The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1912-02-29


(This exposition of the lesson is
based on the narrative in Luke 5:1-11)
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
in a 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-
cr1iit the first r'embers of his king
dom, who, in addition to being mem.
bers of the kingdom themselves,
should also be instrumental in enlist.
ing others under its banner
In the call of these first disciples,
we recognize the essential conditions
which were to underle all subsequent
calls of discipleship. To discover these
conditions should be the purpose of
all who 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
ed upon Jesus TO hear the Word of
Cod" The preaching of the Word of
God is always a 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, Spurgeon, and
many others, breaches the Word of
Cod 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 1t 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-
Pile will not come to church, then let
us take the church to them. II 1t was
not beneath the dignity of Jesus Christ
10 hold open air meetings, 1t 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
the open air and preach to the crowds,
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
complied 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
magnificently he repaid them is seen
Ia the miraculous draught of fishes
No man can surrender his business to
Jesus Christ without eventually be.
ing a gamer by It, 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
thoir own Sommon sense tells them
tl,. is TO use in doing. This is evi.
ont ty E q answer of Peter: Lord
we hive toiled all night and caught
ncth'2g. ~"erthelesH," etc. The word
I'D" leaning "sh!pmaster."
CEriyt required from these men the
surrender Of ,ha.r whole lives. They
fccrook heir re 5, aad their business
; followed him. This was final and
complete obedience. Ever after they
to devote their lives to catching
men, not hsh,
No man can enlist under the ban
ner of Christ, nor become a member
Co. - .ngdom of God, who is not
wiling 10 make an absolute surrender
o. L.aoelf and all that he has and
exl ects to be to the Christ and his
se.yice. $50 likewise, whosoever he
be of you Il at 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. oftimes 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 nc
question, however, but that ere we car
become Christ's disciples there must
be the complete surrender of ourselves
to his absolute and authoritative con
troll, This is the crucial test of Chris
tianity. And 1t is just at this point oi
unconditional surrender that many peo
pie hesitate and ofttimes refuse to
comply with the terms of disciple
ship.
Implied, yea, clearly stated, III this
call to membership In the kingdom
was was the conservation of these
fishermen to the task of catching men
In some Sunday schools, there is kept
what Is called q "Fishermen's Roll" or
which there is recorded each Sunday
the names of those who have brought
in new members. 1t Is great work
to bring others to Sunday school and
to church; 1, is greater still to bring
them To Jeans Christ In the first