The Bible Lessons

APRIL 5, 1998

THE CRUCIFIXION AND BURIAL OF JESUS OUR SAVIOUR

John 19: 16 ...And they took Jesus, and led him away.

17 And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha:

18 Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst.

Mark 15:25 And it was the third hour, and they crucified him.

Luke 23:34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.

40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?

41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.

42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.

43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

John 19:25 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.

26 When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!

27 Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.

Mark 15:33 And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.

34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying,...My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

Matthew 27:50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice,...

Luke 23:46 ...Said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit:...

John 19:30 ...It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

Matthew 27:51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent.

54 Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.

John 19:32 Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him.

33 But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs:

34 But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.

Matthew 27:57 When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple. (...But secretly for fear of the Jews,... John 19:38.)

58 He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered.

John 19:39 And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight.

40 They took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.

Matthew 28:60 And (Joseph) laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.

Luke 23:55 And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid.

MEMORY VERSE: For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. Romans 5:6.

CENTRAL THOUGHT: Jesus, in obedience to the will of God, allowed Himself to be taken out and nailed to a cross to suffer and die to atone for the sins of all mankind so that we can be dead to sins and live unto righteousness.

WORD DEFINITIONS

(John 19:17), "The place of a skull, Golgotha": This was probably called the place of a skull because it was the place of execution and there may have been skulls of previous victims lying there. Luke 23:33 calls the name of the place Calvary. This is from the Latin word,Calvaria, and is translated from the Greek word Cranium which means the same thing.

(Mark 15:25), "Third hour": The first hour was 6:00 a. m. and the third hour was 9:00 a. m. The sixth hour was 12:00 noon, and the ninth hour was 3:00 p. m. Christ suffered on the cross from 9:00 a. m. until 3:00 p. m., which was six hours.

(Luke 23:34), "Cast lots": The principle of casting lots is similar to our present day throwing dice or flipping a coin. It was to allow a decision to be made by chance. These soldiers stripped Christ of His clothes as if to desire such for souveniers. This manner of casting lots was usually done by tossing a chip of wood or a pebble.

(Luke 23:39), "Malefactor": A criminal, evil doer.

(Luke 23:43), "Paradise": It was the firm conviction of the early saints of God (and Jesus verifies it here) that the righteous are taken in death to a place of pleasantness and rest in the presence of God. The word is of Oriental derivitive which means "a park," indicating a place of happiness and supreme pleasure and delight.

(John 19:34), "Blood and water": Much speculation and ideas have been set forth as to what this signifies. But probably the main point is that it shows that Jesus was really dead beyond all doubt and question. Since He was already seemingly lifeless, without breath or motion, the soldiers refrained from breaking the legs. But in an effort to make sure He was dead one of the soldiers ran the spear into His side, probably extending up into His heart, breaking loose the fountain of His blood which drained out completely. We know that this fountain of blood was the all-cleansing stream for the redeeming of our souls from the power of sin.

LESSON BACKGROUND

For our lesson today we have drawn from the four Gospels the account of the crucifixion of our blessed Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Our text is rather lengthy, but the importance of this awful event constrains us to include as much of what took place there as possible. There are some things we have excluded, such as the laying hold upon Simon, the Cyrenian, who was passing by, to bear His cross. That was the literal cross upon which Christ was to be hung as a criminal. But there was a much greater cross that Christ bore upon His heart. And that was the sorrow and shame of being rejected, hated and abused. He felt every insult, ridicule and slander heaped upon Him. As He hung there, the rulers called for Him to come down from the cross if He was truly the Son of God. They said, "He saved others; himself he cannot save." Mark 15:31. Their blinded hearts uttered these words in scorn, but they were not aware that they were speaking an important truth. It was in not saving Himself that He was able to save the world. It is very interesting to note how the prophecies were fulfilled in the death of Jesus. It was prophesied that He would be thus abused and ridiculed. It was prophesied that they would part His garments among them and cast lots on His vesture. It was prophesied that they would shoot out the lip and shake their head, saying, "He trusted in God that He would deliver Him; let Him deliver Him, if He delighted in Him!" The death of our Lord on Calvary is not just an historical fact. It is the expression of the love of God for lost humanity.

-Leslie C. Busbee QUESTIONS:

1. Where was the real cross that Christ bore?

2. Why did Christ's persecutors not know what they were doing?

3. What understanding did the penitent thief have about Jesus?

4. What hope did Jesus give to the penitent thief?

5. What example of love and care did Jesus portray on the cross?

6. Why did Jesus say, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"

7. What was meant in the words, "It is finished?"

8. Why did the soldiers not break Jesus' legs?

9. What did the blood and water coming forth signify?

10. For what purpose did God cause all of this to happen?

ADULTS' AND YOUNG PEOPLE'S COMMENTS

It is very important for us to visualize in our hearts the awful sufferings and death of our Lord Jesus on the cross. We must never get away from this vision, or ever fail to be moved and affected as we meditate upon it. When we are tempted to murmur and groan about injustices and the mistreatment of others, let us remember what our Lord suffered on the cross. When we are tempted by the world so rich and gay, let us visualize our Lord hanging there homeless, penniless and deprived of His last earthly possession, His clothes. When we find ourselves growing cold and disinterested in eternal things, let us remember the suffering that Christ went through to show us His love and the vanity of earthly things. When we are inclined to be hard and unmerciful, let us call to mind how Christ saved the penitent thief in answer to his lowly plea and promised him a home in heaven! Let us look upon Christ's example of thoughtfulness and care for His dear mother and her welfare as a pattern for us in caring for our loved ones. Yes, there are many lessons to be learned here. But the main thought that we want to have is that Jesus was suffering that we might be saved from sin and have hope of eternal life. This was the price that had to be paid for us to be redeemed and brought back to fellowship with God. Look upon this scene of the sorrow and suffering of Jesus and let its holy vision influence you in all your attitudes and activities of life.

-Leslie C. Busbee

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Crucifixion was a punishment which must have been inspired from the pits of hell. It was an assault upon one's mind, body and the very core of a person's dignity and self-esteem. Many awful tortures have been imposed upon society by demented rulers, but crucifixion has to rank as one of the worst.

Here is a portion of what Adam Clarke says about crucifixion. "It was inflicted as the last mark of detestation, upon the vilest of the people. It was the punishment of robbers and murderers, provided they were slaves; but if they were free, it was thought too infamous a punishment for such, let their crimes be what they might.

"The body of the criminal was fastened to the upright beam by nailing or tying the feet to it, and on the transverse piece by nailing and sometimes tying the hands to it. As the hands and feet are the grand instruments of motion, they are provided with a greater quantity of nerves. Now as the nerves are the instruments of all sensation or feeling, wounds in the parts where they abound, must be peculiarly painful. This punishment will appear dreadful enough, when it is considered, that the person was permitted to hang (the whole weight of his body being borne up by his nailed hands and the projecting piece which passed between the thighs) till he perished through agony and lack of food. Some, we are informed, have lived three whole days in this state."

APRIL 12, 1998

THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS FROM THE DEAD

Matthew 28:1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.

2 And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.

3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:

4 And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.

5 And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.

6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

Mark 16:7 But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.

Matthew 28:8 And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.

Luke 24:11 And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.

Mark 16:9 Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils. (More about this is related in John 20:11-18.)

12 After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country. (Read more about this in Luke 24:13-35.)

John 20:19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

20 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.

24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.

26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.

27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:

31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

MEMORY VERSE: ...Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And...he was buried, and...he rose again the third day according to the scriptures. I Corinthians 15: 3,4.

CENTRAL THOUGHT: Jesus Christ, the Son of God, suffered the horrible death of the cross and was buried. But on the morning of the third day, the first day of the week, His body was quickened by the mighty power of God and He came forth triumphant over sin, death and the grave. We have the testimony of a number of eye witnesses who beheld Him and communed with Him after His resurrection. We may believe their report without doubt, and if we believe with all of our heart this glorious truth, we can share in that risen life of Christ now and forever.

WORD DEFINITIONS

(Matthew 28:1), "As it began to dawn": John 20:1 says, "When it was yet dark."

(John 20:24), "Didymus": A twin. The name "Thomas" is from the Hebrew word "Thoman," which means a twin, and "Didymus" is the Greek rendering of that name. Thomas evidently had a twin brother or sister born at the same time with him.

LESSON BACKGROUND

Luke tells us in Acts 1:3 that Jesus "shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs" to the apostles whom He had chosen. That He had died a real, physical death there can be no doubt. His body was lifeless, having been drained of all the blood after He had given up the spirit and all breath had left His body. From the four gospels we have arranged the highlights of Christ's resurrection, and have referred to two other incidents that space would not permit us to include in the text.

