Middletown transcript., 1900-03-03
TIE SUNDAY oG,IIt,tUUL.
LESSON TX, FIRST QUARTER. INTER
NATIONAL SERIES, MARCH 4.
Text of the Lesson. Mark 1. 21-34.
Memory Verses. 32-34-GoIden Text.
Mark 1. 34-Commentary Prepared
by the Rev. ID. nj. Stearns.
copyright. 1900. by D. NJ. stearns.

by the Rev. ID. nj. Stearns.
copyright. 1900 by D. NJ. stearnsl
21. In our last lesson We saw Him in
the synagogue on tiIe Sabbath day teach
ing, and ii is thus we see Him in this
verse, but then it was at Nazareth: now
it is at Capernaum. When Peter and
Andrew, James and John, came to Him
in John and accepted Him as the Mes
siah, they evidently did not leave their
occupation to follow Him fully. so in
verses 16 to 20 of this chapter and in
Math. iy, 1922, there is the record OF a
call to fuller service, while Luke v. Ill.
describes another occasion and a still
later call. Then in John 81, after the
resurrection, they are taught still more
fully that He can provide without their
labors. and Simon hears his last Follow
thou Me-"
%. He taught them as one that had
authority" Every true messenger of
God should speak as an oracle of God {!
Pet. iv. 11), how much more our Lor
Jesus, who was God human for
Out of the abundance ni His heart
mouth spake that which father
Him to say John xii, 49 h. XII.
We are to receive our message only
God, be filed with His word and Sp
and speak as sent by God, whether m,
viii heed or not (Ezek. iii. 10. ~.
%, "a. A man with an unclean spiri
was present. Luke says. A man who
had spirit Of an unclean devil (iv, 33).
How any demon can be clean we are not
told, but this one may have been special
ly vile. There is but one devil, the father
Of lies and murderer from the beginning
(John viii, AZ, but there are hosts of
demons or evil spirits, his followers, who
seem to take pleasure in doing his bid
ding. They do not hesitate to testify to
the divinity of Christ and to His power
to destroy them. Those in Gadara said.
Art thou come hither to torment us be.
fore the time? (Math. viii, 29.)
20, 26. Hold thy peace and come out
Of him" Thus said our Lord, and the
demon obeyed Him. In the last verse of
our lesson (34) we read that He cast out
many devils or demons and suffered them
not to speak because they knew Him. 1t
was His word that did it. He cast out
the spirits with His word (Math. viii,
16). He rebuked the demon, not the
man. He hates sin, but loves the sinner.
We are apt to dislike the sinner without
taking SO much notice of the sin. Ask
the Lord to cast it out, and we must not
receive all who talk good, for there are
those who show love with their mouth
while their hearts are full Of coyetous.
ness tEzek. xxxiii, 81. The more we are
Had wit n.I L. -.
will be for any demons In us, for next to |
God Himself there is nothing they hate
as they do His word. His word in us |
sanctifes us and keeps us from sin and |
from evil ways John xvii. II; Ps. cxix, !
II; xvii. ~.
~. They were not acquainted with |
power like this. They did not know thst |
this man had all power in heaven and on |
earth and that He could give to others
power over all the power of the enemy /
Iuke <. 10). II people who are troubled
with peeyishness, fretfulness, temper,
anger. Jealousy and such like would rec. /
ognize these as the work Of evil spirits
and look to Him, saying trustfully. !
''Thine is the power" who can tell what |
wonders might be wrought to the glory
Of God?
2S. Immediately His fame spread
abroad. If all the redeemed would tell |
Of Him. how quickly His fame would
spread. Why not let every believer take
as motto: My mouth shall show forth
Thy righteousness and Thy salvation all
the day. will make mention OF Tby
righteousness. even of Thine only" tps.
Xxi. 10. lGD-and obey the command in
lisa. xii. 4. 5-"Declare His doings among
he people: make mention that His name
8 exalted: sing unto the Lord, for He
hath done excellent things" thus remem.
oering that We are here to show forth
Ills praises who hath called us ont az
darkness into His marvellous light II PET.
/. 81.
29 Happy are those who take Him
lome from the public worship with them.
or many seem to bid Him goodby when
hey leave the church and expect to fpd
Him there when they come again. hut
'etween services they seem TO have no |
lse for Him.
~. It does not seem to have been a
,ood time at Simon's home to bring com.
ANY home from church, and 1t might be
interesting to know how Simon's wife
ook It. her mother being sick, but II Ger.
ainly turned out all right. They at once
ell Him OF her. The word "anon" n
his verse and forthwith. and .simmedi-
teiy'' 10 the two preceding verses are all
ne same and In the revised version
translated by the word ..straightway.'
Tord used about 80 times In the whole
Few Testament and about 10 Of those II
bis gospel and II OF the 40 in this first
hapter.
81. His hand takes hers, the fever Il
lstantly gone. and she takes part 10 the ;
ousehola duties She ministers into
lem. Was Il not good thing thar He
nme home with themi How much t6ey
light hare missed II Simon had said
Lord. would like 10 take you home
'ith me today but nv wife's mother Il
ck, and L will not be convenient.O Oh.
ow much we miss II we are not continu.
" With Him and III fellowship With
i'm :
81 %. AZ eren, when the suu did -
Z fne eisz came togefher With theiE