New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1918-02-08
IMPROVED UNIFORM INTERNATIONAL
NNGXSQ1O0L
LESSON
(By e. O.. SELLERS. Acting Director OF
the Sunday School Course Of the Moody
Bible Institute. Chicago.)
Copyright. 1917, Western Newspaper Union,
LESSON FOR FEBRUARY 10
JESUS CHOOSES THE TWELVE

S6SOS tVe = 66v
LESSON TEXT-Mark 3:7-25.
GOLDEN TEXT-And he ordained
twelve. that they should be with him. n
that he might sen them forth to preach.
Mark 3:14.
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL FOR
TEACHERS-Matt. 10:1-4: Luke 6:12-16:
John ~15:15-27; Matt. 5:13-16: 16:24-26: John
1858; II Tim 4:7-s.
PRIMARY TOPIC-Jesus chooses twelve
helpers.
INTERMEDIATE roP1c-The twelve
and what we know about them.
SENIOR AND ADULT TOPIC-What It
means to be a disciple of Jesus.
No nan 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. his brother Charles.
Whitfield and others; Moody had
Whittle, Bliss, Sankey. Towner and
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 who
were to take his place, but, like every
other act, he desired to teach a lesson
to those who were so carefully Observ-
ing him. In verse II we are told, that
he chose twelve, which was a signif-
cant number, corresponding to the
twelve tribes, and at once confirmed
his assumption to the M~essiahship and
meant that the wOndrous prOphesles
were being fulfilled. It also served to
stimulate those upon whom the choice
fell. Jesus, as we know from other
pray. The call came from on high
". 1877, and those called "went up" to
him for preparation and for quail
fication. The call is a purpose
full one. for 1t Is not enough to go up;
we must also go down and out, hence
these are "sent" wv. IA. 15). Only
those who are authorized. however, are
sent. Those whom Jesus sent out were
to found a new kingdom and to do a
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, ven as the
Master, for evil has no rights. The
source Of their power is to be Jesus
for he Is to be. with them, Il own pro-
lection as well Matt. % :20) /; and their
power is to grow with its usage, for
we learn by doing. These men were
originally united, not by a creed but
by an ideal not by a doctrine or teach
ing, but by actions; not by a'subscrip-
ton to a confession. At once they met
with conflict. First Of all by a bias
phemous unbelief. The Holy Ghost is
nc more holy. than Jesus but. If 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 a IN
fiict with misdirected zeal. There were
those about Jesus who watched over
him. whereas rather they should have
had him watching yer them ". Ply.
On the other hand, the scribes accused
him of being possessed of devils. They
to the devil the work that
the Holy Spirit and Son were doing.
What a strange picture! Friends seek
ing to restrain, enemies accusing and
relatives interposing, yet nothing a
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 a
greater nearness and more extended
authority and. Of course. greater test
than the others who were disci-
pies 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, II he
keeps not near unto Christ. As light
Is a good thing to preserve, purify and
to 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 agrees
sive Peter and the other "Son of
the reflective, cautious
Thomas, these were the men who were
sent forth rs public heralds John
:38.) Some they are to win BY per.
sonal solicitation (James lad. 9th
ers by public proclamation (Acts
:39-41.) Men are saved through men,
and those whom he sends forth are
hose who have first learned to follow.
Their work is made permanent only as
they abide in him." God wants the
ear, the believing. heart and
he cOnfessing mouth (Rom. 10 :14)..
The one who would preach Jesus and
nave power in his name must first of
III 'be with him." that is, he must en-
10y a deep, abiding. victorious life Of
with Jesus. Jesus gave d.
'ections to those he sent out, first to
preach; second. to heal illness: third,
cast out demons; and they were pre-
Jared for the work they had to do, BY
he Lord impartfng power: to them to
10 1t ". IS; see Matt. 1911: Acts
Is, 81 Our mission Is to both body
md soul, but Christ puts the spiritual
reeds first (vv., IA, 49,, see Matt.
OF, 81 The, difficulty with many
Of today is that they invert
his order. Those whom Jesus sends
ut are to offer his kingdom to men
md not command men to receive 1t.
Their work will bring variance upon
he earth, even among. those in the
anne family; but those who will not
o are not worthy of me-" Jesus saw
that the victories of his king
Iom were often .hindered rather than
lelped by. the presence of great
". i2). Why send Judas!
Undoubtedly he had all the desired