It is very evident that Mary Magdalene was the first one to actually see Jesus. We have the touching account of this in John 20:1-18. The other gospels say that she was attended by other women, but they evidently ran off after seeing the angel that rolled away the stone from the door of the sepulchre and hearing his wonderful message. When Mary saw that the body of Jesus was not in the sepulchre, she ran to inform Peter and John, who came on the run to investigate. After they had left, Mary, weeping, looked into the sepulchre and saw two angels. Turning back, she saw Jesus, and did not recognize Him until He spoke her name. He told her to go and tell His brethren that He was to ascend to His Father, and their Father, and to His God, and their God.

In Luke 24:13-35 we have the blessed account of the two men walking to Emmaus and how Christ approached as they journeyed and asked about their sad communications. These men had heard the report that morning that certain women of their company, who had been early at the sepulchre, had seen a vision of angels which said that Christ was alive, but to their knowledge Christ had not yet been seen by anyone. Jesus was to them but a stranger, and they were unaware that they were conversing with the Lord Himself. Then Jesus reproved them for their slowness of heart to believe all the scriptures that had been spoken of Him. "And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself." Ver. 27. It was not until He had accompanied them into their home, at their invitation, and had taken bread, blessed it by prayer and thanksgiving, and then broke it and gave it to them, that they were made aware that it was Him, the Lord of glory. Returning in haste back to Jerusalem (a distance of about seven miles), they conveyed to the apostles their joyous message.

I believe that John's account of Thomas and his hesitancy to really be persuaded of Christ being alive strikes closer to us than about anything. The human, natural part of us is slow to grasp the truth as it really is. Thomas was reacting as the others had already reacted when they first heard about Jesus being alive. Simple faith, from the depths of the heart, concerning the truth of Christ is the only avenue by which we can truly possess His risen life and grace. -Leslie C. Busbee

QUESTIONS:

1. Why is Christ being raised from the dead so important to us today?

2. What will we receive by truly believing Christ is risen?

3. What did Christ accomplish by being resurrected from the dead?

4. Why were the disciples so slow to believe that He was alive?

5. What causes men to doubt the truth of the resurrection today?

6. Is it possible to believe the resurrection story in vain? How?

7. Do you think that Thomas continued to be "doubting Thomas?"

8. For what purpose did John write the things in his gospel?

9. How can we really be a partaker of the risen life of Christ?

10. What kind of future does a true believer look forward to?

ADULTS' AND YOUNG PEOPLE'S COMMENTS

True believing in the resurrected life is vital for the receiving of the benefits thereof. Paul spoke in I Corinthians 15:2 about this gospel, "By which," he said, "ye are saved, unless ye have believed in vain." Now the Greek meaning of "in vain" indicates weakness or failure, an idle and useless faith without reason or effect. I fear that many people believe in Christ with this kind of faith. This is something we need to take heed about. It is so important that we believe with a whole-hearted faith, a persuasion and firm reliance upon God who brought about this glorious victory of His Son over sin, death and the grave. We need to know the scriptures and what they have to say about it in prophecy and in the New Testament fulfillment. Paul stated in Romans 10:9-10, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." When Philip preached Christ to the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8:35-37, the man, upon coming to some water, wanted to be baptized. Philip said, "If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest." We need to get our whole heart into this thing. Only those who set their heart fully on God and His perfect will in Christ, will have the things of the Spirit revealed to them. This is the kind of faith and experience that will enable us to overcome this wicked world and live triumphant lives over sin and the flesh. -Leslie C. Busbee

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

One of my favorite passages in the Bible is Luke 1:78-79. "Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace."

What a wonderful thing it is to have a resurrected Christ in our heart. In our lesson we are told that when Christ came forth from the tomb that His countenance was like lightening, (Matt. 28:3) not in its duration, but in its intensity. We are also told that in heaven there will be no need of the sun nor the moon, for the lamb is the light thereof. (Rev. 21:23.)

Can you get a picture of what it means to sit in darkness? Imagine a solitary figure seated in a room beside a bright fire which is the only source of light and heat. Gradually, the fire begins to die and the person just sits there in a stupor, oblivious as to what needs to be done to rekindle it. With a little more passage of time, there are only embers, and shadows of night fill the room. The cold of winter creeps in. Finally there is no fire in the grate, no light in the room, and the person is encompassed in dreary desolation and bleakness.

APRIL 19, 1998

THE WORLD WHICH MUST BE OVERCOME

I John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Psalm 12:1 Help, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.

2 They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.

3 The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things:

4 Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?

Psalm 17:8 Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings,

9 From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about.

13 ...Deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword:

14 From men which are thy hand, O Lord, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life....

Psalm 73:11 And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?

12 Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.

Psalm 17:15 As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.

Mark 4:19 ...The cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word (of God), and it becometh unfruitful.

I John 3:13 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.

MEMORY VERSE: ...Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. James 4:4.

CENTRAL THOUGHT: The spirit that rules and has pre-eminence over the hearts and minds of men is the spirit of lust, pride, vanity, strife, deceitfulness and covetousness. This is the spirit of Satan, and if we would serve God we must conquer and overcome the alluring powers of this present, evil world through the grace and power of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

WORD DEFINITIONS

(I John 2:16), "Lust": This word in the Greek means a longing or intense desire. It includes appetites and passions of the body. Adam Clarke has some good definitions of the three things mentioned here that make up the spirit of this present, evil world. 1. The lust of the flesh: "Sensual and impure desires that seek their gratification in women, strong drink, delicious foods and the like." 2. The lust of the eyes: "Inordinate (unrestrained and uncontrolled) desires after finery of every kind, gaudy (bright and showy) dress, splendid houses, superb furniture, expensive equipment, ornaments and decorations of all sorts." 3. The pride of life: "The desire for honours, titles, and degrees, boasting of ancestory, family connections, great offices, honourable acquaintance and the like."

(Psalm 12:2), "Flattering lips": Smooth and appealing talk backed with the intent to deceive or trick. "Double heart": The Hebrew says, "A heart and a heart." This indicates a deceitful and depraved nature, one of trickery and guile. On the surface and by mouth one kind of heart is shown, while within and beneath the appearance lurks the heart of corruption and evil.

(Psalm 17:8), "Apple of the eye": The Hebrew says, "The pupil, the daughter of the eye." The prayer of the Psalmist is for protection and safety from the spirit of the world. The pupil is the opening in the eyeball that widens and contracts to allow the proper amount of light into the retina which is the sensitive part of the eye that receives the image and relays it to the brain. So the pupil is a very important and precious thing that we shield and protect as much as we can. Now then, the thought of the daughter we could use in comparison to a man's daughter who is precious and dear to him and a cause of much concern and intense care for her welfare and happiness.

(Psalm 17:13), "Which is thy sword": The words which is are added words and not in the original text. The Hebrew says, "Deliver my soul from the wicked by Your sword," which, we know, is the Word of God.

(Psalm 17:14), "From men which are thy hand": As it was in the foregoing verse, the words which are are added words and are not in the original text. The Hebrew says, "From men by Your hand."

LESSON BACKGROUND

We began this series of lessons on the subject of overcoming this present, evil world with the scriptural study of the death, burial and great resurrection of Jesus Christ. This showed us how Christ overcame the world by submitting to the will of God to suffer and die for the sins of mankind. It shows how He triumphed openly over the powers of darkness that sought to destroy Him. This same victory that He obtained is for us to share with Him.

For our lesson today we have chosen various scriptures that portray the kind of world that we face and must overcome in His name. It has been of great interest to me to note how the three things mentioned by John, as what is in the world, relate to the three points of the temptation of Mother Eve in Gen. 3:6. They also relate to the three points of the temptation that our Saviour met in Matthew 4:1-10.

From the three different places in the Psalms we have a clear picture of the spirit of the world. The lust for power, gain and pleasure controls the heart of the unsaved. It is because they are in the dark, about the greater treasures, that they are enslaved to these vanities.

Our scripture in Mark 4:19 was part of Christ's explanation of the parable of the sower and the seed. Part of the seed fell among thorns which grew up and choked out the good seed. Christ labels these thorns, which will surely choke out the Word of God from our lives, as the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts (or cravings) of other things entering into the heart. Luke 8:14 adds to this the pleasures of this life. We are persuaded to believe that Christ gives us this parable as a warning for us to take heed to in order to safeguard us from this.

Our final scripture in I John 3:13 is a solemn warning for us to not allow the displeasure of this present, evil world to affect our decision to obey the Spirit of God. Many people are kept from serving God effectively because of their sensitiveness to the pressures and influences of others in the world around them.

