Lesson 8 · August 21, 1909
The Sermon on the Mount (Concluded); God's Willingness to Help; Test of Discipleship
Lesson Scripture: .
Related Scriptures: .
Lesson Helps: chapter 31.
Questions
- 1.What encouragement does the Lord give us to come to Him with our requests? . Note 1.
- 2.By what appeal to human experience does He strengthen the certainty of His promise? .
- 3.By what illustration does the Saviour show that the prayer of faith will surely be answered? . Note 2.
- 4.In what rule does Jesus sum up our duty to our fellow men? . Note 3.
- 5.How many gateways are before us? Which gate are we exhorted to seek to enter? What is said of the broad way? .
- 6.What is characteristic of the true way? Where does it lead? How many comparatively find it? . Note 4.
Notes
Test of Discipleship.
- 7.Of whom should we beware? .
- 8.By what is the character of a tree known? .
- 9.What becomes of a tree bearing corrupt fruit? .
- 10.By what then should we judge the false prophets? .
- 11.What will be God's test of character—profession or service? . See .
- 12.What will many deceived ones say in the last great day? .
- 13.What will be the Lord's reply to all such? . Note 5.
Notes
Right Building.
- 14.To whom does Jesus liken the obedient hearer? .
- 15.To whom does He liken the disobedient hearer? .
- 16.How did the people regard His teaching? Why? . Note 6.
Notes
1. "Ask," "seek," "knock." Be in earnest. Many pause on the very threshold of blessing and deliverance.
2. Luke, instead of saying that the Lord will give us good things, says He will give His Holy Spirit, which brings all other blessings in its train. The Lord is more willing to give that fulness of all blessings than is an earthly parent to give the needed food to a hungry child. But we must yield all to receive the blessing. Then the love of God will be shed abroad in our hearts. .
3. The thought is not what we would like to do to others, but what we would have others do to us if our circumstances and conditions were reversed. "Put yourself in his place," is the motto. There would never be religious persecution, nor harsh, cruel judgment if men would follow this rule. In it is summed up all the teaching of God regarding our duty to our fellow men.
4. "Strait" is used in the sense of narrow in both verses. The gate does not let the pilgrim in laden with selfishness, worldliness, riches, sin. All these must be left without. As long as we cling to them we have not entered the narrow gate, whatever we may profess to the contrary.
5. "I never knew you." Awful words will they be in the final judgment. Jesus Christ is not the minister of sin. He came to save from sin, not in sin. He died to "redeem us from all iniquity"—lawlessness, law-breaking; "and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." . It can not be too strongly emphasized that faith in Christ leads to sin-cleansing, clean living, and righteous doing.
6. "Having authority." The scribes built their teachings on the traditions of men. Jesus came with a mission, a message, to save men; and the words He spoke were spirit and life. As the Father sent Him, so He has sent others. If we are His heralds, we have His message, and in that message is authority and power. He would not have His servants frightened from the positiveness of the message by the cry of "dogmatic," or the insolence of tradition, or the sneer of "learned" philosophical critics. "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine."
Bible texts in this lesson
Matthew 7:7-29 · Luke 6:31 · Luke 11:9-13 · Luke 6:43-49 · Matthew 7:7 · Matthew 7:8 · Matthew 7:9 · Matthew 7:10 · Matthew 7:11 · Matthew 7:12 · Matthew 7:13 · Matthew 7:14 · Matthew 7:15 · Matthew 7:17 · Matthew 7:18 · Matthew 7:19 · Matthew 7:16-20 · Matthew 7:21 · Luke 6:46 · Luke 6:22 · Luke 6:23 · Luke 6:24 · Luke 6:25 · Luke 6:26 · Luke 6:27 · Luke 6:28 · Luke 6:29 · Romans 5:5 · Titus 2:14
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