The Green Forest tribune., 1912-03-01

based on the narrative in Luke 5: l-ll.1
 Already in our previous lessons we have seen Christ as the founder of the Kingdom of Heaven upon the earth. He was born a king; his baptism was la sense the inauguration of the king; the temptation. the testing Of the king. Being himself thus pre- pared, we see him starting out to re- cruit the first members of his king dom, who, in addition to being mem- bers of the kingdom themselves, should also be instrumental in enlist ing others under it's banner.
 In the call of these first disciples, We recognize the essential conditions which were to underlie all subsequent calls of discipleship. To discover these conditions should be the purpose of all whe teach this lesson. The fundamental condition, or condi- tions underlying entrance into the Kingdom of God, are forever the same with each succeeding generation. The gifts and calling of God are without change"
 We are told that the crowds press cd upon Jesus to hear the Word of God" The preaching of the Word of God is always drawing card. The crowds have not wearied of the preach ing of the gospel, but only of the aver age preacher who fails to preach the gospel. Wherever you find man who, like Moody, Torrey, Sturgeon, and many others. breaches the Word of God, there you will find the streets full of men and women still pressing to hear the message. Fire will always at- tract those who are cold and food those who are hungry. So will the preaching of the simple gospel attract the hearts of men for whom it is pre- pared. The world was made for the gospel, and the gospel for the world.
 All great sermons in the Bible were preached in the open air. If the peo- pie will not come to church, then let us take the church to them. If 1t was not beneath the dignity of Jesus Christ to hold open air meetings, it surely cannot be beneath any pretended and assumed dignity We may profess to pos sess Let some ministers who, dur ing the hot months of the year, preach to but a corporafs guard, go out into the open air and preach to the crowcs. l The best way to reach the masses is to go after them
 | Jesus requested of these men the loan of their boats, and they at once compiled with the Masters request. In other words, he asked these men to surrender their business for a little while to him. And they did. How magnifcently he repaid them Is seen in the miraculous draught of fishes. No man can surrender his business to Jesus Christ without eventually be- ing a galner by 1t. He shall receive hundredfold more in this life, and in the world to come life everlasting"
 Next, Jesus requires that these men recognize him as Knowing more about their business than they do them selves. He requires them to do what their own common sense tells them there is no use in doing This is evil dent by the answer of Peter: Lord we hays toiled all night and caught nothing, nevertheless" etc. The word Lord here probably means ship master" one set over boat, and is re- markable as used in this connection. The word nevertheless" indicates sur render of their thoughts and plans to Christ
 Christ Required from these men the surrender of their whole lives They forsook their nets, and their business, and followed him. This was final and complete obedience. Ever after they were to devote their lives to catching men, not fish.
 No man can enlist under the ban. ner of Christ, nor become a member of the Kingdom of God, who is not willing to make an absolute surrender of himself and all that he has and expects to be to the Christ and his service "So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath he cannot be my disciple" Of course, Christ may not, in fact does not call upon us all to leave our daily vocation and become preachers or mis. sionaries. No; ofttimes he calls upon us to do what is very much harder to stay in business and use 1t for him and his Kingdom. There can be no question, however, but that ere we can become Christ's disciples there must be the complete surrender of ourselves to his absolute and authoritative con- tro1. This Is the crucial test of Chris tianity. And it is just at this point of unconditional surrender that many peo- pie hesitate and ofttimes refuse to comply with the terms of disciple ship.
 Implied, yea, clearly stated, in this call to membership In the kingdom, was was the consecration of these fishermen 10 the task of catching men In some Sunday schools, there Is kept what Is called "Fishermen's Roll," on which there is recorded each Sunday the names of those who have brought in new members. It is a great work to bring others to Sunday school and to church. 1t is greater still to bring them to Jesus Christ. In the first chapter of John we have detailed ac. count of how these disciples caught their first fish" for their "shipmas- ter" Let us first of all be "still-f1sh- ers;;" seeing to 1t that those in our homes and Sunday schools are caught for Christ. But let us not rest con- tent with that. Let us try to win the outsider for Christ. No good fisher man stays In one place all the time. He moves about from place to place. The Master went about" doing good Let us follow his example