Kankakee Valley Post, Volume 8, Number 27, DeMotte, Jasper County, 2 June 1938 — IMPROVED UNIFORM INTERNATIONAL SUNDAY SCHOOL Lesson [ARTICLE]

IMPROVED UNIFORM INTERNATIONAL SUNDAY SCHOOL Lesson

By REV. HAROLD L. LUNDQUIST.

Lesson for June 5 SERVING BY PERSONAL DEVOTION TO CHRIST LESSON TEXT—Mark 14:3-11. 27-31. GOLDEN TEXT—She hath done what »he could. Mark 14:8. PRIMARY TOPlC—Mary's Present to Jesus. JUNIOR TOPlC—Mary's Love Gift. INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC— Showing Our Love to Christ. YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC— The Heart of Christian Service. “The love of Christ constraineth us” (II Cor. 5:14) was the all-suffi-cient moving force back of the greatest life of service rendered by any man. It is this personal devotion to the One whom we love “because he first loved us” (I John 4:19), which makes Christianity “different from all other religions. Christianity alone acts through this natural and deep hunger of mankind with a personalized religion which can be a satisfying joy and pleasure. Yet at this point Christians fail the most and make difficult the work of serving Jesus. They see religion as a job to be done, a form to be observed, a duty to be fulfilled” (W. R. King). We neefi rto renew that devotion to Christ which expresses itself in true worship. Prayer is too often asking for things; praise, thanking for things (unless we become so engrossed with them that we forget to return thanks); and worship, which is a coming to God in adoration and thanksgiving for what He is rather than what He can give, is forgotten. Our Heavenly. father wants us to show love tow'ard Him. The act of Mary was pure personal devotion and worship, and its fragrance lives to this day. I. Wasted—But Eternally Saved (vv. 3-9). The dark hours of betrayal and death jvere before Our Lord. All around Him was hostility. Even in the inner circle of the disciples there was misunderstanding and bickering. Mary (to be distinguished from the sinful woman of Luke 7) with-the quick intuition of an understanding woman’s heart knew what He was passing through, and with a magnificent act of love stood by Him in the fellowship of His sufferings. Dr. Morgan points out that it was “an impulsive act . . . born of the prodigality of love daring not to calculate.”' In the words of verse 9, Jesus declared that the gospel and that .which this woman had done were to “stand side by side with each other forever. That keen intuition of love, that uncalculating outpouring of love, was Godlike, aind an act in fellowship with the act of God by which a world is redeemed.” Judas, who was a thief, said she had wasted money that should be used for the poor (John 12:6). The other disciples thought well of his argument and murmured against her. But Jesus commended her. To be thrifty and frugal is commendable. but there are times when: the heart should speak without being silenced by the drawing of purse strings. : ; 11. Saved But Eternally Lost (vv. 10, 11). Judas\betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of Silver. He “made” some money. The fact that he did it by betraying the Son of God may be worse .in degree but is not worse in kind than the betrayal of the youth of our land by those who make merchandise of their eternal souls. A recent news item from England declared that church organizations were making money out of properties publicly known as centers of prostitution.' The leaders deplored the situation, but said they could not prevent it without losing the income of the property. Why not lose every cent rather than be party to* the betrayal of any manor woman? 111. Bold Words—But Weak Actions (vv. 27-31). Verses 12-26 tell of the gathering of the Lord and His disciples for their last passover and for the establishment of the Lord’s supper. As they left the sacred meeting and went out into the Mount of Olives Jesus foretold His betrayal and His coming denial by the disciples. Peter, quick with his tongue, and bold in spirit, spake swelling words of devotion and assurance. Sadly the Lord foretold his threefold denial of that very night. Again Peter and all the disciples declared their willingness to die with Him. They undoubtedly meant what they said, but reckoning without the weakness of the flesh they failed Him. The lesson that is written large in this story for you and for me is, “Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall” (I Cor. 10:12).