Lesson for July 4th, a People in Distress
Dublin Core
Title
Lesson for July 4th, a People in Distress
Description
"Today is Independence Day. Yet much of the world is in bondage, and the rest of it in a struggle to prevent freedom from perishing from the earth.
Our lesson too is about a nation in bondage, but we learn from it that there is a way to be free. Even so we declare the way of personal liberty which is open and free.
The Lord Jesus Christ opened it at Calvary’s tree and anyone who is Still the bond slave of Satan may make this a great and glorious Independence Day by now declaring his faith in the Deliverer of our souls.
We begin today a series of lessons in the book of Exodus which reveal the high and mighty hand of God working on behalf of His people. The family of Jacob or, as the Bible calls them, the children of Israel—prospered in Egypt particularly as long as Joseph and the rulers who remembered him were alive. But they soon learned one of life’s bitter lessons, that -
I. Prosperity Is Not Always a Blessing (1:6-11).
' The Hebrews were a peaceful, law-abiding people. They were God's chosen people, and as He blessed them they prospered, and thus innocently they brought upon themselves the hatred of the suspicious Egyptians.
Prosperity is never an unmixed blessing. We as a nation know that to be true. Not only does it lead to a certain softening of the sinews, but all too often it results in a weakening of the moral fiber, which makes man easy prey to the attack of the enemy of our souls.
Is it not strange, then, that we should even in times of all-out warfare- be so eager to chase the dollar that we are willing to neglect our children, forget church, live unnatural lives, just that we may make more and more money?"
Our lesson too is about a nation in bondage, but we learn from it that there is a way to be free. Even so we declare the way of personal liberty which is open and free.
The Lord Jesus Christ opened it at Calvary’s tree and anyone who is Still the bond slave of Satan may make this a great and glorious Independence Day by now declaring his faith in the Deliverer of our souls.
We begin today a series of lessons in the book of Exodus which reveal the high and mighty hand of God working on behalf of His people. The family of Jacob or, as the Bible calls them, the children of Israel—prospered in Egypt particularly as long as Joseph and the rulers who remembered him were alive. But they soon learned one of life’s bitter lessons, that -
I. Prosperity Is Not Always a Blessing (1:6-11).
' The Hebrews were a peaceful, law-abiding people. They were God's chosen people, and as He blessed them they prospered, and thus innocently they brought upon themselves the hatred of the suspicious Egyptians.
Prosperity is never an unmixed blessing. We as a nation know that to be true. Not only does it lead to a certain softening of the sinews, but all too often it results in a weakening of the moral fiber, which makes man easy prey to the attack of the enemy of our souls.
Is it not strange, then, that we should even in times of all-out warfare- be so eager to chase the dollar that we are willing to neglect our children, forget church, live unnatural lives, just that we may make more and more money?"
Creator
International Council for Religious Education
Date
1943-7-2
Collection
Citation
International Council for Religious Education , “Lesson for July 4th, a People in Distress,” African American Fourth of July, accessed April 28, 2024, https://africanamerican4th.omeka.net/items/show/185.