Our memory verse from James 4:4 pretty well sums it up. We have to make a decision who we want as our friend. We cannot have God as our friend and at the same time hold on to the world and its joys. -Leslie C. Busbee

QUESTIONS:

1. What are the three main things in the world we must overcome?

2. What is included in each of these things which are not of God?

3. What will happen to us if we allow our love to go out to these things?

4. Why is it important for us to be aware of the threat of the world?

5. What is the threat that this evil world poses against us?

6. What must we set our affections upon to escape the world's trap?

7. How much danger is there in the pressures of the world around us?

8. What is the woe upon the ignorant and unaware person?

9. What will the cares, riches and pleasures of the world do to us?

10. Why is it so hard for a person to be different from others?

ADULTS' AND YOUNG PEOPLE'S COMMENTS

It is not a very nice picture when we get to viewing this present, evil world as it really is. It is a world and a society that is scarred and polluted with unholy affections and things contrary to the One who created it. One may ask, "How did things ever get in the awful shape they are in?" This all started with Eve, the mother of all living. She was tempted of the serpent to desire the fruit forbidden by God. We know that it was Satan working through the serpent who presented this temptation to her. It was a small matter but the seed of sin and rebellion was planted in the nature of man by it. The rest of the story has been a progression, a multiplying and worsening of the condition of mankind before God. This seed of self-love and uncontrolled fulfillment of the animal lusts of the body passed on from one generation to the next, and always seeming to worsen as it passed on. At various stages God poured out His wrath and destruction came to the workers of iniquity. God promised a Saviour to save man from his sinful state, and in the right time of the history of this world Jesus came down to take upon Him the human likeness of sinful flesh. He paid the blood price to atone for man's iniquity and overcame the powers of sin and darkness by His submission to the will of God in the death of the cross. But God decreed that Christ was not to bodily remain on earth. He was taken up to heaven, to the right hand of God, to intercede for all who would follow Him thereafter. He sends the Holy Spirit upon all who will qualify in faith, consecration and complete submission to His holy will. Through the power of the Holy Spirit man can overcome this world and live in holiness and righteousness before God all the days of his life.

The world is not going to get better, but rather worse. But regardless of how bad it becomes, through the strength of our Redeemer, we can overcome and be more than conquerors until we are called to our eternal reward. -Leslie C. Busbee

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

To be pure and holy is a praiseworthy pursuit. It seems that as time goes on, society is looking with less disfavor upon an unrestrained lifestyle. "Character doesn't matter" is a phrase that is often repeated, and the more something is repeated the more validity people give it.

A verse of song says, "I believe it's right to live right." Some years ago that phrase would have seemed trite, but with society's attitude today, it has taken on new meaning and conviction. We should never let the profusion of sinful lifestyles dim our vision to the merit of living holy before God.

An incident has been recorded about Lady Huntingdon of England. She began to feel convicted about the sinful and frivolous atmosphere of the gatherings she was attending among the elite, so she withdrew from their company.

One day at court, the Prince of Wales inquired of Lady Charlotte Edwin, a lady of fashion, the whereabouts of Lady Huntingdon.

Lady Charlotte replied with a sneer, "I suppose praying with her beggars."

The Prince of Wales shook his head, and turning to Lady Charlotte, said, "Lady Charlotte, when I am dying, I think I shall be happy to seize the skirt of Lady Huntingdon's mantle, to lift me up with her to heaven."

APRIL 26, 1998

THE GOD OF THIS WORLD

II Corinthians 4:4 ...The god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

I Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

John 14:30 ...The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.

John 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.

32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

II Corinthians 11:2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

Revelations 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

11 And they overcome him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

MEMORY VERSE: Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.... James 4:7-8.

CENTRAL THOUGHT: The god of this world, the devil, the one who deceived Eve in the beginning, is still exercising his power over the souls of men by blinding their minds to the truth and corrupting them from the purity of the Lord. Satan found no place in Christ and Christ overthrew him and cast him out of the hearts of men. Today, through the blood of the Lamb and holding fast to our profession of faith in Him, we can overcome the powers of the devil, even his deceptive powers of false religion.

WORD DEFINITIONS

(John 14:30), "...The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me": Satan was coming at Jesus in the trial, condemnation and cruel sufferings of the cross. He was to find that Christ had none of his works or ways in his heart and attitude.

(John 12:31), "The prince of this world cast out": Satan's power over the souls of men would be broken as Christ submitted to the Father to allow them to nail Him to the cross. Through this act of complete submission and the offering of Himself to God, Christ would be given the complete overthrow of Satan's domain in the hearts of men. And, by Christ being lifted up on the cross for our salvation, He would draw us by cords of dying love to fellowship and eternal union with Him.

(II Corinthians 11:2-3), Let us read this from the Greek translation: "For I am jealous over you with a jealousy of God. For I joined you to one husband, a pure virgin to present to Christ. And I fear lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve in his craftiness, so should the thoughts of you be spoiled from the simplicity due to Christ." The word simplicity here means singleness, that is, sincerity without pretense or self-seeking.

LESSON BACKGROUND

From the various writers of the New Testament we have drawn their expressions concerning the power and position that Satan has over this present, evil world. Paul labels him as the "god of this world," that is, of this present age. He, in his various forms and fashions, is what the carnal minded people of this world set their hearts and affections on. There are the various gods that people can worship, namely; the god of fashion, the god of pleasure, the god of wealth and the god of sports. There are no doubt many other gods that can be named. Peter calls him our adversary, the one who incites rebellion against all justice and righteous authority. Jesus called him the prince of this world and the devil. All of these terms represent Satan as the opposer of all righteousness and godliness that the Lord is the author of.

Paul brings out the startling thought of Satan being transformed as an angel of light along with his ministers. And then in Revelations he is called the accuser, one who is ever seeking to bring down and discourage every soul who seeks to serve the Lord and His kingdom. Let us remember that, though Christ has triumphed over the devil, he is still given the privilege to seek to work his craft on us. But we must resist him without wavering and keep a submissive and drawing near attitude toward the Lord and His holy way.

-Leslie C. Busbee

QUESTIONS:

1. In what way is Satan the "god of this world?"

2. What are some of the methods that Satan uses against us?

3. Why and how did Satan find "nothing" in Christ?

4. How was Christ able to cast Satan out?

5. In what way was Christ able to draw all men to Himself?

6. In what way is Satan a thief?

7. What are some of the lies that Satan tries on people?

8. Why and how does Satan disguise himself as an angel of light?

9. How did those early saints overcome the accuser of the brethren?

10. What must we do toward God if we would overcome the devil?

ADULTS' AND YOUNG PEOPLE'S COMMENTS

One of the tactics that the god of this world works on unsuspecting souls is that of accusations. No matter how hard a person tries to please God, the devil will take advantage of that conscientious heart and heap abuses and hurl accusing thoughts against him. I heard Sister Marie Miles tell how she suffered for a time under the accusations of the devil. She felt accused and condemned with about everything she tried to do. Satan was trying to keep her feeling that it was God reproving her. But one day, as she was pondering over the terrible struggle she was having, the scripture came to her in Revelations 12:10, that "the accuser of our brethren is cast down." She was able to get victory over those accusations after that. I remember how the devil used to torment my soul. He would bring impressions to my mind and I thought God was doing it, but no grace, comfort or strength would come and I was not able to obey the impression. I was then thrown into guilt and condemnation. But the Lord helped me to see that this was the devil's tactics to get me confused and discouraged. I was finally able to see that if the Lord was leading me, He would inspire, comfort, strengthen and give me grace to do what He wanted me to do. Oh, I thank God that He gave me victory over accusations!

Satan is massed in great power and numbers today in the realm of false doctrine, false teachers and false churches. But by the strength of God and His great Spirit in our souls we can be kept from these false doctrines. I have had the Lord, numbers of times, help me when I would run into some false doctrine. Oh, they would be so bold and high strung about it. They were so sure about it, seemingly. But when I would go home and pray earnestly to the Lord, He would direct my mind to the scriptures that would help me to see the real truth of the matter. We who would prove our love for Jesus, must be brave soldiers to stand firm against the allurements and devices of Satan, who will seek to draw us from our hope in Christ.

-Leslie C. Busbee

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

The well known revivalist, Christmas Evan, once preached a sermon on "The devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." He pictured the devil as seeing a young man on his cart, driving down the road singing. The devil thought, "There is a young man whose blood courses wildly in his veins, and his bones are full of marrow. I will fan my sparks within his bosom, and set all his passions on fire." Just as he was about to hurl a fiery dart of temptation at the young man, he heard him sing, "Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah, Pilgrim through this barren land."

"This is a dry place." Satan said, and went off to seek others. At length he came to a young maid sewing at a cottage door. "There is one," exclaimed the devil, "I will whisper an evil suggestion into her heart, and repeat it over and over again until it shall become an evil deed."

With this he hastened to hurl his fiery dart into her mind, but as he approached he heard her singing, "In ages numerous as the sand, The song will be commencing." "This is another dry place!" Satan exclaimed.

Christmas Evan said the devil took off with a mad fury and determination to find some heart to dwell in. So he decided to try the old since the young had been a failure.

Seeing an elderly lady at her spinning wheel, he decided to bring her gray hairs down in sorrow to her grave. But as he approached he heard her quoting, "For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed, but My kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of My peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee." The devil flew away as if pierced to the heart.

