Covenanter Witness Vol. 86 - Rparchives.org

Lesson Helps for the Week of February 28, 1971—*Sabbath SchoolLessonfor February 28,1971RICH TOWARD GOD:Luke 12:13-21; Matt. 6:19-21Comments by John K. GaultThe words of Jesus, "rich towardGod," which are found in this lesson,imply, as our catechism tells us in answerto the first question, "Man's chief end is toglorify God and enjoy him forever." In ICorinthians 6:19,20 Paul says, "Whatknow ye not that your body is the temple ofthe Holy Ghost which is in you, which yehave of God, and ye are not your own? Forye are bought with a price; therefore,glorify God in your body, and in your spiritwhich are God's." People become richthrough inheritance, resourcefulness, orwork. When they become children of Godthey fall in line to inherit the heavenlyriches and they should be resourceful inworking for the building of the kingdom ofGod. Jesus would have people invest theirtime and their talents in such a way thatthe will of God may be done. He said, "Butseek ye first the kingdom of God and hisrighteousness and all these things shall beadded unto you."1: People Should Be Most ConcernedAbout their Spiritual Inheritance.Jesus was teaching this truth whenone of the bystanders rudely broke intoHis spiritual conversation with the requestwhich was personal and concerned hisworldly desires. The Master had beenconversing with His friends around Himconcerning the necessity of not being"afraid of them that kill the body and afterthat have no more that they can do."Rather should they "fear him, which afterhe hath killed hath power to cast intohell." He counseled them to put their trustin God who takes note of even fivesparrows which are sold for two farthings.Jesus also warned His hearers of theheinousness of the sin of "blasphemingagainst the Holy Ghost," which sin wouldnot be forgiven. Then one of the companyinterrupted Jesus' remarks with hisselfish request. It was quite probable thatthis man was the younger son of the familyand the older son had inherited a doubleportion of the family estate, as the lawallowed. But Jesus replied to the man'srequest, "Man, who made me a judge or adivider over you?" Jesus could havesettled civil disputes but that was not whatHe came into the world to do. He was not ajudge nor a lawyer in matters dealing withmaterial things. If the man had askedJesus, honestly and sincerely, how toenter the kingdom of heaven Jesus wouldhave gladly informed him; but instead Hegave him a stern warning. The man hadbrought his case before the wrong judge.2: It Is Folly to Make the Gaining ofPossessions the Passion of One's Life.Jesus said, "Take heed, and bewareof covetousness; for a man's life consisted!not in the abundance of the thingswhich he possesseth." The younger sonwho requested Jesus to divide theinheritance was covetous because helonged for something which belonged toanother. This avaricious spirit wasillustrated by the parable of the rich fool.Jesus said of him, "Thou fool."It is folly to have things just for thesake of having them. This rich man addressedhis soul by saying, "Soul, thouhast much goods laid up for many years."The value of anything lies in the use whichis made of it. As long as possessions are"laid up" they are of no use to anybody.Boards piled in a lumber yard are laid up.As long as they are not used in the buildingof a house they are without value. Thelumber dealer desires, very much, to sellhis "laid up" boards to a builder who willplace them on end or on edge in thebuilding process.This big farmer of Jesus' parablefailed to realize that his bountiful cropwhich was stored away, was perishable aswas also his own life. He labored under thedelusion that he was going to live for manyyears. If this man had been a real studentof Scripture he would have learned fromPsalm 103 what God said about humanlife, "As for man his days are as grass: asa flower of the field, so he flourisheth. Forthe wind passeth over it, and it is gone;and the place thereof shall know it nomore." All material substance isperishable. The rich man of this parablethought of himself as a "big shot" whowould live for many years, as is indicatedby his repeated use of the personalpronoun. Any person is foolish who thinksmostly of himself.Material possessions cannot changeGod's set time for human life. ThePsalmist said in Psalm 31:15, "My timesare in thine hand." This rich man wasvery foolish because he lived under thedelusion that he was going to live a longtime, but instead the end of his life wasnear at hand. "God said unto him, Thoufool, this night thy soul shall be required ofthee: then whose shall those things be,which thou hast provided?" Every personwho leaves God out of account in makingplans for his life is a very foolish person. Itis God who determines the times and theseasons. He is in full control of everycircumstance of the universe. "He countsthe number of the stars and names themevery one." Even the very hairs of ourheads are all numbered" and a sparrowdoes not fall to the ground without ourFather. How foolishit is for anyone topresume to live his life without taking Godinto account. Every purpose of life should,therefore, be conditioned upon the will ofGod. To do otherwise is folly.3: One Should Keep His ValuablePossessions in a Safe Place.In Matthew 6:19-21 Jesus speaks ofthese valuable possessions as a treasure.There are forces of disintegration in theworld. A moth is a small insect but it hasthe power to ruin a wool coat hung up inthe closet. When Jesus was in the worldthose who made things out of iron didn'tknow about stainless steel and so all metalobjects were subject to corrosion. Thenthere are the human vandals. The"thieves break through and steal." Inevery issue of the local paper there is thereport of homes and garages having beenburglarized and valuable articles such asappliances and tools stolen. Where is asafe place for our valuables? It is evidentthatit is not in the world for there forces ofdisintegration are every place. If nature,insects, or thieves do not lower the valueof our possessions there is the everpresentgrinding effect of taxes whichcontinue to rise and many people areforced to sell their homes.FEBRUARY 3, 1971 11