Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1912-04-19
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| The Sunday
School Lesson

Sunday School Lesson for April 81.
1912. ."M -% a,ga
THE APPOINTMENT OF THE
TWELVE.
Golden Text.--Ye did not choose
me, but chose you, and appointed
you, that ye go and bear fruit.-John
1915. #-t
Lesson Text.-Mark 3:7:19; Matt.
5:13-16. Commit Matt. 5:14. IL.
ca But Jesus withdrew himself
with his disciples to the sea: and a
great multitude from Galilee followed
him, and from Judaea, (8) And from
Jerusalem, and from ldumaea, and
from beyond Jordan; and they about
Tyre and Sidon, great multitude,
when they had heard what great
things he did came unto him. (9)
And he spake to his disciples. that,
small ship should wait on him be-
cause OF the multitude, lest they
should throng him. (10) For he had
healed many; inasmuch as they press.
ed upon him for to touch him, as
many as had the plaques. (11) And
unclean spirits, when they saw him,
fell down before him. and cried, say
ing, Thou art the Son of God. (12)
And he straightly charged them that
they should not make him known.
(13) And he goeth up into noun
tain, and calleth upon him whom he
would: and they come unto him. (14)
And he ordained twelve that they
should Be with him, and that he might
send them forth to preach. (15) And
to have power to heal sickness, and
to cast out devils: t16) And Simon
he surnamed Peter; <17) And James
the son of Zebedee, and John the
brother Of James; and he surnaMed
them Boanerges, which is, The SONS
OF thunder: tlS) And Andrew, and
Philip, and Bartholomew, and Mat
thew. and Thomas, and James the son
Of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus. and ST.
mon, the Canaanite, (1s) And Judas
Iscariot, which also betrayed him,
and they went into an house.
Time.-Spring, A. d. 20. Place
Galilee.
Exposiuon.--I. Jesus withdrawal
with his disciples, 7-I2. The multi
tude was not SO much attracted by
his wonderful teaching as by the dis
play of his healing power. He is do
ing great things today, the greatest,
not the healing of the body, but the
deIiverance of men and women from
sin. These multitudes gathered be-
cause of what they had heard"
Doubtless they had heard from those
who had themselves been helped. We
have heard an Illustration of the pow
er of testimony. Jesus was not pleased
with the notoriety that he was gaining,
but rather recoiled from It, Matt.
t2:16:21.0 How unlike many Of his
protested followers today. But the
crowd was in earnest, they fairly
pressed upon him to touch him. 1t
- those who had plaques ". 10)
who were most eager to get to him.
It lis always 3d. But, alas! men are
seldom SO much concerned about
their spiritual plaques as they are
about their physical plaques. We. who
have plaques today can touch him If
we will, and If we do, we shall be
healed. The very greatness and
eagerness OF the crowd neoessitated
his withdrawal from them. Nv. -
Even the demons recognized his pow
er Nv. 11D and those possessed with
them fell down before him, ard the
unclean spirits cried out, Thou art
the Son of Cod" They had knowl'
edge surprising that of the men, but
their, knowledge did not do them any
good. They recognized him because
they were compelled to, but they did
not acknowledge him from the heart.
Their falling down before him was
sort of anticipation OF that day
when every knee shall bow and every
tongue confess that Jesus Christ is
Lord (Phf1. 2:1e, ~. Our Lord did
not welcome testimony from such a
source ". IL; cf. Acts 1917. 49,. He
charged them that they should not
make him known. But neither would
he have the multitudes make him
known at that time. (Matt. II: 1921
He regarded the great crowds as a
hindrance rather than help to his
work. Popularity and crowds often
hinder a man of God today from do
in~ a roal Unrk
II. The appointment of the twelve,
1919. Jesus now provides for the
carrying on of his work, when he
himself should have gone. Ho gath
ers about him a company OF men
whom he will especially prepare for
I'll spread of the Gospel. Jesus made
choice of these twelve men after a
night spent in prayer. Iuke 6:12, 1877
There was great diversity among them
in temperament, previous history and
native ability. They are an impress
sive illustration Of the different types
of men Jesus can use in his work.
Matthew is the only evangelist who,
in his list Of apostles, records the
fact that he himself belonged to the
despised class of publicans., (Matt.
40:3.) The other three evangelists
cover the fact up. In each Of the
lists. Judas Iscariot is mentioned last
and his disgrace, as the one, (Which
also betrayed him." is noted in each.
The apostles are grouped in twos in
the various lists. The method fol-
lowed in the grouping Is worthy of
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 Iscariot. 1t
seems hardly sufficient to answer