LESSON VI.—SUNDAY, MAY 6, 1900.
JESUS WARNING AND INVITING.
20 "Then began He to upbraid the cities wherein most of His 21 mighty works were done, because they repented not. Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon which were done in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth 22 and ashes. Howbeit I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable 23 for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment, than for you. And thou, Capernaum, shalt thou be exalted unto heaven? thou shalt go down unto Hades; for if the mighty works had been done in Sodom which were done in thee, it would have remained until this day. Howbeit I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.
25 "At that season Jesus answered and said, I thank Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that Thou didst hide these 26 things from the wise and understanding, and didst reveal 27 them unto babes; yea, Father, for so it was well-pleasing in 27 Thy sight. All things have been delivered unto Me of My Father; and no one knoweth the Son, save the Father; neither doth any know the Father, save the Son, and he to whom 28 ever the Son willeth to reveal Him. Come unto Me, all ye 29 that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 30 Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and 30 lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light." Golden Text: "Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matt. 11:28. (1) After Jesus had finished His discourse in regard to John, what did He begin to do? Why did He do this? V. 20. (2) Upon what two cities did He pronounce woe? With what cities did He contrast them? and what did He say of these? V. 21. Note 1. (3) What will be the comparative conditions of these cities in the day of judgment? V. 22. (4) What other city did He upbraid? What did He declare in regard to Capernaum? With what city did He compare it? and what did He say of that city? V. 23. (5) How would its condition compare with that of Capernaum in the judgment? V. 24. (6) For what did Jesus especially thank the Father at this time? What great principle of the Gospel is involved in this saying? V. 25. Note 2. (7) Why could the Saviour thank the Father in this matter? V. 26. (8) What did the Saviour say had been put into His hands? Who only had perfect knowledge of the Son? Who only knows the Father? Who may know Him? V. 27. (9) What gracious invitation does the Saviour extend to all? V. 28. Note 3. (10) What does He ask all to do? What reason does the Saviour give for their learning of Him? If we truly learn of Him who is meek and lowly, what must we also become? In doing this, what blessed experience will be ours? V. 29. Note 4. (11) What does the Saviour say of the yoke which He asks His followers to take? What of the burden which He gives them? V. 30. 1. Woe unto thee, Chorazin!—This is not a wish of the Saviour's that woe should come upon Chorazin and Bethsaida, but a simple statement of the result of their course; and their woe would be the greater, because they remained unrepentant even after the convincing works which Jesus did among their people. There is in this statement of the Saviour an indication of the fact that God treats men according to the light they have had. The punishment of the wicked inhabitants of Tyre and Sidon would not be as great as that of the people of Chorazin and Bethsaida, for their light had not been so great. It is not recorded that any miracles were performed in either of these two cities; but we know from John 21:25 that many miracles were performed by the Saviour which are not recorded. 2. Didst hide these things from the wise and understanding, etc.—Had these things been first revealed to those who were considered wise and of great understanding, the credit would have been given to their wisdom instead of to the revelations of God; but it was revealed unto those who were considered babes in knowledge, who were not puffed up with learning, ones who could be taught. This is in perfect harmony with the Saviour's teaching that except we become as children we can not enter the kingdom of heaven. "Human science is too limited to comprehend the atonement. The plan of redemption is so far-reaching that philosophy can not explain it. It will ever remain a mystery that the most profound reasoning can not fathom. The science of salvation can not be explained, but it can be known by experience. Only he who sees his own sinfulness can discern the preciousness of the Saviour."—Desire of Ages. 3. Come unto Me, all ye that labor.—"In these words Christ is speaking to every human being. Whether they know it or not, all are weary and heavy laden. All are weighed down with burdens that only Christ can remove. The heaviest burden that we bear is the burden of sin. If we were left to bear this burden, it would crush us. But the sinless One has taken our place. 'The Lord hath laid upon Him the iniquity of us all.' He has borne the burden of our guilt. He will take the load from our weary shoulders. He will give us rest. The burden of care and sorrow also He will bear; for He carries us upon His heart. The Elder Brother of our race is by the eternal throne."—Desire of Ages. 4. Take My yoke upon you.—"The yoke that binds to service is the law of God. The great law of love revealed in Eden, proclaimed upon Sinai, and in the new covenant written in the heart, is that which binds the human worker to the will of God. If we were left to follow our own inclinations, we should fall into Satan's ranks and become possessors of his attributes. Therefore God confines us to His will. When our will is swallowed up in the will of God, and we use His gifts to bless others, we shall find life's burden light. He who walks in the way of God's commandments is walking in company with Christ, and in His love the heart is at rest. And He says, 'O that thou hadst harkened to My commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea.' Isa. 48:18."—Desire of Ages.