The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1904-01-29
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON v, FIRST QUARTER, INTERNAL
TiONAL SERIES. JAN. 81.

men who left all TO follow Jesus. 1t
would seem from John 1, 40-5l, that
Andrew and Simon, Philip and Ma
thanael had already begun to follow
Him. but evidently not to the extent
of forsaking all to follow Him fully.
After the people of Nazareth drove
Him out He made Capernaum His
home, and from thence He went about
all Galilee teaching. preaching and
healing all manner of sickness end dis
ease Matt iv, -, 23). 1t would seem
from Matt. iv, 1922; Mark /, 1920,
that Simon and Andrew took step
further in following than that recorded
in John i, and that James and John
heartily joined them.
On that occasion Simon and Andrew
were casting Il net into the sea, while
James and John were in the ship with
their father mending their nets. In our
lesson today the fishermen had gone
out of their ships and were washing
their nets. There is no need to try to
reconcile the records. Let them stand
as records of different events. In the
first they forsoOli their nets, but now
they forsake ALL The life of the be-
lever is Il series of separations from
sin and self and the world TO become
more wholly the Lords for His service.
According to gospel harmonies it is
probable that the sermon on the mount
Matt. V, = comes in between the last
lesson and this one. but the order OF
events is not of so much Importance as
becoming better acquainted with God
through Jesus Christ. AS we see Him
standing by the lake of Gennesaret.
the sea Of Galilee, we remember that
He made it and every living thing in
it, the river that flows through it and
the hills that surround It; all things
were made by Him and for Him (Col.
1, 16; Heb 1, g. John i, 49,.
The people see that He spoke as
never man spake, and they crowd
around Him TO receive the living
bread and living water which are in
Him. That He may separate a little
from the crowd and thus be better able
TO teach them, He steps into Simon's
boat and asks him TO push out little
from the land, and, sitting down, He
taught them out of the boat. We may
safely conclude that He taught them
out of the Scriptures the things of the
kingdom and the things concerning
Himself, and that His word was with
power, and that some believed and
some believed not; for He Himself
taught that the seed always falls on
wayside, rocky, thorny and good
ground. Blessed are all who receive
His word with meekness GAS. !, 2D.
Having used Simon's boat as a pulpit
He will reward him for the loan Of
it, and so He told him to launch out
into the deep and let down his nets
for a draft. No one ever suffered
/ loss by giving attention to the special
work of Christ, but multitudes have
/ been blessed for time and eternity by
obeying Matt. vi, SO. If we see to His
work He will see TO all our need better
| than we could.
There were plenty of fish in the sea
and they were no mean fishermen, but
"toiled and taken nothing" describes
the result Of their labor. 1t had been
thus far their skill, their wisdom, their
labor Now Ii is at His word that they
let down the net, and the result is two
boats filed with fishes. When He
works. whether ii be men or angels or
creatures, the one thing on their part is
obedience. Whether ii be n great fish
to swallow Jonah. or a little fish to
bring Il piece of money, or a multitude
Of fishes TO fill these nets, all are
obedient 10 Him. Jesus said, LET
down your nets" but Simon said, 81
will let down the net" Unbelief OH
our part is the great hindrance, yet on
this occasion our Lord wrought, not
withstanding Simon's lack OF faith. II
is our Lords way to fill empty vessels
and empty people, and one Of His very
precious words 10 us is, Blessed are
they that hunger and thirst after
righteousness, for they shall be filed
Oh Kings iv; Ex. xl; III Chron. V; Luke
tx; Acts ii; Matt. V, 6; Eph. V, 49,. He
oft allows us to toll in vain that we
may see our own helplessness and LEI
Him work.
When the Lord thus wrought, Simon
so saw his unworthiness that he cried
Depart from me, for / am q sinful
man, o Lord" Verse 81; and so it was
with others when they they saw the
glory Of the Lord Job Kill. 3. g.; lisa. vi
8; Dan. X, s: Rev. !, 10. We are yes
sells, earthen vessels. and If we would
let the Master have control Of us whC
can tell what great and mighty things
He might do? QI Cor. iv. Z; III Tim. II
81; Jer. XXXiii. b. In some unlikely
way, and perhaps through some veal
but empty vessel. the Spirit Of Goo
works and we all stand astonished.
When we are broken down and con
scious of our sinfulness and utter un
worthness. then we hear His Zeal
not" or peace be unto you" or othel
word Of quietness and encouragement
1t is only the proud, willful. rebelliou
and hard Of heart who have cause e
fear for all such God will humble an,
abase lisa. H. II. II; Dan. Nv. 80. Blu
those who have come to the end o
themselves He will bless and use.
AS to forsaking all. notice the con
| ditions on which we can become disci
r pies i'm Matt. xvi. "a: Luke xiv. 33. Al