The Coolidge examiner. [volume] (Coolidge, Ariz.) 1930-current, 1938-04-07


PRIMARY TOPIC-What Peter Found
Out.
JUNIOR ToPIc-Peter's Right An
sWer
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR
TOPIC-Making Life Count Through
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT
Through Service
Finding ourselves" seems like a
singular, almost Sef-contradictory
expression, but it refers to a sound
principle recognized by psycholo-
gists as well as spiritual leaders. AS
matter of fact, modern psychOl-
ogy has begun to recognize and use
spiritual laws and principles which
alone bring about human happiness
and efficiency. Too frequently this
borrowing from Christianity is only
a recognition of principles while
denying the power of God, but at
least it indicates that those who
have commended that the best place
to learn psychology is in the Bible
with the Holy Spirit as the teacher
were right
A word of warning-let no one
who studies this lesson fall into the
serious error of thinking that some
formal religious service will bring
redemption and favor with God. We
are saved by grace through faith
in the Lord Jesus Christ-''not Of
works, lest any man should boast"
1t is then by the new birth that we
are created in Christ Jesus unto
good works which God hath before
ordained that we should walk in
them" (Eph. 2:8-10).
1t is the Christian who needs to
find himself in service" Only as
he thus yields to Christ does he
really find the life worth living. The
words of Jesus in verse IS of our
lesson are solemnly and gloriously
true. If you save your life for
yourself it viii wither and die in
your hands, but if you give it to
Christ He viii return it to you
glorified.
1. Clear Confession (vv. 2730.
Even those who deny to our Christ
the recognition of His deity, and the
devotion of life which is His just
due, must, if they are at all in
telligent, admit that no man ever
lived who has made such an impact
on human history. Even in the days
of his life on earth those who did not
accept Him as Christ regarded Him
as the resurrected form of one of the
nations greatest leaders. Now I'M
believing men speak of Him as the
great founder of Christianity,
mighty leader, a wonderful exam
pie, or an unequalled teacher.
1t is not enough that we stand with
the mass of humanity who may thus
admire Him, but who do not count
Him as Saviour and Lord. The queS-
ton comes to us as it did to the
disciples, Whom say We that I
ann" Thou art the Christ" this
alone suffices as the foundation for
Christian testimony and conduct.
III. Corrected Error (vv. 31-33).
Although Jesus was not yet ready
to have His Messiahship proclaimed
to the public, He was prepared to
teach His disciples concerning not
only that important truth, but of His
rejection and death. He began to
teach them that the Son of man
must suffer be rejected
killed and rise again.
Note the divine must" While il
is true that wicked men showed
their hostility toward our God and
His Christ by hanging Him on Cal
vary's cross, yet it was to die for
our sins that He came into the
world. The cross has rightly come
to represent Gods love to the world
rather than mans hostility to God.
Error now asserts itself, and
strangely enough it is the very one
who had the clearest grasp of the
truth regarding the Messiahship Of
Christ and boldly expressed it who
now objects to the revelation Of the
coming death and resurrection Of
Christ, and lends his voice to re-
buke the Master for speaking Of it.
Satan hates the cross and the open
grave. Jesus won the victory over
him there. He did not want to hear
Of it before it took place and used
impulsive Peter for mouthpiece
to object. He doesn't want to hear
about it now and uses many
skillful and gifted preacher to speak
against it. 1.-THE offense of the
cross" (GaL Sid has never ceased.
III. Consecrated Life and Service
wv. 34-38).
'Let him deny himself ". 34.
That command we have construed
to mean that we should perform lit
tie acts of self-denial, foregoing
some comfort or pleasure, possibly
for few weeks. 1t does not mean
that at all-but does mean the re-
nouncing of self and self-will. and
complete yielding to Gods will.
Likewise, to take up ones cross
does not mean to bear some of life's
little disagreeable experiences; it
means again to die to self and to
live for Christ.
Careful attention should be given