The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-10-28
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson v.-Fourth Quarter, For
Oct. so, 1910.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.


Text Of the Lesson, Matt. XVI, f-16.
Memory Verse, t3-GoIden Text,
Mark xiv, commentary Prepared
by Rev. .. M, stearns,
i We are to have FIVE lessons in this
chapter. the greater portion Of which
is recorded by Mark and Luke also
The first FIVE verses and the last three
are in the regular order OF events, two
days before the Passover. and Jesus
again announces that He is to be cru
cited Verse y. The record says that
not only had the chief priests. scribes
and elders determined to kill Him. but
they were actually consulting as to
how they could do 1t in a quiet man
ner without an uproar. for they feared
the people. Then entered Satan into
Judas, surnamed Iscariot. being of the
number of the twelve. and he went his
| way and communed with the chief
! priests and captains how he might be-
tray Him unto them" and for thirty
pieces Of silver he agreed to do it In
1 the absence of the multitude verse is:
/ Luke xii. 3-6l. Luke also tells US
| that during those last days He was in
the daytime teaching In the temple.
and at night He went out and abode
In the mount that is called the Mount
of Olives Cxxi 81. After such rec
ord concerning Him whose witnesses
we are and whose steps we are to fol-
low shall we ever again complain lie
we are hated for His sake. il one who
professed to be our friend joins tho
enemy against us.
The amounting by Mary Is recorded
by Mark and John also. but not by
Luke. In Luke vii. $3.50, there Is a
record of an amounting which was also
in the house of man called Simon,
but that Simon was no friend Of Jesus,
and the woman is unnamed and was
confessedly sinful woman
The event of our lesson today was
six days before the Passover, and 10
was at Bethany, in the house of Simon
the ieper. and Martha and Mary and
Lazarus were all present. They made
Him supper. and Martha served, and
Lazarus was one of them that sat at
the table with Him John xii. /. p. IL
was on that evening that Mary took
the pound OF very precious ointment
of spikenard and brake the alabaster
box and poured 1t both on His head
and on His feet as He sat at meat.
and the house was filed with the odor
of the ointment Compare the three
records. Mary. like the other woman,
wiped His feet with her hair. but the
other wiped her own tears with which
she had washed His feet. while Mary
wiped them after she had anointed
them with the ointment duke vii. SO:
John xii. 81. In the one case 1t was the
heartfelt gratitude of truly penitent
sinner. while In the other 1t was the
devotion of true worship and an
amounting beforehand for His burial,
for He said so. and He knew her heart
and her purpose. My own conviction
Is that Mary had received His words
concerning His cruel death at the
bands of His enemies and knew that
1t would therefore be impossible for
His friends to show any kindness to
His body then. as far as she could see.
and she had made preparation and
had watched for her opportunity,
which has now come. Can any one
say that He. knowing all things. had
not arranged this stop at Bethany spe-
cially for her sake? The other women.
who. like Peter and John and the rest
or His disciples. had not received HIS
sayings concerning His sufferings,
bought spices after His death and
burial TO anoint His body when the
Sabbath had passed. but they never
used them for that purpose, so that
Mary was the only woman who was
privileged to anoint Him for burial.
Those who receive all His words
have blessings beyond all others. Some
one has suggested that In the three,
Martha, Mary and Lazarus. taken to-
gether. we have what constitutes q
well rounded Christian life Lazarus.
the power of a resurrection life. be-
cause that by reason of him many of
the Jews went away and believed on
Jesus John xii. III: Martha. restfuI
service. because that here we do not
read of her being numbered. as on
former occasion: Mary. true devotion
and Worship for such is always cost
~. David said Neither will | offer
burnt offerings unto tile Lord my
God OF that which doth cost me notk-
ing" III Sam. xiv. 24). Let us pom.
der, as in His sight. the cost of our
worship of and devotion to Him. FL
naneially how does 1t compare with
our worship of self and the world? re
we become as devoted TO Him as Mary
was not only will some Judas crit.
rise us. but many professedly devoted
ones will find fault also. for. while no
one will. perhaps, condemn our love
Tor self and this present world. many
VIII protest against too much devo-
tion to Jesus Christ. Well. let them.
II only we can have His "She hath
done what she couldr "She hath
wrought good work on me" MARX
xiv. 6. 81. If fault finders with deyo-
ton to missions could by any means
hear His voice they would doubtless
hear a Let alone" "Why trouble We
them" Verse 10: Mark xiv. 81. Think
of the honor conferred upon Mary In
that a testimony concerning her love.
and devotion is given in all the world
Wherever the gospel Is preached. Oh.
how real devotion to Him ii needed in
our day, when all the world il open to
the gospel and the age of unparalleled
opportunity is fast closing. and soon
u n WrrffT H. -