Lesson 449 - Junior
Memory Verse
"Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace" (II Timothy 2:22).
Notes
God's Love
God loves every one on the earth: not because he may be rich or poor, young or old, ill or in good health, but because he has a living, never dying soul, and God is not willing that any should perish. "Whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" ([JHN:3:16]). He does not love those who have fine homes, expensive cars, and much money, any more than those who have only a little in this world. He understands the sufferings of the poor. He said when on earth: "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head" ([MAT:8:20]). People owe God thanks for the things they have, and should never forget to give Him the praise for all He provides.
No Favourites
James teaches us that God is not pleased with us if we favour the well dressed more than those who do not have such fine clothing. God's Word says, "The LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart" ([1SM:16:7]). Perhaps under the fine clothing is a very wicked heart; or, under the poorer clothing, a righteous heart. Jesus told of the beggar laid at the rich man's gate, who loved God. He was poorly dressed, probably in rags, and full of sores. He did not have the good things of this life as the rich man had, but he had the greatest treasure of all, God's love in his heart. When he died, he was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom, to be comforted by the one who is called "the father of the faithful." His joy was not for a short time, but was to last through all eternity. He was never to suffer pain, sorrow or hunger again.
No matter what we wear, what we say, or how we act, God knows our heart. We are like an open book with large print. God can read it easily. The Lord has no favourites and shows no partiality.
Talents
Some think that God loves those best who have the most talent, or those who do the things that appear the most important. Even though we have only one talent, if we use it faithfully and prayerfully, great will be our reward. God does not require something of us that we cannot do.
Jesus told a parable of those who received talents. Some received several, but one man received only one. The man must have felt that he could do little good with just one talent. He wrapped it up and buried it that he might have it to give back to the master when he returned to see what had been done with the given talents.
When the master returned he found that some of those who had received talents had put them to work and had gained other talents. He was pleased with them and rewarded their labour. When he found that the man with one talent had been too lazy to put it to work, he was angry, took the talent from him and gave it to one who was willing to work.
Faith and Works
Others believe that to have faith is sufficient. It is true that the Bible says, "Without faith it is impossible to please him" (Hebrews 11:6). We cannot come to him and be saved, or receive other blessings, without faith. When we come in faith, repenting of our sin, God gives forgiveness. He also gives us the deeper experiences of sanctification and the baptism of the Holy Ghost, and of healing. He supplies our needs, whatever they may be. James said, "Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone" ([JAM:2:17]). God is looking for both faith and works in the life of a Christian.
Do your parents ever promise you a reward for doing something special for them? You may be excited about the reward and may plan what you will do after receiving it. And if you do what has been asked of you, the reward will be given. But if you only dream about the pleasure of the reward, and have not "works," you will only be disappointed and empty-handed. Let us be sure that we do not try to have either faith or works without the other. Faith grows stronger with works; and only works that are mixed with faith are acceptable with God.
Tree Like Lives
Jesus often used trees, gardens, vines, branches and fruit to teach lessons of truth. A Christian life is like a tree -- not just a tree with leaves but a tree that bears good fruit. Trees whose roots go deep into the ground may sway and bend when the strong winds blow, but are still standing when the sun shines again. A Christian has trials which bring him closer to God and which cause his "roots" to go down deep into the Lord Isn't it wonderful to see one go through a hard trial and come out with a smile and a praise to God?
Trees with roots that are not deep will often fall in the storm, causing damage as they fall. Just so, the Christian who has not gone deep in Jesus may go down in the testing time, sometimes harming others in his fall. Will you give yourself "unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy" ([JUD:1:24])
Fruit Bearers
The people of this world are like a great orchard. God, as a good gardener would do, is caring for each tree in the orchard. Each tree has the same care and the same chance to bear good fruit. Each receives the "sunshine and rain" of God's love. God's Word digs about to cause the tree to grow. No orchard has ever had the love and cultivation that the "orchard" of the Lord receives.
Not every tree in an orchard yields alike in the harvest -- some bear beautifully coloured, tasty fruit that will bring the highest price on the market. On some trees the fruit is small, pale and tasteless, poor fruit bringing a small price. In time, the tree bearing poor fruit will be cut down, burned, and be replaced by another tree that will bear good fruit.
The kind of fruit that a tree brings forth affects many people. If the fruit is good it brings riches to the grower, wages to those who pick it and to those who pack it. Finally it reaches someone who will be nourished by that tasty fruit. Bad fruit is a loss to the grower and all who were depending upon it.
Christian Fruit
James, in this lesson, told us of Christian love and faith, two fruits of those who are saved and living for Jesus. We are told in [GAL:5:22-23]: "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance." God puts all these into the life of a Christian as he seeks them with an earnest heart. If you lack in any of these things, go to the Giver of every good and perfect gift and He will supply your need. With such fruit in your life you can be a blessing wherever you are, at home, at school, or at work.
Bad Fruit
Just as there are trees that have useless fruit, there are people who live ungodly lives, and God's anger will someday be poured out upon them. In Galatians 5:19 21, we are told of "bad fruit," some of which are adultery, uncleanness, idolatry, hatred, wrath, strife, envyings, murders, drunkenness, and such like. Any or all of these things will cause our tree to be cursed and to wither. If we do not repent and have our names written in Heaven, our "bad fruit" will cause us to be lost in eternity. Just one sin will cause us to be lost. Many times neglect is the sin that condemns people forever.
A Choice
You have a choice: to be a tree bearing the fruit of the Spirit, or you can be a tree that yields sin and its fruit.
Remember, the choice you make will determine where you spend eternity. The choice you make may influence someone else who is trying to decide whether or not to follow the Lord.
Do you wish to please the Lord, the Gardener, that at the end He may say to you, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord" ([MAT:25:21])? Or do you choose to bring forth the fruit of sin, or neglect, only to hear those final, unchangeable words, "Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire" (Matthew 25:41)?
Living Examples
Those who have made a choice to serve the Lord are happy, fruit-bearing "trees," helping others find God. Those who turn God aside, and bear the fruit of the ungodly, may meet a friend in a lost eternity who will say, "Why didn't you tell me about Jesus? You knew, but you failed to tell me, and now we are lost." The Word teaches that the punishment will be greatest for those who had the most light of the Gospel and turned it down for the world and sin.
The Right Choice
That courageous man of God, Joshua, once cried out: "Choose you this day whom ye will serve; . . . as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD" ([JOS:24:15]). He spoke those words when he was old and about to leave this world. He had served God from his youth, and had found Him to be a wonderful Master, a Deliverer in time of need. He was not sorry for all of his years in service to God, but encouraged all who would come after him to make the right choice.
It was the best choice then, and it is the only choice today that will bring us happiness and Heaven.
Questions
1. What does God wish to find in our lives?
2. What does it mean to show partiality? What does God think of it?
3. How many talents do you need before you can begin to work for God?
4. Who shall receive the greatest reward for his talents?
5. Of what two things did James teach us in this lesson?
6. Name several of the fruits of the Spirit.
7. What are several of the works of the flesh?
8. How can you tell if a fruit tree is good?
9. What is the best choice before us today? What is your choice?