Lesson 113 - Elementary

Memory Verse

"Be ye kind one to another" (Ephesians 4:32).

Notes

When Jesus Comes

 Jesus is now in Heaven but He is coming back to earth one of these days to take us to Heaven to be with Him. He has given each one of us something to do, and we must keep busy doing it until He comes for us.

Working for Jesus

In this lesson we find a story called a parable, which teaches us to use what God has given us. Let us imagine that before us stand three little boys. One of these boys sings very well; he also plays an instrument – shall we say the piano? He also gives his testimony in the meetings whenever he has a chance. Sometimes he picks a bouquet of flowers and takes it to a little sick friend. He has a small savings account, which he uses to buy gifts for a child who is very poor. Such a child is very fortunate – he has five ways in which he works for Jesus. He has five talents and he uses them for Jesus.

The next little boy does not have so many things he can do – he cannot sing, but he is trying to learn. He wants so much to be able to sing in the Sunday School chorus! He can play the piano and sometimes he goes to visit sick people and plays a song for them. Often he tells his friends about Jesus and gives out some Gospel papers. He does what he can for Jesus, and makes many people happy, and himself, too.

But the third boy does not sing or play; in fact, he doesn't even try to learn. He probably could learn, if he would just try. He thinks: I cannot even testify, so what's the use to try? He says he is too busy playing to go and visit his sick friends and cheer them up. He has some money saved up in his little bank, but he does not use it to buy toys or something else for others, for he wants to use it to buy things only for himself. He is very selfish! How happy he could make other people if he would but try! Don't you think this boy is hiding his talent? It is not making him happy either.

Although the second and third boys are not so fortunate as the first one, yet each boy has something he can do for Jesus. Every one of us has one talent, or one way in which we can work for Jesus. It matters not how small may seem the kindness we show to others, if it is done from the heart, as unto Jesus, He will see it and be pleased. Jesus said that if we give a cup of cold water to a little one we shall not lose a reward, which means that He will be kind to us, too.

The Angel's Visit

Once there was a man of God named Abraham who lived with his wife in a tent out on the desert. One hot day as he sat in the door of his tent he looked out and saw three men coming towards him. He ran out to meet them and asked them to stay with him. He told them to rest in the shade of the tree; he gave them water to wash their tired feet. He hurried out to his herd and brought a fine young calf and quickly prepared meat for the guests. He told his wife to make some cakes, or perhaps bread. They also took some butter and milk and set before the guests a very fine meal. They did all they could to make the strangers happy. Who do you suppose these visitors were? They were angels from Heaven, and one of them may have been the Lord! Abraham and his wife, Sarah did not know who these men were. How glad they must have been that they had showed kindness to the strangers. God saw it and later gave them something they wanted very much – a baby boy.

A Blessing to Others

We need not say, "Oh if I had lived in the days of Abraham, or when Jesus walked upon earth and visited at the home of Mary and Martha, I could have done something for Jesus.” We all can work for Jesus today. We can help others and in that way do something for Jesus, for He said, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”

A woman who did not love Jesus nor have time to go to church became suddenly very ill. She was no longer able to go out and have a good time. A small group of Sunday School girls heard of her illness and went often to her home and sang for her the songs they had learned in Sunday School. The sick woman loved to hear the girls sing, and the songs touched her heart. She turned to the Lord and began praying that she might have a clean heart and be made ready to go to Heaven. Jesus saved her souls and within a short time she went Home to Heaven. Those girls worked for Jesus.

Busy or Idle

We may even learn a lesson from the little bees. From morning until night the worker-bee visits the flowers, carries the pollen to the hive for honey, feeds the baby bees and the queen, or mother-bee. Around the hive we also find the buzzing drones. They spend much time just flying around and eating the honey, which the worker-bee has gathered. That is why they are called drones – lazy bees. When the honey harvest shows signs of being over, the drones are killed and cast out of the hive by the workers. They do not want the bees around that are not willing to work. There is no place for idlers or "drones” in the work of the Lord, either. We do not want to be drones.

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The Judgment

When Jesus shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, He shall sit upon a throne. All the people shall be gathered before Him to be judged. Then Jesus will separate the good people from the bad ones as a shepherd in the faraway lands separates his sheep from the goats. He will put the good people on His right hand and the bad ones on the left.

Jesus will say to the good people, those who are saved and ready to go to Heaven, "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” He will tell them that they fed the hungry, gave a drink to the thirsty, took in the stranger who had no place to go, clothed the ones who did not have clothes to wear, visited the sick and the people in the prisons. Then they can go to Heaven where they will always be with Jesus and the holy angels. These acts of kindness unto one of the least of God's people, are done unto Jesus.

But Jesus will tell the naughty people on the left hand to go away to be punished forever. He will remind them that they did not feed the hungry; they did not even give a drink to the thirsty; they did not take in the stranger who had no home; they gave no clothes to the naked; nor did they visit the sick people and the ones in prison. Some people will try to excuse themselves by saying that they never saw Jesus hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison. The Judge will say to them, "Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.”

Will you be there? Will I be there? Yes, every one of us shall stand before Jesus some day to be judged by Him.

Forever with Jesus

Some children may say, "I would be happy if I had this or that.” Well let us make use of what we have. Jesus has given each one a work to do, and we want to have it done or be doing our best to get it done when He comes. Then He will say to us, "Come, ye blessed of my Father.” He will take us to Heaven where we shall forever be with Jesus.

Questions

1. What did the servant do who had received the five talents? [MAT:25:16].

2. Was his lord pleased with him? [MAT:25:21].

3. Was his lord pleased with the servant who hid his talent? [MAT:25:26-30].

4. Do you think we shall be rewarded for little acts of kindness? [MAT:25:40]; [MAT:10:42].

5. Do you think we shall be punished if we do not help those who need help? [MAT:25:45-46]; [EZE:18:12-13].