Covenanter Witness Vol. 53 - Rparchives.org

scribes"me"ginnings"Lesson Helps for the Week of December, 26 1954C. Y. P. U. TOPICfor December 26, 1954TRUTHS THAT JESUS TAUGHTby Rev. D. Howard Elliott(Used by permission of the ChristianPsalms:Endeavor Society)Scripture: Matt. 4:23-2567:1-3, page 16171:10-13, page 17149:1-6, page 12325:1-5, page 58This is a subject that is big enoughfor years of studyand since the assigned Scripture passage does not dealwith any particular truths, it means thatyou are left to do about what you wantto with the words of Jesus found in anyof the four Gospels.Concerning the nature of the truthsthat Jesus taught we can say that theywere divine in their origin. "Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine isnot mine, but his that sent(John7:16). And we can say that they wereauthoritative in their presentation. "Forhe taught them as one having authorityand not as the (Matt. 7:29).In other words, what Jesus taught hadthe backing of God the Father andJesus knew what He was talking abouteven though there were times whenHis hearers did not.The method that Christ so often employed in giving forth His truths wasthat of teaching by parables. By thesestories that concerned the commonworkings of their lives, truth was moreeasily understood and readily received.There are six of Christ's parables foundin three of the gospels; there are threeothers found in two gospels, andtwenty-nine others recorded in only onegospel.You will need to limit yourselves tosome particular truth or truths in thismeeting. The following are suggestionsfor the development of such a meeting:1. Make a study of the truths thatJesus taught about Himself. For instance, He usually referred to Himselfas "The Son of Man." What does thismean and what does it teach? Thenwhat did Jesus teach or claim as toHis divine nature? What did He teachabout His own future in this life andthe next?2. Make a study of what Jesus taughtconcerning personal conduct and humanrelations in the Sermon on the Mount,Matt. 5-7.3. Make a study of Jesus' teachingsconcerning the Kingdom of God. TheDecember 8, 1954text for the lesson refers to the "gospelof the kindom." Look up verses amongJesus'words that refer to the Kingdom. This could be found in a concordance, or a topical Bible.4. Look up the truths Jesus taught onthe subject of salvation. A referenceBible will help. You might start withJohn 3:16.5. Study the subject of the truthsJesus taught in connection with themiracles He performed. For instancethe case of the palsied man who was letdown through the roof before Jesus.Jesus forgave his sins first, then healedhis body. Then as the result of the discussion with the Pharisees over it, whatwas Jesus teaching concerning the forgiveness of sins?6. Take a red letter Bible or Testament wherein all the sayings of Jesusare printed in red. Take a certain gospel and by reading just the red printing, pick out the truths Jesus was teaching.7. Study one or more of the parablesto discover the most important truthJesus teaches therein.8. Choose some great chapter of theGospels to see what Jesus is teaching.For instance there are such chapters asJohn three, fourteen, fifteen, or others.These chapters would suggest such subjects as regeneration, the future life,abiding in Christ, fruit bearing, etc.This is the last regular C. Y. P. U.meetingof the year. You might takesome time for looking back over theyear's work in your C. Y. P. U. Havethe efforts of the year borne any particular results? Have there been anyspecial efforts that you can be gladabout? Do you feel that you know theLord any better now than you did thistime last year? Are you satisfied thatthe next year should be just like thepast one with reference to achievements,growth in grace, and others reached?JUNIOR TOPICDecember 26, 1954REVD3W OF GENESISMrs. M. K. Carson.Scripture: the Book of Genesis.Memory Verse of the month: Proverbs3:5-6.Psalms:105:1, 2, 6, page 257.55:12, 13, 17, page 140.46:1, 6, page 118.136:1, 2, 12, 13, page 334.For the past six months, we have hadlessons in the Book of Genesis. In thislast lesson of this series and of theyear, let us see how much of the Bookwe can remember, and let us pay specialattention to some very important thingswe find in its chapters.The name of the book, Genesis, means"beginning."Since in a few days weshall begin a new year, it is a goodthing to see how many different "bethe Bible.we find in this first book of1. Beginning of the heaven and earth,1:1-2:8.19.2. Beginning of man, 1:26, 272:7.3. Beginning of sin on the earth, 3:1-4. Beginning of punishment, 3:8-24.5. Beginning of promising a Saviour,3:15.6. Beginning of God's judgment on thewicked, Chapters 6-9.7. Beginning of different languagesand nations, 10:1 11:9.8. Beginning of God's Chosen people(Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph), theremainder of the book.Let the Juniors tell what they remember of each of these "beginnings,"or assign them the previous week, forstudy and report.All of the Bible centers in our LordJesus Christ, and so even these earlybeginnings point to Him and His comingto earth "in the fulness of time." Let usmention some of the people and incidents in the book of Genesis that pointto Him.1. The sacrifice of Abel's lamb showedthat without shedding of blood there isno forgiveness of sin, and pointed tothe death of Jesus, the Lamb of God(John 1:29).2. The ark was a picture of salvation, for only those who believed God'sWord and went into the ark, weresaved. Only those who believe in Jesusand enter through Him, who is the Door,into the ark of salvation can be saved.No one outside the Door is saved.3. God's call to Abraham to leave hishome in Ur and go to a new home whichthe Lord would show him, is a pictureof God's call to us to leave the worldand all that is in it and follow Him to anew and eternal Home in Heaven.4. Abraham's offering of Isaac is awonderful picture of God's giving Hisonly begotten Son for us. God provideda substitute for Isaac and as Abrahamoffered the ram instead of his onlybeloved son, so Christ is our Substitute.But there was no substitute for the361