Middletown transcript., 1918-02-23
LESSON FOR FEBRUARY "a.
THE GROWTH OF THE KING
DOM.

JESUS TEACHES BY PARALLELS
THE GROWTH OF THE KING.
DOM.
LESSON TEXT-Mark 4:2-A
GOLDEN TEXT-The earth shall be
full Of the knowledge Of Jehovah, as the
waters cover the sea.-Isa. 11:9.
DEVOTIONAL READING-Isa. lilo
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL FOR
TEACHERS-Matt. 13:24-50 wv. 81, 32);
lisa. 1884: Eek. E:1-12: Rev. H:1-s; 22-Ns
Chap. 22:1-5; Rev. M:1-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, If
we do not use that what is committed
to us. we lose it.
l.. Hearing wv. 21-25). It is an oh.
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 it (Matt. 5:14
18; Phil. 1 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. "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 q 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 well (Jas. :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 cam
die is not placed under bushel nor
under q bed, but on a candle stick,
where it may be seen Of all. II our
virtues 20 not forth from US, it will
be as though we had hidden them
from the world. 'To him that heareth
right shall more be given," ". 24)
but for him that hath not and seeth
not, from him shall be taken. He
that hath not is he who neglects his
opportunities, and "from him shall be
taken even that which he hath" In
this we see spiritual multiplication,
and also a spiritual subtraction, de-
terioration.
II. 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. It is COM
forting to think that, if we sow the
true seed, it grows while we sleep
". Ply The best selected seed (tha
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 it. 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 it is given in close rela'
ton to the parable Of the sower and
of the wheat and tares. Jesus is the
great harvester ". 29), and knows the
right time to reap the grain, the mo-
ment when it is "ripe" ". % r. w..
Then he putteth in the sickle.
(2) There is also a marvellous out
ward growth of the kingdom wv. 80
S2). 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 it 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.
If the abnormal growth of this
common garden shrub illustrates d.
vine increase. why is it not more glori-
Gus? There is not here anything
like the greatness Of the Assyrian and
Babylonian empires. Geek. 81 :36:
Dan. 4 :20-22). Is the significance Of
the birds good or evil? Great Baby
lon, the figure Of a processing Chris
tan body in guilty connection with
the kings of the earth, becomes "a
cage of every unclean and hate
full bird" (Rev. 1922. The mixed"
condition of the kingdom of heaven has
brought together diverse elements o
good and bad.