Finally the devil found an old man drawing his last breaths, and said, "It will be a grand thing if I get the better of him after all and make him doubt his heavenly Father."

Upon approaching the hard bed he heard the aged saint repeating, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me."

"Ah," exclaimed the devil, "This is a fearfully dry place." And glad to escape from such a scene, he said, "I will return to my place; I had rather be there than here."

-Wayne Murphey

MAY 3, 1998

COMPLETE DELIVERANCE FROM THE POWER OF SIN

Galatians 1:1 Paul, an apostle, (not by men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)

3 Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,

4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:

Luke 1:74 That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,

75 In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life. Romans 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?

2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.

11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.

18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.

20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.

21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.

22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

MEMORY VERSE: He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. I John 3:8.

CENTRAL THOUGHT: Jesus Christ has delivered us from this present, evil world by dying for our sins. Because He died for sin we can die to sin and live unto righteousness and holiness.

WORD DEFINITIONS

(Luke 1:75), "Holiness": The Greek word for "holiness" here means piety, devotion and reverence to God; sacredness. It is the proper attitude and disposition one must have to to be able to partake of perfect holiness.

(Romans 6:6), "That the body of sin might be destroyed": The essence or basis of sin is destroyed in the work of the fullness of the grace of God.

(Romans 6:17), "God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin": He is not thanking God that they had been under the dominion of sin, but rather that their bondage to sin is a thing of the past, that they are no longer in it.

(Romans 6:19), "Iniquity unto iniquity": This means from one degree of sin to another. And we know that sin in a person's life is progressive, ever pulling the soul deeper and deeper into the mire of ungodliness and shame.

"Righteousness unto holiness": The Christian life is progressive also. From being justified and made righteous through the free grace and power of Christ we can go forward and be sanctified by the Spirit of God and the blessing of perfect holiness.

LESSON BACKGROUND

The point of our lesson today is that in order for us to overcome this present, evil world we are going to have to be delivered from the power of sin and transgression against God that is corrupting it. This deliverance, thank God, has been brought down to us through the death of Christ and His glorious resurrection. Jesus paid the perfect price for our redemption, and the power that He affords is sufficient to rescue and deliver our souls from all the dominion of sin. Our text in Luke 1:74-75 is from the testimony of Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, after John's birth and the loosing of his tongue. He praised and blessed the Lord God of Israel for raising up a horn of salvation for us. He declared that this had been spoken of by God's prophets since the world began.

From Romans 6 we have Paul's teaching on the deliverance we can have from sin. His language is plain and in the light of what he says here, it is hard to see how people today can believe that we cannot live free from sin. We cannot conquer sin in our own mortal strength, that is sure. But, by the virtue of the risen Christ, we can die to sin and deny its power over us. Oh, how wonderful that we can be free from sin and living a pure and holy life for God! We can face people with a calm and controlled spirit. We can keep sweet under pressure and injury. We can forgive and have no malice or ill will. The pleasures of sin we see as vain and undesirable, and we rejoice that we have found a richer treasure, one that will never fade away. -Leslie C. Busbee

QUESTIONS:

1. Why must we overcome sin if we are to overcome the world?

2. By what means did Christ deliver us from this present, evil world?

3. What are the enemies that we must be delivered from?

4. Just how free can we really be from sin by the grace of God?

5. What is meant by the term "our old man?"

6. Can we be servants to God and sin at the same time?

7. What decides whose servants we are?

8. What are some of the ways we yield our bodies to sin?

9. What are some of the ways we can yield our bodies to God?

10. What is the end of sinful ways, and also of holiness?

ADULTS' AND YOUNG PEOPLE'S COMMENTS

We can only overcome this wicked world by the grace of God, which we can only receive when we humble ourselves and become fully submissive to His will. As long as we are proud, stubborn, rebellious and self-willed we will not be able to overcome the world. We will be overcome by the world. To conquer sin and bring our lives into subjection to righteousness and true holiness should be the utmost desire and purpose of our hearts. This can only be accomplished by the grace and power of our Saviour. But for Him to effect this kind of life, we must renounce the dominion of sin and bow in humble submission to Christ. And, if we really desire this victory and overcoming grace with all of our hearts, we can have it. We do not have to go on in life being a victim, but we can be a victor. Jesus died for our sins, and rose up from the dead to give us His risen life and victory over sin, the flesh, the world and the god of this world.

Oh, let us lay hold of this wonderful treasure of salvation! Let us dedicate our whole heart and life to its wonderful blessings. Victory and peace will follow us and help us to over-come every trial and temptation that we will meet down here and take us to that eternal home with Christ and all the faithful. -Leslie C. Busbee

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

"Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey." Romans 6:16.

Many people live in sin, but are hard put to acknowledge the stark reality that they are the servants of the devil. Such a thought is quite abhorrent.

I read of a minister who was preaching a sermon and said, "If you are servants of Satan you ought to stand up for him now publicly. If he has any claim to the allegiance of your soul you ought to acknowledge him."

Then in a most moving way he offered a prayer to the evil one. "O prince of pleasure, thou hast promised us great things, days of joy and merriment; we will serve thee faithfully to the end, and take our chance with thee at the last." Then looking at his hearers he said, "Let all who are followers of Satan say, Amen." A stillness, as of death, prevailed.

MAY 10, 1998

CHRIST OVERCOMING TEMPTATION

Luke 4:1 And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,

2 Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.

3 And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.

Matthew 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,

6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

Luke 4:5 And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.

6 And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it

.

7 If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.

8 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

Matthew 4:11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

Matthew 26:36 Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.

37 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.

38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.

39 And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

Luke 22:43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.

44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

Matthew 26:40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?

41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit is indeed willing, but the flesh is weak.

42 He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.

MEMORY VERSE: For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Hebrews 4:15.

CENTRAL THOUGHT: Jesus was able to resist the devil and submit to God in every temptation that He faced while here in the flesh. He was not influenced to do anything in response to the appeal of the flesh or the pressure of the devil that was sinful or displeasing to His Father.

WORD DEFINITIONS

(Matthew 4:5), "Pinnacle": A wing (or side extension) of the temple at its top corner.

(Matthew 4:7), "Tempt": To try out or put to the test.

LESSON BACKGROUND

We have in our lesson today the accounts of two of our Lord's main times of temptation and trial. These two incidents were not the only times in which He was tempted to yield to the flesh or to draw back. But these two different temptations were probably the greatest He met and suffered. We have alternated the two writers, Matthew and Luke, in their accounts so as to get a better overall picture of what happened.

Jesus had just been introduced by John to the throng at the Jordan River and had been baptized by him. The Holy Spirit had descended from heaven upon Him, filling His soul with power from on high. In the power of the Spirit and in response to His leading, Christ had withdrawn from the crowd and taken His journey out into the wilderness. Mark 1:13 says that He was with the wild beasts, which Clarke comments that the area must have been the most remote, unfrequented and savage part of the desert. There for forty days our Lord fasted, prayed and fought the powers of the devil. There are times when we who love and follow Christ are led by the Spirit into the desert, not literally, but in adversity, hardships, sufferings and severe trials of faith. Let us remember that our Lord passed through these things and came out triumphant.

Jesus did not eat for forty days. After this time of physical privation the powers of hunger took hold of His body. It has been experienced that while the burden of fasting and prayer is on the soul, the temptation for food is put back and may not be a temptation. But when the burden lifts and one is made conscious of the physical need for food, it is a time when the temptation to get something to eat is very strong. So it was with Jesus. The devil approached Him at His most vulnerable point. Do not think that there was no temptation here. But Christ overcame and resisted the idea of turning stones into bread at the suggestion of Satan. Quoting from Deut. 8:3, Jesus held His reliance upon the Word of God to sustain Him.

The temptation to jump off of the roof of the temple was no small matter. It is human nature to put something to the test, to see if it will do as it is said that it will do. This idea of testing and tempting God is rooted in doubts, questions and unbelief. "I will jump off and prove that the promise is true that God will protect me." But no, that is not the right attitude, and the Lord would have none of it. Although Satan said, "It is written," Jesus said, "It is written again." We have to watch out for Satan using scriptures to back up his proposals. Yes, the Word says that, but it also says something else. Here we must learn to balance the Word and escape the reasoning of all fleshly and humanistic thoughts.

We might think that the kingdoms of the world and all the glory of them might have had no appeal to Christ. But looking at history and how man has always been tempted with power, position and the praise of men, we do see that there was some temptation here. But Christ called up the reserve of the Word of God and refused to be beguiled by this deceitful attraction.

The temptation in Gethsemane was that of drawing back from the woe of the physical sufferings that were beginning to draw near. Jesus knew that on this night He was to be arrested, put through a mock trial, convicted, sentenced and executed the next day. He was tempted to plead for deliverance from that terrible suffering and shame. He testified in verse 53 of this 26th chapter of Matthew that He could pray to His Father and His Father would presently give Him twelve legions of angels. It is very evident that such a plea would have been answered and it would have had to have withdrawn Christ from the whole human arena. What would have happened? I believe that God would have had to have destroyed all creation and brought His Son back into the heavenly places. But Jesus explained simply why He refused to do this. "But how shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?" Verse 54. Thus, in preference to the Word of God, Christ made His decision to submit to the Father's will. Thus He overcame the temptations of the devil, and through His victory He can enable us to overcome every temptation and trial that we will meet in this life.

