The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1918-02-07
IMPROVED UNnF0RM INTERNATIONAL
SUNDASC[1O0L
LESSON
(By E. o. SELLERS, Acting Director OF
the Sunday School Course OF the Moody
Bible Institute, Chicago)
(Copyright. 1917, Western Newspaper IInion.)
LESSON FOR FEBRUARY 10
JESUS CHOOSES THE TWELVE
LESSON TEXT-Mark 3:7-25.

GOLDEN TEXT-And he ordained
twelve, that they should be with him, and
that he might send them forth to preach.
Mark 3:H.
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL FOR
TEACHERS-Matt. lO1-4 Luke G:l2-16;
John l5:lj-27; Matt 5:13-1G; I6A-25; John
H:6-26: II Tim. 4:7-S.
PRIMARY TOPIC-Jesus chooses twelve
helpers
INTERMEDIATE ToPIC-The twelve
and what we know about them.
SENIOR AND ADULT TOPIC-What "
means TO be disciple Of Jesus.
No man can alone accomplish any
great task. Every great leader has
been blessed by one or more equally
great helpers. Luther had his Melanc'
thon; Wesley, lis brother Charles,
Whitfield and others; Moody had
Whittle, Bliss, Sankey, Towner ana
more. These leaders but followed the
example OF our Lord. Jesus ministry
made him much observed and 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 VINO
were to take his place, but, like every
other act, he desired to teach lesson
to those who were so carefully Observ'
Ing him. In verse II we are told that
he chose twelve, which was a signifl'
cant number, corresponding TO the
twelve tribes, and at once confirmed
his assumption to the Messiahship and
meant that the wondrous prophesies
were being fulfilled. II also served 10
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
w. 13), and those called "went up" to
him for preparation and for quail
fication. The call is purpose
ful one for 1t is not enough TO go upi
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 wers
to found new kingdom and TO do y
greater work than merely to judge th3
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 10 be Jesus,
for he is to be with them, our own pro-
lection as well Matt. 2S :20) and their
power is to grow with its usage, for
we learn by doing. These men were
originally united, not by Il creed but
by an ideal; not by doctrine or teach
ing, but by actions not by subscrlp-
! tlon to a confession. At once they met
with conflict. First of all by BIAS
phemous unbelief. The Holy Ghost is
no more holy than Jesus; but, If we
slander him in his veiled condition and
before his unfinished work great shall
be the penalty. Those who hate God
shut out the light. Secondly, by con-
ilict with mls,llrected zeal. There were
those about Jesus who watched over
him, whereas rather they should have
had him watching over them ". 2D,
On the other hand, the scribes accused
him of being possessed Of devils. They
attributed to the devil the work that
the Holy Spirit and Son were doing.
What n strange picture! Friends seek
ing to restrain, enemies accusing and
relatives interposing, yet nothing can
stop the onward march of the kingdom
of God. Luke tells us that these twelve
were selected from among the rest OF
the disciples. They were to have Il
greater nearness and more extended
authority and, of course, greater test
| ings than the others who were disci-
| ples or "learners." These disciples are
to be the light of the world. The Chris
| tian. "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 good thing to preserve, purify and
10 cleanse, so are the Christians, yet
there Is a greater thing, when we ener-
gize, direct and believe. This Is what
| the apOstles were to do. The aggres-
sIye Peter and the other "SOn Of
Thunder" the reflective, cautious
Thomas, these were the men who wera
sent forth as public heralds (JohI
1860 Some they are to win by per-
sonal solicitation (James :41). 9th
ers by public proclamation (Acts
2:30-41.) Men are saved through men,
and 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
hearing ear, the believing heart and
the confessing mouth Rom. 10:1D.
The one who would preach Jesus and
have power In his name must first Of
NIL "be with him." that is, he must en-
Joy deep, abiding, victorious life of
fellowship with Jesus. Jesus gave di-
rections to those be sent out first to
preach; second, to heal Illness; third,
to cast out demons; and they were pre-
pared for the work they had to do, by
the Lord imparting power to them to
do 1t ". 15; see Matt. 10:1; Acts
10, 81 Our mission is to both body
and soul, but Christ puts the spiritual
needs first wv. II, 10; see Matt.
1877, 81 The difficulty with many
healers of today is that they invert
this order. Those whom Jesus sends
out are to offer his kingdom to men
and not command men to receive IT..
Their work will bring variance upon
the earth, even among those in the
same family; but those who will not
20 are not worthy of me-" Jesus saw
plainly that the victories Of his king.
dom were often hindered rather than
helped by the presence Of great