The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-03-30
The
unday=Sch0O
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COM.
MENTS FOR APRIL 10.
Subject: The Mission of the Twelve,
Matt. 9:35; 1918, 40, 42-
Commit Verses 9:37, SO.

GOLDEN TEXT.-"Freely we nave
received, freely give" Matt. 1913
TIME.-Spring, A. D. 20.
PLACE.-Galilee.
EXPOSITION.-I. Jesus Sending
Forth Those Who Have Learned OF
Him to Minister tt the Spiritual and
Physical Needs of the Masses, 1918.
Jesus made choice Of these twelve
men after a night spent In prayer
(Lu. 6:12, 13). There was great d.
versity among them in temperament.
previous history and native ability.
They are an impressive illustration OF
the different types Of men Jesus a
use for His work. Matthew is the
only evangelist who in his list OF
apostles records the fact that he be-
longed to a despised class, the publ
cans. The other three cover this tact
up. Matthew humbly writes the TACT,
and thus magnifes the grace OF Coo
in calling him. In each of the lists
Judas Iscariot is mentioned last, n
his disgrace as "the traitor is noted
in each. The apostles are grouped IN
twos in Che lists. The method fol-
lowed in the grouping is worthy or
study. The most difficult question
that arises in regard to the choosing
and sending of the twelve, is why
Jesus chose and sent out Judas lsca-
riot. It seems hardly sufficient to
answer that it had been predicted in
the O. T. that one Of His immediate
circle would betray Him FPS. Alb;
5~5:12-14), and that, therefore, Jesus
chose Judas, whom He knew to be a
devil John $40, I'D, in order to
fulfill this prophecy. The simplest
and most natural explanation seems
to be, that Judas had qualities that
would have admirably fitted him for
a place, in the apostolic company and
the leadership of the early church, II
they had been sanctifed. Grace gave
him the great opportunity, but he
hardened his heart and brought upon
himself the greater condemnation ana
infamy. The twelve were prepared
for the work by the Lords imparting
10 them power to do it (cf. Acts IA:
S. 81. The commission was at this
time to Israel alone. The middle wall
of partition was not yet broken down
(Eph. 2:13-1O. After the cross the
commission widens (Acts 1:S). the
apostles had a five-fold commission
preach, heal the sick, cleanse lepers,
raise the dead, cast out demons. rms
is substantially the business OF the
missionary of Christ at home and
abroad to-day. Our mission is to soul
and body, but Christ puts the spirit
ual need first. But the church has a
manifest mission to the sick, etc., but
it is moral "lepers" that it is our first
duty to cleanse, and those dead IN
trespasses and sins" that it IS our
most important mission to raise. 1t
is to be noted that this work of heal
ing was to be free" Any divine
healer or christian Scientist who
charges a fee for his services, thereby
shows the cloven foot. AND how
about the preacher who will declare
the glorious gospel only on condition
of being paid so much? Jesus must
have been divine if He could bestoW
such powers upon others ". u. II
is evident that demoniacal possession
is something o. than a mere form
of disease; for Jesus carefully distin-
guishes between casting out demons
and "all manner of diseases and all
manner of sickness" Every kind or
disease and sickness was to yield to
the power of the Apostles. These
powers were not confined to
twelve Apostles (Luke 1O:9-l9; Marx
1917, IS; l Cor. 1873; Jas. SID.
We do not hear much of most OF these
men after Christ's death, but that
does not at all prove that their work
was insignificant. Most of these men
were called from the lowliest posi-
tons in society. The substance of
their teaching was to be 1.-THE ling
dom of heaven is at hand" JohLrLnd
Jesus had begun their ministry with
the same message Och. 81; 4:l1).
And Jesus gave the same message TO
the seventy (Luke 10:S).
II. How the Twelve Were to Con.
duct Their Ministry, 9-15. Thetwelve
were to make no provision for the ne
cessities of their journey. They were
laboring for God, and the laborer is
worthy of his food, and the One for
Whom they were laboring would see
that they got it. They were to go
light weighted; many an ambassador
for Christ to-day is impaired in eff
cheney by the amount Of baggage he
carries G. Tim. 2:4). The exact let
ter of these instructions is not bind
ing upon ambassadors of Christ at all
times (cf. Luke 22:35, 36), but the
spirit is. Though they carried so lit
tie with them God never suffered
them to lack nor go hungry (Luke
22:35). The obedient, faithful ser
want of Christ will always be provid-
ed for. They were to seek out dill
gently worthy persons (not rich per-
sons) with whom to stop. and there
they were to abide. They must not
suuander time in going from house
to house to eat. The fare might be
plain, but they must not look for fine
fare. They need not feel like beg.
CARS, for they were worthy of their
hire (cf. Luke 10@O. Their first
thought on entering the home should
be for the good of the home, and not
for the comfort of self ". II; CT.
Luke 1915, g.. Their benediction
would be full of power; if the house
was worthy, their peace would come
upon it. If the house was not worthy
the benediction would not be lost, for
it would come back again and bless
them. True prayers are never lost.
1t was their W peace that the
twelve were to impart ". 13). When
they we're not received in any city,
they were to go out into the streets
in the most public, expressive and i'm.
pressive way show their utter separa.
ton from it and its impending doom.
TIL x~ o,~, - Lot SC dust