Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1908-04-15
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL,
Lesson III.-Second Quarter, For
April 10, 1908.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES
Text Of the Lesson, John xii, Iii.
Memory Verse, 3-GoIden Text,
John iv, 19-commentary Prepared
BY Rev. .. Nj. Stearns.

by Rev. D. M. Stearns.
| Copyright, 1908, by American Press Association
Having had resurrection lesson
last week, we now take the regular les
son. as this also sets forth the power
Of Il resurrection life. He is now near
| ing the end of His ministry in mortal
body. Another week and 1t will all be
over. hut there was never a week so
full as this one 1t is now only six days
| till the Passover to which He so eager
" looked forward luke xxi. 10. He
is again in Bethany. IN the home to
which lie bad 50 recently brought such
joy. or if not in that home He was in
the midst of those whom He had made
so happy. The supper was in the house
Of Simon the leper Matt. XVI. 6; Mark
xiv, 81. but whether that was also the
home of Martha and Mary is not very
clear 1t may have been. but this is
secondary. Jesus and His disciples are
at the supper provided for them. and
lazarus Is there. too. Eat the table with
Him" What suggestive phrase that
Is and how helpful 1t would be If at all
our tables we remembered it! 1t would
tend to deliver us from much Idle con-
versation. Martha Is serving. apparent
ly now without being numbered duke
X, 40,. and restful service IS heavenly
occupation. At that last Passover Jesus
said. II am among you as He that
serveth" luke xii. 81. and on anoth
er occasion He said. 1.-THE Son Of Man
came not to he ministered unto. but to
minister Matt. Xxx. 2S). In the king
dom His servants shall serve Him"
REV. xii. 81. We are saved to serve.
One of the special features Of this les
son is the record of Mary's amounting
Of our Lord. He said that she came
beforehand to anoint His body for
burial Verse Z: Mark xiv. s.. and l be
lleve that she knew just what she was
doing, and, believing that He was to be
killed by cruel hands and that then
she would have no opportunity to do
this, she had obtained this precious
ointment and had watched for just this
opportunity. and now her love is quick
to seize it. as doubtless the Spirit
prompted her On His head and on
His feet she poured it and wiped His
feet with her hair. and the house was
filed with the odor Of the ointment
(verse 3; Mark xiv, 81. Luke does not |
mention this incident. but be does re-
cord another amounting earlier in his |
ministry by an unnamed woman in the |
house Of Simon the Pharisee, who first |
washed His feet with her penitential |
tears and wiped them with her hair |
duke vii. 36-50). We must not con-
found these two separate anointings |
nor attempt to name the woman of |
Luke's record Even the followers of
Jesus see things so differently from
Jesus Himself that this good work
was condemned by some of the disci-
piles then present We do not wonder
that the thief treasurer coveted the
money which this ointment might have
brought, but he was a disciple in name
only, and went out from them because
he was never truly one Of them Il John
Ii, l9J. 1t is little surprising to hear
the others talk so. but they did not IN
derstand as Mary did. and they repre-
sent great many believers today who
talk as If too much money was spent
on making Jesus and His salvation
known, while it seems to them all right
to spend very large sums on their own
church buildings or the church music.
etc
How differently He sees. and how
differently we will see and think when
at His judgment seat! If we could
have the mind of Jesus always. how
much better 1t would be. He never
sought anything for Himself, not His
OWN will. not His own glory. but al
ways did that which pleased His Fa-
her who sent Him. When those who
would lovingly and earnestly work
good works on Him or let Him work
His works In and through them are
'ound fault with by even prominent
Christians, let them hear His LET her
ilone" and covet only His approval.
Heed not what men may say. Christ |
s the Judge, not they" AS worldwide
Is the gospel has His commentator of
Ter gone What q blessed memorial |
md how much better than memorial
window in q church or a church organ
II even q church building unless these
end wholly to His glory and the sal !
alton of souls Some one has said that
q these three we have an Illustration
f q we'll rounded Christian life-the
Worship of Mary. which was very cost
y; the restful service of Martha and
he power of the risen life of Lazarus.
f these could be seen In one person,
hat life would be an epistle Of Christ |
indeed Although we have no record Of
nything that Lazarus said 1t Is writ {
en- that "by reason Of him many Of
be Jews went away and believed on
esus" verse IL. In the first chapter
7e noticed that when men heard John
he Baptist speak they followed Jesus. e
nd it should be so that when men see i
ur lives and hear our words they Il
hould be led to think of Jesus, not Of 8
s, and be drawn to Him. Some one e
aid that If one from the dead should o
eturn to earth people would believe, a
ut see the effect here Because Of the e
owerfu testimony Of the life Of the
sen Lazarus the chief priests con b
1lted to put him to death oversees 10, a
y. The phrase in verse 8, mot for q
esus' sake only" is suggestive and 6
earchIng and leads US to ask Am y
wing for Jesus only or IS there some {
ther motive also? We who live are ri
ways delivered unto death for Jesus II
Ike that the life Of Jesus may be o
ade manifest In our mortal flesh. c.
y