Forty-fifth Sunday.

WONDERS OF OUR LORD'S WORKING.

FIRST READING.

"Young man, I say unto thee arise."—Luke 7:14.

NO one can think how good and kind our blessed Lord Jesus was. Once, when He was going with His disciples into a village called Nain, He met a funeral coming out. People are not carried to the grave in their coffins in the East; but they are laid on a sort of bed called a bier, with all their best clothes on, and a wreath of flowers round the head.

The person who was now to be buried was quite a young man, and he was the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And when the Lord saw it, He had pity on the poor woman, and He said to her, "Weep not." Then He came and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. Then He said, "Young man, I say unto thee, Arise." And he that was dead sat up and began to speak; and our Lord gave him back alive to his mother.

QUESTIONS.

1. What was our Lord always doing? 2. What village was He going into? 3. What did he meet? 4. Who was going to be buried? 5. Had his mother any more sons? 6. And what was she? 7. How are people carried to their graves in the East? 8. Who had pity on the mother? 9. What did He say toher? 10. What did He do? 11. What did he say to the dead man? 12. What did the dead man do at once? 13. To whom was he given back? 14. How cameJesusto be able to work such miracles? 15. Was not he most kind and loving so to do?

SECOND READING.

"His face did shine as the sun."—Matt. 17:2.

ONLY once all the time He was in this world did our Lord Jesus let His apostles see any of His glory, and then it was only the three who believed in Him best, and whom He kept the most with Him.

One night, He took Peter and James and John out to a mountain with Him, as He was wont to do when He was going apart to pray. They went to sleep; but when they woke, they saw Him in bright light and glory. His face was shining like the sun, and His clothes were as white as the light; and there were two talking with Him, Moses and Elias. And they were talking of how He was come to die at Jerusalem.

THE TRANSFIGURATION.—Luke 9:29-32.

The three were afraid, but they were happy too; and Petersaid, "Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for Thee, one for Moses, and one for Elias;" for, indeed, he hardly knew what he was saying.

THE GOOD SAMARITAN.—Luke 10:33, 34.

JESUS AND THE SISTERS OF BETHANY.—Luke 10:41, 42.

And even as He spoke, a bright cloud came and hid the wonderful sight from them, and then they found that no one was with them but their Master, Jesus, looking as usual; and He bade them tell no one about what they had seen, until the Son of man should be risen again from the dead.

THE RETURN OF THE PRODIGAL SON.—Luke 15:22.

They knew that their Lord was the Son of man; but they could not think what He could mean by rising again from the dead.

This wonderful showing forth of His glory is called the Transfiguration.

QUESTIONS.

1. What was the Transfiguration? 2. Who were allowed to see it? 3. Where did it happen? 4. What was our Lord's face like? 5. What were His clothes like? 6. Who came and talked to Him? 7. Who was Moses? 8. Who was Elias? 9. Do you remember what had become of Elias? 10. What were Moses and Elias talking about with Him? 11. What were the three apostles doing atfirst? 12. What did Peter say when he woke? 13. What happened then? 14. Who was left with them? 15. What did He forbid them to do? 16. When might they speak of it? 17. What could not they understand?

THIRD READING.

"Suffer the little children to come unto me."—Mark 10:14.

AFTER His Transfiguration, our Lord Jesus often told His apostles that He was going to be taken by the chief priests at Jerusalem, and that He should be ill-used, and beaten, and spit upon, and put to death on a cross; and that the third day He should rise again. But they never could understand how this would be, for they had never heard of rising from the dead; and they were so sure that He was Christ, and that Christ would be a great King, that they never understood or believed that He was to die.

THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS THE BEGGAR.—Luke 16:19-21.

And sometimes they even disputed among themselves who would be first and greatest in His kingdom. When they did thisour Lord called a little child, and took him, and set him in the midst, and said that the greatest in His kingdom would be the most like that little child; for only those who are ready to be last here can be high up there.

"SUFFER LITTLE CHILDREN TO COME UNTO ME."—Mark 10:14.

The Lord loved little children. Once, when the mothers were bringing their babies for Him to touch, the disciples wanted to keep them away; but He said, "Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of heaven."

And then He took the little ones up in His arms, and put His hands on them, and blessed them. And just so He embraces and blesses the little children we bring to Him in church, though we cannot see Him now; and He is always glad to hear them pray.

QUESTIONS.

1. What was the Transfiguration? 2. What did our Lord say would happen to them? 3. Why would not the disciples believe it? 4. What did they dispute about? 5. Whom did our Lord call? 6. What did He tell them? 7. What is the way to be high in the kingdom of heaven? 8. Who were brought to Him?

THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN.—Luke 18:11-13.

THE RAISING OF LAZARUS.—John 11:43, 44.

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