Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1890-04-26
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
APRIL 27.
Lesson Text" The Parable of the Sow
err Luke viii, 4-l5--Go1den Text,
Luke will, 1s--commentary ON the
Lesson.

Lesson.
According to the first three verses of this
chapter, after bringing joy and peace to the
poor women in Simon's house, He went
through all the cities and villages showing
the glad tidings of the kingdom Of God, the
kingdom foretold by all the prophets, when
the Lord shall again choose Jerusalem, com
fort Zion and restore Israel, never to be
plucked up or scattered again tZech. j., II;
H., 1912; Jer. xiv, G. y that through them
He may establish His Messianic kingdom in
all the world He was accompanied by the
twelve and certain women whom He had
healed and who now ministered unto Him.
Returning, probably, 10 Capernaum, He
healed one possessed with blind and dumb
demon This drew forth from the Pharisees
the accusation that He was possessed by the
devil, and thus did these mighty works
Jesus, in reply, warned them of the sin that
can never be forgiven, whether committed
in this age or the age to come He also fore
teid His death and resurrection and pointed
them 30 coming Judgment. They receive
not His teaching but determine to kill Him
Matt. xill.
T. And when much people were gathered
together, and were come TO Him out of every
city, He spake by parable" Matthew says:
The same day went Jesus out of the house
and sat by the seaside; and great multitudes
were gathered together unto Him so that He
went into ship and sat, and the whole null
titude stood on the shore If the rulers
would not listen to Him the common people
heard Him gladly Mark xii, 81 land 1t is still
true that mot many wise men after the flesh,
not many mighty not many noble are
called' q Cor j., 26D. In Matthew this par
able is one of series of seven spoken at one
time, in Mark it is one of three while here it
EtAhHS alone If iG the pnlv bla snnl-pp
at this time which is recorded by each of the
three. The others had no doubt, particu-
Jar reference to the respective objects which
Matthew and Mark had in view in writing
their gospels, while this one alone is sufficient
for Lukes purpose. 1t is a foundation para
bic, and describes the treatment which the
glad tidings of the kingdom will receive dur
ing the whole of this dispensation, the period
Of Christs rejection, until He come again to
bring the kingdom.
5-S. "a sower went out to sow his seed.n
etc. HE that hath ears to hear, let him hear"
1t is simple story of what may have been
taking place before the Saviours eyes at that
moment. On the hillside farmer rnay have
been actually sowing his seed some falling
on the beaten path, some on thin soil beneath
which was a great rock; some where the
thorns had already preoccupied the ground;
and some on good ground. The Saviour an
ticipates the harvest and speaks of that
which fell on the good ground as the only
portion accomplishing anything. He was in
the habit of using the most familiar things
with which to illustrate His teaching. A
candle, woman baking, a woman seeking a
lost piece of silver, a shepherd seeking a lost
sheep, good OF bad foundation for house,
children playing, hen and chickens, a door,
Il vine, each and all afforded Him a topic
from which He taught concerning things
eternal.
o And His disciples asked Him, saving
What might this parable beg' The Holy
Spirit interprets spiritual things to spiritual
men Il Cor H., ID, r. V, mqrgin), and these
men had not yet received the Holy Spirit in
His fullness, therefore they understood not
this parable
10 And He said, Unto you It is given
to know the mysteries of the kingdom of
God; but to others in parallels By COM
pairing Matt xiii, SO; Mark iv., 10, we see
that Jesus sent the multimdes away and
went into the house, and.that then He gave
the explanation of this parable. That He was
in the house when He interpreted thep parable
appears also from verses 10 and 20 of this
chapter.
II. Now the parable is this: The seed is
the Word of GodN Mark says: "The sower
soweth the word" The business of every
Christian in this whole age is to be a vessel
IN the hand OF the great Sower with which
He may scatter the seed of the word.
II. Those by the way side are they tina.
hear; then cometh the devil" We have now
four kinds of soil on which the word falls and
will fall till the kingdom COMES. There is
the hard beaten heart Of the se-cailed gospel
hardened He has gone 20 church all his life,
perhaps is seldom absent on Sunday morning
but he is too weary in body to hear with
profit, or if not, the business of the week So
crowds in upon him that while apparently
he Is listening TO the sermon he is in his mind
lraStaTaaV VIC hu=ipacc trap
or anticipating those of tomorrow. Occa-
honally something that is said or sung or ut
sered IL prayer seems TO take hold of him, but
test he should believe and be saved the devil
quickly takes it away. If he is called upon
for subscription for the work perhaps he
gives cheeriully and literally. Thus he takes
credit to himself fuI his Righteousness which
consists of being regularly in his place in
church las to his body and giving literally
OF his means, but all the while he is lost
man, and step from time into eternity
would place him with the lost rich man Of
whom Jesus told And who cares where his
soul goes if the church only gets his money!
DO you care, and how muchl
ID. They on the rock are they which,
when they hear, receive the word with joy,
and these have no root Here is another
class of churchgoers, for observe that each
kind OF soil represents those who hear. so
that this parable does not touch those who
have never heard the gospel 1t shall
be far more tolerable for them luke
xii, A, 49, i'll that day. This is hearer
who pays attention, and actually enjoys
the public worship or TO talk of tho
things of God, when it does not cost much
that is when the weather is fine and there
are no difficulties in the way none opposing.
Such may probably make a profession of
faith in Christ, and for a time give joyful
testimony but as soon as there is ANYTHING
IN ha aplupp1 far tho TyppJ'g In INfarlg
", III Immediately they are offended and
fall away. These, like the other, give us no
solid encouragement.
A. And that which fell among thorns are
they which, when they have heard 20 forth
and are choked" These hearers may pos
sibly be saved; the see has taken root well,
and there is quite a growth, but the thing
lacking here is fruit ripe fruit, that which
glorities God. But can any one be saved who
does not bear fruit, and who allows cares,
riches pleasures and lusts of other things to
choke the word? We must stand on the word
of God, even though it may seem to some o
dangerous place.
IS. but that on the good ground are they.
which in an honest and good heart, having
heard the word, keep it. and bring forth
fruit with PATIENCE Matthew and Mark
add ''some thirty, some sixty, and some an
hundred fold" Thank God for such hearers.
Even a few like these are an inspiration to
any pastor, and what a comfort they
must be to the Lord Jesus and to
the Holy Spirit, The difference between
those and the others is that these have
truly accepted Jesus mot simply the truth
about Him and have firmly believed the
truths concerning the kingdom and the glory
to be revealed at His appearing They are,
therefore, weaned from present things, are
not seeking to convert this world in this dis
pensation, but, believing this parable, are not
discouraged if their labor seems largely in
vain; content to have it turn out as He said
Tor the present, sure that in His time
and the Lilltrlnra l..in