Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-04-15
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL,
Lesson III.-SeCOnd Quarter, For
April 19, 1903.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.

Text of the Lessen, John xii, Iii
Memory Verse, Golden Text, |
John iv, documentary Prepared
by Rev. D. Nj. Stearns.
copyright, 1908, by American Press Association.
Having had a resurrection lesson
last week, we now take the regular les
son. as this also sets forth the power
of resurrection life. He is now near
ing the end of His ministry in a mortal
body. Another week and it will all be
over, but 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 xii, 49, He
is again in Bethany, in the home to
which He had so 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, 3, 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
Him." What a suggestive phrase that
is and how helpful it 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
~ now without being numbered duke
x, 40), and restful service is heavenly
occupation. At that last Passover Jesus
said. Il am among you as He that
.serveth" luke xii 20. and on anoth-
er occasion He said, THE Son of Man
came not to be ministered unto, but to
minister CNIatt. 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, 8, and be-
lieve 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 ard 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 8; Mark xiv 81. Luke does not
mention this incident. but he 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, $500. 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-
pies then present We do not wonder
that the thief treasurer coveted the
money which this ointment might have
brought. but he was disciple in name
only, and went out from them because
he was never truly one of them q John
ii, 19). 1t is little surprising to hear
the others talk so, but they did not I'M
derstand as Mary did, and they repre-
sent a 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 OVID
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 it 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-
Their 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
found fault with by even prominent
Christians, let them hear His LET her
alone" and cOvet only His approval.
Heed not what men may say. Christ
is the Judge, not they" AS worldwide
as the gospel has His commentator of
her gone. What a blessed memorial
and how much better than a memorial
window in q church or church organ
or even church building unless these
tend wholly to His glory and the sal
walton of souls. Some one has said that
in these three we have an illustration
of a well rounded Christian life-the
worship of Mary, which was very cost
ly; the restful service of Martha and
the power of the risen life of Lazarus.
If these could be seen in one person,
that life would be an epistle of Christ
| indeed. Although we have no record of
anything that Lazarus said, it is writ
ten that "by reason of him many of
the Jews went away and believed on
Jesus (verse ~. In the first chapter
we noticed that when men heard John
! the Rantist sneak they followed InSI1S