The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1918-01-10
IMPROVED UNIFORM INTERNATIONAL
.SUNlAYSC[lOOL
LESSON
,By e. o. SELLERS. Acting Director Of
the Sunday School Course of the MOODY
Bible Institute. Chicago.)
Copyright. 1917. Western Newspaper Union.l
LESSON FOR JANUARY 10
JESUS BEGINS HIS WORK.

| 1,DDAiioNAL MATERIAL pOb
| TEACHERS-Matt. 4:1-l1; 8:lS-22; Luke y
i-l3; s:57-62; Heb. 4:I4-1e; Acts s:l-s; Johi
L3-3s.
PRIMARY ToPIc-Jesus chooses foul
helpers.
MEMORY vERsE-Come ye after me-
| Mark 117
INTERMEDIATE TOPIC = overcom,
temptation.
MEMORY verse; Cor. 1913.
SENIOR AND ADULT TOPIC-How Je
BIS faced his task.
]. Introduction wv. ~, 13). Mark de
votes little or no attention to the early
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 te
the other Gospel writer's. In teach
Ing the lesson we must not, however
overlook making some reference tt
these two outstanding events in tn,
life Of our Lord
u. John the Baptizer wv. IA, 15)
This section not only dlsposes of Johr
rs having been put into prison, hui
Immediately plunges Jesus into hi,
public ministry. Jesus entry into
Galilee was part Of his connection
with John, inasmuch as he withdrew
himself to that place (See John :1-3)
and made Capernaum his headquar
ters (Matt. 4:13). The message here
recorded as proclaimed by Jesus wa,
the identical summons which John the
Baptlzer had uttered. Jesus speaks
Of this new kingdom as being already
come, referring, of course, to his owl
person and ministry, but In Its actual
establishment 1t was not really "ai
hand" until he shed his blood upon the
cross and the Holy Spirit descended on
the day Of Pentecost, when there wal
opened the fountain for sin and un
cleanliness for the world at large.
~. His Helpers Called. wv. 1920
In this record, we have the call OF
four Of his helpers: Simon, Andrew
his brother, James and John hi
brother, the latter being the sons Of
Zebedee. Luke tells us (5:3) thai
Jesus was teaching. Those called
were certainly at work and God al
ways issues his call to those whost
time and effort are being occupied
even though perhaps for selfish pur
poses. There Is no place for an idlei
In the spiritual kingdom. This call
was to "coEle ye after me" ". III |
the purpose being that they might be
come fishers Of men," Notice he be
gan upon the common, familiar groun{
of fishing something mutually and
thoroughly understood, and led then !
from that to spiritual truth. In thl,
we see a good pedagogical hint and Z
wise suggestion to the preacher and
teacher, viz. that we must begin t
teach our lessons through the medium |
Of past experience and Of present In |
terests. Simon Uuke go appears td
have been doubter when Jesui |
called him. Nevertheless, he was Will |
Ing to try Christ ut least once, and 50
at his word, he let down the net. The
evidence of obedience Is found in versl !
10, and Matthew (4:S) also Luke (5i
11) tells us that when they left theli
nets, "they left ALL"
w. His Helpers Trained wv. 81 |
22). The result of this call was (set
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. Whenevei
God calls n man into his kingdom, hi
begins at once to teach him the du
ties and responsibilities Of the king |
dom. Notice that in becoming fisher
of men, then began close at home
Brother sought brother. This was moi
the first time that Jesus had called
these brothers. (See John 40, 41), |
In the CALL as accorded by st. John
we are led to believe that John (ths
unmentloned dlsclple) first sought an
interview with Christ. The question
of harmonizlng the various calls which
Jesus gave to his disciples Is an In,
terestlng one and one which has given
rise to good deal Of discussion. The
one recorded In the first chapter oil
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 calllngs in teaching this les
son. The probabilities are that there
were three calls First, the one re,
corded in John :35 40; second, that
one recorded in Matthew AIS %; 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
called in the cooperation and help OF
human agents. Jesus met his tempta'
tlon and his tasks not in his own
strength but In the strength of the
Spirit of God. At the same time be.
ing God, he called to his side those
who in turn were to become fishers OF
men. leaders Of others. His call to
these disciples was three-fold; (a),
to disclpleship, namely, they were to
become learners; (b), to fellowship,
for they were to enter into and have
part Of his toll. tasks, temptations and
sorrows (Phil. 8 10Y and (c), to serv.