Covenanter Witness Vol. 53 - Rparchives.org

me."perance"city."be. But instead of that, he gave Lothis choice of places. What Bible versetells how Abraham acted? Lot hadprobably enjoyed the fertile fields ofEgypt and had been rather sorry whenthey had had to leave to come to thehills of Bethel. So when he looked downinto the beautiful Jordan valley, it reminded him of the beauties of Egypt.and he lost no time in choosing that.He did not even ask Abraham if thatwould be all right. He did not think ofothers, as did his uncle. What Biblerule did he break? Luke 6:31. Whatdo we call that rule? Be sure to remember this choice of Lot's and whenwe come to the end of the story decidefor yourselves whether you think hemade a wise choice. But he was verysure that day on the hill-top that hehad the chance of a life-time to live injust that sort of place he liked. If UncleAbraham liked the bare hills, he couldhave them and welcome. In what direction did Lot go? Verse 11. Find Betheland the Jordan River on the map inyour Bible. What city was near whereLot went? Con you find it on the map?Why is that? What did God see thatLot did not see?, or did not think important when he made his choice?Verse 13.So Lot made his choice. Itdoes not say anywhere that Lot askedthe Lord to guide him in his choice,for we feel sure he thought this onetime when he needed no help to choose.He and his family, his servants andhis flocks began the long journey fromthe hills down into the lovely valley,and Abraham is left alone once more.He must have been lonely as he watchedthe caravans of Lot disappearing downthe turns of the road, yet he knew hehad done the thing that was right.Lonely, did we say? Not for long, forGod came to him and talked with him.How wonderful that was, but notstrange, for you remember God calledhim His Friend. How much did Godsay Abraham would have? Read verses14-15. Did that include the part Lothad taken? What else did God promisehim? Verse 16. Do you read in any ofthese verses that God came to Lot? Inwhich place would you rather havebeen, in the fertile valley with Lot orwith Abraham and God on the rockyhills?As Abraham walked up and down inthe land to see what the Lord hadpromised to him and to his childrenafter him, he came on a place that heliked better than Bethel, and here hemade his home for many years. Verse18. Remember that name for we shallhear much of it as the storygoes on.What did Abraham build there, asusual? Verse 18. Do we read that Lotdid that when "he pitched his tent74toward Sodom?" Choices come to allof us even to little people. Be sure toask God always how to choose, for sometimes the things that look so good tous, are not the best in God's sight.For your Note-book1. Draw a little map and locate on itBethel, the Jordan Valley, Egypt, Hebron.2. Name four things you like aboutAbraham in this story.3. Name four mistakes that Lot made.4. Give Bible verses to prove thatAbraham was not the looser.5. Write the Beatitude that this storyillustrates.For the LeaderFor the flash card (No. 8) write atthe top in large letters the word Lot;vertically down the side the word,"SELFISHNESS"; and at the bottom,the reference for the memory verse.Draw or paste on the card an appropriate picture suggesting the story. Review verses and stories, using the cardsin various ways. The Juniors may beasked to name their favorite story sofar in this series, give the memoryverse and place the card on the board.Allow the Juniors to choose ways touse the cards in review. By way ofvariety, let them work out the followingBible puzzle. Suggest that they makesimilar ones to bring to the next meeting. Multiply the number of the sonsof Noah by the age of Noah when heentered the ark; divide by the age ofAbraham whenhe left Haran; divideby the number of people saved in theark;add the number of days the watersprevailed on the earth. The result isthe number of fish the disciples caught.John 21:11.SABBATH SCHOOL LESSONAugust 15, 1954by Rev. Joseph A. Hill(Lessons based on International Sunday SchoolLessons ; the International Bible Lessons forChristian Teaching, copyrighted by InternationalCouncil of Religious Education.)SELF-DISCIPLINE FOR GROWTHLesson Material: Matthew 16:24-25; ICorinthians 9:24-27; 2 Timothy 2:3-5;Hebrews 12:1-4.Memoryverse: Matthew 16:24 "If anyman would come after me, let him denyhimself, and take up his cross, andfollowSince this lesson is designated as atemperance lesson, we should considerthe Biblical conception of temperance.The word itself, translated as "tem(King James Version) in Galatians 5:23, 2 Peter 1:6, Acts 24:25, isegkrateia, which indicates moralstrength, mastery over oneself,selfcontrol.In a general sense the Biblicalnotion of temperance is not a synonymfor total abstinence from alcholic beverages. The Biblical notion of temperanceis, in a self-government.word, Total abstinence from strong drink is no doubta true ideal; but to limit the applicationof temperance to this area is to destroyof the term. Totalthe real meaningabstinence is one aspect of"temperance,"or self-government, just as selfgovernmentis one aspect of sanctification.The Biblical idea of temperance involves a strongresistance against theruling of one's life by his fallen, sinfulnature. Proverbs 16:32 "He that isslow to anger is better than the mghty;and he that ruleth his spirit than hethat taketh aRomans 6:12"Letnot sin therefore reign in your mortalbody,that ye should obey it in thelusts thereof."True temperance, or self-government,means the subjection of one's fallen, sinful nature, and the reign of Christ inone's life. This involves a self-disciplinedyielding of one's life to the Holy Spirit,who produces temperance as one of thevarious fruits of the Spirit.I. Self-Renunciation.Matthew 16:24-25. Christ speaks here oftaking upone's cross as a requirementof discpleship. Cross bearing is usuallyregarded as meaning burden bearing, orthe renderingof some difficult service,or self-sacrifice. These mayall be involved in taking up the cross, but theessential element of cross bearing isself-renunciation. It is the equivalentof denyingoneself in humble disregardof one's own interests. Our Lord is theformemost example of self-reunuciation,and the greatest expression of self-renunciation was His sacrificial death onthe cross of Calvary. Philippians 2:3-8 isa perfect commentary24-25.II. Self-Discipline.on Matthew 16:I Corinthians 9:24-27. Christ used thefigure of bearing a cross, the instrumentof crucifixion, to illustrate self-renunciation, which is the foremost ingredientof true temperance, or self-government.Paul uses another figure of speech toillustrate another ingredient of temperance, viz., self-discipline. His figure isthat of running a race."Everyman that striveth in thegames exerciseth self-control in allthings."This probably refers to theIsthmian games, named for the isthmuson which Corinth stood. These contests,like the Olympian, Pythian and Nemean,were part of a great national and religious festival, and every second yeardrew eager throngs to the city ofCor-THE COVENANTER WITNESS