The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1906-02-07
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL

HE OUNDAY OCHUUU
LESSON VI, FIRST QUARTER, lNTERNA-,
rONAu SERIES, FEB. II.
Text OF the Lesson, Luke V, 1-IA'
Memory Verses, s, G-Go1den Text,
Eph. Y, documentary Prepared 0S
Rev. ID. NJ. Stearns.
lcopyright 1906, by american Press Association
Thus far we have had somewhat
connected story Of this most wonder
full life OF God manifest in the flesh,
but now we pass over great deal TO
reach this lesson Of today. From John
i, 10, to iv, "a, is all omitted. Other
events and teachings which are, in point
of time, before today's lesson are taken
up in later lessons Of the quarter. Al
though our lessons do not give US the
consecutive events, we may and should
for ourselves consider them. But in
every event Of His life and in all His
teaching we may see some new reve!a-
ton Of the Father and learn to know
Him better, and this IS the one great
aim of all ScrIpture-to make US to
know and trust Jehovah.
There Is that in the word Of God
which reaches and satisfies the heart OF
man as nothing else can. Anc as then
the people pressed upon Him 20 hear
the word Of God, sc It is still, as IS
evidenced By the thousands who gather
daily to hear the word through DR.. Tor
rev and from week to week to hear Mr..
Newell open the Scriptures, and in
some measure see it myself In the
hundreds who gather at my own classes,
often at most unreasonable hours, to
listen to simple eXpositions Of the
Scriptures. I cannot but believe that
those preachers make great mistake
who do not open the Scriptures to the
people. See Luke xiv. q, 45; Acts
viii, 25: xviii, %.
In Matt. iv, 1922; Mark |, 1920, the
fishermen are in their boats, either cast
ing net into the sea or mending their
nets. aad there IS no mention there Of
Jesus using a boat as a pulpit or Of
miraculous draft Of fishes, so that the
event of today's lesson must be some
thing wholly different. The only same
ness consists Of His dealing with the
same four men and Of their leaving
nets and boats to follow Him. But BE
was always dealing with these men,
and they received call after call to fol-
low Him, and it was not TIL after Bis
resurrection that they finally and: fully
got away from their fishing. Some are
expected to continue in the same &C.
cupatiou in which the Lord finds them
when BE saves them-"Let every man
abide in the same calling wherein he
was called G Cor. vi, 20). But, what
ever be the calling, the great thing is
to glorify God q Cor. II, 10, 20; Z, 81.
The life Of every believer consists Of
series of calls to leave one thing after
another untn we can. say Phil. lii, S,
but even then verses 13 and Il Will be
our experience. While we remain in
these mortal bodies there is no end to
the dying to self that ,he life Of Jesus
may be manifest QI Cor. ", 1D.
Let Simon's boat suggest to US our
bodies, which are called vessels III
Cor. IL, Z: n Tim. H. p; Jer. xviii, 40.
Are they at HIS disposal that he may
occupy them and testify out Of them?
He does not ask from US anything we
cannot give Him, but he does ask for
our bodies (Rom xii, 1, q that through
us He may minister by word and deed
to others.
II we make His service our delight
and IL. all things seek "Arst the king
DOM" BE will see abundantly to all
our need (Phil. ", 10; Matt. vi, 33).
Fishing was the lawful and honorable
occupation Of these men, and they We're
doubtless skillful fishermen, yet here
was whole nights toll and no result,
and after much better acquaintance
with Jesus they had similar expert
ence. We cannot but think Of His
words, "Withcut Me ye can do moth
lag" but more remarkable His words
concerning Himself, "I can Of mine
own self do nothing John 1v, 5; ',
3O). The nothings Of so called Chris
tIan work-the wood, hay and stubble
to be burned up q Cor. iii, 12-15)-will
be something appalling, for only that
which God works will stand.
They had toiled all night in vain,
and now in the morning the Lord says,
Launch out into the deep and let down
your nets for draft" (verse y. Simon
seems to think it useless, but he puts
the responsibility upon the Lord with
his Nevertheless; at Thy word" He
does no. seem to. obey cheerfully or
fully, for the Lord said, "Let down
your nets" and Simon said, II will let
down the net" as If one net would
easily hold all they would get that time
Of day. Our gracious Lord did not
allow the half hearted obedience Of
Simon to hinder the fullness Of the
blessing, but filed the net to the point
Of breaking and gave enough fishes to
fll both the ships" (verse .. he loves
to fill, whether it be boats with fishes,
or the hungry multitude with bread, or
His people with the Holy Spirit, and
He will yet FIJI the whole earth with
His glory.
Nothing can be compared with the
blessing Of the Lord which maketh
rich and to which our toll can add
nothing prov x, %. R. V, margln).