Mexico Missouri message., 1918-01-10
IMPROVED UMFoRN INTERNATIONAL
SUNNMSOOOL
LESSON
(By Il. o. SELLERS, Acting Director OF
the Sunday School Course of the Moody
Bible Institute, Chicago)
(Copyright, 1917. Western Newspaper Union.l
LESSON FOR JANUARY 13
JESUS BEGINS HIS WORK.

LESSON TEXT-Mark 1:1z-22
GOLDEN TEXT-Repent ye, and believe
in the Gospel
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL FOR
TEACHERS-Matt. 4:1-11; S:1s-22; Luke 4:
l-1s; s:57-s2; Heb. 4:14-1s; Acts s:1-s; John
L34-38
PRIMARY ToP1c-Jesus chooses four
helpers.
MEMORY vERsE-come ye after me-
Mark iii.
INTERMEDIATE TOPIC Overcome
temptation.
MEMORY verse; Cor. 1913.
SENIOR AND ADULT TOPIC-How Je-
sus faced his task.
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 fols
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.
u. John the 5aptIzer (vv. IA, 15).
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 q part of his connection
with John, inasmuch as he withdrew
himself to that place (See T0hn 4:1-3),
and made Capernaum his headquar-
ters 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 beirg already
come, referring, of course, to his Own
person and ministry, but in Its actual
establishment it 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 un-
cleanliness for the world at large.
ILL., His Helpers Called. (vv. 1920.
In this record, we have the call OF
four of his helpers: Simon, Andrew
his brother, James and John MS
brother, the latter being the sons OK
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 ye after me" ". I'D,
the purpose being that they might be-
come "fshers of men," Notice he be-
gan upon the common, familiar grouno
of fishing, something mutually ana
thoroughly understood, and led them
} from that to a spiritual truth. In this
l we see a good pedagogical hint and
8 wise suggestion to the preacher and
teacher, viz, that we must begin 10
: teach our lessons through the medium
: of past experience and of present In
: terests. Simon (Luke :5) appears to
have been a dodbter when Jesus
: called him. Nevertheless, he was will
I ing TO try Christ at least once, and so
: at his word, he let down the net. The
S evidence of obedience is found inverse
e 49, and Matthew (4:S) also Luke To-
d 11) tells us that when they left thelE
nets, "they left all"
X w, His Helpers Trained wv. Il
+ 22). The result of this call was (see
II V, 21) that as they went into the city
l. they entered into the synagogue
70 where Jesus taught them. The lnfer
ence, of course, is plain. whenever
God calls a man into his kingdom, ne
X begins at once to teach him the du
1t ties and responsibilities OF the KING
"a dom, Notice that in becoming hsher'
" of men, then began close at home
le Brother sought brother. This was no
le the first time that Jesus had calle'
10 these brothers. (See John l 40, All
T. In the call, as accorded by st. John
I'd we are led TO believe that John 9TH
Is unmentioned disciple) first sought al
lg interview with Christ. The question
ir of harmonizing the various calls whlcl
le Jesus gave to his disciples Is an IN
lie teresting one and one which has give
n. rise TO a good deal of discussion. Th
ty one recorded in the first chapter o
III John occurred in Judea; this one oI
We Cured In Galilee. AS to whether thi
he is the one recorded in the fifth chaI
lp ter of Luke, there seems to be a ger
is eral opinion that it is not the sam'
though we can with profit compar
OF the two callings in teaching this LEI
st son. The probabilities are that ther
ly were three calls: First, the one r.
de corded in John l 80 ;42; second tha
of one recorded in Matthew 4:1S I'D an
It's the third and last was that which o.
m Cured just before their appointmeI
". 20 become apostles, the one recorde
Of In Luke five.
~, Conclusion. When Jesus faced h
to great task, he did not face 1t alone u
ST. had hrst Of all the approval OF G0
he the Father. He also had the annoin
ar ing OF God the Holy Spirit, ana
an called In the cooperation and help
NeN -. ...nA hia hnrnrt