The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-10-20
INTERNATIONAL BIBLE LESSON.


These parallels are spoken in answer 20 the
pharisaical mrrmuring against Jesus famili-
arity with publicans and sinners They set forth
the savior's acknowledged mission. in which He
and all heaven delighted-namely. the recovery
OF the lost. II woman loses a coin.
part of her dowry. does she despise IL because IL
Is lost; because. mayhap. IT is trampled in he
mire somewhere. or is corroded by exposure?
Not bit of it! On the contrary, her heart is set
upon recovery. She lights her hand lamp and
thrusts it into every recess and. as last re-
sort. she sweeps the floor and passes the litter
through her fingers. When the coin is found her
delight bears some proportion TO the intrinsic
value OF the coin. and to the length and ardu-
BUSINESS OF the search. So the apostate of
Abraham still dear to God; the publicans
too. who ALPHABETICALLY make merchandise out
of Israels servitude and fallen state. IL
is the sorry plight. the dangerous predicament
OF the lost sheep. which touches the faithful
shepherds heart TO pity. In peerless passage.
Frederick W. Robertson graphically pictures the
strong bond which maintains between the keep
and the flock. In this instance. the true shep-
herd, who is mere hireing. sees in magma
ton His dear lost sheep the mountains, cut
by stones, lacerated by thorns, until its snowy
fleece is dyed i'm its own blood. Its pteous bleat-
ing haunts his very dreams. He knows that
most tind and defenseless OF domestic animals
viii De the easy OF some rdNlSnlng beast
''out on the desert he hears its cry,
Sick and helpless and ready to die
The shepherd heart asserts itself Out into the
right desolation and danger he goes. None ever
knew
How deep were the waters crossed.
Nor how dark was the night that shepherd
passed through.
Ere he found his sheep that was lost"
But the sheep is found. and the joy is proper
tionate to the strength of the shepherds attach
ment. the perils of the search and the value OF
the sheep So each sinner and publican
is still one OF the favored flock. only astray and
imperiled To search. find and restore such a one
is divine work in which angels would fam
engage-in the contamination of which they
certainly permitted to rejoice.
KEY AND ANALYSIS.
l. Attractive power of Jesus. Exemplihed in
this instance-More universal. continuous and
divine than that of any other.
III. Criticism of Jesus Ground of it: His friend
ly bearing toward the outcast
Ill Jesus defense. Parallels setting forth the
need. method and happy result of recovering the
lost.
w. Parable OF the Lost Sheep. Especially sig
nifcant among shepherd folks Dangerous plight
of the lost. Emergency requiring strenuous ex-
ertion Joy OF recovery.
V. Parable OF the Lost Coin. Jesus effective
use of common incidents. Loss. search. recovery
Joy.
VI. Doctrinal bearing OF these parallels. The
genuineness and pitifulness of the lost condi-
ton Possibility and blessedness OF recovery.
VII. Blessed imminence of heaven. Inhabi-
tants observant of human experiences. Joyously
affected by moral recoveries.
THE STUDY LAMP
The primary use Of these parallels should not
be lost sight Of BY them Jesus justified His
kindly and familiar bearing toward publicans
and siAners-at which the Pharisees and scribes
were so outraged He showed the veriest rene
gade of Israel still the object of divine COM
passion, his restoration possible and a thing 10
be earnestly sought.
ders became one of the significant Christian en-
tlems In the earliest age of the church. 1t was
repeatedly carved upon the tombs and affairs
and frescoed upon the walls of the Catacombs
of Rome. 1t shows how the first disciples loved
and appreciated Jesus parable.
The charm OF Jesus a teacher is the way
he sublimates the commonest objects incidents
and operations. He wove them all with con i.
summate skill into the rich aryas of His peerless
sermons.
Joy in heaven-that Is the measure OF the sin
ner's reril- Were sin a episode a passing
incident, dilemma, extrication from which IL
easy. there would be nothing in that to set the
joy bells OF the skies ringing. 1t because
the sinner stands on the crumblng edge of hell.
on the brink of the lake that burneth with ire.