Covenanter Witness Vol. 54 - Rparchives.org

nothing."
cymbal."
Lesson Helps for the Week of June 26, 1955
CYPU BIBLE STUDY DURING JULY
We are to study the two epistles, to
the Galatians and to the Colossians,
during the five Sabbaths of July. To
make our time count the following is
recommended :
1. Read the background given in the
Acts from ch. 13:14 through ch. 16:8.
Note mention of Galatia, 14:6, 7; 16:6.
See also Acts 18:23.
2. Study your Bible map, then draw
or trace a map showing Paul's first two
missionary journeys. Mark on the map
all the places where he preached.
3. Read Galatians first two chapters,
at least.
4. Bring
with your Bible.
your notebook and pencil
Thanks for your cooperation.
C.YJP.U. TOPIC
For June 26, 1955
BIG WORDS: LOVE
Alvin W. Smith
I John 4:7-11; I Corinthians 13;
Psalms
John 3:16
Topic used by permission of
Christian Endeavor
103:1-4, page 246
116:1, 2, 8, 9, 11, 12, page 282
36:5-9, page 90
89:1-4, page 216
Scripture References: John 14:15, 16;
14: 22, 23; 15:9, 13; 16:27; I Peter
1:8; Gal. 2:20; I John 3:16; 4:16;
Rom. 8:35; II Cor. 5:14; John 13:35;
15:12; Rom. 12:9; I Thess. 3:12; I
Peter 1:22
Comments by the Rev. Bruce C. Stewart
This is the biggest of them all
four letter word, but the biggest word
there is
"love"!
God's Love For Us
In order to approach this subject, we
must turn first to God. We must realize
that God knows all about us; He knows
our thoughts and our hearts; He sees
the power of sin in our lives; and yet
"God so loved the world that He gave
His only begotten son . . . There
a
is
the best definition of the word "love."
Look again. Look at Jesus! He knew
what His incarnation would mean; He
knew what suffering and humiliation
He would endure here upon the earth;
He knew that the cursed death of the
cross lay before Him; and yet He came
to live and to die for us; "Greater love
hath no man than this . . If
we can
but comprehend even a speck of the
love of God, we know what love is.
362
Then We should respond to that love!
"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, and
thy
neighbor as
thyself."
First,
Our Love For God
we must love God. That is the
message of the Scriptures; that is the
unity of the first four commandments;
that is the core of the Gospel message;
that is the basis for Christian behavior;
again"
that is the expression of a "born
life; that is the criterion of consecra
tion; that is the response of the heart to
the heart to God's love.
Our Love for our Neighbor
Second, we are to love our neighbor
as ourselves. If we profess to love God,
but can't get along with others, we had
better examine our profession. There
are those who go to church and know
the Bible, but are constantly nagging,
contradicting, and fighting; unfortun
ately, this even takes place in the
church circle. I was talking to a min
ister recently
who said that in his
church they just expect to have a
church fight and split about every six
months. Yet our love for our neighbor
is a measure of our love for God. In
I John 4:20, we read, "If a man say, I
love God, and hateth his brother, he is a
liar; for he that loveth not his brother
whom he hath seen, how can he love
God whom he hath not seen"
love is an evidence of divine love.
Human
That is why it is important for us as
parents to show love and affection to
our children; that doesn't mean a lack
of discipline, but how are we going to
lead our children to experience the love
of God if they have not experienced love
on the human level. It is important to
love and be loved humanly.
God realized the value of interpreting
divine
things through human experi
ence; that is why God sent His Son that
we might know the love of God. Until
we have come to love and be loved
humanly, we cannot fully
show the love of God.
appreciate or
I Corinthians 13 shows us that love
is the greatest of the Christian virtues.
Love stands first in Paul's list of the
fruits of the Spirit.
We might be tempted to think that
obedience is the most important thing in
the Christian life, but the greatest thing
is love.
We might be tempted to think that
witnessing is the most important thing
in the Christian life, but Paul wrote,
"Though I speak with the tongues of
men and of angels, and have not love,
I am become as sounding brass, and a
tinkling
We might be tempted to think that
faith is the greatest thing in the Chris
tian life, but Paul wrote, "and though
I have all faith so that I could remove
mountains, and have not love,
I am
We might be tempted to think that
martyrdom is the greatest evidence of
the Christian faith, but Paul wrote,
"Though I give my body to be burned,
and have not love, it profiteth me noth
ing."
Love means that self comes last; it
means considering the feelings of oth
ers; it means leaving the last piece of
cake for someone else; it means using
the money you saved for a new coat to
get clothes for someone else; it means
that even though you are dead tired,
you will make a special effort to invite
someone to church.
You remember Jesus' last journey to
Jerusalem. He knew what lay before
Him. All the sins of humanity were to
be laid upon Him. If ever anyone had
reason to think of Himself and forget
everyone else, it was Jesus at this par
ticular time. But as He passed Jericho,
a blind beggar called out to him; the
disciples passed by, but Jesus who was
going to suffer and die forgot about
Himself and thought about this beggar.
He stopped the procession and took
time to heal and to bring
cheer. Such
was the completely unselfish love of
Christ! Can we do less
God created us that we should love
people and use things, but today too
many
of us have reversed the order;
we love things, and use people. The
object of love is to be loved in return,
but when we love things there is no re
sponse, and so we want more and more
things. Life is a frustrating and unsatis
fying thing without love for God and
love for our neighbor.
The word "Love" seems especially
appropriate for June since we see so
many June weddings. You will notice
the word "love" frequently in the mar
riage service; and many
ministers will
say that love is the foundation of a
happy home.
However, I believe that it depends on
the kind of love. There is physical at
traction which is sometimes called
"love"; but when the bloom dies, what
is there to bind hearts together There
are things in common which frequently
draw people together
sports, social
position, art, etc. and people say,
"What a perfect couple!"
but what hap-
COVENANTER WITNESS