The Yale expositor., 1912-02-29

(Ths 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 king; his baptism was
in 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 its banner.
In the call of these first disciples.
we recognize the essential conditions
which We're TO underlie all subsequent
calls of discipleship. To discover these
conditions should be the purpose Of
all who teach this lesson. The
fundamental condition, or condi.
tons 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
God" The preaching of the Word of
God is always Z 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 it 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 10 pos
| sess. Let some ministers who, dur
| ing the hot months of The year, preach
| to but a corporals guard, go out into
! the open air and preach 10 the crowds.
The best way to reach the masses is to
so 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 little
while TO him. And they did. How
magnficently he repaid them is seen
in the miraculous draught OF fishes.
No man can surrender his business to
Jesus Christ without eventually be-
ing q 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
their own common sense tells them
there is no use in doing. This is evil
dent by the answer Of Peter: Lord
we have toiled all night and caught
nothing, nevertheless etc. The word
Lord" meaning "shipmaster."
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
We're to devote their lives to catching
men, not fish.
No man can enlist under the BAN
ner Of Christ, nor become q 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 10 the Christ and his
service. $50 likewise, whatsoever 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 il for him
and his kingdom. There con be no
question, however, but that ere we can
become Christs 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 it is just at this point Of
unconditional surrender that many PEG.
pic hesitate and ofttimes refuse 10
comply with the terms of disciple
ship.
Implied, yea, clearly stated. In 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 "Fishermen's Roll" on
which there is recorded each Sunday
the names of those who have brought
in new members. 1t IL a great work
to bring others to Sunday school and
to church; ii is greater still to bring
them to Jesus Christ. In the first
chapter Of John we have detailed &C.
count of how these disciples caught
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