Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1898-01-12
THE SUNDAY School,
LESSON Ill. JAN. iS, MATT 4
1925.
Golden Text: The People. Which SAT
In Darkness Saw Great Light.-Matt
4: I6-Beginning of the Ministry Of
Jesus.

The section includes the general view
of Christ's ministry in Galilee. as given
in Matt. 4: 1925, and the parallels, ana
glance at Christs few earlier works there.
ID John 2: Iii; (2 John 4: 1854; 90 Luke
A: 1881. Read full text of to-day's lesson.
Suggestions to teachers.-A bird s-eye
view of the first year of Jesus minis ry.
The Judean ministry, recorded chiefly In
John, should be taken first, so as to
understand how Jesus work grew into
that which we study to-day. The map
will be no little aid. We gain from TINS
lesson less of details, but more or a proad
outlook upon Jesus preaching and meth
DDS in founding his kingdom; what ne
preached; how he chose his disciples'
what kind of works he did, and how the
crowds were beginning to gather around
him, in contrast with the slow beginning
shown in the last part of the first chap
ter of John.
Place in the life of Christ-The second
year of his ministry. the earlier part CT
his great Galilean ministry. He was Just
beginning the rapid development or MS
work.
The first year of Jesus ministry.-A.
d. q. The Judean ministry. The year OF
beginnings. Recorded chiefly by John.
chaps. IA. The chief events were the
first Disciples, the first Miracle, the hrsr
Reform, the first Discourse, the nrst
Tour, the first Converts in Samarla
Note. John the Baptist was still preacn-
ing and preparing the way. Opening OF
the great Galilean ministry, which ex-
tended from December A. ID. q. to &C.
tober, A. d. ga year and nine months.
The first part of this is The Second Year
of Jesus Ministry, A. d. 2S. which may
best be called The Year of Development
the growth from the small beginnings or
the first year, into a great work, WITH
marked results. A General View OF his
Galilean Ministry-Vs. 1925. First. The
Field. The country and its people. Gall
lee contained about 1000 square miles, or
about one-third of Palestine proper. with
a population of 100000. Josephus says
that 1t included 204 cities and villages, the
smallest of which had 1900 inhabitants
The soil was very fertile, the vineyards
and orchards were very fruitful. There
were prosperous manufactures, ana
great trade between Egypt and Damascus
passed through the region. The sea OF
Galilee was covered with vessels en-
gagged in traffic and fisheries, and It's
shores were dotted with cities and VII
lagos" The people were industrious. in
telligent and active. Many were rich. 1t
was a common saying, according to Eder-
sheim, "If a person wishes to be rlcn,
let him go north Ito Galilee); If he wants
to be wise, let him come south" Ito Jeru-
salem). Moreover. being so far away from
Jerusalem, the religious center, ana IN
such frequent contact with other peoples.
they were more tolerant and less bound
by tradition than the people of Judea.
Thus in many ways this was the most
hopeful field in all Palestine for gaining
q foothold and reception for the new
kingdom of God.
Practical Suggestions and Illustrations.
Il. We are not to be discouraged at small
beginnings. All great things were once
small To all reformers the first year
and a half of Christ's ministry is an or
enlargement. O. Illustration. IF pent-
ance and forsaking of sin are necessary
before Cod can give the blessings OF SAL
walton and the fruits of the Spirit; as the
warm spring sun must come and thaw
the ground and melt the SHOWS before the
flowers and fruits can bless the eartn.- IL
is useless to SOW even the best of seed
on snow-banks and frozen soil. 3. The
kingdom of heaven is at hand. 1t lie
all around us, as the sunlight around
darkened building. waiting for the blind
to be thrown back and the windows to be
opened. 1t has already begun in the
world, and is coming faster and raster.
Illustration. The ordinary great seal OF
the United States is commonly seen; but
the design for the reverse side l have
never seen, except Oii tHC ootoiNS VI SoAAAo
of the postal cars and in the encyclopedia.
The design is an unfinished pyramid; ov-
er 1t is an eye symbolizing Gods provi-
dence, and the motto, "Annuit coeptis.
''EIe favors what has been begun; and.
underneath the motto. "Novus ordo Sec
ulorum," "a new order of the ages"
Much more may Christs coming and the
gospel of his kingdom be called "a new
order of the ages" and with him not only
mi the world will hE
completed 4. Fishers of Men. First.
To be fishers of men is the duty and priv
ilege of the disciples of Jesus. Second
The sea is the evil world. In the Oldest
Christian hymn extant (by Clement Of
Austria) Christ is addressed. Out OF this
restless sea we are to bring men to the
rest and peace and holiness of Christ.
Third. The line and the net are the gos-
pel. with all it's attractions and means Of
gaining souls. Fourth. The net is of no
use without the fishermen. 1t is personal
work by those who are anxious to save
men that brings them to Jesus. lead
ing Baptist clergyman said not long since
that the experience of their miss ons hao
taught them that little success was gain
ed by the printed word. without the
ing presence of the missionary. The pr
sonal element is a very important fact
in all gospel work. Fifth. The object
to bring men to the shore of eternal II
The very word catch implies, as we haN
seen above, to take alive, to bring liv
ing men into the kingdom of God. Sixth
Again, the work of the fisher is rather a
work of art and skill than of force and
violence.-Trench. The fisherman attracts
rather than drives. Great skill, patient
toll. watchfulness. and care are neces-
sary. The use of the right bait. and es-
pecially in much fishing. the keeping OF
ones self out of sight.