The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1918-01-11
uuaovEp muuRa INTERNATIONAL
SUNlMSM00L
LESSON
by E. O. SELLERS. Acting Director OF
the Sunday School Course Of the Moody
Bible Institute, Chicago.)
Copyright 1917. Western Newspaper Union-J
LESSON FOR JANUARY 13
JESUS BEGINS HIS WORK.

LESSON TExT-Mark 1:12-22
GOLDEN TExT-Repent ye. and believe
in the Gospel
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL FOR
TEACHERS-Matt Gill: s:1s-2 Luke 4:
lib; s:57-s2: Heb. 4:14-ls: Acts s:l-s: John
l34-ss.
PRIMARY ToPIc-Jesus chooses four
helpers.
MEMORY vERsE-Come ys after me-
Mark 1:I7.
INTERMEDIATE TOPIC - Overcome
MEMORY verse; Cor. 1s:13
SENIOR AND ADULT TOPIC-How Je-
sus faced his task
| I. Introduction wv. IL. 13). Mark de-
votes little or no attention to the early
I Incidents Of the life Of Jesus, and only
suggests the events Immediately fol-
lowing his baptism. Indeed, for the
record of the Temptation and the Ser
mon on the Mount, we have TO look to
the other Gospel writer's. In teach
I Ing the lesson we must not. however,
overlook making some reference to
these two outstanding events in the
I life of our Lord.
/ u. John the eaptiEer wv. IA. 15).
/ This section not only disposes Of John
as having been put into prison. but
! Immediately plunses Jesus into his
public ministry Jesus entry into
Galilee was a part of his connection
with John, inasmuch as he withdrew
himself TO that place tSee John 4:l1Se-
and made Capernaum his headouar-
ters (Matt. 4:13). The message here
recorded as proclaimed by Jesus was
the identical summons which John the
Baptizer had uttered. Jesus speaks
of this new kingdom as heirg already
come. referring. of course, to his own
person and ministry, but in Its actual
establishment it was not really "at
hand" until he shed his blood upon the
cross and the Holy Spirit descended on
the day Of Penteeost, when there was
opened the fountain for sin and un-
cleanliness for the world at large.
III. His Helpers Called. wv. 1920.
In this record. we have the call OF
/ four of his helpers: Simon. Andrew
/ his brother, James and John his
/ brother, the latter being the sons OF
/ Zebedee. Luke tells us (5:3) that
/ Jesus was teaching. Those called
were certainly at work and God al
I ways issues his call to those whose
/ time and effort are being occupied.
| even though perhaps for selfish pur-
| poses. There is no place for an idler
! in the spiritual kingdom. This call
was to "come We after me" ". I'D,
the purpose being that they might be-
come Fishers of men," Notice he be-
! gan upon the common, familiar ground
of fishing. something mutually and
| thoroughly understood. and led them
| from that to spiritual truth. In this
we see good pedagogical hint and
wise suggestion to the preacher and
| teacher, viz, that we must begin to
| teach our lessons through the medium
OF past experience and of present in
terests. Simon duke $50 appears to
have been doubter when Jesus
called him. Nevertheless, he was will
| ing to try Christ at least once, and SO
at his word, he let down the net. The
evidence of obedience is found inverse
10. and Matthew (4:s) also Luke Is:
11) tells us that when they left their
nets, "they left ALL"
~. His Helpers Trained wv. 21.
22). The result of this call was (see
V. 21) that as they went into the city
they entered into the synagogue,
where Jesus taught them. The infer
! ence. OF course, is plain. Whenever
| God calls man into his kingdom, he
begins at once to teach him the du-
| ties and responsibilities of the king
dom. Notice that in becoming fishers
| Of men, then began close at home.
| Brother sought brother. This was not
the first time that Jesus had called
| these brothers. tSee John l 40, 4D.
In the call, as accorded by St John.
we are led to believe that John (the
| unmentioned disciple) first sought an
| interview with Christ. The question
| Of harmonizing the various calls which
Jesus gave to his disciples is an In
| teresting one and one which has given
| rise to a good deal of discussion. The
one recorded in the first chapter OF
John occurred In Judea; this one oc-
| Cured in Galilee AS to whether this
| Is the one recorded in the fifth chap
ter of Luke, there seems to be gen.
eral opinion that 1t is not the same.
| though we can with profit compare
the two callings in teaching this les
son. The probabilities are that there
were three calls: First, the one re-
corded in John / :35 AZ; second, that
one recorded in Matthew 4 4:1S %; and
the third and last was that which oc-
Cured Just before their appointment
to become apostles the one recorded
in Luke five.
Conclusion. When Jesus faced his
great task, he did not face 1t alone. He
had first Of all the approval of God
the Father. He also had the annoint-
ing Of God the Holy Spirit, and he