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[he Sunday School
THE BOY JESUS IN THE TEMPLE.
February 11, 1912. Luke 2:40-52.
Golden Text: "How Is it that ye
sought me? wist ye not that I must be
about my Father's business?"
TOPICAL OUTLINE.
The Boy Jesus.
Keeping the Passover, vs. 40-42.
In his Father's house, vs. 43-50.
Subject to his parents, vs. 51-52.
SHORTER CHATEC1IISM.
Q. 91. How do the sacraments bennma
n ffnr? Itl n 1 .tvi Anna ? * O
v-uu.v vucviuai ijjcauo Ui Dttivttiiuu
A. The sacraments become effectual
means of salvation, not from any virtue
in them or In him that doth administer
them, but only by the blessing
of Christ and the working of his Spirit
In them that by faith receive them.
LESSON COMMENTS.
Introductory: Prom his Infancy to
the age of thirty, but one incident in
the life of Christ appears. It Is that
of his attendance on the Feast of the
Passover at twelve years of age, his
loss by Joseph and Mary, and the latters'
finding him in the temple.
Illustrated: Someone has beautifully
sa'd that this one incident is like the
trailing of a single vine over the wall
of a hidden garden, revealing something
of the beauty and richness and
fragrance that are In profusion within.
The Incident was doubtless but one out
of a multitude that might have been
given.
Gospels of the Boyhood: There have
not been wanting numerous efTorts in
the form of spurious gospels of the boyhood
of Jesus to give full stories of his
early life. These attempted gospels
have been full of all kinds of Incidents,
as to the plays and playmates
of Jesus, his companions, his miracles
In games and healings of boys' hurts,
and similar stories. Not one of them
has been accented as warranted.
Place and Time: The Incident of the
lesson took place In and near Jerusalem.
The first camping place reached
after hut a few hours from the city,
was probably at Beeroth, indicated by
tradition. Jesus had Just reached
n nr/t U.,
i?ci?c j ca i o ui wiicii, inr
Jewish law, to which he was always
readily subject, a youth was due to begin
his attendance upon the three great:
feats of obligation, the Passover, Pentecost
and Tabernacles.
The Human Nature In Jesus: L.uke'8
glimpse of Jesus is clearly of that
author's design to show the true humanltv
of the Saviour. "The child
grew," "was filled with wisdom," "went
up to Jerusalem," "went down with
them," "Increased In wisdom and
stature and In favor with God and
man," are statements which show how
he was like all the other sons of men,
except that he was a perfect type.
L.uke'8 story of Jesus as "the son of
man" would "hardly be complete without
the glimpse he g'ves of the true
humanity, yet perfection of Christ's
boyhood.
Explanatory: "Waxed:" old English
for "grew." "Filled with wisdom:" A
continuous progress of filling is Indicated
by the original. "His parents:"
Joseph was looked upon as his father.
"Passover:" Held In Apr'l, and one of
the great feasts which all of suitable
age must attend. "Twelve years:" The
age at which such attendance must begin.
"After the custom:" As provided
for In the. law and as practiced by all
good J^ws. "Fulfilled the days:" spent
the raoulred time In Jerusalem. "They
sought him:" At the iPrst stopping
place of the caravan. "Seelclng him:"
continuous effort. "After three
THE PRESBYTERI
days:** On the third day, according to
the JewlBh method of reckoning. "In
the temple:" In one of the courts adjacent
to the temple proper. "In the
midst of the doctors:" Teachers, as
the word always means. "Hearing them
and asking them questions:" Profitting
by their knowledge and wisdom and
showing his own discernment and desire
to learn by the serious questions
which he himself asked. "Were
astonished:" Those standing by, attracted
by the unusual scene, were full
of wonder at the clearness of his apprehension
and the apparent grasp of
his intellect. "They were amazed:"
Mary seems never to have realized
fully what her son was. It was the
same way later, when she and hnr
other children Bought him when he was
on one of his Galilean rounds. They
could not understand him. "Wist ye
not?" Another old English word, meaning
"Know ye not," or "understand ye
not." "My Father's business:' Literally
"about my Father's" which some, as the
makers of the Revised Version, would
render, without warant, "my Father's
house." The phrase is not to be
limited. It evidently refers to everything
that is the Father's, his house,
his work, his service, his purpose.
