The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1918-02-14
SUNDAY SCHOOL
Lesson 8.-First Quarter. Feb
ruary "a, 1918.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES
Lesson Text, Mark 4:2t.34-Memory
Verses, Matt. 1881, 32-oolden
Text, lisa. tt:e-commentsry Pre-.
pared by Rev. D. M. Stesrns.

hnd n similar saying In Matt. 5:i3-16.
where believers are called the salt Of
the earth aud the light Of the world.
but the warning Is given that salt may
lose Its SAVIOR. and n light may be pre-
vented by circumstances from benefit
ing others. As we saw In the parable
OF the sower many things may hinder
frutfulness. In that parable II seems
20 me that neither wayslde nor rocky
soil give any evidence OF the hearers
salvation. while the thorny soil may
Indicate a saved but unfrultful life.
Therefore the warning about the ne
cessity Of the light shining. and the
ears hearing
In lesson verses - and % there Is an
admonltion so much needed In our day
when there is so much false teaching
take heed what ye hear"-suggesting
that we should he careful 10 hear only
that which Is noted In the Scripture Of
Truth dan. 10 :2l). our attitude should
be. IL will hear what God the Lord will
speak" Cps. 81 ~. As to n man losing
NiuA NH'n HNAilf wv Al'Nbtuk -
more plain In Luke s:ls: THAT which
he seemeth To have" We are 10 him
his mother aud brethren only when
We hear the word Of God end do Il
duke sgd.
when he speaks 81 the Kingdom Of
God In PARALLELS. after the Pharlsees
determined to XIII him. thus rejecting
him and his Kingdom. we must under
stand him TO be referring to this pres
ent age OF n rejected and postponed
Kingdom which he called "the mystery
OF the Kingdom" Tvs. III. Some people
expect To see the seed spring up as
5000 as II IL sown. aud are discouraged
n they do not see converts at every
service: but. whilst we should always
expect results. II does seem to me bet
ter 20 leave the results with him who
assures us that his word will always
accomplish his pleasure lisa. 55:iD.
The farmer who commits the seed To
the ground and TO God waits patiently
upon God for results (James 3 10. and
In due time gathers In the results. u
Is safe to walt TN harvest time.
Verses 1892 give US the parable %
the mustard seed. which can be under
stood only In the light Of the other par
ables OF this discourse. which Is fully
given In Matt. ~. Here Is an unnatural
growth. for the mustard plant Is not n
great tree. and the fowls Of the air
must be understood In the light of his
exposition OF the parable OF the sower.
Compare verses and 10.
But let MS look at the whole seven OF
his one discourse In Matt. l3, and re-
member that he Is describing this
whole age between his rejection aud
his return during which his followers
nre TO occupy till he come" making
diligent use OF the pounds and the
talents he commits TO US. and Of which
we must give account TO him. The first
four. the sower and the seed the wheat
and the tares. the mustard seed and
the leaven, were spoken publicly. and
when they were alone he expounded all
things tn his disciples MARX :3i). The
last three OF the seven seem Ia have
been spoken privately TO his disciples
In the house Matt. 13 :36). When
taken together as one discourse. as they
really were. the teaching seems very
plain. and in perfect accord with all
Scripture. our great business as his
followers Is ~ preach the word as his
messengers with his message. not ex.
pecting 20 find good soil everywhere.
but relying upon him who cannot fail
nor be- discouraged. We must expect
that until the end OF this age tares, the
DEVILS counterfeit, will grow with the
wheat; the children OF the devil and
the children OF God side by side TIL
the end. The little plant will become
great tree the vast thing called the
church. In which will be many a Ju-
das lscarlot Many a child OF the devil
in the pulpit. In the choir, on the board
OF trustees. and I'm the pews; the birds
OF the air In the branches. The food,
which ought 90 be the pure word OF
God. will partly be mixed with evil. for
leayen Is always suggestive Of evil. and
we have come 10 days when from many
pulpit only false doctrine is pro-
claimed He knew that Il would be so,
and told us that we might not be dis
couraged. Any who are looking for a
world won "a Christ In this age are
looking for that for which there is no
authority In Scripture. Continuing to
hear him, and remembering that he
said "The field is the world" Matt.
IS 1881. We see him giving up all that
he had; for our sakes becoming poor
q Cor. 500 that he might redeem the
inheritance. the world. for the sake OF
the treasure in II, his people Israel.
still hidden but soon TO be manifest.
He also is the merchantmen. and the
pearl OF great price is his church gath
cred from the sea OF all nations. which
In due time he win present TO himself
as a glorious church. holy and without
blemlsh. not having spot or wrinkle, or
any such thing (Eph. o;27). II Is Of
great price because Of the price he
paid for t.
When the church shall have been
completed, and Israel redeemed at his
coming In glory. then shall his long
postponed Kingdom come. Meanwhile
the net gathers all kinds. but there
shall be a separation at the end OF the
age. and II will be for each and all the
Kingdom aud the glory or the furnace