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Sunday School Lesson 16
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Our Faith
Our Faith - Twenty Lessons separated into four. (9-12)
By
Edward A. Horton
1902
Lesson Nine
The Future (Commit to memory)
Great things shall be! A loftier race
Than e'er the world hath known shall rise,
With flame of freedom in their souls
And light of science in their eyes.
New arts shall bloom of loftier mould,
And mightier music thrill the skies,
And every life shall be a song,
When all the earth is paradise.
John Addington Symonds.
I. THE TALK.
The Brotherhood of Man advances slowly. What are the obstacles? Let us name some, and also give the cure for the troubles.
My Rights.
Many persons are always thinking of their rights, but rarely do they feel the responsibility of duties.
He who puts his rights first every time grows to be quarrelsome, sensitive, jealous, unhappy. Our rights are so combined with our duties as to make it difficult, often, to tell which is which. What are rights? How do we get them? Where do they come from? These questions go deep, and must be answered.
Greed.
Then men are greedy, pushing, over-ambitious. This is common, but a mistake as harmful as it is common. The old idea of looking after one's self, of fighting, continues. Whereas the best way to "get on," in a wise sense, is to do so with others. Selfishness is a poison. It does not show its worst effect at the first, but in the end it kills character and ruins society.
The Brotherhood is kept back by passion and pride, two old foes to human welfare. The cure must be found by giving early right training, by holding up noble examples, by shaming the mean and miserly spirit.
Happiness.
Wrong ideas as to happiness prevent the Brotherhood from growing. Some think money is everything; but dollars do not necessarily make happiness. Money is only a means to an end. It can help to things that are good, enjoyable, comfortable, uplifting. Money, when used as an idol, makes slaves of men. They think of nothing but adding to their wealth in any way possible. Their souls grow smaller while their treasures grow larger.
Government.
A government of the people, for the people, and by the people, ought to be a brotherhood. If it is not, it falls short of its best. Such a government is a Republic, and a Republic aims to deal justly by all men.
Patriotism.
QUESTION. What makes a true patriot?
ANSWER. Loyalty and love of country.
Q. How can these traits be shown?
A. By obeyi8ng laws, respecting officers, manifesting public spirit, and making sacrifices.
Q. Who is the bad citizen?
A. He who tries to get all he can from the government without giving anything.
Q. Who is the good citizen?
A. He who is willing to support and serve.
Q. Is there a Brotherhood of nations?
A. Yes. We should treat all peoples justly and with sympathy.
Justice.
There are three great reasons, as we have seen, why the Brotherhood of Man is entitled to our support. First, it is right. We are put into this world by a Being whose laws clearly point to equality and good will among men.
The Best.
Next it is best for ourselves to believe and extend this truth. A hermit in a cave may think it is best for his soul to live alone. He is mistaken. His own soul starves, and he cannot become what he ought to be in such a way. He needs society, books, life, duties, to draw out his character.
Christ-like.
The third great reason is that such a course is after the example of Jesus. It is following the precepts of one who taught the Art of Living. How to live wisely, nobly, happily, is the life question. Jesus gave us the answer to this question. Rev. Charles F. Dole has well expressed this:
"We believe in Jesus' way, as the way of God's heroes, the teachers, helpers, and benefactors of mankind. And we hold to the brotherhood of those who love and serve man."
II. HINTS TO TEACHERS.
Questions of civic, political, and social nature are now prominent. Young people take early interest in these matters. But the chief purpose should be to develop a sense of personal responsibility. To lead the scholars to admire generous examples and to convince them that no one is exempt from a share in the grand work. Mrs. K. G. Wells's "Rights and Duties" and C. F Dole's "Citizen and Neighbor" are good sources for practical suggestions. Draw out your pupils; get them to discuss the subjects of meekness, non-resistance, forgiveness, almsgiving, arbitration, capital and labor, etc.
III. QUESTIONS FOR PUPILS.
* If we have more rights, do we also have more duties?
* Where do we get our rights?
* What are the dangers when we begin to think too much about our own comfort and pleasure?
* What is greed?
* Do you admire a miser?
