The Progressive West Virginian. [volume] (Williamson, W. Va.) 1911-1913, 1912-09-05
LESSON FOR SEPT. 8
rAE MISSION OF THE rwsLvl

LESSON TEXT Matt. s:s5 to lo:i5 and
j 1o:40 to I'LL
GOLDEN TExT-"He that receiveth
| me receiveth him that sent me."-Matt.
| 1o:4o
The first verse OF our lesson is a
vivid picture OF the life OF our Lord.
Going about from village to village,
he taught. healed and preached the
good tidings Of his new kingdom.
Why? Not only because OF his COM
passionate heart as revealed in the
second verse of the lesson, but also
as proof of his claims and. that be-
lieving We might have life through his
name" John 5000, 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 shepherd, 80
faint and weary as to lay down and
knowing that his great work was to
be carried on by others after he had
finished" 1t upon Calvary, he makes
special provision by choosing the
twelve and telling them definitely how
to carry on his ministry.
Jesus realized that no one 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 3S
by his practical method suggested In
verse OF chapter 10. His vision Of
! verse SO Is the passion of his life and
he intends 1t to be the passion OF our
lives. Truly the harvest is bountiful
the opportunity is tremendous. All
that is needed is helpers, hence our
first duty is to pray and our second "a
: accept his enduement for service
. Jesus sends forth those whom he tells
to pray.
Disciples Restricted.
Following this introduction we find
list OF the peculiarly chosen ones
who are to be his vice-gerents aftel
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 fina
: words Of the charge which In realit,
! amounts to a complete identification
: of his apostles with himself.
! Notice the grouping Of the Names
! OF these disciples. First the thret
Il who formed that inner circle. Peter
! James and John, and with them An
drew, who first brought Peter to Je
t sus John FAD. After these tn,
!, names are in groups Of two. and 1
. was as such they. were afterwardI
: sent out, Mark ST.. So we today ar
Q not alone, Matt. $40, Acts 1:8.
j Let US observe the restriction placed
upon these disciples. They are t
minister not to the Gentiles nor ever
the Samaritans, though Jesus did boil
! during his life, John A and Matt
J. 1922, but not SO these whom he nov
). is sending, at least not till his work 4
E complete and Israel has had Its da.
g Of opportunity. After Calvary this re
i striction Is removed, as We can SCI
4 from the book of Acts. OF cours,
+ this restriction Is not incumbent upol
/ u.s. We must not. however. forget tina
!. the removing Of this restriction doe
/ not remove our obligation to the Jews
The duty to evangelize the Jew IL still
I incumbent upon the disciples 0
. Christ.
' Another restriction Is in the mef
. sage and the method. The messag
: Is to be the good news Of the king
> dom. They are to herald forth" tina
: It Is at hand. That the Messiah ha
come. We are told that they are no
to force the acceptance Of their mes
sage. That In its proclamation the.
shall receive all sorts Of opposition
J That they must look well to thei
own character. they are to be as shee
amidst wolves, they shall be hale
Z before courts and potentates. but sue
persecution shall be witness agains
:. their prosecutors for his sake" Yea
!. they shall be hated Of all men an
compelled to fee from one village +
another. but wonderful reward shal
be theirs II they endure to the end
Bearing Of Disciples.
/. What Is to be their method? Firs'
, II is to be that OF absolute depend
I ence upon the Father. It 10 true tina
! Paul labored with his own hands. bu
: at the same time he accepted tn
!. bounty Of the churches and urged tina
!. such fruit might abound, Phil. All
. Is. II. Jesus is here teaching ms tn
! other lesson that the "laborer II VOL
thy Of his hire" The disciple II t
heal. The ministry Of hospital. nuri
ing and cody physicians IL marve
GUS fulfillment Of this command OF
:. serve well the ministry Of medics
!. missions. There 10 no greater insp
!. ration to the Christian church. Whs
I Is to be the bearing OF these disciples
!. II Is to be that Of dignity and sci
respect, see Luke 1915.
\. While It Is true the disciple IL I
: offer and not to force his messag
: upon the people. yet for Israel to n
ject was indeed worse state tina
that OF Sodom and Gomorrah. Tn
: overthrow and scattering Of the Jew
!. ish nation IL byword IN history.
As to the note Of compassion, "
should read all Of this chapter.