The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1904-01-29
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson I'm the International Series
for January N, fDOf-Jesus
Calls Four Disciples.

John si3I.
OUTLINE or SCRIPTURE SECTION.
Removal 20 Capernaum. Matt f:lS-ls
Removal 10 Capernaum. .......... Luxe ~
Calling Of four dlscip!es......M Matt. 4:ls-Zz
Calling Of four ciscip.es........M Mark l.lb-1o
Calling Of four discip!es.........Lu Luke bl-ll
Time.-In medidatdely following the last
l~sson and before the events OF 4.Si-4S
Psace.-Shors OF the Sea Of Ga!Lee. near
capernaum.
NOTES AND COMMENTS
THE multitude" Not mentioned Ia
Matthew and Luke. The three accounts
should be read, as they supplevent each
other Jesus was now a prominent fg-
ure In Judea and Galilee, and though
He had just come TO Capernaum, His
fame had preceded Him. and and crowds
followed Him everywhere The word
OF Cod" Word from God Jesus
brought word" good news. communal
cation from God. The lake of Genne-
saret:" More commonly called the Sea
Of Galilee. II Is - miles long, and, at
one point. eight miles wide. When Je-
sus. who had been driven from Naza-
reth. descended TO tit lies $50 feet be-
low the level OF the seat was one OF
the most beautiful spots in the world.
The upper hills were covered with fine
oaks. and the lake was surrounded with
stately palms. Now the hills are bare
except for clumps OF thorn bushes and
thickets OF oleander. Few Of the palm
trees have survived. In the time OF
Christ there we're nine cities on the lake.
averaging Is 900 inhabitants each. Only
one remains. the miserable. fever
stricken town OF Tiberias. The lake is
no longer covered with the sails Of fish
Inc fleets, though II is still full OF fish.
Washing their nets" The nets were
4 similar TO the large seines used now.
Such nets always collect more or less
dirt. water-logged sticks and the weeds
that grow on the bottom. Taught the
multitude out OF the boat" The rabbis
always sat down to teach. This is one
OF the fascinating pictures OF Christ He
did not wait for them TO come to His
church. but He went TO them. He Joined
the fishermen at their work and taught
them while they worked from a boat.
and II was so that He won His first dis
ciples.
The final appeal OF Jesus to these
sturdy fishermen was a strong one. II
was not high logic. nor did II seek to
win them through their emotions. He
simply entered their sphere Of life and
made Himself one OF them. For the mo-
ment He was fisherman and a master
fisherman, and under His quiet direction
these men who had followed the sea ali
their lives accomplished what they had
not been able to do in a whole nights
toll They were amazed. impressed.
won. Nothing wins its way into the
heart Of the able and honest working
man like the discovery that one who is
distinctly above him. as men commonly
rate things. one who he himself sees il
far above him intellectually and spirit
ually. does not consider himself made
OF Better kind OF clay but knows like
a master the work IN which he is himself
engaged. Jesus showed the fishermen
mastery OF the sea which no man had
ever before approached. and this. in ad-
iition to the marvellous Gospel OF the
Father which He preached They were
His. heart and soul. from that day forth.
Master. we toiled all night" etc.
prter seems to have made the attemp.
more In Difference 10 Jesus than because
OF great hope OF success. At the same
time he had seen enough Of Jesus to
have confidence in Him even when He
spoke Of things not spiritual 1t was
real faith.
"Simon Peter, when he saw IT." His
full name is here given, for this is the
.urning-poin; in his life; he enters now
on a new career in which the new name
Is better nown."-Prof Riddle De
part from me-" etc: "St Peter did NOT
mean the Depart from me- he only
meant-and this was known to the
Searcher OF hearts, am utterly I'M
worthy to be near Thee. vet let me
stay "-Farrar. James and john"
The elder would probably be named
first. James was the first OF the disci-
pies to be martyred. John we know as
the beloved disciple" and author OF the
Gospel OF John. Andrew. who was prob
ably with Peter. is not mentioned by
Luke. Partners with Simon" The
first men Jesus took to work with Him
were men who had learned to work to-
gether
From henceforth thou shalt catch
men. Inc announcement 10 Peter
that he had a mission-that men. not
fishes. were 10 interest him from that
time on. And Peter believed Jesus. He
had seen too much OF Him 10 doubt
They left all and followed HIM" An
drew, James and John were called as
well as Peter. They were completely
won and cast in their lots with Him for
life. Now 1t was unbounded personal de-
votion. Later there was added to II &C.
votion to the cause II was a serious
time tor them. They could not took far
into the future. and II is a mercy they
could not In less than three years their
Master was to go to the galows or its
oriental equivalent, and few OF them
were to die natural deaths, but for all
that no men in the worlds history ever
had more blessed life than they. and
their names to-day are among those held
sacred in every Christian land
Figs and Thist1es.