* What is money, and end or a means?
* Does happiness consist in what we have or in what we are?
* What is a Republic?
* What is patriotism?
* Can you describe a good citizen and a bad one?
* Can you give the three reasons why we ought to work for the Brotherhood of Man?
Lesson Ten
I. THE TALK.
We have come now to the third point on Our Faith:
The Leadership of Jesus.
Before we get into our talk, let me read to you these verses from Luke. You will find them in the fourth chapter, verses 16 to 21. They bring up a beautiful scene in Nazareth, the home of Jesus, and give us a picture of his first preaching in the place where he went to church in his childhood:
Jesus came to Nazareth where he had been brought up; and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath Day, and stood up for to read. And there was handed to him the book of the prophet Isaiah. He opened the book, and turned to the place where it was written as follows: Ԕhe spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; He hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.ԍ
He closed the book, gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.
Then Jesus began to preach, and said, "This day are these words from Isaiah, the prophet, fulfilled in your ears, and unto your eyes."
The Meaning.
What did Jesus mean? This, that he had a mission, to lead his countrymen, the Jews, into a kingdom of God. In this kingdom should reign love, righteousness, holiness. As Jewish prophets had foretold such a Messenger, he, Jesus, was to do the work and deliver the message.
QUESTION. Was this the kind of leader expected by the Jews at that time?
ANSWER. No! They looked for a King, a great Ruler, who should lead to temporal, or earthly power.
Q. What was the name given to this expected leader?
A. Messiah, meaning the anointed one, the Christ.
Q. Had the Jews been looking long for such a King?
A. Yes, for many weary years.
Q. What is our view of Jesus?
A. that he came to help the world, so that, in spirit and in truth, men might worship truly, serve faithfully, and die bravely.
Q. What more?
A. We believe that by his "gospel" the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdom of God, even as Jesus prayed.
Looking Back.
Following the regular habit of these lessons, let us in this first one on this subject look back to see what has taken place. How far has this leadership been accepted, and what has prevented the world-wide "power of Jesus' name"? The Jews did not, as a whole, receive Jesus as the Christ. After his death his "gospel" slowly spread. For nineteen centuries (now in the twenty-first) it had been preached, and missionaries have gone all over the globe; yet there are more people who are not Christians than are named under Jesus, the leader. How is this?
Great Religions.
Other countries, old and populous have religions of their own. Mohammed, Confucius, Buddha, are names revered in other lands. In the teachings of those leaders are many things similar to the teachings of Jesus.
Errors.
Then we have hurt our own religion very often by presenting it in wrong ways. Sometimes by war, sometimes by erroneous doctrine, sometimes by bad customs, the Christians have made enemies of others whom they tried to convert.
Education.
A religion, such as we hold Christianity to be, needs education to go with it. Men's minds must be opened to truth, their hearts opened to ideals, their motives trained to high reasons. Now education is slow in its work, though sure.
Exclusion.
I think we ought to use the word "evolution" right here. A very easy word to understand. It means growth, unfolding, development. A cornfield in September is a result of evolution. A statue in marble is a result of evolution. A star in the sky testifies to evolution. A soul in the world is a witness to evolution. Christianity is in evolution.
Our Belief,
We believe in the Leadership of Jesus, because he really leads.
Because he shows an inspiring example.
Because his words are true.
Because his spirit is divine.
Because his precepts make for righteousness.
Because his faith in God and man is everlasting.
Because his hope is eternal.
Because his love is boundless.
II. HINTS TO TEACHERS.
I think young people are always curious to know why, if Jesus was "sent of God," he did not conquer the world at once. Why does God allow his truth, so necessary to mankind, to linger on the way? In this lesson you can bring in modern thought to explain the mystery. Man is not recovering from a "fall": he is rising from a cradle. Jesus is the great type of human hope and possibility. His authority is from the power of God manifested in human sonship. It is a natural leadership, not a supernatural command. Lay these foundations.
III. QUESTION FOR PUPILS.
* What did Jesus do a Nazareth?
* Did he got to church there in his youth?
* Who gave him a book to read?
* Can you tell the name of the book?