-Leslie C. Busbee

QUESTIONS:

1. Why did Christ have to undergo the temptations of the devil?

2. Can you name the various points in which He was tempted?

3. How do these compare with the three points of Eve's temptation?

4. Why is appetite for food such a door to temptation?

5. What was tempting about jumping off of the pinnacle?

6. What attraction did the glory of the kingdoms of earth have?

7. How are these things a source of temptation for us today?

8. What was Christ tempted to do in Gethsemane?

9. How did He meet and overcome this temptation?

10. How can Christ help us in temptations that we will meet in life?

ADULTS' AND YOUNG PEOPLE'S COMMENTS

For Christ to be the Saviour and Rescuer of fallen mankind, He must needs meet and overcome the things that had been man's downfall. He must be tempted in all points that man ever was tempted in and yet be without sin. He must conquer the one who had conquered man. When He took upon Himself human flesh, this was what He faced. If He failed, all would be lost. But if He overcame every temptation and proved faithful and true to the will of God, He would save a fallen race and make deliverance from the power of Satan available. This is the great message of the gospel. Christ was tempted in all points like as we are, YET WITHOUT SIN! He conquered! Through the power of His grace, which He extends freely to us today, we can prevail also and overcome every foe we face in the Chistian life. Let us not sell the Saviour short. Because He overcame, we can overcome, also.

-Leslie C. Busbee

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

"Jesus said unto him, It is written again,..." Matt. 4:7.

"Christ is our example in all things. Here we see how He met the tempter so as to conquer him. We see just what weapons He used in His victorious conflicts. He used God's Word as a quiver, and He drew from it the sharp arrows which He hurled so successfully against His opponent. We notice, too, that He did not have to get down His Bible and search through it to find texts to use in His battle. He drew them from memory. This shows that He had His heart filled with the precious words, so that when He needed them they were ready. The lesson for us lies on the surface. If we would be ready to meet the assaults of the tempter, we must have our quiver filled with the polished shafts of Scripture. We must have the words of the Holy Book laid away in reserve in our hearts, so that at the most sudden call we may use them."

MAY 17, 1998

DENYING UNGODLINESS AND WORLDLY LUSTS

Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

I Peter 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;

2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

3 For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:

4 Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:

I Corinthians 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

Colossians 3:5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

6 For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:

7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.

8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.

9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

MEMORY VERSE: But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not covenient: but rather giving of thanks. Eph. 5:3-4.

CENTRAL THOUGHT: We are to turn away from the wicked ways of this present, evil world with a purpose to live a life that is pleasing to God and glorifying to His name.

WORD DEFINITIONS

(I Peter 4:3), "Lasciviousness": Wantonness; being undisciplined, unmanageable and without self-control. "Excess of wine": Drunkenness. "Revellings": Partying; drinking heartily and heavily. "Banquetings": Another form of an hilarious drinking party. "Abominable idolatries": Adam Clarke says that these were "the abominations practiced at their idol feasts, where they not only worshipped the idol, but did it with the most impure, obscene and abominable rites." This was the general state of the Gentile world; and with this monstrous wickedness Christianity had to struggle everywhere.

(I Peter 4:4), "Excess of riot": An overflow of being abandoned to unrestrained and reckless indulgence of wicked and immoral conduct.

(I Corinthians 6:9), "Effeminate, abusers of themselves with mankind": People who are perverted and given to misuse of the bodily appetites, which include all that is called "gays," that is, lesbians and homosexuals.

(I Corinthians 6:10), "Revilers": Those who use abusive and injurious language. "Extortioners": People who plunder and take things from others by force and violence.

(Colossians 3:5), "Mortify": To deaden or bring into strict control. Adam Clarke adds this comment of what it means: "Use no member of your body to sin against God; keep all under domain; and never permit the beast to run away with the man." "Inordinate affection": Uncontrolled passions. "Evil concupiscence": Unholy desires and lusts. "Covetousness, which is idolatry": Greed; uncontrolled desire for money. It is idolatry because wealth is worshipped and served instead of God.

LESSON BACKGROUND

The disposition of man to transgress the law of God spread like an evil disease upon humanity. As the years and the ages progressed, this evil disease of sin grew worse and worse. Even after God destroyed the world with the flood, the generations after Noah and his sons began to stray far from holiness and righteous living. Evil has been present in every age and every society, and this loathsome disease has gradually intensified and grown in magnitude and destructiveness. The world that the Church faced to evangelize, after Christ went back to the right hand of God, was steeped in gross immorality and wickedness. It is true that the influence of Christianity has made dents here and there in the moral tone of society, but as a general rule wickedness has continued to expand and worsen until we face a world of evil today that is without equal in history. We cannot compromise or condone the dark practices of the vain ways of men. We must take our stand for truth and holiness, even if it is at the peril of our lives.

We have for our lesson text today the teachings of Paul and Peter in their effort to help the early church with the conflict that they were meeting in the world. It is still the challenge that faces every sincere heart who starts out for God. The Holy Spirit living within will help us with this great responsibility. We can overcome through His grace and power.

-Leslie C. Busbee

QUESTIONS:

1. What is God expecting each one of His children to do?

2. Why has God permitted the world to become such an evil place?

3. What kind of opposition will we meet when we conform to Christ?

4. What kind of people is it who are willing to deny ungodliness?

5. What will happen when holy lives bring reproof to sinful men?

6. What do we prove to have when we refuse to partake of evil?

7. What does it mean to mortify the deeds of the flesh?

8. What does it mean to put off the old man and put on the new man?

9. What will happen to us if we fail to properly deny ungodliness?

10. Why are the beauties of holiness far superior to worldliness?

ADULTS' AND YOUNG PEOPLE'S COMMENTS

We would like to draw a mental picture of a person who becomes a child of God through being born from above by the Spirit of God. He or she is very sincere in their hearts before the Lord and mean to go all the way with Him. Before they were saved they carried on with many things in the world that they now find are not consistent with godliness. As so many young people do now days, the smoking habit had become a prominent feature in their life, and they would go to parties and things that were not wholesome to spiritual life. But now that they are saved and endeavoring to please the Lord they are made aware that these former ways of life will not do. In fact, they have lost the desire and thrill of these things. They seem empty and of no real value anymore, so they just quit partaking of them. They find themselves the target of many insults and critical remarks from their former associates. This is not pleasant and rather discouraging. But as they read their Bible and learn to spend time in prayer and communion with God, the sting of the scornful remarks is soon put out and they go forward with joy and stronger determination. They were used to wearing adornments and clothing that was not becoming to the modest and plain manner of saintly dress, but now they feel uncomfortable in those styles. They are made to realize that God wants them to cover up their bodies and dress in simple and yet neat and presentable clothing without costly jewels or fancy things. They used to talk a lot, joke and act silly, especially in a crowd. But now they feel the Spirit of the Lord bringing a sober and quiet dispostion in the soul. They love to steal away and be alone with God. They want to give their lives to the gospel work and lay up treasures in heaven. Oh, what a joy fills their souls as they continue to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and keep on seeking after a life of spiritual fellowship with God and His perfect will!

-Leslie C. Busbee

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Places of ungodliness and worldly lust today seem far more corrupt than those of the generation which preceded us. Although all sin takes it toll, in many ways the sinful pleasures of earlier generations pale in contrast to those of current society.

While children of God may have their hard times, those who live in sin face problems and heartaches worse than we can imagine.

There is a segment of today's population who live in a world consisting of darkness, filth and every imaginable vice. The atmosphere they inhabit dictates crime and hatred in order to survive. There is constant fear, and little hope offered for escape. It is a world of drugs in which the focal point of life is to be able to get a large enough dosage to satisfy the dependence created by addiction.

Fear is the chief resident in this place-fear of getting busted and sent to jail, fear of having your "friends" turn on you, fear of having the authorities take your children away, and fear of contracting AIDS or some other disease.

You would think it would be desirable to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts when its loathsomeness is so apparent, but the enormous numbers of people caught in sin's trap show that it is not such an easy thing to do. Individuals are often in this situation because they have not been taught how to guard themselves against sin, or else they have willingly turned their back on God.

It is our responsibility to keep the commands of God before us and before our children, in order to avoid the sorrows sin brings. And it is also our commission to reach out to those in this distress and share with them the hope found in Christ and the beauty of a holy life.

MAY 24, 1998

THE TREACHEROUS FOE OF FALSE RELIGION

Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Galatians 1:7 ...There be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

II Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

17 And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Phileetus;

18 Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.

19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

II Peter 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

II Peter 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.

