Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-04-01
international ge5sols5.
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON II, SECOND QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, APRIL 9.
Text of the Lesson, John xii, Ill.
Memory Verses, 1-3-GOlden Text,
Mark xiv, S-Commentnry Prepared
by the Rev. d. Nj. Stearns.

copyright, 1899. by D. NJ. Stearns.1
/. Then Jesus, six days before the
Passover, came to Bethany, where Lazarus
was which had been dead, whom He raised
from the dead" The sisters had been
caused to forget their misery and to re-
member it as waters that pass away.
Their sorrow had been turned into joy
Job ri, 16; John xvi, 20). Resurrection
will heal every sorrow for the believer and
bring US botiy and soul to be forever with
the Lord II Thess. iv, 16, ~, and we
shall then see in that sense all present
Affections are light and but for moment,
and how they have all been working out
for us far more exceeding and eternal
weight of glory QI Cor. iv, II, 1S). All
the Bible records Of the SORROWS Of the
saints have been written for our instruc-
tion that we through patience and comfort
of the Scriptures might have hope (Rom.
XIV, 4).
Q. There they made Him supper, and
Martha served, but Lazarus was one OF
them that sat at the table with Him.. We
have no record Of single utterance from
Lazarus after he returned from the joys of
the spirit world to live again on this earth.
Perhaps his testimony would be the same
as that of Paul, that it was impossible for
him to utter what he heard QI Cor xii,
~. His life was now that of one really
risen from the dead, and 1t bore fruit to
the glory Of God, as we shall see, even
though there is no record of any testimony
from him. Martha is still serving as in
Luke x, 40, but she is no longer numbered.
1t is our privilege to serve restfully.
3. "Then took Mary pound Of oint-
ment Of spikenard, very costly, and anoint-
ed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet
with her hair, and the house was filled
with the odor Of the ointment. Thus she
truly worshiped Him; she poured upon
Him that which had cost her q great deal; ;
she gave unto Him that which naturally
she would have used upon herself. One
has said that in the three we have full
Christian life-in Lazarus n risen life. in
Mary true worship, in Martha service
without being numbered. We must not
confound this amounting with that in the
house of Simon the Pharisee duke vii, 81,
3S), as the incidents and the people were
altogether different. That was by wom-
an whose name we know not. We have
no right to suppose that she was Mary OF
Magdala In our worship may we have
the spirit of Mary of Bethany and of Da-
vid, who said that he would not offer to
the Lord that which cost him nothing (11
Sam. xiv, 24).
4, 5. "Why was not this ointment sold
for three hundred pence and given to the
poor?" Thus said Judas Iscariot, but the
other disciples also had Indignation and
said, "To what purpose is this waste9"
(Math XVI, S. When we with the whole
heart worship Him and give Him our
best, we may expect that some will find
fault. They always have and always will.
Men may misjudge thy aim, think they
have cause for blame, say thou art wrong.
Hold on thy quiet way. Heed not what
men may say; Christ is the judge, not
they Fear not; be strong, A sincere
desire to please Him will always find &C
ceptance in His sight, even though the
effort may be poor.
6. "This he said not that he cared for
the poor, but because he was thief and
had the bag and bore what was put there
in This is most remarkable-that
though Jesus knew that Judas was an
evil one and thief (chapter Vi, 10Y, yet
He suffered him to be their treasurer and
put up with him so long. What long suf-
fering patience, not human, but divinel
And then to think that at the last Hc
could allow Judas to kiss Him! 1t is too
much for us! How could He suffer it? He
has in all things left us an example that
we should follow His steps, who when He
was rcviled revilcd not again; when He
suffered He threatened not Il Pet. IL, 81
23). When we have to do with wicked
people, let us consider Him who endured
such contradiction of sinners against Him
self, lest we be weary (1cb. xii, -.
z. "Then said Jesus, Let her alone;
against the day Of My burying hath she
kept this" He also said, "She hath
wrought good work upon Nc; she did it
for Ny burial" (AIath. XVI, 10, 12). "She
hath done what she could; she is come
aforchand to anoint My body to the bury
ing" Mark xiv, 8. The women who
bought spices after He died and came to the
sepulchcr on the morning of the third day
to anoint His dead body did not find
dead body to anoint, but found a risen
Christ to greet them. They manifested
love- but not faith Many manifested
the faith which worketh by love.
8. For the poor always we have with
you, but Me We have not always" Mark
says that He added in connection with the
poor, And whensoevcr ye will ye may
do them good" Mark xiv, y. The law
said, 1.-The poor shall never cease out of
the land" (Dcut. xvi, 1D, and concerning
Israel in her time of suffering for her sins
the Lord SAID, II will also leave in the
midst of thee an afflicted and poor people,
and they shall trust in the name of the
Lord" (Zeph. Iii, 12). Such are spoken of
in Jas. ii, 5, as "the poor of this world,
rich in faith-and heirs Of the kingdom
which He hath promised to them that love
Him." What an honor to be permitted to
do anything personally for our Lord, and
He said that what Mary did would be
spoken of in all the world for a memorial
of her Mark xiv, 81.
8. "Thcy came not for Jesus sake
only" This is written of the Jews who
came to see Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised
from the dead. Does not the expression
describe many who attend public worship
and possibly some who preach and teach
and sing or work in works that are good9
Let us always apply it first to ourselves
Am 1 doing everything for Jesus sake
only?
10. "But the chief priests consulted that
they might put Lazarus also to death. !"
The rich man in Luke xvi who finds him.