The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1918-02-22
LESSON FOR FEBRUARY "a.
JESUS TEACHES BY PARALLELS
THE GROWTH OF THE KING.
DOM

LESSON TEXT-Mark 4:21-34.
GOLDEN TEXT-The earth shall be
full Of the knowledge of Jehovah. as the
waters cover the sea.-Isa ll:9
DEVOTIONAL READ1NG-Isa 11:1-Io.
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL FOR
TEACHERS-Matt. 13:A-5O wv. 81, se);
lisa. 2:3-4 Eek 47:1-12; Rev. 2l:1-S; 22-27;
Chap. 22:ls; Rev. 2l:l-s
PRIMARY TOPIC-Jesus telling a story
about sowing
MEMORY VERSE-Jesus advanced in
wisdom and stature and In favor with
God and man.-Luke 2:52
INTERMEDIATE TOPIC-The import
ance of small beginnings
Jesus is now revealing to his disci-
pies the kingdom In secret which they
were later to reveal in public Moth
Ing which he now reveals should be
hid. and he Is also teaching that, II
we do not use that what Is committed
to us. we lose it.
!. Hearing wv. 21-25). 1t Is an OBJ.
legation resting upon each of us who
has the light Of truth that he should
SO set it before men that it can be
seen that men may be enlightened,
cheered and served by 1t (Matt. 5:1f-
16; Phil. 1870. The secret things
Of our lives will be brought to light
some day. Ears are given with which
we are to hear, and possession Of hear
ing involves the responsibility as to
| what we hear. 1.-THE Gospel Is the
power of God unto salvation to every
| one that believeth" (Rom. 1:16), but
believing comes through hearing"
(Rom. 1O:17). In this there is mis-
sionary suggestion for our teachers.
but there Is also a caution as to what
and how we hear. Take heed what
we hear" Many today are being swept
into all kinds of damning here
sizes because they do not follow this
warning e Tim. 3:1-13). Not only are
we to be good listeners, but we must
be doors as we'll (Jas. 1 :22). This
parable Of the lamp follows closely
upon the parable of the sower in
our last lesson. "God. who first Gre
ated light, and Christ, In whom was
life, and the life was the light Of
men," both together are ones whom
we are equally obliged to see. and
hear and obey. To impress the duty
Of this seeing. hearing and using Of
light upon his disciples, Jesus reminds
them Of some familiar things. A can
die is not placed under bushel nor
under a bed, but on a candle stick,
where 1t may be seen Of all. II our
virtues 20 not forth from US, 1t will
be as though we had hidden them
from the world ITO him that heareth
right shall more be given" ". 24)
but for him that hath not and seeth
not, from him shall be taken. He
opportunities, and "from him shall be
taken even that which he hath" In
this we see a spiritual multiplication.
and also a spiritual subtraction, de-
terioration.
u. Growing. ~ Secrecy w. 5000.
This is a parable of faith and hope.
found only In Mark. Again the good
seed Is referred to, but In this case
unseen growth receives the emphasis.
for the seed will spring and grow up.
though we know not how. 1t Is COM
forting to think that, II we SOW the
true seed, 1t grows while we sleep
". 27.) The best selected seed (the
holy word) is essential for results. All
of our seed must have this silent pc
Rod for growth. 1t is the earth that
brings forth the fruit of herself
through the energies and powers with
which God endows 1t. These powers
are wonderful. We do not understand
them, but there is order and symmetry
in growth. First the blade, then the
ear and after that the full corn in
the ear. Then is the harvest, the
purpose Of the seed having been ac-
complished. Mark alone gives us this
parable, and 1t is given In close rela-
ton to the parable Of the sower ana
of the wheat and tares. Jesus Is the
great harvester ". 29), and knows the
right time to reap the grain. the mo-
ment when 1t is "ripe" ". 20 r. w.
Then he putteth In the sickle.
(2) There is also a marvellous out
ward growth Of the kingdom wv. 30
32). There is the closest relation be-
tween the parable Of the mustard
seed and the two parallels that pre-
cede. In Matthew the parable Of the
mustard seed is used in relation to the
kingdom of heaven, which Is the
sphere of the Christian profession.
Here 1t is used of the kingdom OF
God, which Is spiritual. Why Is 1t used
of both? The explanation. according
to Doctor Scofeld. lies in the fact
that the kingdom Of God in this age
and the kingdom Of heaven have this
In common, that from an Insignificant
beginning they had rapid growth.
II the abnormal growth of this
common garden shrub illustrates d.
vine increase, why is 1t not more glori-
GUS? There is not here anything