNDQUIST.
Dean of the Moody Bible Institute
of Chicago.
g Western Newspaper Union.
Lesson for August Is
SOWING AND REAPING

SOWING AND REATlNU
LESSON TEXT-Galatians 6:1-10.
GOLDEN TEXT-Be not deceived;
God is not Knocked for whatsoever
man soweth, that shall he also reap
PRIMARY ToPIC-How to Behave.
JUNIOR TOPIC-When We Choose.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOP:
IC-Sowing and Reaping. effects OF
A!YS51Jfsi YoUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOP:
IC-Sowing and Reaping. effects of
AlcohoD.
Satan Is "the god Of this world. ="
And as such he has wrought con-
fusion in every realm and particu-
larly in the field of moral distinc-
tions and responsibility. Instead of
clear-cut lines of right and wrong,
white and black, he has managed
to befuddle the minds of many so
that they see only twilight gray
of moral indifference. He has lulled
many a man and woman into a
false security that somehow sin
may be yielded to with impunity.
To some he says there is no God,
and no punishment for sin. To those
who will not yield to such a bold
attack he more subtly suggests that
God is love and that there will be
no judgment. Some there are who
think that formal association with
religious organizations will some
how atone for all their carelessneSS
of life. How great is the need to
emphasize the truth of this lesson
that God is not Knocked, for what
soever a man soWeth that shall he
also reap" ". y. These are eternal
and immutable principles.
The epistle to the Galatians ex-
pounds Christian liberty as based
on justification by faith. This life
of liberty is life in the Spirit, and
this means walking in the Spirit.
The chapter before us (ch. g. states
the attitude of the Christian toward
others, and toward his own life in
the light of his responsibility to God.
1. The Christians Attitude Toward
Others (vv. l, q.
The spiritual concerns of life are
far more important than the mate
rial, therefore the writer points out
that the believer is
l. Considerate in spiritual matters
". ID.
Sin is in the world. Men, even
Christian men, fall. Who is to help
them? and how? Fellow sinners and
spiritual weaklings cannot help.
Sanctimonious and "holier than
thou folk will only criticize and
hinder. The spiritually strong must
help the weak, doing it gently, not
judging severely, for they too are
only sinners saved by grace"
But not all the problems of the
world are spiritual and the Chris
tians will be
2. Helpful in bearing the burdens
of life ". q.
The Christ spirit leads man to
bear his neighbor's burden. In this
grabbing" selfish generation we
need revival of Christlike burden
bearing.
III. The Christians Attitude To-
ward His Own Life (vv. 3-6).
The true believer is character
lied by
l. Humility ". 81. The man who
is wrapped up in himself is always
a very small bundle.
2. Self-judgment (v. ~. Compare
Cor. 3:10-15. God will one day
Judge our lives. We do we'll to judge
them now in the light of eternity.
3. Self-reliance (v. 81. lie one
who is quick to bear another's bur-
dens is slow to ask others to bear
his.
4. A sacrifcial spirit (v. g.. The
true disciple will honor his teacher
and will share with him not only
his material things, but also the
good things he finds in Gods Word.
III. An Eternal Law of Life and
Conduct (vv. 7-9).
l. The law stated ". y. BE not
deceived; God is not mocked: for
whatsoever a man SoWeth that shall
he also reap" We never question
this law in the realm of nature. We
expect no wheat when we sow wild
oats. But, fools that we are, we
think God is less exacting, less true
to his perfect holiness and right
eousness in the realm of the moral
and spiritual. Let us awake before
it is too late!
2. The law illustrated ". 81. The
flesh stands for self, self-will, or
selfishness. The man who lives for
himself and his own pleasures reapS
corruption" even in the present
world.
3. It's obedience rewarded ". 81.
| God is gracious. Well doing is not
only it's own reward, Dut in future
prospect there is a reward at his
hand for those who are not weary
in we'll doing"
~. A Summary and Conclusion
| ". 10). This gathers up the truth
of the entire context, reminding us
that "as we have opportunity" (and