The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1937-12-09
Lesson for December IL
CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP

LESSON TEXT John 1:1-7: Revelation
21:1-7.
GOLDEN TEXT-Our fellowship is with
the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ
/ John 1:3.
PRIMARY TOPIC-The Heavenly Home.
JUNIOR TOPIC-God's Great Family.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
-Comradeshp with Christ.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
Daily Fellowship with Christ and Christians.
Fellowship-the word is rich in
meaning, even as it concerns the
ordinary relationships of life. 1t
speaks of the association of man
with man in a common enterprise,
a sharing of problems and of vic
tories-a partnership. Such rela-
tionships are very real and helpful.
They lead to friendships which bind
the hearts of men together in noble
purpose and in tender consideration.
1t is, however, a long step for
ward when we add the prefix Chris
tan" to fellowship" For by so do
ing we not only bring men into the
most glorious partnership with each
other but we do two other very i'm
portant things: CD we limit those
eligible to this fellowship to those
who are followers of the Lord Jesus
Christ; and (2) we broaden the fell
lowship beyond the association of
men with each other, and bring
them into the circle with Christ.
What a high and noble fellowship!
Do you belong? Christ says, II am
the door: by me if any man enter
in he shall be saved" John 1920.
Our Scripture selections for today
are from two books of the Bible.
Both speak of an eternal Christian
fellowship but the first stresses its
present expression in a life of holt
ness and the other its future of
blessed communion.
l. Christian Fellowship-Now Il
John lid.
The First Epistle of John presents
fellowship with God as depending
on three things (Which form in their
combination a very beautiful picture
of truth God is light Q:5),
hence fellowship with God depends
on our walking in the light. God is
righteous (2:29), hence fellowship
with God depends on our doing
righteousness. God is love AT, g.,
hence fellowship with God depends
on our possessing and manifesting
love" Games M. Gray.
Every clause and phrase Of the
passage before us is so full of
spiritual truth that it should have
our full time but we must limit our
selves to pointing out one outstand-
ing fact; namely, that Christian fell
lowship is made possible because
we have a Saviour, the Lord Jesus
Christ. He it is who reveals the
Father-the One in whom there is
mo darkness at all" ". 81. If we
follow him we must walk in the
light as he is in the light ". D..
This allows for no dark corners, no
crookedness in word or act, no back
biting nor evilspeaking.
Let US open the hidden recesses of
the heart to the light of God and
put every evil thing under the
'blood of Jesus Christ which
cleanseth us from all sin" ". y.
II. Christian Fellowship-for Eter-
nifty (Rev. 21:1-O.
Our present communion with God
and with one another is most pre-
cious-but how often it is marred
by sin and disturbed by the wicked
ness that surrounds US in the world.
We look forward to that day when
we who are the followers of Christ
shall be delivered not only from the
penalty and the power of sin, but
also from its very presence.
There will be "a new heaven and
a new earth" from which every evil
thing has been taken away, in
which all has been renewed in
righteousness. Then will come the
glorious contamination of all things
when God shall come TO dwell with
them and they shall be his people,
and God himself shall be with them
and be their God" ". 81.
That communion shall never be
disturbed by the falling of any tear.
There will be no mourning, no
crying, no pain ". d. Little Won
der that these words have been the
comfort of Gods people in their
darkest hours. They are not the
futile words of human solace. They
come from the eternal God
Three questions have intrigued
the curiosity of man: Cd Where did
l come from? (2} why am l here?
and (3) where am I going? The
Christian is the only one who has a
satisfying solution for the problem
of the origin of all things, "In the
beginning Cod; a reason for the
existence Of all things, ITO me to live
is Christi; and a satisfactory con-
summation of all things, "And God
himself shall be with them" 1t is
a great thing to know Jesus Christ
as Saviour and Lord.
True Religion
I i