The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1928-02-09
Improved Uniform International
Si1nadayScflool.
' Lesson '
(By REV. P. r. FITzWATER. DID, Dean
Moody Bible Institute of Chicago)
&c. 1928. Western Newspaper Union.)
Lesson for February IL
JESUS PICTURES THE KINGDOM
OF GOD

LESSON TEXT-Mark 1:1415; Al
GOLDEN TEXT-Thy kingdom come,
thy will be done on earth as it is in
heaven.
PRIMARY TOPIC-How Gods King
dom Crows
JUNIOR ToPIC-How Gods King!
dom Grows.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOP
IC-How the Kingdom Grows.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOP
IC-The Growing Kingdom of God.
|. Jesus Preaching the Gospel of
the Kingdom of God MARK IA. 15).
1. The time.
After the voice of John the Baptist
was stilled because of his imprison-
ment, Jesus took up the message
2. What He preached.
1t was the gospel of the kingdom
of God. Since gospel" means good
news" the good news which He
preached was that Christ had come
to establish His kingdom.
8. How He preached.
He said Repent, for the kingdom
is at hand" The King was then ready
to set up His kingdom if the Jews
would receive Him.
II. Jesus Pictures Four Glasses of
Hearers mark 4:1-2O).
l. The place-the seaside-(v. y. 4
He was obliged to enter a boat to
escape the pressure of the crowd.
Whu in,
wv. 9-12).
1t vas not until the rulers had set
their hearts against Him that He en-.
ployed the parabolic method.
3. The parable of the four kinds
of ground wv. 3-S 1920.
Observe that the seed and the sower
are the same in all these instances,
but the results are entirely different,
determined by the condition of the
soil.
% The Wayside wv. II, l5).
The wayside means the track beat.
en- by the hOofs of animals and the
feet of men. Because the soil was un
broken and uncultivated the seeC
could not get beneath the surface
therefore was devoured by fowl
which represent the agents of Sata4
". 15).
(2) The stony ground wv. 5, G, 16.
10.
Stony ground means stones with a
thin layer of soil upon them. Under
such conditions the seed springs up
quickly and is soon scorched because
it has not much depth.
(3) The thorny ground wv. Z, IS,
19).
In this case the ground is good,
but has thorns in it. 1t is mellow and
has depth, but has not been cleaned
of the thorns. The thorny ground
hearers of this age are: (a) Those
who are so immersed In worldliness,
business and anxious care that the
good seed cannot mature; (b) those
who are rich. The effect of riches is
often to blind the spiritual percep-
tons; (c) those who are running after
the pleasures of life. All these things
choke the Word.
HN SpOu puiid Wv. Q. we
This ground differs from all the
rest 1t is soft and mellow, deep and
moist, therefore is capable of bring
ing forth fruit in varying degrees Of
abundance.
Ill. Jesus Pictures the Growth Of
the Kingdom mark 4 :21-34).
1. The parable of the candle wv.
21-25).
The bushel stands for the cares and
material things of life and the bed
for ease and comfort.
2. The parable of the growingI
grain wv. 5000.
(D The attitude of mind of the
gospel preacher wv. 90, 2T.
He should with the utmost fidelity
cast seed into the ground, preach the!
Word. and leave results to God.
(2) The processes of the spiritual
life are gradual ". 2S). 1t is first
the blade, then the ear, after that thei
full corn in the ear"
49, The consummation of the spir-l
itual process ". 29).
Despite the difficulty under which
sowing is done, we can be assured Of
a harvest time.
3.-The parable of the mustard seed
wv. 30-34).
"a The unimportant beginning ".
3D.
y It's vigorous growth ". 32).
The greatest power on earth today
is that which had its inception in the
preaching of the gospel
(3) It's lodging capacity ". 32).
The birds which lodge in the !
branches represent the children of tie /
evil one who find protection and food
in that which was inaugurated by
Jesus Christ.