3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

MEMORY VERSE: Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. I John 4:1.

CENTRAL THOUGHT: There are many so-called churches and religions who profess the name of Christ, but live contrary to the Word of God. We will meet these false religions and the power of Satan will seek to use them as means to turn us away from the truth. Through the power and seal of the Holy Spirit we will be able to discern the spirit of error and overcome this destructive foe in the world.

WORD DEFINITIONS

(Matthew 7:15), "Ravening": That which plunders or takes by force. False teachers use pressure, cunning and crafty methods to ensnare and captivate people to their ways.

(Galatians 1:7), "Pervert": To change from the original form to another; to corrupt.

(Galatians 1:8), "Accursed": Banned or excommunicated.

(II Timothy 2:15), "Study": The Greek word here means "to use speed, that is, to make effort, to be prompt, or earnest.""Rightly dividing": Correctly expounding.

(II Timothy 2:16) "Shun": To hold one's self aloof or to keep away from."Vain babblings": Fruitless or empty discussions.

(II Peter 2:1), "Damnable heresies": Heresies of destruction. A heresy is a departure from the original teachings of Christ and the Holy Scriptures.

(II Peter 2:2), "Pernicious ways": Destructive ways.

(II Peter 2:3), "Make merchandise of you": Use you for gain. "Whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not": The judgment pronounced so long ago by the wrath of God against sin and error is hastening on and will soon overtake those who dare trifle with the truth of God.

LESSON BACKGROUND

Our lesson today includes the sayings of Jesus, the apostle Paul and the apostle Peter. If there was not such a thing as a false prophet or false religion we would not have been given these warnings. The inspired writer in Psalm 119:104 declared, "I hate every false way." Pretence and on-the-surface appearance without the truth in the heart is the devil's age-old tactic of promoting his cause. Lies, deceit, cover-up, cunning craftiness, trickery, smooth talk: all of this describes the underhanded way of Satan promoting and engaging his evil purposes. And he finds plenty of unholy and profane hearts to work through.

All three of the holy men we quote from in this lesson had their brush with false teachers and religion. A good part of it was found among the professed people of God. It was the Jewish religious leaders who strove so against our Lord and finally got Him crucified. Paul was used of the Lord to influence many Gentiles but was constantly withstood and hindered by the Jews. The congregation at Galatians had started out in full accord with his teachings about Christ, but were influenced by false teachers which caused them to turn against Paul and his teachings. This letter to the Galatians was written in an effort to help them to see their error.

Thank God for the counsels of the Word and the seal of the Holy Spirit which will enable us to discern these elements of falsity, lies and deceit in the religious world today. Jesus instructed us to watch the fruit of the life. It is not so much what one says, but how they live that decides whose side they are on. Paul told Timothy about the double seal upon the foundation of God. (1) The Lord knoweth (recognizes) them that are His. And (2) Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. Herein lies another clue concerning the detection of false religion. False teachers cannot fool the all-knowing God. And every one who takes upon himself the responsibililty of the Christian profession has the solemn charge of purifying himself even as Jesus is pure.

Peter gives us comfort in his warning concerning false religions. "The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations." If we will live close to God, keep our hearts right and our lives straight and pure, the Spirit of God will safeguard and keep us from the destructive false religions about us. When we meet up with erroneous doctrines and feel the weight and pressure of their influence, we can pray to God and He will take His Word and through the enlightment of the Holy Spirit will reveal to us the saving truth.

-Leslie C. Busbee

QUESTIONS:

1. What two things did Jesus liken false prophets to be?

2. What did Jesus compare their end to be likened unto?

3. By what means can we know a false prophet?

4. How serious is the consequence of preaching a false doctrine?

5. What should we do in the face of all this false doctrine?

6. What bearing does all of this false doctrine have on the real truth?

7. What is the "double seal" upon the foundation of God's truth?

8. Why does God allow this condition of false religion to be?

9. How does God look upon a false prophet? What will be their end?

10. What is revealed in our lesson to help us overcome false religion?

ADULTS' AND YOUNG PEOPLE'S COMMENTS

Regardless of the threat of the vast number of false teachers and the multiplicity of erroneous doctrines and religions, God has a way of directing His true saints through it all. Paul, in II Thessalonians 2:9-12 spoke about "...the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." Satan cannot deceive a soul who keeps in touch with God and who faithfully measures to all the truth and light that shines on his pathway. It is the soul who draws back, who will fall prey to the delusions of the devil. God will help us to overcome this world of false religion if we will pay the price and obey all of His Word. We must be careful to please the Lord in every thing and be quick to respond to His dealings. If it be a reproof or a charge, we must respond quickly with perfect submission.

Jesus said in John 12:35-36: "...Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light...." God expects us to readily and lovingly respond to His Word. Let us take heed to to the challenge and the dilemma we are in. We must make a choice every day between God's will and the will of the flesh. It is critical and crucial. If we would escape the mire and trap of delusion, we must keep a love for the truth and an obedient heart to His perfect will.

-Leslie C. Busbee

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Christ can be presented in many different ways. It is amazing that sometimes He can be presented in such a way that His character is hardly recognizable. It is of utmost importance that we have an ongoing, personal relationship with Him, so that if we encounter the influence of a false prophet, we can recognize it as such.

Jude, who was the brother of Jesus, exhorted in his epistle, "...that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints." Jude 3. This is a good admonition.

Jude was written in approximately A.D. 75, and already there had been many things to complicate and draw away from the simple salvation Christ taught. How much more it has been done in nearly 2,000 years! Man has thrown many impurities into this gospel stream. When a false doctrine or theory is a trouble to you, there is more surety and comfort for your soul, if rather than approaching the theory in the way it is presented to you and trying to sort out the impurities, you simply turn your attention to the simplicity of Christ.

MAY 31, 1998

OVERCOMING EVIL WITH GOOD

Psalm 37:27 Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore.

28 For the Lord loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.

Romans 12:17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.

18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.

21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

I Peter 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake; whether it be to the king, as supreme;

14 Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.

15 For so is the will of God, that with well-doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.

I Peter 3:10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:

11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.

12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.

13 And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?

MEMORY VERSE: See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. I Thessalonians 5:15.

CENTRAL THOUGHT: By living right and doing good in the sight of God and man we can overcome the evil that is in the world, not only in our hearts, but also help our fellow man to overcome the evil that is plaguing him.

WORD DEFINITIONS (I Peter 3:11), "Eschew": To shun or avoid. "Ensue": Follow after and pursue.

LESSON BACKGROUND

For our lesson today we have the blessed truth of overcoming the evil and wickedness of this world by having the goodness of God on display in our words and deeds. We overcome hatred by love and goodness. We overcome immorality by being true to holiness and purity. We overcome strife and turmoil by keeping the peace of God in our souls. We have the victory over all the evil and wicked influences in our society because we are able to live soberly, righteously and godly every day. Instead of seeking vengeance to pay back people for their injuries to us, we do them good and show a spirit of mercy and forgiveness. Like Jesus, we do not revile when we are reviled, we threaten not when we suffer, but we commit ourselves to God who will judge righteous judgment in His own good time. We overcome the gloom and melancholy of this world by being filled with the joy of the Lord, and rejoicing in tribulation. Like Paul and Silas in the Philippian jail and its hurtful bonds, we pray and sing praises unto God. As sorrowful, we are always rejoicing; as dying, behold, we live; as poor, yet we share the unsearchable riches of Christ with others; as having nothing, we are possessors of the greatest Kingdom that the world has ever known! -Leslie C. Busbee

QUESTIONS:

1. What is the cause of the woeful condition of this present world?

2. Why is doing good for evil better than doing evil for evil?

3. When does being honest really show up the best?

4. Why is it not good to seek to avenge ourselves?

5. What can we accomplish by loving our enemies?

6. How can our doing good put to silence the ignorance of man?

7. What must we do if we really love life?

8. What does it mean to pursue or follow after peace?

9. If we follow after good, can we really be harmed?

10. Where will we be in eternity if we follow after good?

ADULTS' AND YOUNG PEOPLE'S COMMENTS

The plan of salvation that God worked for us in Jesus Christ is to deliver us from the nature and practice of sin and wrong. The grace of God is sufficient to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. We are possessed with a desire to be like Jesus and we strive to conform ourselves to His holy image. We seek to treat people right and as God would be pleased. We are not responsible for how others treat us, but we are responsible for how we treat them. If they treat us wrong, that is their problem and they will answer for it. But we seek to do good, whether people treat us well or not. We can do this by the strength of the Lord in our hearts. We seek to be honest, pay our dues and meet our obligations, knowing that no wealth, ill-gotten, is worthwhile. Money is just a means to pay our bills and meet our obligations. It is nothing to set our hearts and affections on. We lend and give without a hope or without demanding anything in return, for our treasures are above. Oh, what a joy life is when we follow after that which is good! We overcome the evils of this world by letting the goodness of God have free course in our lives.

