Page 4B - THE CHARLOTTE POST - Thursday, Februaiy 2, 1989
Sunday ScfiooC
Lesson
By Bessie WUbon
INTRODUCTION:
Our world has standards by which it measures fame. Wealth
is one of the most Important of these, but we have others, po
litical accomplishments, military leadership, literary con
tributions, theatrical and musical skills, athletic prowess.
Jesus didn't mention any of these as Important standards, to
measure one's worth.
LESSON BACKGROUND:
Today's lesson finds Jesus already well along In the next
phase of His ministry. Luke marks that change In 9:51: "And
It came to pass, when the time was come that he should be re
ceived up, he steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem." The
time of His popular ministry In Galilee was past, and with
calm resolution Jesus turned to Jerusalem, knowing that
only six months ahead lay the cross. In December, Jesus at
tended the feast of Dedication (Hanukkah) In Jerusalem.
There He met Increasingly bitter opposition from the relig
ious leaders, so. He left Jerusalem and went to the area east of
the Jordan River. There He carried on a teaching ministry for
several weeks. Todays' lesson has Its setting during this peri
od.
THE LESSON:
"A man In the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, tell my brother
to divide with me, the property our father left us." Jesus an
swered him, "Man, who gave me the right to judge or to divide
the property between you two?" And He went on to say to them
all, 'Watch out and guard yourselves from every kind of greed;
because a person's true life Is not made up of the things he
owns, no matter how rich he may be." Then Jesus said to the
disciples, "And so I tell you not to worry about the food you
need to stay alive or about the clothes you need for your body.
Life Is much more Important than food, and the body much
more Important than clothes. Look at the crows: they don't
plant seeds or gather a harvest; they don't have storage rooms
or bams; God feeds them! You are worth so much more than
birds! Can any of your live a bit longer by worrying about it?
If you can't manage even such a small thing why worry about
the other things? Look how the wUd flowers grow? They don't
work or make clothes for themselves. But I tell you not even
King Solomon with all his wealth had clothes as beautiful as
one of these flowers. It Is God who clothes the wild grass -
grass that Is here today and gone tomorrow, burned up in the
oven. Won't He be all the more sure to clothe you? What little
faith you have! So don't be all upset, always concerned about
what you will eat and drink. (For the pagans of this world are
always concerned about these things.) Your Father knows
that you need these things. Instead, be concerned with his
Kingdom, and he will provide you with these things. Do not be
afraid, little flock, for your Father Is pleased to give you the
Kingdom. Sell all your belongings and give the money to the
poor. Provide for yourselves purses that don't wear out, and
save your riches tn heaven, where they will never decrease,
because no thief can get to them, and no moth can destroy
them. For your heart will always be where your riches are."
(Luke 12: 13-15, 22-34)
Jesus had been talking about the hypocrisy of the Pharisees
and warning His followers that they must expect persecution.
He challenged them to remain faithful In the face of trials, as
suring them that God would watch over them. Then a man in
the crowd Interrupted, asking Jesus If He would settle a dis
pute over an Inheritance. Obviously the man was obsessed
with the Importance of material things, else He would not
have interrupted Jesus discourse on spiritual things with his
request. Just why the man came to Jesus we can only guess.
There were legal processes open to him if he felt that his
brother had unjustly deprived him of his inheritance. Per
haps he had tried those avenues and the judgment had gone
against him. Now he wanted his case tried In another court.
Jesus refused to be a judge and then turned to the man's real
problem - covetousness. He Issued a double warning against
It: Take heed, and beware. Greed Is an Insidious sin, coming
quietly and often garbed In the cloak of respectability. It
creates an appetite for more. Greed always wants more, more,
more. Greed is wrong for at least two reasons: 1) It hurts oth
ers. Greed drives men to be dishonest or to bend laws to give
an aura of honesty to their robbery. 2) But greed Is also wrong
because of what It does to the person who has fallen Into Its
grasp. Jesus states this as a fundamental principle rooted In
man's very nature. A man's life conslsteth not In the abun
dance of the things which he possesseth. Or, to put It another
way, as Jesus did when Satan tempted Him with things: "Man
shall not live by bread alone."
No other nation In all the history of the world has enjoyed
the physical blessings that the United States has known. God,
by giving us a wonderful combination of natural resources,
climate, and freedom, has allowed us to create unparalleled
wealth. But our true wealth Is not measured In terms of these
physical things. It Is measured by how we use these things.
■V^en we have physical possessions, we are tempted to trust
In them for security rather than In God. But even a brief
glance at these things should show us how fragile they really
are. We need only to look at the volatility of the stack market,
where fortunes can be made or last In a matter of minutes. Or
look at what has happened In those areas whose wealth was
based on maintaining high oil prices.
