Lesson 147 - Elementary

Memory Verse

"Love one another"  (I John 3:23).

Notes

God's Love for Us

Do you know that there is a love that is greater and stronger than the love that our dear mother has for us? Do you know what kind of love it is? It is God's love for us.

Every time we look out the window or walk down the sidewalk we see many things, which God made for us to enjoy. All about us are good things the sea, the sun, the moon, the stars, and the wind. He sends the snowy that looks like fluffy, white wool -– and each little snowflake is different. Then He send warm weather and the snow melts away. God made the mountains and valleys, the green grass, and sends rain to keep it green. He makes gardens grow for people who plant them. He made the animals and gave them the mountains and woods for a home. He made the birds that sing in the tree tops; and the fish that live in the waters. He placed food on the earth, not only for the people but also for the animals and birds.

One day God gave to the world the greatest Gift of all -– His Son, Jesus. But the wicked people placed Him on the cross to die, and He was laid in the grave. Jesus shed His Blood because He loved us and wanted to save us. At Easter time we remember the day that Jesus rose from the dead. That is how much God loved us: "He loved us, and sent his Son” ([1JN:4:10]).

If God loved us so very, very much, should not we love Him? "We love him, because he first loved us” ([1JN:4:19]). But before we can love God with all our heart we must have our sins forgiven.

Condemnation

Did you ever do something naughty, and at once you felt unhappy? No one said a word to you, and perhaps no one saw you do it, but Jesus saw you and He made you feel guilty. That is called condemnation for sin.

An eight-year-old boy said he had always loved to pray. He would often go into the corner of the yard where the bushes were tall and thick and creep into a hidden spot and pray. But one day he told his first lie: he said "No” to his mother when he should have said "Yes.” He shook like a leaf because it was the first time he knew he had sinned against God. His conscience was tender and his heart condemned him.

Another young man said he remembered the first show he ever attended. As he entered the theatre, everything seemed to turn black before him. It was condemnation for sin that made these two boys so unhappy.

Repentance and Salvation

When a child, or a grown person, realizes that he has sinned, and feels truly sorry for it -– sorry enough to do something about it -– that is called repentance. Then as he prays and asks Jesus to forgive him, Jesus does forgive him and save him. Great joy and peace, and love for Jesus and for everyone seems to bubble up in his heart. All condemnation is gone.

Restitution

At once he goes to those he has wronged and asks them to forgive him. If he has told a lie, he will tell the truth; if he has taken something, which did not belong to him, he will take it back to its owner. That is called restitution.

He does not say naughty words or tell any more lies. "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin.” However, if he does not watch and pray, he may lose Jesus out of his heart and again commit sin. Then he is no longer a Christian, but a sinner, or backslider. He must begin at the beginning – ask Jesus once more to forgive him, promise that he will not do those sinful things again.

Love in the Heart

Let us pretend that before us stands a little girl named Mary, who has just been saved. Her heart is white and clean, and her face shows that Jesus has put a light into her heart. Perhaps she told a lie a long time ago, but Jesus reminded her of it. She has gone back to the person to whom she lied, and told the truth. Now let us see how we can tell that Mary has the love of God in her heart.

As we watch her we see that she is kind to her parents and playmates. Perhaps many things happen which might cause her to be angry if she were not saved, but she is "not easily provoked.” Some of her friends may have better clothes than she has, but she "envieth not” -– in other words, she is not jealous. She thinks of others first instead of herself. If she sees children who have not enough clothes to keep warm, she shares what she has with them.

The Bible teaches us that it is very important to keep the love of God in our heart. Although we may give everything we have to feed poor people, if we have not the love of Jesus in our heart, it amounts to nothing. Only the things which we do from a heart, filled with love for Jesus, will be rewarded by Him.

No More Fear

God's Word also teaches us that perfect love casteth out fear. This means that if we love Jesus with all our heart we are no longer afraid. A little child who attends Sunday School says her prayers at her mother's or father's knee every night before going to bed. Then she asks, "Will I have bad dreams tonight?” Her parents assure her that she will not; her great fear of bad dreams is gone.

A story about a missionary to China also shows that Jesus takes fear out of the heart. This man arrived at a village one night and found the hotel crowded. The hotel-keeper offered the man a cot and told him that he might sleep under the trees, but warned him that robbers had been working recently. The missionary lay awake for a while. Then he remembered the words found in [PS:121:4]. "Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.” Then he prayed, "Dear Lord, there is no use of both of us being awake.” Soon he was sleeping soundly. Upon awaking next morning, he found a native Chinese standing nearby. God had sent the friendly native to guard the man of God as he slept.

David said, "I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety” [PS:4:8]).

Showing Our Love

In [1JN:3:18], we read, "My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.” This teaches us that it is not enough to say that we love Jesus, but we must show our love by doing something for Him. When we tell our mother, "I love you,” we should also do something to show her that we mean what we say.

Let us read part of a poem which shows what this means. In this poem three children said to their mother, "I love you, mother.” Two of these children did nothing to help her all day long, but the third child, little Fan, proved her love by helping her mother. She rocked the baby till he feel asleep; she swept the floor and tidied the room. She was busy and happy from morning until night.

"'I love you, mother,' again they said,

Three little children going to bed.

How do you think the mother guessed

Which of them really loved her best?”

Let us close our eyes and imagine that we are talking to Jesus. Can we say, "I love You more than anyone or anything on earth”? If we can, let us show our love for Jesus by obeying Him and working for Him every day.

Questions

1. What was God's greatest Gift to the world? [JHN:3:16]; [1JN:4:10].

2. If we have charity, are we unkind to others? [1CO:13:4].

3. What is greater than faith and hope? [1CO:13:13].

4. Does a Christian commit sin? [1JN:3:8-9].

5. If we keep the commandments of Jesus, will He give us what we ask? [1JN:3:22].