Mexico Missouri message., 1917-01-18
INTERNATIONAL.
SUNDMSQIOOL
LESSON
Lesson for January Il
FIRST DISCIPLE OF THE LORD
JESUS.
By e. o, SELLERS, Acting Director o,
the Sunday School Course In the Moody
Bible Institute OF Chicago)
copyright 1917, Western Newspaper Union.)

LESSON TExT--John 1853.
GOLDEN TEXT-Jesus saith unto him
follow me,-John 1A3
The words II see" or "behold" occur
fifteen times in this first chapter. John
was witness to the Son of Man. This
term, "Son of Man," occurs eighty
times in the gospel. The words "Come
and see," or their equivalents, occur
nine times in this lesson. This is
great invitation lesson. 1t would be
interesting if the scholars would tell
what the voices are which say,
"Come," and those which are urging
them to "stay" away from God. Beth
abara was probably two miles from
the fords of the Jordan, where John
baptized. Jesus was thirty years old,
just entering upon his ministry. Til
berius Caesar was the emperor and
Pontius PLATE the governor Of Judea.
I. The Son of Man Attracts Men,
wv. 35-39) not by his ethical teachings
nor alone by his works and his charac-
ter, but what he was and inspired in
others attracted men to Jesus John 10:
Az. Crowds still gathered around the
baptizer who changed the hearts of
men as by a SPELL" John, the Bap-
tier, brought terror to men. He broke
through the crust of self-righteousness
and Indifference, and compelled men
to see their need of forgiveness and
of a new life, but the time had come
when John must step aside, and Jesus
Ito increase" to begin his ministry.
Four successive days are noticed in
this chapter. Andrew ". 40), and
doubtless the apostle John, who wrote
this account, were the. two disciples
". 35) to whom John, the BaptiZer,
speaks. It is interesting to note the
different kinds of men who were at
tracted to Jesus; the aggressive Peter,
the reflective Thomas, the practical
Judas. He had what the souls of
men needed, and they followed. him.
Aware of their questioning, Jesus
turns to them with the question:
"What think ye?" the first recorded
words of his public ministry. This is
great testing question of every mans
life. What Is the aim and purpose Of
your life? Jesus, the kingdom of God,
goodness, righteousness, usefulness or
on the other hand selfishness, worldli-
ness, success, ambition, money, pleas
ure? These disciples who had listened
to this testimony of the baptizer, re-
piled that they wanted to know where
| hn 1Nyin hof
like to talk with him and discuss the
problems which were arising in their
minds. Three steps of Christian expe-
rience are here suggested. These two
disciples heard, they looked and they
followed. Other steps must come
shortly, but we must first look at Jesus
as the Lamb, if we are to follow him
as our example. We must believe
what he has done (Rom. 8 :25) before
we can ask what would Jesus do or
try to initiate him. 1t is by following
that we demonstrate that we have real
ly looked unto him and been saved.
II. The Son of Man Cares for His
Own. wv. 39-42). The instruction
which they received from abiding with
him impelled them, as we have already
indicated, to go out and spread the
good news. The greatest act in the
life of Andrew was the bringing of his
brother Peter to Jesus. Jesus changed
Peters name, and gave him a proph'
ecy of his future life and career. He
saw the possibilities within him
though it took much instruction, bitter
experiences, prayer and long abiding
possibilities. 1t is this passage which
gave rise to the organization of the
Brotherhood of st. Andrew, which has
adopted, first, the "Rule of Prayer
that of daily prayer for the spread OF
Christ's kingdom among young men
second, "The Rule of Service" to
make an earnest effort each week t
bring at least one young man within
the hearing of the gospel of Jesus
Christ. On the morrow Jesus would
go forth to Galilee, that is to the Eas
side, across the Jordan river, and or
the way he found Philip. 1t was PHILIP
who asked the question, "Show us the
Father" and of whom the question
was asked as to the resources suffi
cient to feed the hungering multitude
(John 6:5). John, the Evangelist
alone tells us about Philip. Philip saw
not only the resources Of Jesus, but h
saw union of the law of the prophet
! ". 45) in this Jesus, and therefore,
could and did invite his brother t