Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1918-01-12
IMPROVED UN!RoRM INTERNATIONAL
SUNDMSQIOOL
/ LESSON
l(T3y e, o. SELLERS, Acting director OF
the Sunday School Course of the Moody
Bible Institute. Cbicago.)
Copyright, 1917 Western Newspaper Unionl
LESSON FOR JANUARY 13
JESUS BEGINS HIS WORK.

: GOLDEN TEXT-Repent We, and believe
IN the Gospel.
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL FOR
TEACHERS-Matt. 4:1-l1; S:1S-22; Luke 4:
lib; 9:57-G2; Heb. 4:l4-l6; Acts sI-s; John
434-SS
PRIMARY ToPIC-Jesus chooses four
helpers.
MEMORY vERsE-Come We after me-
Mark ILL.
INTERMEDIATE TOPIC - Overcome
temptation.
MEMORY verse; Cor. 1913.
SENIOR AND ADULT TOPIC-How Je-
sus faced his task.
J I. Introduction wv. II, 13). Mark de-
votes little or no attention to the early
incidents of the life of Jesus, and only
suggests the events Immediately fol-
lowing his baptism. Indeed, for the
record Of the Temptation and the Ser
mon on the Mount, we have TO look to
the other Gospel writer's. In teach
ing the lesson we must not, however,
overlook making some reference to
these two outstanding events in the
life of our Lord.
! II. John the Baptizer wv. ID, 49,.
This section not only dispOses of John
as having been put into prison, but
Immediately plunges Jesus into his
public ministry. Jesus entry into
Galilee was a part of his connection
with John, inasmuch as he withdrew
himself TO that place (See John :1-3),
and made Capernaum his beadGuar-
tiers Matt. 4 :13). The message here
recorded as proclaimed by Jesus was
the identical summons which John the
Baptizer had uttered. Jesus speaks
of this new kingdom as beiPg already
come, referring, of course, to his own
person and ministry, but in It's actual
establishment 1t was not really "at
hand" until he shed his blood upon the
cross and the Holy Spirit descended on
the day of Pentecost, when there was
opened the fountain for sin and I'M
cleanliness for the world at large.
III. His Helpers Called. (vv 1920.
In this record, we have the call OF
four of his helpers: Simon, Andrew
his brother, James and John his
brother, the latter being the sons OF
Zebedee. Luke tells us (5:3 that
Jesus was teaching. Those called
were certainly at work and God al
WAYS issues his call to those whose
time and effort are being occupied,
even though perhaps for selfish pur-
poses. There is no place for an idler
in the spiritual kingdom. This call
was to "come We after me" ". I'D,
the purpose being that they might be-
come fishers of men," Notice he be-
gan upon the common, familiar ground
= fishing, something mutually and
thoroughly understood, and led them
from that to a spiritual truth. In this
we see a good pedagogical hint and
wise suggestion to the preacher and
teacher, viz, that we must begin TO
teach our lessons through the medium
of past experience and of present In
terests. Simon duke 5 :5) appears to
have been a doubter when Jesus
called him. Nevertheless, he was will
ing to try Christ Mt least once, and so
at his word, he let down the net. The
evidence of obedience is found inverse
10, and Matthew (4:S) also Luke 70:
11) tells us that when they left their
nets, "they left ALL"
w. His Helpers Trained wv. q,
22). The result of this call was (see
v. Ply that as they went into the city
they entered into the synagogue,
where Jesus taught them. The infer
ence, of course, Is plain. Whenever
God calls a man into his kingdom, he
begins at once to teach him the du-
ties and responsibilities of the king
dom. Notice that In becoming fishers
of men, then began close at home.
Brother sought brother. This was not
the first time that Jesus had called
these brothers. (See John l 40, All.
In the call, as accorded by st. John,
we are led to believe that John (the
unmentioned dlsclple) first sought an
interview with Christ. The question
of harmonizing the various calls which
Jesus gave to his disciples is an In
teresting one and one which has given
rise to good deal of discussion. The
one recorded in the first chapter OF
John occurred in Judea; this one &C.
Cured in Galilee. AS to whether this
Is the one recorded in the fifth chap
ter Of Luke. there seems to be gen
eral opinion that II is not the same.
though we can with profit compare
the two callings in teaching this les
son. The probabilities are that there
were three calls: First, the one re-
corded in John :35 40; second that
one recorded in Matthew 4 rs ID; and
the third and last was that which oc-
Cured Just before their appointment
TO become apostles, the one recorded
IN Luke five.
Conclusion. When Jesus faced his
great task, he did not face 1t alone. He
had first Of all the approval OF God
the Father. he also had the annoint-
ing of God the Holy Spirit, and he
called in the cooperation and help of
human agents. Jesus met his tempta-
ton and his tasks not In his own
strength but In the strength of the
Spirit of God. At the same time be
Ing God, he called TO his side those
who In turn were TO become fishers OF
men, leaders of others. His call TO
these disciples was three-fold; la
20 discirleship. {b), to fellowship
(Phi. 500; and tc). to service.