The citizen., 1918-01-10
SUNDAY SCHOOL
Lesson 3-First Quarter, Janu-
ary 20, 1918.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES
Text OF the Lesson, Mark t:2t-34-
Memory Verse, Gal. 6;2-colden
Text, John, e:4-commentsry Pre-
pared by Rev. o. M. stearns.

Christ" and the Golden Text should be
as true OF his followers as Of himself,
for he said 20 his father, AS thou hast
sent me into the world, even so have l
also sent them into the world" and
after his resurrection he said to his
disciples, "As my father hath sent me,
even so send YOU" (John 17-1S; 20
21.) As 10 his own words and works
he said, "rhe words that speak unto
you speak not OF myself; but the ia
ther that dwelleth In me, he doeth the
works." John II 1850; IA :10.) When
therefore we read In lesson verses II,
%, that he taught them as one that
had authority. we see why; and we
should lay TO heart 1 Pet. All, "If
any man speak. let him speak as the
oracles OF God" See also Eek. 1912 (;
Jer. 10; Phil 2:13; Col. 1 30.
In the rest Of our lesson chapter we
see him casting out demons. healing all
manner OF diseases. and even leprosy
as IL is written In Matt. 4 ;23. "And
Jesus went about all Galllee. teaching
In their synagogues. and preaching the
Gospel OF the Kingdom, and healing all
manner OF sickness and all manner OF
disease among the people" In Matt.
9 TO 7 we have the laws or life Of the
Kingdom, and In Matt. and ms In to-
days lesson some samples Of kingdom
health, for when the kingdom comes
the inhnbltant shall not say. II am sick
and the people that dwell therein
shall be forgiven their iniqulty." Elsa.
30 PAY
II seems strange that while men do
not know this Holy One Of God. the
demons know him Tvs. "a. 34). II Is
written, "The demons believe and
tremble" Gas. 2:io) II Is still true
that men, women and children are oft
times possessed by evil spirits, and
blamed for what the evil spirits say
and do through them. To bring them
10 Jesus would be better than finding
fault with them. for he Is still the
same Jesus. and as able to cast out
demons ns when on earth In his humlll-
alton. But we must remember, ms we
saw In last weeks lesson, that the
kingdom has not come yet, and king
dom conditions can only be by special
grace, and foreshadowings OF the fu-
ture. As 60 his authority Tvs. 22, 27)
he Is In the place Of all power at the
fathers right hand, and when we are
really and whole-heartedly here for
him and his affairs, we may hear him
say, Concerning the work of my hands
command ye me-" lisa. 1919. Les
son verses 2o-3l Introduce us to the
home of Simon Peter whose wife's
mother lay sick OF a fever. II was a
poor time 10 bring company home
from church. some might have thought
and said; but as no remarks nre re-
corded from Peters wife on this occa.
sion. we may suppose that she was
glad to see her husbands friends even
though her mother was sick. II she
did not entertain angels by her hos.
pltallty. she received the Lord who has
thousands OF thousands mlnistering 20
him. and she must surely have been
glad all her days, and 10 this present
time, and forever, because OF him who
came TO her home that day. Immedl
ately. as he took the sick one by the
hand. she was well. perfectly well, nc
slow and gradual recovery and helped
Peters wife TO minister TO her visitors
See Heb. 1872, and compare the story
IN Gen. IS.
What multltudes OF people were
made glad. and homes made happy
that evening, by him who Is the sourc,
OF all health and happiness and peace
and JOY. who will finally Danish all sor
row. and crying. and pain, and death
from the whole earth Tvs. 32-3i). NJ
doubt he slept after the labors Of sucl
day. and evening, for his body was
mortal and he was often weary. and or
one occasion we find him sleeping In
the midst of n great storm. In the
morning. a great while before day. hC
was away In n solitary place, In com
munion with his Father. for that was
more 10 him than aught else Tvs. 35)
and II should be so TO Us also. Simon
and the others having found him. and
told him that many were seeking him
his reply was. ''Let us go into the next
towns for therefore came / forth" We
should consider whether we are ever
minlstering 10 the same people, ol
reaching new people.
In his Journeylngs a leper came tc
him with great faith saying. "If thou
wilt thou canst make me clean" He
surely believed that nothing was toe
hard for such wonder worker (Jer
82:17. 81; Gen 1e:14). and he was moi
disappointed. The great heart OF
heavenly compassion put forth his
hand and touched him. saying, 81 Will
be thou clean" and instantly the lepeI
was cleansed. We can scarcely ina.
gine the Joy Of dellyerance from such
living death; and we should surely
trust the Lord 20 give us hearts OF
compassion for the multitude of lepers
In the world todny. We send money "a
Miss Mary Reed In India every month
for her work among the lepers, and are
also caring for many leper men, and
women. and children OF leprous pa
rents. through the society. giving some
physical comforts and bringing then
the Gospe, We need the compassion
ate heart Of Jesus for all the suffering
and shepherdless ones In all the world