Wealth also tends to make people arrogant. Great wealth
and humility are rarely found In the same person. The pur
suit of wealth turns men's talents away from the pursuit of
Gods' Kingdom and Its spiritual valves. Millionaires are not
often found loading prayer meetings or serving on missions
committees. If anyone has any doubts about where America's
heart really is, let him examine how we spend our money. We
spend more for pet food than we do for foreign missions. We
spend much more for tobacco products than we do for Chris
tian education. In these, as In other areas, we reveal where
our heart really is. This Information Is not reassuring.
"No man can tell whether he Is rich or poor by turning his
ledger. It Is the mind that makes a man rich. He is rich ac
cording to what he Is, not according to what he has."
- Heruy Ward Beecher.
Father, teach us to use wisely what you have given us, that
Your name may be glorified and Your Kingdom enhanced.
Amen.
Obituaries
Continued From Pa^e 3B.
Patrick; mother, Mrs. Elizabeth
Kirkpatrick both of Charlotte.
Mrs. Rosetta D. Wither
spoon, of 501 N. Alexander St.
died Jan. 25, 1989, at Mercy
Hospital. Funeral service was
held Jan. 31 at St. Paul Baptist
Church. Burial was in Oaklawn
Cemetery.
Survivors are her son, Mr.
Johnny Lewis Witherspoon, Jr.;
daughters, Ms. Peggy Hollt and
Ms. helen Thompson both of
Charlotte: brothers, Mr. James
Dunlap of Detroit, MI and Mr.
Johhny Dunlap of Flint, MI; sis
ters, Mrs. Mary Alice McClain of
Flint, Ml and Mrs. Josephine
Richardson of Winston-Salem,
NC; stepdaughter, Mrs. Bernice
Mcllwaln of Lancaster, SC; and 7
grandchildren.
ALEXANDER FUNERAL
HOME
Rev. Ms. Minnie Ethel Dav
idson, of 304 Tuckaseegee Road
died Jan. 27, 1989, at Charlotte
Memorial Hospital. Funeral ser
vice will be held Feb. 4 at New
Emmanuel Congregational
Church. Burial will be In Hope-
well A.M.E. Zion Church. Visita
tion will be 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Fri
day, Jan. 3 at New Emmanuel
Congregational Church, Beat-
ties Ford Rd.
Mr. Joseph P. Goss, of Rt. 3
Commerce, GA died Jan. 31,
The Idol Of Self- Righteousness
By J. M. Little
The last Idol that a sinner will
give up before he is saved is
self-righteousness. Every sin
ner by nature is deceived by his
wicked heart (Jer. 17:9), and
thinks he has some goodness
that God will take notice of and
usher him Into Heaven at the
very last. That Is why it Is so
hard for a religious soul to get
saved.
All your life you have prided
on the fact that you don't live in
sin as others. But when the
blessed Holy Spirit awakens a
religious sinner, he sees that all
his righteousness is just filthy
rags, according to Isaiah 64:6.
God's word is very plain about
the total depravity of man. And
you are going to acknowledge
that you are the totally de
praved sinner that God says you
are in His Word, long before He
saves you, if you ever are to be
saved.
The Lord is not going to save
eveiybody. And once you get
your eyes open to God's way of
salvation, you'll wonder why you
could have ever been so blind to
think that you could be saved
on a profession or a mental de
cision for the Lord Jesus Christ.
A self-righteous sinner is al
ways looking down on others
and patting himself on the back
as did the old Pharisee. "And He
spake this parable unto certain
which trusted In themselves
that they were righteous, and
despised others; Two men went
up into the temple to pray: the
one a Pharisee, and the other a
publican. The Pharisee stood
and prayed thus with himself,
God, I thank thee, that I am not
as other men are, extortioners,
unjust, adulterers, or even as
this publican. I fast twice in the
week, I give tithes of all that 1
possess. And the publican,
standing afar off, would not lift
up so mlch as his eyes unto
heaven, but smote upon his
breast, saying, God be merciful
to me a sinner. I tell you, this
man went down to his house
justified rather than the other:
For every one that exalteth him
self shall be abased: and he that
humbleth himself shall be ex
alted." (Luke 18:9-14). The Phar
isee patted himself on the back,
he was a self-righteous devil but
the Lord didn't save him. If you
ever give up your Idol of self-
righteousness, you'll never get
saved.
That's why multitudes of our
church members are not saved
and never will be. You are self-
righteous to the core. You think
you are better than others. If
the sword of total depravity ever
goes home to your heart, never
again will you trust yourself and
look down on others. The
blessed soul who has come in
personal contact with the Lord
has a glimpse of himself as God
sees him and you are humbled
because you see your filthiness
In the Face of Jesus Christ.
That Is so. No proud soul
walks with the Lord. He doesn't
dwell with the high and mighty,
but with that soul that is of a
broken heart and contrite spir
it. Where do you find souls truly
broken and walking humbly be
fore the Lord? You won't find
them in our churches, as a
whole. Our church members are
so hard-hearted and cussed.
One night after a church ser
vice years ago a man came In
from outside and told another
man, "You better move that
Bulck out yonder If you don't
want it to get hit!" I stood there
and listened to his gruff voice
and said within myself, 'My, my,
claiming to be saved and talk
ing to a fellow church member
like that.' But the other man
quietly responded to him.
