Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1910-04-06
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson Il.-Second Quarter, For
April 10, 1910.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Text of the Lesson, Matt. tx, IS, to x,
IS, 4o-42-Memory Verses, tx, 81, 49,
Golden Text, Matt. x, s-commentary
Prepared by Rev. D. M. Stearns.

prepared by REV. -. NJ. StearnS.
This is the only lesson we have on
the whole of that most important Sec
ton. chapter y, aud we begin with the
closing words of chapter tx. telling of
Jesus going everywhere preaching the
gospel of the Kingdom and showing
the power of the Kingdom In mortal
bodies, healing every sickness and ev-
cry disease. The shepherdless condi-
ton of the multitudes filed Him with
compassion for them. and the plenti-
full harvest aud scarcity of laborers
led Hin to say to His disciples, pray
yc therefore the Lord of the harvest,
that He will send forth laborers into
His harvest" There is something so
strangely mysterious about it all to us
earthly minded people that we can
not grasp 1t except the Spirit shall
enlighten us. Here is the Lord of
the harvest Himself. the King OF the
kingdom. manifesting His power over
the souls and bodies of people and over
wind and wave and full of compassion
for people. but He wants associates
from among men to whom He can
intrust His power that they may go
been doing. That is all wonderful, re-
minding us of lisa. vi, s. where we hear
the one living and true God in the
persons Of the Trinity saying. Whom
shall l send and who will so for us?"
The wonder on our part is that so
few respond TO such an honor. But
why should He ask us to ask Him or
His Father TO do this? Is 1t that in
asking Him we may offer ourselves,
saying, Here am l; send me?" Would
We be honest liz asking Jesus Christ
to send forth laborers into the wide
world to work for His great cause
II we did not first offer Him our
selves?
After an all night Of prayer to God
He had chosen twelve that they might
be with Him and that He might send
them forth. and now He gives them
all the power that He had been mani
Testing and sends them forth by two
and two TO preach the kingdom of God
and TO heal the sick Mark ill., 10; Luke
vi, -; tx, p When the kingdom comes
we shall find the twelve apostles (some
one in Judas place. on twelve thrones
ruling the twelve tribes of Israel
| (AIatt. xix. PSI. but II will still be His
/ power conferred upon them. 1t is
true now and always will be-apart
from Him, nothing. All power in
heaven and on earth is His. How is
! It that we know so little of 1t? Are
we not wholly His, fully yielded. SIM
/ ply trusting. willing and Obedienti
Has He not said, AS the Father sent
! Me. so send l you!' These twelve
were, however, TO go only to Israel at
this time, not TO gentiles or Samari-
tans oversees 3. G.. And to the woman
Of Canaan we hear Him saying. Il am
not sent but unto the lost sheep of
the house of Israel" Matt. XIV. 24). He
wOrketh all things after the counsel
Of His own will, according to His good
pleasure which He hath purposed in
Himself and we must be fully in that
purpose and will, whether it refer to
the Jew, gentle or the church of God
(Eph. 1, 0, II; Cor. Y, 32l. DR.. SEQ
field says in his notes on this chapter
that the mission of the twelve was
that of heraldS, announcing to Israel
only the kingdom as at hand, endued
with the divine credentials OF their
Office and manifesting kingdom pow
ers. Verses lG to % cover in a gen
eral sense the sphere of service during
this present age, while verse % has
in view the preaching of the remnant
in the time of the tribulation and i'm
mediately preceding the return OF
Christ in glory. The remnant then will
not have gone over the cities of Israel
till the Lord comes.
If any cannot receive this suggested
division let him lay to heart the gen
eral principles. remembering that all
need TO hear of the grace OF God, the
present salvation by grace, the daily
life of service. the enduement of the
Spirit for that service and the coming
of Jesus Christ to set up His king
dom.
In this age we are commanded to e,
into all the world and give the gospe
to every creature Matt. xviii. 49, 20
Mark xvi, 10, contrasted with Matt
K, O., our object being not the CONVEX
sion of any part of the world, but the
gathering out of all nations Il peopl,
for His name (Acts XIV, III, that Ii,
may come again with these called gu
: ones to reign over the earth Qsev. V
o, 10l.
4 We must give more attention TO be
ing faithful messengers than to carin:
). for our personal needs. If we ar,
FAITHFUL He will see to our need Mat;
, vi, SO; Ps. iy. 19,. 1t will help IL
10 remember that He counts all zoo.
or i'll treatment of His messengers "a
o done TO Himself (verses 22-25. 1912
4 Il Na