The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1900-05-18
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON VIII, SECOND QUARTER, IN
TERNATlONAL SERIES, MAY 20.


copyright, 1900 by D. NJ. stearns.l
l. "The same day went Jesus out of
the house and sat by the seaside" AL
though these words describe an actual in
cident in His daily life, they are very
suggestive of His leaving the house of
Israel to gather from the sea of nations
a chosen people who win share His king
dom with Him. Having determined to
kill Him q2-14), He began to speak in
parallels that unbelievers might not UNI
derstand the secrets of His kingdom
oversees 10, III, for the secret of the Lord
is with them that fear Him, and He will
shew them His covenant FPS. XIV, Ia.
.. He went into ship and sat, and
the whole multitude stood on the shore"
We think of His teaching from Simon
Peters boat on another occasion duke
V, 81, and we sought to learn then that
He will use any vessel that Is yielded to
Him. He will use any one who is will
ing to let Him live in them and speak
through them. The power either to live
or speak is all of Him. and we have the
treasure in earthen vessels that the ex-
cellency of the power may be of God and
not of US III Cor. iv. y.
3. Behold a sower went forth to SOW"
He begins series of seven parallels, all
spoken on this same day. with the parable
of the sower. Four of the seven were
spoken publicly and three privately in
the house to the disciples only. The
whole seven cover this present age, the
mysteries of the kingdom verse ~, or
the time between the rejection and the
restoration of Israel. The explanation of
81 1 ! Il 81 . H. st.
tares was given to the disciples privately
when they were alone with Him in the
house Mark iv, 10). The sower soweth
the word. The seed is the word of God
Mark iv, IA: Luke viii. III. 1t will new
er return to Him void. but will accom-
plish all His pleasures Qsa. ", III.
A. Some seeds fell by the waysde, and
the fowls came and devoured them up"
In Luke viii, 5, it is added that it was
trodden down. The four different kinds
of soil describe the four different classes
who hear the word of God. Only those
who hear the word of God are included
in these parallels, and we see In them
how the word of God will be treated by
those who hear it during the whole of
this age or dspensation It'll He come"
IS. 49, Our Lords own explanation is
that the wayside hearers are those who
hear. but for some reason do not under
stand, and the wicked one, the devil, rep
resented by the birds, catches away the
word lest they should believe and be saw
ed. Those who have always heard the
gospel, but have never with meekness
received the word Jas. i, 81; John xvii,
| s., yet continue to sit under the preach
| ing of the word from week to week, are
some of these wayside hearers. They
have heard it all again and again. and to
them it is the same old story and unat-
tractive. They count themselves reli-
| gious because they go regularly to church.
at least once a day. and always contrib
ute something to help pay expenses. Per-
haps they are church members in good
standing; they may be trustees or even
elders, but whatever they may be before
men. if they have not truly received the
Living Word. even Christ Himself John
/. II: John V, 12l. they are not saved,
5, 6. mo deepness of earth. and when
the sun was up they were scorched; and
because they had no root they withered
away" Luke viii, 6, says. ut withered
away because it lacked moisture The
explanation in verses 20. 81. is that these
| hearers receive the word with joy, but
cannot stand tribulation or persecution
| for the words sake. or as Luke viii. 10.
says "In time of temptation fall away"
These, like the wayside hearers. are not
saved people. They can and do seem to
appreciate good sermon; they talk with
interest of some of the things Of God
and as long as all is well with them they
seem to be real Christians. but when 'ley
are in trials for Christ's sake or arr, s3o-
ken against by others who bear His IL. 70
% oh th,,..t ,. .
or of such people; they do not see Jesus
only" they are not staid upon Jehovah;
they are absent from church and prayer
meeting and soon back in the world,
where they really belong. They are de-
scribed in Heb. vi. 4-6: John ii. 10. etc.
z. "And some fell among thorns. and
the thorns sprung up and choked them"
Mark iv. Z. says, 1T yielded no fruit"
The explanation in verse % is that the
cares of this world and the deceitfulness
Of richness choke the word, and it becom-
eth unfrutful Mark Nv, 10, adds. ''The
lusts of other things" Luke viii. ID,
says they bring no fruit to perfection. 1t
seems to me that this class of hearers
represent saved ones who will be saved
as by fire Il Cor. Iii, 15) saved. but with
out rewards; no crowns to cast at His
feet; Christians. but not disciples: glad
to be saved by Him. but not willing to
deny self and follow Him. The cost of
salvation was wholly paid by our Lord
Jesus Christ and is a free gift to every
| true penitent. but the cost of discipleship
falls upon the saved one who, If he would
be disciple. must forsake all and follow
Christ.
| s. "But other fell into good ground
and brought forth fruit, some an hun
dredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirty
fold" Mark iv, 8, says, Fruit that
sprang up and increased" The explana-
ton in verse % is that the good ground
represents those who hear the word and
understand it. or as in Luke viii, 10.
''They who in an honest and good heart,
having heard the word. keep it and bring
forth fruit with patience" From John
XIV we learn that the one thing God seeks
in us is fruitfulness, fruit. more fruit.
much fruit. that the Father may be
glorifed "Filled with the fruits of
righteousness which are by Jesus Christ,
unto the glory and praise of Cod (Phil.
/. 1n. the fruit Of the Spirit, which is
love, Joy, peace, etc. Gal v, 22). Now,
while it is this last class that the Lord
seeks, He sees that the other three classes
will exist all through this age until He
come again, and yet He is not discour-
aged Elsa. xiii. ~. His word will accom-
plish His pleasure lisa. ", III. There
Is therefore no room for the child of God
to be cast down as he faithfully sows the
incorruptible seed Of the word of God
and does not see the results which he
thinks he ought to see. Some will fall
| by the wayside. some on the rocks where
there is but little soil. some among thorns
and some on good ground. Let us for
Il.