The Oakes times., 1912-08-29
INTERNATIONAL.
SUNlNSC000L;
: LESSON
(By E. o. SELLERS. Director of Evening
Department, The Moody Bible Institute,
! Ch!cago)
LESSON FOR SEPT. 8
THE MISSION OF THE rwELv

second verse Of the lesson, but also
as proof of his claims and, "that be.
lieving ye might have life through his
hame," John 20:30, 81. This does not.
however, lessen the force of this Sec
ond verse, for Jesus as the true Shep.
herd was indeed touched with feel.
ing Of our infirmities." Seeing the
multitude thus without a shepherd, so
faint and weary as to lay down and
knowing that his great work was to
be carried on by others after he had
finished" it upon Calvary, he makes
special provision by choosing the
twelve and telling them definitely how
to carry on his ministry. {;
Jesus realized that no ono man can
minister to all others except as he
multiplies his personality In the lives
of others. So 1t is that he gives the
church of today powerful example Of
how to answer the prayer of verse 38
by his practical method suggested I'M
verse 1 of chapter 10. His vision Of
verse 36 is the passion of his life and
he intends it to be the passion of our
lives.
Disciples Restricted.
Following this Introduction we find
list Of the peculiarly chosen ones
who are to be- his vice-gerents after
his passing, and from verse on we
find the charge he delivers to them.
There is In this charge, first, the note
Of limitation, verses to Is; secondly,
the note Of warning. verses 16 to %,
and thirdly the note of comparison,
verse "a to the end of this chapter
and including 1911. True, in this les
son we have only the first section, the
Limitation together with the final
words Of the charge which in reality
amounts to complete identification
of his apostles with himself and his
life Of ministry.
Notice the grouping of the names
of these disciples. First the three
who formed that inner circle, Peter,
James and John, and with them An.
drew, who first brought Peter to Je-
sus John 1:41). After these the
names are in groups of two, and it
was as such they were afterwards
sent out, Mark ST. So we today are
not alone, Matt. 2S:20, Acts 1:S
Let us observe the restriction placed
upon these disciples. They are to
minister not to the Gentiles nor even
the Samaritans, though Jesus did both
during his life, John 4:4 and Matt.
1922, but not so these whom he now
is sending, at least not till his work is
complete and Israel has had its day
pf opportunity. After Calvary this re.
striction is removed, as We can see
from the book Of Acts.
Another restriction is in the mes
sage and the method. The message
fs to be the good news Of the king
dom. They are to herald forth" that
1t is at hand. That the Messiah has
come. We are told that they are not
to force the acceptance of their mes.
shall receive all sorts Of opposition.
That they must look we'll to their
own character, they are to be as sheep
amidst wolves, they shall be hailed
before courts and potentates, but such
persecution shall be q witness against
their prosecutors for "his sake" !;
Bearing Of Disciples. ::
What is to be their method? First.
1t is to be that Of absolute depend
ence upon the Father. It is true that
Paul labored with his own hands, but
at the same time he accepted the
bounty of the churches and urged that
such fruit might abound, Phil. 4:10,
10 Ia Hfv,cY th<S
other lesson that the ''laborer is wor.
thy of his hire" The disciple is to
heal. The ministry of hospital, nurs-
ing and godly physicians is a marvel.
GUS fulfillment of this command. OBJ;
serve well the ministry Of medical
missions. There is no greater inspi-
ration to the Christian church. What
h to be the bearing of these disciples?,
1t is to be that Of dignity and self;
respect, see Luke 1875.
While it Is true the disciple is to
offer and not to force his message
upon the people, yet for Israel to re-
dect was indeed worse state than
that Of Sodom and Gomorrah. The
overthrow and scattering of the Jew
tsh nation is byword in history.
, AS to the note of compassion, we
should read all of this chapter. ,
Remember the dignity of our work.
Remember that we 60 in the name Of
One who came to "shew forth the Fa-
ther." Remember that as we thus
"forth-tell" and shew forth our Father
and that as we receive others and 9th
ers receive US we honor the Father.
Social service is good, but let it be
done in the name Of disciple and to
the glory of God the Father. Such,
indeed, is the practical life of the
called ones who follow in the steps
of him who came to minister and not
to be ministered unto.