"Understood not:" Mary was singularly
lacking in perception for one who
was to become the chief intercessor for
all men, as the Romanists would have
us believe! How could it be possible
that she should know so little! "Went
down:" L'ke London, Jerusalem was
"up" to every part of the Holy Land,
and every other place was "down"
when viewed from Jerusalem. "Subject
unto them:" Obedient. "Increased in
wisdom:" T^rgely as the happy result
of such becoming subjection.
Lessons: Jesus was very man as
well as very God. The piety of children
Is largely determined by the piety
of parents. The ruling passion or desire
of youth has much to do with the
determination of the rest of one's life.
One does not have to he very old to
serve God. Jesus was about his
Father's business at the age of twelve.
The best boy on earth should not he
independent of his father and mother
or unwilling to obey and serve them.
Home training is the best training. The
boy's ambition should he to grow In
wisdom and In favor with God and men.
To have the good will of one'B fellow
men is not a matter to he scorned. The
fear of God should stand first, then the
favor of men. Rel'gious occupation Is
not unworthy of a hoy or a matter of
which to be ashamed. Jesus aslred as
well as answered questions. This was
the secret of his prowth. His humility
and intelMeence made him susceptible
to rapid prowth. His questions were
for a purnose. Jesus must have had
much trustworthiness. Josenh and Mary
seemed to be accustomed to lettinp him
co and pet for himself sometimes. else
they would hardlv have failed to see
after their hov when thev started back
towards Nazareth. Boys are to he
trusted freouentlv, and such trust.
wi?elv nlaced. and after pood tralnlnp.
will Ptill further develon them. The
lde?1 hov makes the nerfect mpn. TJkeness
to Christ Includes the likeness of
vouth no less than that of manhood.
Tt is a flne of life to liken It to the
loom. Ood puts on the warp In those
circumstances in which we find oura
ol TT AO n n/1 trrVi I oV ??
ni-u ni.i\ ii wc vail IIUL rilHOKK.
The woof tf? wroueht by the shuttle of
evervdey life. Tt Is made of very homely
threads sometimes?common duties,
nnnromlslnsr and unwelcome tasfcs. But
whoever tries to do each dav's work In
the snlrlt of patient loyalty to God Is
weavlnv the texture whose other side Is
fairer than fche one he sees?Anonymous.
AN OF THE SOUTH
Young People's Societies
GENEROSITY.
Topic lor Sunday, February 11: The
Christian Virtues. II. Generosity. 2
Corinthians 9:6-15.
DALLY READINGS.
Monday: Generous gifts. Exodus
31-4-5, 21-25.
Tuesday: Gifts that grow. Proverbs
3:9-10.
Wednesday: Generous service. 2
Corinthians 12:12-17.
Thursday: Generous hospitality. Hebrews
2:29.
Friday: Generous iu thought. Phillppians
2:2-9.
Saturday: The tithe. Malachi 3:8-12.
"It is more blessed to give than to
receive." It does the giver more good
than the receiver.
"Freely ye have received, freely
give." The manner In which good has
been dealt out to us should determine
our giving.
"The gift of God is eternal life,
through Jesus Christ our Lord."
Thanksllving will be the only adequate
thanksgiving.
"Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable
gift." He gave his best.
That is the rule that should measure
our giving to others.
"As he purposeth in his heart, so
let him give." An offering will be
measured, hv ( ho o.hv...
?.?.v J"uhti u; H1C
spirit in which it is made.
"God loveth a cheerful giver." The
word translated "cheerful" is rather
"hilarious.". When Joy and laughter
accompany an offering one may be sure
that it is from the heart.
"There is that scattereth and yet increaseth."
The lavish hand is not always
a wasteful hand. Judicious generosity
tends towards the interest of
the giver no less than that of the one
receiving.
"He which soweth sparingly shall
reap also sparingly." The penurious
giver need expect little fruit. The barrenness
of his fields will be of his own
making. Good crops come only from
both good and ample seed.
