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Sunday tfcAco/ Stetson ^1 !T. INTRODUCTION . Notable in the writings of the apostle John are plain, Bold contrasts - light and darkness, life and death, truth and ■falsehood. Truth is the big word in his second and third epistles. It is-rich with several interwoven meanings Like a well-cut gemstone, it reflects the light from several .facets and every facet sparkles. Truth, in.its essence, is •the reality, that lies behind any appearance. So we seek the truth'of any matter, hot being content with careless reports or outward appearances: “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32) .. . LESSON BACKGROUND _ . John’s second and third epistles, totaling'only 27 verses between them, speak'of the joys and responsibilities in rendering hospitable assistance to religious teachers. It was a subject most, pertinent to that time, near the end"of the first Christian century, when preachers and teachers of the Word brought their message from city to city. Persecution, wickedness, and limitation in resources rendered public lodging sometimes dangerous and inappropriate. Jesus had directed His disciples to accept private hospitality in their travels, and the apostles had continued to do so. The churches sometimes sent letters'of recommendation to. assure a faithful teacher’s good ,. reception in another city. So the aged apostle John wrote to .lone whom he addressed as “elect lady” and to a friend , named Gaius. We can only guess about the identity of ..“elect lady.” The “elect lady” was warned against receiving or encouraging teachers'of falsehood, lest she become an accessory to their evil deeds. Gaius was encouraged to receive and help faithful teachers that he might become a participant in their good works. The principle is the same in both instances. For good" or evil, we become responsible participants in what we help someone else to do. The tnith'of God is'our judge. THE LESSON “The elder unto the elect lady, and her children, whom I love in the truth; and hot Tonly but also all they that have - known the truth. For the truth’s sake which dwelleth in us, ; and shall be with us forever. Grace be with you, mercy, ; and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Z Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. I rejoiced ' greatly that I found-of their children walking in truth, as ► we have received a commandment from the Father. And ► now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new ► commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the [ beginning, that we.love'one another. And this is love, that ■we walk after his commandments. This is the command - ment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it. For many deceivers are entered into the world who confess .not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. Look to * yMUnlMMi^at weloee hot those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.” (2 John 1-8) - John possessed an elder’s genuine concern for those he had taught and served, ho matter how many they were"or where they might be. He loved all the people and he loved the truth. He did hot, however, allow his regard for people to reduce his insistence'on truth, nor his love'of truth to make him unfeeling toward people. He would speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15); and he would find pure joy in evidence' of a’faithful response. - It gave John great joy lo find some of this lady’s children ^walking in the truth. What aBout the rest'of the lady’s children? Some'of them still at home were addressed in : this letter. Perhaps"others" of them were hot walking in the ; truth. That is quite possible in a large family, or in a Walking in truth is living in truth. We are lo conduct t ourselves day by day in accordance with the truth we have L’been taught and have confessed concerning Christ, God’s “Son. Christ is Lord,.so we sha.ll'obey Him. Christ is . Saviour, in which fact we rejoice. Christ is Master or '.teacher, so we learn of Him and follow Him. Christ is the * Son"of God, so we revere Him. Christian love and"obedience are so interwoven that'one •may scarcely be distinguished from the'other. We know • that we love when we" obey, and we know that we"obey , when we love. All'of God’s commands grow'outof His : limitless love. They express. His love as they direct us Tor our eternal good. They direct us to reflect His love, doing what He says because we love Him, and loving because He ; Isays lo do so..Whatever their background in Scripture"or ; Christian teaching, John’s readers would have, received ; the love Commandment very early in their instruction. The command lo love according lo truth leads lo a warning against falsehood , and deception. Love "of the brethren prompts"one lo be careful in protecting them. Love among the brethren Would prevent anyone’s becoming victim lo purveyors of false doctrine. Love, even "of the false teachers, Would prevent "one ffom seeming lo approve their self-destructive erfor. . It has been said that hope is a bridge provided by God lo carry us ffom where we are lo where He is. At God’s end ; the bridge is firmly anchored in the truth"of His being and ; the dependability of His Word, especially His living Word, ! Christ Jesus. At our end, the bridge’s anchor and appfoach ;. must be found in' our response to God’s truth -our belief of -it, our faithfulness to It, and*our reflection'of it through | Word and deed. AaJohn insists, the rejectors'of God’s truth - the liars and deceivers • have destroyed the bridge at I their end and io have forfeited their hope. The truth within -us - “Christ in you,” as Paul said - is'our hope in glory. SOMEONE SOMEWHERE NEEDS WHAT YOU HAVE! ‘ Advertise it in our Classifieds POCKET THE CASH! Call 376-0496 Tony Brown .Famed journalist TV Producer Tony ftvwn Will Speak At N.C. State Journalist Tony Brown, who also is host and executive producer of his television series, Tony Brown's Journal, will speak at North Caro lina State University on Wednesday, April 9, at 8 p.m. in Stewart Theatre in the NCSU Student Center. His talk, which is free and open to the public, is sponsored by the Black Students Board of the Union Activi ties Board He will speak on black economics. Tony Brown's Journal is the nation’s longest running black affairs program. Shown weekly on more than 240 public television stations across the country, it has an audience of five million. Brown also writes a weekly newspaper column that is syndicated in more than 100 papers. An educator, Brown was the first and founding dean, as well as professor, of the School of Communi cations at Howard University. In Support Our Advertisers SHAZADA Records & Tapes * “Your Uptown Record Store” 332-7077 Top Chart LP 12” Disco, Rock, 45’s Country, Imports & Gospel 121 E. Trade St. 1980 he founded Black College Day. He has spearheaded the movement to preserve black colleges. In 1985 he founded the Buy Free dom Campaign, and as chairman of the Council for the Economic De velopment of Black Americans, he leads a movement to stimulate black business and create new jobs. A native of Charleston, West Virginia, he earned a bachelor's degree in sociology and a master's degree in psychiatric social work from Wayne State University in Detroit. He has received numerous honorary doctoral degrees for his achievements in civil rights, educa- j tion, and journalism. 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The campus' nominating commit tees and editors of the annual directory have included Mrs Laleza Harris and Amanda Denise Smith, as a consequence of their academic achievement, service to the com munity, leadership in extracurricu lar activities, and potential for continued success. r They join an elite group of stu dents selected from more than 1,400 institutions of higher learning in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and several foreign nations. A Bennett College Music Educa tion major, Mrs. Laleza Harris is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Harris of 530 Stegall St. Amanda Smith, an English major, is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Archie Smith of 306 Roam Place Bennett College, affiliated with United Methodist Church, is a li beral arts college for women. Braces for Children & Adults DR. PAUL A. McGILL „ DXLS„ PA. ^^T^^^Prartice Limited To Orthodontics" CONVENIENT LOCATION AND SATURDAY HOURS (704) 375-7005 1028 West Fifth St.. Charlotte. 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The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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April 3, 1986, edition 1
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