St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1937-03-12

70. ~ JUN -''' ~
GOLDEN TEXT - That they may
be one, even a. we are one. John 17:22.
PRIMARY TOPIC - When Jesus
Prayed for His Friends.
JUNIOR TOPIC - Did Jesus Pray
for Me2
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOP.
&c - Jesus Praying for Us.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOP.
&c - Unity with God and One Another.
The assurance that someone Is
praying for US is an anchor in a
time Of storm. Many q man or
woman has been on the point Of Civ
ing up In despair, Of yielding to-
temptation, and has been carried
through to victory by the interces-
sion Of a cody mother or father.
Just to know that someone praysI
for us is to find strength for the
knees that have weakened and for
the heart that has all but failed.
Infinitely more precious is tn e.
truth Of our lesson, that the Lord
Jesus himself prayed for each one
OF his followers. John 1920 makes
clear that while he prayed for those
who were with him at the time, he
also included in his petition all who
since that day have come to be-
1ieve on him because Of their testi-
mony.
Before entering upon his mex
preSsibly precious and beautiful
prayer, the Lord gave to his fol-
lowers promise which was Of vital
1mportance.
I. A Promise (16:5-D.
Persecution Is coming, and Jesus
will not be with them to meet the
trying hour. He is about to enter
upon that final scene in his earthly
life, which will bring 1t to its end
in ga place called the place Of a
skull"
How then can he say to them that
1t Is expedient for them that he 60
away? Because he will send the
Comforter, the Holy Spirit. Students
of the Scriptures recognize in the
Holy Trinity an inscrutable mys-
terry, but receive the teaching Of the
Bible concerning the ministries Of
the three persons in the one God
head with glad and thankful hearts.
It Is a subject which cannot be en-
tered into here, but which richly
rewards careful study. Suffice 1t
to say that while the Holy Spirit
has always been active in the earth,
he did enter upon a ministry Of
special nature when Jesus had gone
to be with the Father.
The essence Of the work Of the
Holy Spirit is to glorify Christ (16:
10, and in so doing he convicts the
unbeiever Of sin and guides the
believer into all truth. The mark Of
a Spirit-flled Christian is that he
permits the Spirit to glorify Christ
In him and in his service for God.
ii. A Prayer (17: 1929.
When one enters the sacred
precincts Of John II he feels that
he has come into the holy Of holes,
and that he would not only loose
the shoes from his feet but also;
stand silent in worship and IN
praise. He prayed for me-for mel
Each student Of this lesson viii
wish to enter fully upon the mean.
ing Of these words as he re-reads
them, in the illumination Of the
Holy Spirit. May suggest three
things which Jesus sought for His
children? ..
/. Conservation wv. 1910. No
one Is Christs child without regen-
GRAFTON, but, sad to say, there are
many children in his blessed house
hold who are not obedient, not spir-
ituaIly well and strong. They are inI
the world, they must be here. but
alas too many Of them want tol
be as much like the world as pos
sible. He prayed that we might bel
kept from evil, separate from the
world, kept by God even in world
that hates him and his truth.
2. Sanctifcation wv. 17-2D. This
means to be set apart and cleansed
for Gods service. How is it &C.
complished? Through the truth. His