-Leslie C. Busbee

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

During the American Revolutionary War, there lived in Pennsylvania, Peter Miller, the pastor of a community church. Near the church lived a man who gained quite a reputation for his abuse of Peter Miller and those who attended his church. The man was also guilty of treason, and was for this sentenced to die. No sooner was the sentence pronounced than Peter Miller set out on foot to visit General Washington, in Philadelphia, to intercede for the man's life. He was told that his request for his friend could not be granted. "My friend!" exclaimed Miller, "I have not a worse enemy living than that man."

"What!" rejoined Washington, "you have walked sixty miles to save the life of your enemy? That, in my judgment, puts the matter in a different light. I will grant you his pardon."

The pardon was made out, and Miller at once proceeded on foot to a place fifteen miles distant, where the execution was to take place on the afternoon of the same day. He arrived just as the man was being carried to the scaffold, who, seeing Miller in the crowd, remarked, "There is old Peter Miller. He has walked all the way from Ephrata to have his revenge gratified today by seeing me hang." These words were scarcely spoken before Miller gave him his pardon, and his life was spared.

JUNE 7, 1998

KEEPING UNSPOTTED FROM THE WORLD

John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

John 17:1 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee.

6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.

11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.

14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.

16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

James 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

II Peter 2:18 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.

19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.

20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

Galatians 2:18 For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.

Galatians 6:14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

Revelation 16:15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.

MEMORY VERSE: We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not. I John 5:18.

CENTRAL THOUGHT: In the grace of God in Christ is given power to be preserved from the evil of this world, but God will not keep us against our will. We must also exercise great caution and care to be diligent to guard our souls and keep ourselves from being spotted and overcome again by the influences of sin and the flesh that are prevailing in the world around us.

WORD DEFINITIONS

(John 16:33),"Tribulation": The Greek word means "pressure." The spirit of the world exerts pressure and seeks to influence the heart to conform to its ways.

(II Peter 2:18) "Wantonness": The Greek word means "unbridled lusts."

(Galatians 2:18), "Make myself": The Greek expression here is: "set myself up or establish myself." It is a very serious thing to take up again what we have given up for Christ. To give over to the things we have been delivered from is to discredit what we have had in Him and prove that we love the world more and prefer its values more than that of the Lord.

(Revelation 16:15), "As a thief": The world, in general, is not in tune with heaven or the hope of Christ's second coming. It is not part of their conversation or interests. Thus it will come as an unexpected intrusion, a shocking interruption to their mad pursuits, much like a thief in the night. Only the holy and pure, who have overcome the tide of this unholy world and who are alive to eternal things, will be granted the safety and deliverance of the Lord Jesus in that day.

LESSON BACKGROUND

Jesus knew that leaving His disciples in this wicked world would mean great pressure and peril for them. He had overcome the world by the strength of the Father, and in our lesson we have part of His prayer to the Father for His disciples, that they might overcome as He did. He prayed that they might be kept in that holy unity with one another as He was in the same unity with the Father. While He was with them, He had kept them close to Himself, except for Judas, who had given over to covetousness and was lost.

And now as He is leaving them to go back to His Father, He prays for the preservation of these disciples from the world. And what He prayed for them is also for us. Christ is interceding for us above, and if we will be watchful and diligent, we can and will be kept from the pollutions of the world.

Peter had much to say about the false teachers whose presence among the Church would be a threat to their spiritual safety. This seems to be the main burden of this second epistle. Very similar to his warning is that which is contained in the epistle of Jude. It strikes a very serious note concerning a departure from the faith of Jesus. But the temptations of the flesh and giving over to the allurements of the world is what we must be on guard against. This yielding to the flesh is at the root of the peril of all opposition to the truth.

The apostle Paul, in his Galatian epistle, was dealing with this very thing of being influenced by false brethren against the truth that had set these people free. It was subtle craftiness that Satan had worked on them under the cloak of zeal for God's law. Paul emphasizes the danger of building again the things that were once destroyed when we give our hearts to the Lord. We had to give up the world and its ways, styles, fads and fashions. Now if we take those things back up again, for any reason we betray the Lord Jesus and sow pride and stiffness in our hearts that will blind our vision and make it very unlikely to recover.

Our text in Revelation comes in John's vision of the great host of deceptive spirits of devils working miracles and the great conflict that was ensuing between the forces of truth and error. It is the spiritual battle of Armageddon which is being waged in this very day we are in. The warning is for us to keep our garments, that is keep clothed with Christ and the Spirit of holiness. -Leslie C. Busbee

QUESTIONS:

1. What did Jesus pray the Father to keep His disciples from?

2. What did Jesus say we would have in the world?

3. What must we do to keep ourselves unspotted from the world?

4. What are some of the things we are not to partake of?

5. Why is it so serious to build again the things once destroyed?

6. What are we saying when we take up the world we once left?

7. What does it mean to clothe our life in the flesh with Jesus?

8. How can we walk naked in a spiritual sense?

9. Why will God not keep us if we do not keep ourselves?

10. How does the cross bring a separation between us and the world?

ADULTS' AND YOUNG PEOPLE'S COMMENTS

Jesus overcame the world. The prince of this world found nothing in Him. Because Jesus was obedient to the Father and overcame the spirit of the world, He was rewarded with a position of power at the right hand of God. After He had triumphed over the powers of Satan and was resurrected to immortality before His disciples, Jesus ascended up on high. But, oh, how He was concerned about His beloved followers who would remain in this wicked world! He would be taken up into the heavens and they were to be left in this world. Thus was the burden of His heart as He lifted His prayer to the Father in John 17. He was to ascend to the Father but was going to send the Holy Spirit to come in His stead. Here would be the vital link between Him and His brethren. Through the presence of the Holy Spirit in each heart they would be able to triumph and overcome the world. By the indwelling Spirit they were to be kept in that holy unity that existed with the Father and the Son. Jesus well knew that not everyone who would be saved would keep true. There would be some who would separate themselves, not allowing the Spirit to lead them. There would be some like Demas, in Paul's time, who would depart, "having loved this present world." II Timothy 4:10. But for those who would resist the devil and his temptations and cleave with purpose of heart to the Lord, there was keeping power and victory. Let us be good soldiers of the cross. Faithfulness to God will bring a rich reward. -Leslie C. Busbee

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

As long as there is life in us, we will be in the world. There is no escaping it. Christ didn't ask for His disciples to be taken out of the world, and we shouldn't wish it for ourselves or the Church.

A painting exists which pictures Michael, the archangel, with his foot on Satan's neck. While looking at the painting, someone was heard to comment, "The world is better off for having a devil in it, as long as we keep our foot on his neck." Although it is hard to reconcile the thought of things being better due to having a devil in the world, when we see the heartache caused by sin, there is a principle worth considering. It is this, that we can bring glory to God, if while in the very midst of sin, we stay unspotted from it.

I have been told that Bro. Isaac Chandler used to preach about how God placed the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the "midst" of the garden of Eden. It was right there where it would be easily accessible. God did it so that Adam and Eve would have a clear choice between doing right and wrong. And it would have proven gratifying to God to see Adam and Eve living right around the tree and not partaking of it.

JUNE 14, 1998

THE INDWELLING SPIRIT OF HOLINESS

John 16:7 (Jesus spoke to His disciples:) Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;

10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;

11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.

13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

Acts 1:8 ...Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Romans 6:22 ...Being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

Romans 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

I John 4:2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:

3 ...Every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

MEMORY VERSE: Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. I Corinthians 2:12.

CENTRAL THOUGHT: By the power of the presence of the Holy Spirit in our hearts, we can be triumphant over the forces of sin and deception that come against us in this present, evil world.

WORD DEFINITIONS

(John 16:8), "He will reprove the world": This word "reprove" in the Greek means to admonish or confute. To confute means to overcome by proving the opposition to be false. The Holy Spirit living in the humble and obedient spirit of the child of God will reveal the error and the falsity of the worldly influence. And the Holy Spirit will give power and boldness to stand up against this spirit of deception.

(Romans 8:6), "Carnally minded": The Greek says simply, "the mind of the flesh." Looking at things from a humanistic view, without the inspiration and enlightment of the Spirit of God, will cause a person to go the way of spiritual death.

(Romans 8:10), "The body is dead because of sin": I believe the apostle's meaning here is that when the Spirit of God is living within us He enables us to so put to death the bodily passions, appetites and desires with total submission to God and His holiness that only what is pleasing and glorifying to God is allowed to live and have activity. The body is kept under and brought into subjection. (I Corinthians 9:27.) At the same time the Spirit of God rules and causes the fruits of righteousness and holiness to prevail in our lives.

(I John 4:3), "Antichrist": That which is an opponent of Jesus Christ. This kind of spirit will profess to know Christ, but in works they will deny him. (Titus 1:16.)