Woman Of The
Year Nominees
The International Women's
Day Committee Is searching for
the 1989 'Woman of the Year"
They are looking for a woman
who has not been previously
recognized but who has Im
proved the quality of life for oth
ers.
To nominate a local heroine
call 597-7467 to request a nom
ination form, or write Interna
tional Women's Day Committee,
P. O. Box 31021, Charlotte, N.C.
28231. The deadline for nomi
nations Is Februaiy 15.
1989, In Brown's Nursing Home,
Royston, GA. Funeral service
wUl be held 3:00 p.m. Feb. 4 at
Greater Mt. Zion F.B.H. Church.
Burial will be in Beatties Ford
Memorial Gardens. The family
will be at the home of the son,
Mr. Nelson Goss of 1015 Daven
port St. Charlotte.
Mrs. Rosa Bell Mitchem In
gram, of 1801 Taylor Ave. died
Jan. 31. 1989, at his place of res
idence. Funeral sendee will be
held 2:00 p.m. Feb. 4 at First
Baptist Church-West. Burial
will be In West Plnewood Cemet
ery, Charlotte. Visitation will be
7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Feb. 3 at the
church.
Survivor is her niece, Mrs. An
nie Mitchem.
I would not give you two cents
a box car load for the clap-trap,
tommy-rot in our church today!
There's no love and compassion
there! A deacon friend of mine
told me he could find more com
passion In a poker game than In
a church. Our church members
are cussed and hard-boiled.
Why? Our preachers and relig
ious leaders are that way. I've
had preachers tell me they don't
believe in tithing. The Lord
tithed when He walked this
earth. Now some of you preach
ers are all wrong on tithing' you
preach that the tithe is 10 per
cent after everything is taken
out: that is after taxes, insu
rance, etc., etc. But you are dead
wrong; the tithe comes off the
gross! Not the net as you
preach. The reason you won't
tithe is because you have a cov
etous heart. If you took 10 per
cent out after everything was
taken off then you could have so
much and so much taken out
and 10 percent of what was left
would be very little. And if you
are preaching any less, then
you are in rebellion against the
word of God. God never calls a
man to misrepresent Him.
We have never lived in a time
of such ignorance and rebellion
against the Word of God. I've
wept In my heart over the spirit
ual decay abounding in the land
today.
AMERICA WILL NOT REPENT!
Therefore, there Is nothing left
for God to do but spue Her out of
His Mouth. This Is the Laodice
an Age in which we live. A gen
eration that has turned away
from the body of Divine truth.
And like the late pastor said,
our churches have rejected the
Holy Spirit, therefore, all you
have is worldly wisdom and ra
tionalism. Our churches are on
the road to Hell. And if you re
main In them you are going to
Hell on that bandwagon. It is
my prayer that one here and
one there will receive the EF
FECTUAL CALL and be brought
to Christ. I'm not hoping to
stem the tide.
1 praise the Lord I know,
Whom I have believed and am
persuaded that He is able to
keep that which I have commit
ted unto Him against that day.
Do you know Christ? How is it
between you and the Lord? My
dear, young woman, you must
forget all about the opinion of
others before you can be saved.
May the Lord help you. Make It
your business to come to know
Christ, condemn eveiy indiffer
ence and criticism. Look to
Christ.
And continue to listen to our
late Pastor, L.R. Shelton, with
THE VOICE OF TRUTH
BROADCAST, each Sunday
morning at 7:30 over WAGl-FM
and at 8:00 owi WAOL-A.M.
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The last game
of the season was a
real knockout.
M ichael had to go for it.
It was, after all, the
deciding game of the city-wide
Little League Championship.
And trying to stretch his easy
triple into what would be the
winning run seemed like the
odds-on move, given the
scouting report on the right
fielder’s arm.
But the right fielder surprised
everyone with a knee-high
rocket to the catcher. Michael
countered with tiis patented Pete
Rose face-first slide. The dust
cleared.. .Michael was safe!
But one of his front teeth was
out by a mile. Serious problem?
Not really. Dental research has
developed a number of ways to
keep even the most rambunc
tious young athlete’s smile in
all-star condition.
Depending on the type of
injury and the age of tlie patient.
we might recommend a tem
porary or permanent crown,
a bridge, or a new technique
called bonding. Of course, we'd
also make one other recom
mendation: Slide feet first.
For more information about
crowns, bridges, bonding and
other aspects of today’s den
tistry, phone for a consultation.
Sinirgcon W. Webbfr. Jr. D.D.S.. I’.A.
2301 KHk-r Ave./CharloUe. N.C. 28216
Olticrnrs. By Appi./Td. (7041392-9357
SPURGEON W. WEBBER. III. D.D.S.
SUITE AA
KINGS POINTE BLDG.
601 S. KINGS DRIVE
CHARLOTTE. NORTH CAROLINA 28204
TeLBPMONB (7041 332-6848