LESSON 13.—JUNE 25.—REVIEW OF THE QUARTER'S LESSONS.
Golden Text.—"But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His name." John 20:31.
LESSON I.—Jesus the Good Shepherd. John 10:7-18. Golden Text: "I am the good Shepherd; the good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep." Verse 11. All true disciples are such because they have faith to obey the voice of Christ. "Ye are My friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you." John 15:14. Christ's "one fold" is the true "Israel." They were not all of the natural seed, as the Jews supposed (Rom. 2:28, 29). They would be gathered from both Jews and Gentiles.
LESSON II.—The Raising of Lazarus. John 11:32-45. Golden Text: "Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life." John 11:25. In this miracle the creative power of Christ was manifested, as from a corrupted dead body He was enabled to produce living tissue, as well as to restore the breath of life. Note the faith of Christ, as shown in His thanking God for hearing Him before He called upon the dead man to come forth.
LESSON III.—The Supper at Bethany. John 12:1-11. Golden Text: "She hath done what she could." Mark 14:8. Mary bestowed her honor on the living Christ, thus expressing her gratitude for His great blessing to her. How much better than to withhold her expression of love, and put flowers on His tomb. Her offering did not hinder her ministering to the poor after He was gone.
LESSON IV.—The Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. John 12:12-26. Golden Text: "Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord." Matt. 21:9. Notwithstanding this prophetic token of the victory that He would one day achieve gloriously and permanently, it was necessary that the Seed should die before producing fruit. The prophecy must also be fulfilled: "Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass's colt." Verse 15; Zech. 9:9.
LESSON V.—Jesus Washes the Disciples' Feet. John 13:1-14. Golden Text: "By love serve one another." Gal. 5:13. No ordinance of the Lord's house has behind it a more distinct command or a more striking example than that of feet-washing. Yet it is quite generally rejected. Why?—Evidently because it is an ordinance of humility, which meets so little response in the human heart. The ordinance is not merely a commemoration of Christ's act of washing the disciples' feet, but of His whole humble life, as the Lord's Supper commemorates His death, and baptism His burial and resurrection.
LESSON VI.—The Vine and the Branches. John 15:1-12. Golden Text: "Herein is My Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit." Verse 8. The fruit that Christ wants His followers to bear is the fruit of the Spirit—"love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance." Gal. 5:22, 23. If this fruit is manifested in the lives of professed Christians, sinners will be attracted to Christ.
LESSON VII.—Jesus Prays for His Followers. John 17:15-26. Golden Text: "I pray for them." John 17:9. We could have no greater reason for encouragement than the fact that Christ prayed for us. He is an Intercessor whose petitions are always honored of the Father (John 11:41, 42). Then let us "come boldly to the throne of grace" (Heb. 4:16) when we need help. Note, also, the condition, "If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." John 15:7.
LESSON VIII.—Jesus before Pilate. John 18:28-40. Golden Text: "Every one that is of the truth heareth My voice." Verse 37. Jesus was falsely accused before Pilate of designing to set up a rival kingdom. While not denying that He was born an heir to a throne, He plainly declared that His kingdom was not of this world. He had evaded the attempt to make Him a king (John 6:15). And all the talk about His being recognized as king of any of the present earthly governments is equally futile. He is now on the "throne of grace," and will set up His glorious kingdom in the earth in His own good time. Then it will supersede all others. See Dan. 2:31-35, 44, 45; Matt. 25:31-34.
LESSON IX.—The Crucifixion. John 19:17-30. Golden Text: "Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures." 1 Cor. 15:3. Jesus made the sacrifice for the whole world (Heb. 2:9), but only those who believe in Him, and obey the Gospel, can derive any benefit from the offering. See John 3:16, 36; 2 Thess. 1:7-10.
LESSON X.—The Resurrection. John 20:11-23. Golden Text: "But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first-fruits of them that slept." 1 Cor. 15:20. No fact of history is better attested than the resurrection of Christ. See 1 Cor. 15:1-8. This was necessary from the fact that our salvation depends upon His resurrection (verses 14-18), and the infallibility of His Word is also thereby tested and substantiated (Matt. 20:17-19).
LESSON XI.—The Message of the Risen Christ. Rev. 1:10-20. Golden Text: "I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive forevermore." Verse 18. The fact that this book is a "revelation," and that John was especially commanded not to seal it (chapter 22:10), together with the fact that blessing is for those who "read" and "hear" and "keep" what is written (chapter 1:3), is evidence that the book is to be understood. It is not a sealed book, but may be understood, through the Spirit, in the light of other scriptures and of authentic history.
LESSON XII.—The Heavenly Home. Rev. 22:1-11. Golden Text: "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne." Rev. 3:21. This text shows that Christ has not yet taken His own throne, which will be given Him when His mediatorial work is done. See Dan. 7:13, 14; Matt. 25:31-34; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; Revelation 20. It is after the thousand years of reign in heaven, that the scene presented in Revelation 21 and 22 actually comes to pass. Note John 13:1-3. The home of the redeemed will eventually be on the new earth (2 Peter 3:10-14), and the New Jerusalem, brought to view in this lesson, will be its capital.
