The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1914-07-08
Sunday School Notes
Side Lights on Next Sundays Lesson
for Teachers and Pupils.
Edited by Charles X. Meyers
July 12-Greatness Through Service


July 12-Greatness Through Service
Mark 10, 32-45.
Our lesson for today is very i'm
portant. in that Jesus tells His dis
cipleS and all the rest OF Ills follow
ers as to His true mission upon the
earth, and the manner of life which
is most acceptable to Him. This il
lesson in which the last verse is the
best, but we will reserve it for that
time and talk OF the incidents leading
up to the declaration of Jesus, "Thc
Son of man came not to be ministercd
unto, but to minister, and to give His
life q ransom for many"
The time of our lesson is shortly
after the raising Of Lazarus from the
dead This was miracle which the
PhariSces could not explain nor deny
and the people We're enthusiastic in
their following of Jesus. 1t was be
cause Of His rising popularity thai
| His enemies decided that the only
way to secure a triumph for them
selves was to kill Thus while the
| multtudes We're ready to give Jesus
| kingly welcome into Jerusalem, the
ruling classes were breathing ou,
| threats of death which came to thg
| ears OF both Jesus and the disciples
Like the noble christian martyr that
He was, and in thorough line with the
declaration which we we quoted just
above. Jesus was ready to give His
10.
cples We're amazed and afraid when
they saw Him boldly leading then
| toward Jerusalem The action Of
Jesus ut this time has had many OK
cmp!ars in the days since His death
Thousands of men and women follow
ing tho lead of their Master have
| braved death, hatred, buffeting f1l
| His cause.
AS it was evident that the disciples
were looking for the establishment q.
a temporal Kingdom that Jesus shOuiI
! sit upon an earthly throne, overcom
ing His enemies by supernatural pow
or. He took pains at this time to a%
plain to the disciples the events
which we're soon to take place. He
| told them that he was about to go tC
Jerusalem where He should be deliv'
cred to the chief priests. who WoulC
condemn Him to death. deliver Hin
to the Gcntileg, that He would be
Knocked, scour%Cd. spit upon. put tc
death, but that on the third day He
should rise again. One cannot but ad
mirc the magnificent heroism which
Jesus displayed at this time in going
into Jerusalem where He knew in ev-
cry detail the fate which awaited
Him.
Even with this explanation CT the
events soon to follow, the disciples
could not rid themselves of the
thought of Il temporal kingdom They
| had many discussions as to who
should be the greatest. previously ant
at this time James and John. two OF
the most beloved disciples. came tc
Jesus asking that He would do for
them whatever they might ask. Jesus
met their requests kindly and asked
what He could do. To this they re-
SEonded, Grant unto us that we may
sit, one on thy right hand and the
other on thy left hand, in thy glory
How compassionate was the answer
Of the Savior. He did not reproach
them for their lack of understanding
but laid down broad principles for
tnelr guidance and for ours as TO the
things necessary to obtain high re-
wards from God. He told them that
they did not know the depth and the
meaning OF their request, and then
asked II they were ready to pay the
price; If they were ready to drink OF
the cup that he must drink, and be
baptized with the baptism which he
must receive. They promptly said
that they would and then He told
them that they would be called upon
to undergo great trials. bat advance
ment and place in the kingdom of
heaven would only so to those who
were deserving OF such by service in
His cause.
An entire book could be written on
paying the price" The entire life
experience OF readers tells them that
only through sacrifice and hard work
can things be accomplished in this
world. No che becomes proficient
pianist, stenographer. lawyer, doctor,
farmer without paying the price of
long weary hours, days and years of
preparation, and earnest endcavor
This is the way it is in the physical
world about us and the same is much
the case III the spiritual world or the
Kingdom OF heaven. To gain the
highest commentator from Jesus
means work for others.
Jesus then presented to His dis
clples the difference between power
in the present world and in the world
to come. He calls their attention to
the fact that tho kings, mobiles and
rulers about them gained promin encc
through intrigues, force, duplcity, ov
grooming with armies. but that in His
kingdom all was different, that those
who were the servants of all for His
sake would be the kings and queens in
the spiritual life beyond. He ends
up this talk with the remarkable dec
laration which we quoted in the first
paragraph that He had come not to
be ministered unto but to minister TO
others and to give His life q ransom
for many.
1t will be remembered that Jesus
ever taught humility and that He gave
practical showing of this when He
washed the feet OF His disciples on
the night in which He was BETRAYED
duty which was given over to the
lowest servants in the household. In
~, of