The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1918-02-07
IMPROVED URIR0RM iRTERNATIoRAL
SUNl4XSC[lO0L
LESSON
(By e. o. SELLERS. Acting Director of
the Sunday School Course Of the Moody
Bible Institute. Chicago)
Copyright. 1917. Western Ncwspa per Union
LESSON FOR FEBRUARY 10
JESUS CHOOSES THE TWELVE

MARK 3:14. -
! ADDITIONAL MATERIAL. FOR
1oI-4; Luke 6l2-i6:
,'nnn y. l';l'.2,: "a, Matt 5:lS-lG; 1s:a-s5 John
PRIMARY TOPlC-Jesus chooses twelve
helpers.
/ INTERMEDIATE TOPIC-The twelve
and what we know about them
! SENIOR AND ADULT TOPIC.-What 1t
means to be u disciple OF Jesus.
| No man can alone accomplish any
great task. Every great leader has
hccn blessed by one or more equally
great helpers. Luther had his Mclnnc-
thon; Wesley, his brother Charles.
Whitfield and others: Moody had
Whittle, Bliss, Sunkcy. Townrr and
more. These leaders hut followed the
example of our Lord. Jesus ministry
made him much observed md greatly
multiplied his duties and burdens.
When. therefore, he chose these dis
ciples, he desired not only to obtain
help and to begin to teach those who
were to take his place, but. like every
other act, he desired to teach Il lesson
to those who were so carefully obServ-
Ing him. In verse 1T we are told that
he chose twelve, which was Signin-
cant number, corresponding to the
twelve tribes, and ut once confirmed
his assumption to the Messahshp and
meant that the wondrous prophesies
were being fulfilled. 1t also served to
stimulate those upon whom the choice
fell. Jesus, as we know from other
passages, retired to the mountains to
pray. The call came from on high
". J3). and those called event up" to
him for preparation and for quail
ticatiOn. The call Is purpose
ful one, for 1t is not enough to go up;
we must also go down and out, hence
these are "sent" Wv. IL, 15). Only
those who are authorized. however. are
sent. Those whom Jesus sent out were
to found new kingdom and to do
: greater work than merely to Judge the
people, because they were not only to
Judge results. but they were to change
results by altering causes; hence they
had power over demons, even as the
Master, for evil has no rights The
source Of their power Is to be Jesus
for he Is to be with them. our own pro-
lection as we'll Matt. % :2O) and their
power Is to grow with its usage, for
we learn by doing. These men were
originally united, not by n creed but
by an ideal (; not by doctrine or teach
ing. hut by actions; not by a subscrip-
tion to a confession. At once they met
with conflict. First Of all by bias
phemous unbclief. The Holy Ghost Is
no more holy than Jesus; but. IL we
SANDER him in his yelled condition and
before his unfinished work great shall
be the penalty. Those who hate God
shut out the light. Secondly. by Il con
Met with miStlircctcd zeal. There were
those about Jesus who watched over
him. whereas rather they should have
had him watching over them ". 21).
On the other hand, the scribrs accused
him of being possessed Of devils. They
attributed to the devil the work that
the Holy Spirit ana Son were doing.
W NAT strange Dicturr Friends seek
ing TO restrain, enemies accusing and
relatives intcrpoSing. vet nothing can
stop the onward march Of the kingdom
OF God. Luke tells us that these twelve
were selected from among the rest Of
tho disciples. They were to have q
greater noarneSS and more extended
authority and, Of course, greater test
ings than the others who were disci-
pies or learners" These disciples are
I" be the light Of the world The Chris
tan. who Is the salt of the earth"
loses his identity and will lose his salt
ness and become like the world, If he
keeps not near unto Christ AS light
Is II good thing to preserve. purify and
to cleanse, so are the Christians, vet
there Is greater thing. when we encr-
EIZe, direct and believe This is what
the apostles were to do. The aggres-
Sive Peter and the other "Son OF
thunder the retlective, cautious
: THOMAS, these were the men who were
sent forth rs public hcralds (John
:H) Some they are to win by pcr-
: S"nal solicitation (James :ID. 9th
crS by public proclamation (Acts
:30.4l) Men are saved through men,
; ana those whom he sends forth are
those who have first learned to follow.
Their work is made permanent only as
they abide In him. God wants the
herring ear, the believing heart and
the c0nfessing mouth Ntom. 1O:14).
The one who would preach Jesus and
nave power In his name must first OF
; nll "be with him." that is he must en-
JOY deep, abiding, victorious life OF
fellowship with Jesus. Jesus gave di-
recticns to those he sent out, first to
preach; second. to henl Illness; third,
to cast out demons.