Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1920-11-18
IMPROVED UNIFORM INTERNATIONAL
SUNlYSUOOL
LESSON
tBy REV. p. B. FITZWATER. D. D.,
Teacher of English Bible In the Moody
Bible Institute of Chicago.)
t@. 1920, Western Newspaper Union.1
LESSON FOR NOVEMBER II
THE TWELVE SENT FORTH.

LESSON TExT-Matt TO-
4 GOLDEN TExT-Then saith ne unto
his disciples, The harvest truly is plente-
ous, but the laborers are few; pray We
therefore the Lord of the harvest that he
| will send forth laborers into his harvest
Matt. 9:37, 33.
| ADDITIONAL MATEI.IA1--Luke sI-8;
| l0:l-2O
PRIMARY ToP1C-Jesus Sending Out
| Helpers
JUNIOR ToPIc-The Twelve Apostles
| Sent Forth.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
| -Heralds of the King.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
Recruiting Christian workers.
Having set forth the laws OF the
kingdom In the sermon on the mount
and his power to administer the af-
| fairs of the kingdom In the miracles
of the eighth and ninth chapters, Mat
thew now sets before Us the methods
which the king adopted In the propa-
| CATION Of the kingdom. The following
divisions of the chapter Suggest the
dispensational aspects of the lesson:
|. Instructions Bearing Immediately
Upon the Apostles Work to the Death
! of Christ wv. 1-15).
In strictness of Interpretation these
teachings have no application to any
later period.
!. The ministers chosen wv. la.
These II humble men were chosen and
commissioned for the work of the prop
agation of the kingdom. They were
not commissioned with church truth.
These IL stood in peculiar relation to
Israel
2. The sphere Of their mission (vv.
3, 81. They were only to go to Jews.
and that to respectable ones. They
had no message for gentiles or even
Samaritans. After Pentecost this
sphere was widened (see Luke "a 49,
40. Acts 1:8). This would be a
strange restriction to place upon min
! listers today, since the middle wall of
partition" was broken down by the
| death of Christ.
3. Their message ". y. 1.-THE king
dom of heaven is at hand" This
meant that the promised kingdom of
Israel was at hand, that Jesus Christ,
II the promised king, was present and
ready to set up his kingdom if they
were willing to have it. This differs
widely from the message of the min
listers today
a. The supernatural authorization
of their mission ". 81. They were
clothed with power to work wondrous
miracles These wonderful works
were really done by the twelve. Where
is the minister today who is so fool
hardy as to try to fulfill this?
.. Their maintenance wv. 9. 10)
They were to make no provision for
their support, but to depend wholly
upon the Lord who sent them.
6. Responsibilities of those to whom
the message was delivered wv. 11-15).
Upon entering the city or town they
We're to inquire for reputable place
to stay. Into that home they were to
bring peace. If the people would not
receive them or hear their message
they were to pronounce Judgment upon
them, and the turning of the Lord from
ing the dust from their feet when
turning from the people who had re-
jected their message,
II. Instructions Concerning the TIES.
timony from 3entecost Onward (vv.
1929. After Pentecost, testimony for
Christ would be fraught with great
danger. Both Jews and gentiles would
assail the messengers with the most
bitter prosecutions. They we're
scourged in the synagogues before
heather magistrates. Instead of
bringing peace into the homes they
brought divisions of the fiercest kinds
among families. In their defense they
were to rely upon the Holy Spirit to
aid them. These conditions were lit
orally fulfilled in the period from Pen
tetost to the destruction of Jerusalem.
Since the fall of Jerusalem no one
las ever Nee:i scourged In a syna-
gogue. Verse 23 seems to carry the
work forward to the time of the
preaching of the gospel of the king
dom in the tribuiation times. The
Lords coming then is so speedy that
their Testimony is cut short.
III. Teaching Applicable in All
Ages wv. 24-42).
The disciple has the position of one
ness with his master. He is to cou-
rageously declare the whole counsel
of God, though most violently opposed,
knowing that all things work togeth-
err for good to them that love God"
Though their testimony be met with
the most bitter opposition, they should
not be surprised or discouraged. for so
completely is the Lord identified with
his disciples that he accepts treatment
of the disciples as treatment of him
self.