LESSON BACKGROUND

Our lesson today reveals the one main ingredient in the Christian life that will mean victory and overcoming strength. And that is, as our lesson so wonderfully brings out, the indwelling Spirit of the living God. Jesus, in His last meeting with His disciples before He was betrayed and arrested, told them about the Holy Spirit which He was going to send to them after He was taken back to the Father. Later, just before He ascended up to heaven, He stated that when the Holy Spirit would come upon them, they would receive power to be His witnesses.

The apostle Paul, in writing to the Romans, dwelt much on being spiritual and having the Spirit of Christ living within them. He presented a picture of triumph over the flesh by reason of the indwelling Holy Spirit. The flesh is subdued and only those activities and functions that are approved by the holiness of God are allowed. The Holy Spirit cannot live in the soul of a person who is indulgent and lustful and constantly living to the flesh and its passions. The scriptures indicate that only those who consecrate and die out to all but the will of God are qualified to receive the Holy Spirit. In other words, we cannot live to the flesh and have the Spirit of God in us. We must make a pure and clean decision for the will of God. We must die to self and worldly ambition and every other desire that is contrary to purity and holiness.

The apostle John gives us the key to discerning the spirit of antichrist. It comes with the sense of recognition of the Holy Spirit within us toward every other spirit. The Holy Spirit in us will bear witness and acknowledge His same Spirit if He is in the other person. The Holy Spirit will not fight Himself. Oh, it means much to live so close to God and be so filled and tuned with the Holy Spirit that we can discern the devices of Satan and steer clear of His traps!

-Leslie C. Busbee

QUESTIONS:

1. What can the Holy Spirit do that Jesus in the flesh could not do?

2. How does the Holy Spirit reprove concerning sin, righteousness and judgment?

3. What does the Holy Spirit do in us concerning the truth?

4. Who prompts the Holy Spirit when He speaks to us?

5. Why can a man not have the Holy Spirit when living to the flesh?

6. What does a man do concerning his flesh when he has the Spirit?

7. By what means will God quicken our mortal bodies to live again?

8. How does the Holy Spirit keep us from being deceived?

9. What is the spirit of antichrist?

10. What does the spirit of the world have to give the soul? What does the Spirit of God make known to us?

ADULTS' AND YOUNG PEOPLE'S COMMENTS

One time I was meditating and praying concerning different souls who were needing a lot of correction in their hearts and lives. I thought, "If there could be some way that I could get on the inside of that person, and have the control, I believe that person would straighten out and go right." Immediately the Lord spoke to my heart, "That is what I have been desiring to do for them!" The great importance and blessing of having the Spirit of God within us opened up to me greater than ever before. Yes, if a man or woman could have God enthroned in their hearts, minds, affections and desires, such a person could live right and please God. And as long as he or she continues to let God live and rule within, a life of righteousness and holiness will follow. God wants His life, His nature, His goodness, His holiness, His power and every other thing about Him INSIDE the man. This is the new covenant in Christ. By the Spirit of the living God He writes upon the tender and impressionable tables of our hearts His sacred laws. "The kingdom of God is within you," Jesus said in Luke 17:21. Paul said in Romans 14:17, "The kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." This is within, deep inside the soul, mind, spirit, desires, attitudes and affections. It is the control room of the individual that guides his actions, his thoughts, his desires and intentions. Complete submission is given in holy consecration and faith to this glorious Guest! After a person is saved and born again and delivered from his old life of selfishness and lust, he is urged, by the scriptures, to go on to the completeness of salvation. He must come to the Lord for the infilling of the Holy Spirit. He will have to consecrate his all to the Lord and His perfect will. His sacrifice must be complete for the Lord to accept it. But when the perfect price is paid, God will send the Holy Fire! God will take up His blessed abode in that heart as His sacred temple, there to live forever. And He will abide there as long as we continue to yield and obey His precious word. By this we will be able to conquer this present, evil world and be triumphant over sin.

-Leslie C. Busbee

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

What some men have said about "holiness"...

"A holy life is not an ascetic, or gloomy, or solitary life, but a life regulated by divine truth and faithful Christian duty. It is living above the world while we are still in it. " -Tyron Edwards

"Holiness is not the way to Christ, but Christ is the way to holiness." -C. H. Spurgeon

"If it be the characteristic of a worldly man that he desecrates what is holy, it should be of the Christian to consecrate what is secular, and to recognize a present and presiding divinity in all things." -Thomas Chalmers

"Holiness consisteth not in a cowl [cloak] or in a garment of gray. When God purifies the heart by faith, the market is sacred as well as the sanctuary; neither remaineth there any work or place which is profane." -Martin Luther

"Real holiness has love for its essence, humility for its clothing, the good of others as its employment, and the honor of God as its end." -Nathaniel Emmons

JUNE 21, 1998

OUR FAITH THE VICTORY OVERCOMING THE WORLD

I John 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

Revelation 2:7 ...To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

10 ...Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

11 ...He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

17 ...To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:

27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

28 And I will give him the morning star. Revelation 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

Hebrews 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 10:35 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.

36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

37 For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.

38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

MEMORY VERSE: For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end. Hebrews 3:14.

CENTRAL THOUGHT: Many wonderful blessings are waiting for us if we will hold fast to our faith, be patient and not draw back in unbelief. We must endure the trials and suffering we meet in this world in hope of sharing with Christ His eternal glory.

WORD DEFINITIONS

(I John 5:4), "Faith": The study of this word "faith" is very interesting. The Hebrew word from which faith, faithful and faithfulness are translated has several words that are associated with its meaning. They are: firmness, security, truth, stability, strength, assurance, trustworthiness and fidelity. The Greek word for "faith" means "persuasion, credence, conviction, reliance and constancy. Credence is defined as "belief, especially in the reports or testimony of another." We might say that it adds up to be a deep and earnest conviction and unwavering persuasion in the heart concerning God and everything He has said and done.

(Revelations 2:17),"A white stone": These are blessings of reward given to the faithful who overcome great tribulation for the Lord's sake, special blessings unlike any other.

(Revelation 2:27), "Rod of iron": This is the eternal Word of God which was revealed in Christ and established as the law by which man will be judged eternally.

(Revelation 2:28), "Morning star": This is another reference to the light of the gospel which dawned upon the nations through Christ and His apostles. It is also the sunrise of an eternal day in glory beyond this present world. We who follow Christ all the way through the shadows of self-denial, persecution and adversity will hail the dawn of a glorious never-ending day.

LESSON BACKGROUND

Jesus overcame the world. He humbled Himself to the death of the cross in obedience to the Father's will. As a reward for His faithfulness, God gave Him a name which is above every name and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places. This is the power and glory with which He will subdue the nations in eternal judgment. This is the throne on which He sits with the Father in His throne. This is the throne which He wills to share with us if we will hold fast our confidence steadfast unto the end.

We have included in our lesson today what Jesus promised to those who will overcome this world. He spoke this in His revelation to John on the Isle of Patmos. He dictated a letter to each of the seven congregations in Asia. There were commendations and reproofs and warnings. But to each of the congregations He gave a special promise to those who would overcome.

Hebrews 10:37-38 is a quote from Habakkuk 2:3-4. This calls for waiting, patiently waiting, which is one of the great tests of the Christian's faith. What God has promised to fulfill is worth all the patience it takes to wait for it. Let us accept this challenge and be steadfast in the times of adversity, for our faith in the fiery trials of life will be the means of our eternal triumph in the last, great day. -Leslie C. Busbee

QUESTIONS:

1. Why is faith in God such an important thing in overcoming?

2. What two things will we get to partake of if we overcome?

3. What will we escape being hurt of if we overcome?

4. What three things will we be given if we overcome?

5. What will we share with Christ if we overcome?

6. What will Christ make of us if we overcome?

7. In what way did Christ have to have faith to overcome as He did?

8. Under what circumstances will we be tempted to cast away faith?

9. What do we need to have with our faith to be successful?

10. In what way is faith an individual responsibility?

ADULTS' AND YOUNG PEOPLE'S COMMENTS

We see how that, in the fall of man, Satan was able to put doubts in the heart of man concerning what God had said. He got Eve to questioning the commandment to not eat of the forbidden tree. He got her to thinking that to go against the sayings of God would be a profitable thing. Satan has been using that tool on the mind of mankind ever since. That doubt, planted in the mind of Eve by Satan, brought forth disobedience and the condition of sin and condemnation upon the whole human race. When Jesus came into the world to bring salvation, He met this terrible current of unbelief head-on. He had to go against the tide of public ideas. He had to go against the flesh and follow the Spirit of His Father. By doing this faithfully and obeying all the will of God, even to dying willingly the death of the cross, He was able to overcome the tide of unbelief and sin against God. Now we are coming along the same path that our Lord trod. And we will meet the same stiff opposition in the world of doubts, fears, gloom, oppression and unbelief. We must overcome this spirit of the world. It is all backed by unbelief. In fact the sin of unbelief seems to be near the root of man's problem. Of course, it is pride in the heart that kee