Lesson 378 - Junior

Memory Verse

"Fear God, and keep his command-ments; for this is the whole duty of man."  (Ecclesiastes 12:13).

Notes

The Preacher

"I want to find out for myself," many a young person has been heard to say. And so, against the advice of ministers, Sunday School teachers, Gospel workers and parents young people go the way of their choice and try to find joy and satisfaction in worldly pleasures.

In the Book of Ecclesiastes, also known as "The Preacher," is found a sermon preached by the wisest man who ever lived. The Preacher warns boys and girls that God will someday bring those into judgment who commit ungodly deeds. He tells the young people to rejoice in their youth but to be careful that what they do is pleasing to God. If it is not, then remember that "for all these things God will bring thee into judgment."

Temptation

Those who are not saved have no power to resist temptation. They yield to what they may think is harmless pleasure and soon they find themselves committing worse sins as time goes by. "Every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death" [JAM:1:14-15]).

Satan may tempt you to attend a movie, take just one puff of cigarette, or commit some other sin. If you do not have the Blood of Jesus over your heart, you may yield; and if Satan gets hold of your life, you are no longer your own master but headed toward eternal damnation.

Sowing and Reaping

At one time a man observed a seed of oats as it sprouted and grew so he cultivated it and watched as it matured. He pulled up the bunch of oats and counted the seeds. There were 800 seeds of oats from that one grain. Then he figured that if those 800 seeds were sown in the spring, in the fall he would have 40 bushels. Sow the 40 bushels and he would have 1,600 bushels. Sow 1,600 bushels, and before long he could cover this world with oats, all from one single grain.

Did you ever stop to think that way back yonder in the Garden of Eden, more than six thousand years ago, Adam and Eve dropped a little seed of sin, and it grew and multiplied until today the world is full of sin and sorrow? "Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap" [GAL:6:7]).

Forgetting God

It is folly to go on living just as if today were all that matters. It is true that the carefree days of childhood are perhaps one's best days. But even childhood and the days of youth are not to be spent only in pleasure, says Solomon, the Preacher. Our Creator is to be remembered in the days of youth, he says.

Statistics show that seven out of eight children quit church and Sunday School attendance before they reach 15 years of age. Educators in this land say that today children from 9 to 12 years of age show greater nervousness, have more fears and worries than in past years. Newspapers tell of children committing horrifying crimes; juvenile delinquency has become a major problem. A correspondent for one Newspaper, speaking of conditions in the world, wrote sometime ago: "Nobody seems to know just how or why, but everybody feels that something's wrong."

Yes, there is something wrong. People need to remember their Creator in the days of their youth, seek the Lord, be saved from sin; then seek for and receive heart purity, known as sanctification. Even boys and girls may seek the Lord and receive these experiences, as well as the baptism of the Holy Ghost upon their life. Then by much prayer and reading of the Word they can live an upright, Christian life and help others to be saved.

Solomon knew what he was talking about when he gave this message to young people and his words were inspired by the Holy Ghost. Every boy and girl will do well to take heed to them. Solomon was a very wealthy man and had much of this world's goods at his disposal. He enjoyed pleasure, honour, wealth. He had the very best in life, but in his last days he saw the emptiness of it all. His wisdom and power and fame were great in the earth; but beyond all that, he realised that it profiteth a man nothing if he gains the whole world but loses his soul; and that there is nothing a man shall give in exchange for his soul [MAT:16:26]).

Youth versus Old Age

One reason that young people should seek God early in life is so that they may work for the Lord and give the strength of their youth to Him in service. As a person grows old and feeble, his hands often tremble -" "the keepers of the house shall tremble"; he may become ill, his back may become bent from many years' hard work -" "strong men shall bow themselves"; he may lose his teeth " "the grinders cease because they are few"; his eyes become weak and sometimes even blindness sets in -" "those that look out of the windows be darkened." Often older people need hearing aids, glasses, canes, crutches, and false teeth in order to overcome their difficulties. (See [ECC:12:3].)

The Conclusion

Perhaps even Solomon was a bit weary as he finished his sermon, or perhaps he feared that people would go to sleep if he preached too long. He finally said, "Of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh." The safest path for young people to follow is to remember their Creator -" give their heart to God as soon as they feel the Spirit calling them. No one is too young to seek God.

The final verses of this sermon would be well for every boy and girl and every man and woman to commit to memory, for they hold the "key" to Eternal Life:

"Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

"For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil" [ECC:12:13-14]).

Questions

1. What is another name for the Book of Ecclesiastes?

2. What are childhood and youth said to be?

3. Whom are we to remember in our youth? What is another name for Him?

4. Of what were our bodies created in the beginning?

5. Commit to memory the last two verses in the Book of Ecclesiastes.

6. Why should boys and girls seek God while they are young?

7. Give ten advantages that a Christian has over a sinner.

8. What is the end of life for a Christian? For a sinner?

9. Why will it pay young people to remember their Creator?