* Is it in our Bible?
* Do you understand what happened?
* What kind of leader did the Jews expect?
* What does Messiah mean?
* Are there other great religions besides Christianity?
* Why does our religion spread so slowly?
* What does the word "evolution" mean?
Lesson Eleven
I. THE TALK.
What does the Bible say about Jesus? That is the second division of our present subject. To quote very much would fill too great space. I think the best thing to do is to take one saying, attributed to Jesus in the Gospel of John, and dwell on it. The memorable passage is as follows:
To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth.
Real Leadership.
This makes real leadership. Remember that Jesus was a "witness" in the full sense. He lived for certain truths, he suffered for them, he died for them, he has been honored and glorified for this martyr, witness example.
QUESTION. What is a witness?
ANSWER. One who testifies.
Q. To what truths did Jesus testify?
A. To the Fatherhood of God, the Brotherhood of Man, Salvation by Character, and the Progress of Mankind onward and upward.
Q. Did he bear witness of himself?
A. Jesus asked that his works should speak for him.
Q. What name did he most often apply to himself?
A. Son of Man.
Q. Any other of frequent use?
A. Son of God.
Q. What did he call his disciples and others?
A. Sons of God.
A Difference.
You may be asked, Do you believe in Jesus? Or Have you faith in Jesus? Perhaps the reply does not come readily, for you have not thought out just what to say. Let us make it all clear.
It is one thing to have faith in Jesus, quite another thing is it to have faith about Jesus. We believe in Jesus as a leader. His spirit conveys to us a gift of healing and help. He arouses our own powers. He shows us a Way where we can safely walk.
Doctrinal.
The belief about Jesus is theological, and divides persons. Questions arise as to what he was by nature, how many miracles he did, where he should be placed in rank. We may differ, and still all have faith in Jesus, the leader. And our faith will depend for its power not on what we think doctrinally, but on our loyalty and love to the spirit and teachings of the Great Example.
What Jesus Said.
Q. How did Jesus command?
A. By love.
Q. What did he say?
A. Follow me.
Q. What rules did he lay down?
A. Serve man, your brother, and worship God, your Father, even as I do.
Q. How did he speak of his disciples?
A. We are one.
Q. What did this mean?
A. That, as God and Jesus were one in spirit and life, so Jesus and his followers may be one.
The Poet's Word.
(Commit to memory.)
"Peace on the earth, good will to men!"
Before us goes the star
That leads us on to holier birth,
And life diviner far.
O star of human faith and hope,
Thy light shall lead us on,
Until it fades in morning's glow,
And heaven on earth is won.
Revelation.
We often hear Jesus spoken of as bringing a revelation. What does that mean? This: Jesus reveals God by his life and work. Jesus reveals our own human nature, too, by his life and work.
Mediator.
Now we understand the word "mediator," which is found in the Bible. Jesus mediates, or brings together. His "gospel" helps man to know God better and to serve Him wiser.
Life.
Jesus is our leader because he makes life. He saw no death. He knew no end. He did not point to another world, and forget this. "He brought life and immortality into the light," says Scripture. He did not create religion, nor teach before others the truth of immortality; but he placed noble living and eternal life in the light of a deeper faith and a grander hope.
II. HINTS TO TEACHERS.
Much of the old doctrinal discussion about Jesus is over. Yet some teachers may feel the need of opening the subject. Those who wish material will find excellent, concise statements, with Scripture references, in James Freeman Clarke's "Manual of Unitarian Belief," chapters on Jesus Christ, Faith in Christ, and The Work of Christ. See also Savage's and Dole's "Catechisms," chapters on Jesus, for the later treatment. Emphasize the inherent spiritual greatness of Jesus. It needs no artificial support. We of liberal views aim to make the claims of leadership normal, permanent, and true to the sayings of Jesus himself.
III. QUESTIONS FOR PUPILS.
* Can you repeat the Scripture passage at the beginning of the lesson?
* From which Gospel was it taken?
* What is a witness?
* To what truths did Jesus testify?
* What name did he most often apply to himself?
* Can you explain the difference between faith in Jesus and faith about him?