"Send portions unto them for whom
nothing is prepared." The best feature
of a feast is in the sending of the
daintiest parts of it to some neighbor
who could not come or who is not able
to Indulge in such things.
"If I have eaten my morsel myself
alone, if I have seen any perish for
want of clothing or any poor without
covering," said Job, "then let mine arm
fall from my shoulder blade, and mine
arm be broken from the bone."
"Ye have done it unto me." Generosiy
shown a disciple of Christ in the
name of Christ is the same as if shown
to Christ himself and will be regarded
and rewarded as such. The "inasmuch"
principle is that by which the
Tx>rd measures and tests every act.
"If a brother or a sister be weaker,
and destitute of daily food, and one
of you say unto them, Depart In peace,
be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding
ye give them not those things which
are needful to the body: what doth it
profit?" This question carries its own
answer.
"Let every one of you lay by him in
store as God hath prospered him." The
tenth is the minimum. That is God's
already. It belongs to him. All are
his, in fact, and the question should
rather be, How much of his may T
keep for myself. His abounding love
suggests that I keep nothing.
"Bring ye all the tithes Into the
store-house, that there may he meat
1n my house." A faithfully followed
proportlonallsm is the wisest method of
giving. It tends to syBtem and method.
It gives carefulness and reliability.
[ January 31, 1912
The Prayer Meeting
VERILY, VERILY!
Jobu 6:26.
Week of February 4.
A striking characteristic of our Lord's
teaching and one which impressed itself
on the minds of .those who heard
him was that he taught them as one
havinir ailthoritv. nnH tint oa ttio
scrlbeB. The evidence that had come
forth from the Father and that he
was truly the Messiah of prophecy was
abundant, and with such credentials
as he furnished from the beginning of
his public ministry he was warranted
in assuming the attitude of final and
supreme authority on every subject
that engaged his discourse. As a consequence
his hearers could not resist
a profound impression of his mastery
of the truths which he declared and
their claim upon confidence and conformity
to their demands. Many refuse
to yield to the impact of truth,
but it was the refusal of an obdurate
spirit rather than of a truth seeking
intelligence.
He spoke with no misgivings, no
elaborate argument, no flight of rhetoric,
no evasion of unpopular themes,
no pandering to popular tastes, but
with simplicity, brevUv and thoroughness,
he delivered his messages to people
who either believed and reioiced
or were sullenly silent, or not able to
withstand the wisdom with which he
spoke conspired to silence him. The
words that he spoke along the highways
of Palestine or in the streets or
in the synagogue have come echoing
down through succeeding generations,
have won the confidence and hearts of
millions of followers and are to-day
undinted by all the shafts of unbeMef
on/1 molli*- *V*r?A V t * * *
>'u? uia'ige iiir-i umvc ueen nurien
against them. He spoke with authority
because he spoke Imperishable truth of
which he was himself the highest expression
and a sovereign manifestation.
The evangelist John most freouentlv
ouotes the verllles with which our Tx>rd
Introduced some of his most solemn
end transcendent statements. Wfcen
he would Impress upon an Inoulrer the
vital doctrine of reeeneratlon he orefaced
It with these words and Illustrated
It from a familiar fact In nature
and then renulred that It should he received
on the authority of his affirmation.
When he would teach the lesson that
his dlscinles needed to learn then and
hps alwavs been needed hv his followers?the
lesson of humility, he said
"Verllv. verily I say unto you the servant
Is not jrreater than his Lord,
neither he that Is sent greater than
he that sent him."
When a warning against self-reliance
was to be given In response to the
over-confident declaration of Peter that
Tie would Tie true to his Master even
to the extent of laying down his life,
his weakness was exposed and he was
forwarned In the words, "Verily, verily
T say unto you, the cock shall not
crow till thou hast denied me thrice." ,
A precious promise to the disciples
and to all who should come after was
Introduced by the double "verily." It
was the promise of answer to praver.
He said after tellinsr them that after
a little while they should not see him.
he told them of their sorrow, us'njr
these emphatic words, following them
with the promise of ioy and then with
the same preface told them that afterward
whatPVPr ~
_ ? ui'uwiu aoti tun
Fat*pr In his name thev would receive.
Other uses of the double verily may
be studied with Interest and profit.
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