The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1914-01-21
INTERNATIONAL,
SUMMSQ100L
LESSON
(By E. o. SELLERS. Director of Evening
Department. the Moody Bible Institute,
Chicago.) ~,
LESSON FOR JANUARY rs
JESUS.

p" ..~SStH III - al.
SERVING JESUS.
LESSON TExT-Luke' s:l-s; s:57-s2;
GOLDEN TExT-'Inasmuch as ye did
It unto one OF these my brethren, even
49, sss isAS' 70 aiu II unt0 me
H. ,.Ia g3- ~
The first section oftour lessen text
has no connection with the other two.
1t is taken from g time several months
previous to the time of the Perean
ministry and was undoubtedly chosen
as In indication of the company who
travelled with Jesus and his disciples,
and who provided for his needs. We
must remember that Jesus was not
supported by q board. a church, mo by
some philanthropically inclined fellow
citizen. It Is to the second two sec
tions therefore that we devote 0 u
chief attention. adf
a Different Glasses.
I. Those who would follow Jesus,
9:57-62. Read carefully Matt. 8:19-22. 7
Three different classes are here repre-
scented. (1) The impulsiye follower
". 81, 58). This Is the man who is
moved by a sudden desire to accom-
pany this marvellous Teacher, but like
the mar in the parable, does not sit
down and count the cost ere he starts
to build his house. This thought Is
emphasized when we read fMatt8 :19)
that this man was a scribe, one who
would not be expected to make such
a resolve. He must have been deeply
stirred by what hethad seenland heard
in the lifejo Of Jesus. Such q resolve
promised well, but 1t Is soon revealed
to him that he did not realize what
was involved in his promise ". 3d..
Jesus showed the man that to go
"whithersoever" with him means to
share his experiences, his fare, his
quarters, and to receive the same
treatment he received, 2 Tim. 3:12. IL
is a mistake to tell folk that the road
of righteousness is q primrose path.
The road of disobedience iS q rough
one, as the man who went to Jericho
found, still the road Of righteousness
Is a narrow one, Matt. 1913, IA. Every
| follower Of Jesus must be willing to
take what he took, and to receive
what he received, John 1920; 1 Pet
1921. 3
This sentence ". 5s) has done
more to give us a comprehension OF
the earthly surroundings Of our Lord
than any other In the gospels, 2 Cor.
$40. (2)+The procrastinating follower
". $50. Jesus did not forbid the first
man, he simply showed him what was
involved. This man, however, Jesus
invited to a place as discipleAearnera
That he was willing to accept is evil
dent, only he was not yet quite ready
81 will, but It is not at all proba5;
BILE that this mans father was await
ing burial: had his father but Just
died, and awaiting burial, Jesus would
not have prevented. Rather he was
Indicating a father about to die and
that he would follow after his fathers
death. Hence the sharp words Sof he
Master. Let the dead bury the dead
A proper duty, a sacred duty, but not
30 proper nor so sacred as to have pre-
cedence over the claimssof Jesus, Matt
6:33; 1887. Men do not as q rule
miss opportunities to make money, to
serve their ambitions nor to crafty
their desires, by the excuse Of waiting
to look after aged parents. Jesus
would have us bury the dead when
they are dead, not to neglect them
while living by any means, but atlthe
same time to follow him. 90 The IT.
%resolute follower Wv. 61,62}. This man
was not troubled so much with going
back as with looking back. Ultimately
he intends to follow, but his desire Is
still with others than being set upon
Jesus. Like Lots wife, he is looking
back rather than embracing the OPP
p~ortunity to follow. This generally
ends in forgetting to follow at all, zee
Luke 1882 and Gen. 1925. Such mes
are not fit for the kingdom, g. 6, are
not ready. to enter, nor are they realy
desirbus to enter, Phil. 3:13; Heb.
/ 1898, 80. Jesus reference to the
plow Nv. 62) recalls the call OF Elisha.
He with safety did bid farewell TO
loved ones and returned to worship
with the prophet, 1 Kings 1s:19-2l. Je-
sus intimates that such a step is apt
to be frauSht with fatal consequences.
It Is in this case, the spirit Of resolu-
ton that Jesus commends. No furrow
can be plowed straight, when he who
holds the pillow is looking backward.
Ever Ready to Serve.
II. Those who did follow Jesus,
1O:3S-42. We now turn to consider
this little company who were aver
ready to serve our Master. From v. BE-
we know that not every home was
open to receive Jesus as was this one
in Bethany, John ILL. Though this
was Martha's home (10:3S), and there
fore she felt the burden Of hospitality,
yet she did not hear the word as did
her sister Mary, Mark 4:19. Martha
was occupied with duty and Mary,
with Jesus. Martha was occupied with
many things, Mary was occupied with ?
the zone thing needful." The result
was that Martha was "distracted'
I'd w uhiIe Mary WAS at rest. Jesus