* Do doctrines divide people?
* Can we get along without doctrines?
* How do Christians come together?
* How did Jesus rule?
* What did he reveal?
* What is the meaning of the word "mediator"?
Lesson Twelve
I. THE TALK.
We will finish in this talk our consideration of the leadership of Jesus. We have looked back and seen the times when Jesus was born; how he was received; what was expected; and the slow spread of the gospel he taught.
We have also looked into the Bible to find out what Jesus said and did; what was said of him by others. Now comes the question. What ought we to do ourselves? What does this leadership mean for us?
His Words.
One of our first duties is to learn what Jesus said himself, and to distinguish between that and the words of others. Much of the trouble in churches and religion has been made by false reports of what Jesus said.
Theologians.
Many scholarly men have studied the New Testament, and honestly reported things about Jesus and his teachings which we do not believe. This is theology, or religion made into creeds. We must find our Leader in the Gospels, - Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
The Whole.
Then we must take the whole account, not parts. We ought not to build on single texts, or single verses. The search should be to know what Jesus had at heart; what his aim was; how he looked at the world in the large.
His Spirit.
In that way we "follow." We cannot do as Jesus did, exactly. He lived in a different time, in a different land, and talked in a different tongue. He does not command us to follow him literally. If we did, then we should not follow him really.
Aim.
If we aim for the same things Jesus had in view, then we follow him. Then we are his disciples. We have seen what those objects are. Wherever we are placed, the Jesus spirit and the Jesus aim can be maintained.
Explanation.
This explains the strange fact that there have been disciples of Jesus in every sect. Though divided in many respects, some have had the spirit of Jesus and his aim, and glorified the Father in heaven by good works.
Therefore.
Therefore, it is plain that we do not make Jesus our Leader, simply by believing certain things certain persons, however wise, have said about him. We are not any more successful when we build a church and make persons members in it, and call them Christians.
Not a Founder.
We must remember that Jesus did not "found" Christianity. As Dr. Furness used to say, it founded itself.
Q. What did Jesus say?
A. A sower went forth to sow.
Q. What did he mean?
A. That he scattered in the world religious truths.
Q. Did he use another figure?
A. Yes, I am the light of the world.
Q. What did he mean?
A. My life and works shall shine for all.
Another Explanation.
This explains the fact that churches are the results, and not the causes of Christianity. They are necessary, but they do not come first. Jesus did not create any churches. Saint Paul did, after Jesus had passed away.
Churches.
So I this way we can show loyalty to our leader by supporting a church. Because by combining we make the spirit and aim of Jesus stronger. "Together" is a noble watchword. You can be a "disciple" alone, but you can be a better one in company with others who are striving for the same things.
Church Universal.
These lines express very well the idea of the great discipleship, the membership of the world-wide church:
One holy church of God appears
Through every age and race,
Unwasted by the lapse of years,
Unchanged by changing place.
Samuel Longfellow .
The Test.
One remarkable incident recorded in Mark, the third chapter, reveals the real test of a follower. Jesus was preaching to a crowd; and a man hurried up to him, saying, "Your mother and some of your family are seeking you." Jesus replied, "Whosoever does the will of God, is my brother and sister and mother."
Why?
If we are asked, Why is Jesus your Leader? We can answer:
Because he is the greatest religious teacher.
Because he is the greatest religious prophet.
Because he is the greatest religious guide.
II. HINTS TO TEACHERS.
If you make clear the spirit and aim of Jesus, the lesson of leadership and following will be evident. Many understand by "following" a blind imitation. Show the truth. Prove that the spirit and aim of Jesus make for freedom of thought, progress, manliness and real individual power.
III. QUESTIONS FOR PUPILS.
* Where do we best find what Jesus said?
* Have his words been misunderstood?
* Can we judge by a part?
* How do we "follow" Jesus?
* Can we do just as he did?
* Why?
* What do we mean by the "spirit of Jesus"?
* What, by the "aim of Jesus"?
* In what two ways did Jesus describe himself?
* Why support a church?
* Can you give the three reasons for acknowledging the leadership of Jesus?
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