The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-01-20
WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
JESUS BEGINS HIS MINISTRY
By HIGHT c. MOORE

Golden Text-Repent: for the
kingdom of heaven is at hand
Matthew 4 :l7.
After recording the baptism ane
temptation, Matthew omits ac'
count of the winning of the first
disciples, the miracle at Cana,
the early work in Jerusalem, the
further ministry in Judea, and
the two days in Sychar, and takes
us at once into the great GALL
can ministry with headquarters
at Capernaum, beginning with
the cali of the four and the first
preaching tour.
SETTLEMENT AT CAPERNAUM
The ministry of Enlightment
was the first phase of our Lords
work in Galilee. He had been
preaching about a year in Judea.
The capital was not ready for the
Messiah. The Imprisonment of the
Baptist brought matters to a
crisis. Jesus determined upon a
change of field. He therefore re-
turned to Galilee with its freer
religious atmosphere. But his
home town Of Nazareth also re-
jected his Messianic claim, and so
! he settled at Capernaum, the
populous center by the Sea of
! Galilee. and henceforth the main
base of his activities. The word
of Isaiah was thus fulfilled both
as to his location and his labors.
He was the Light that sprang up
and his work was enlightening so
that the darkness enveloping the
people was dissipated.
PREACHING OF REPENTANCE
The Ministry of Evangelism
was linked with that of enlighten-
ment. Jesus preached. He was
the greatest of all preachers. He
began his preaching OPPORTUNITY.
His message conferred, first, in
the call to repentance, for all
should turn from their sins, and,
secondly, in the announcement of
the nearness of the Kingdom, i'm
plying that all should turn to the
Messiah. The old duties of re-
pentance and faith lie at the bot
tom of every Christian life.
CALL OF HELPERS
The Ministry of Enlistment was
linked with that of evangelism.
DISCIPLINE came first; then call
ing out the called" Peter and
Andrew, James and John, were
already disciples having accepted
Jesus under the preaching of the
Baptist. Now they were called to
give up their secular employment
and associate themselves perman-
emily with Jesus. His call found
them hard at work: The first
two brothers were casting their
net into the sea; the other two
brothers were mending their nets
on board their boat. 1t was a
definite summons from a good
work to the best work, for these
fishermen were to become fishers
of men. The call was needed i'm
mediately; for all four followed
him." Peter and Andrew straight
way leaving their nets, James and
John straightway leaving the boat
and their father. They closed
out a successful fishing business
at the Masters word. Their Saw
Jour was their Sovereign.
TOUR OF GALILEE
The Ministry of Expansion
crowned the other phases of his
ministry. He was attended and
aided by the four! whom he had
just called. He made circuit of
the towns and villages of Galilee.
He engaged in the three great
philanthropic professions: teach
ing, preaching, and healing. The
place of teaching was the syna-
gogue, the appointed house of in
struction. The theme of preach
ing was the good tidings of the
Kingdom. The beneficiaries Of
healing were the infirm, the dis
eased of every kind, and even de-
moniacs. Of course his fame
spread into neighboring countries
and brought to his feet the sup
plant sick from regions near and
far. All parts of Galilee, the
Ten Cities east of the Sea OF
Galilee, Jerusalem and Judea
where he had formerly labored,
and Perea were represented in
the eager throng that followed
him. " =
THE. PROGRAM OF JESUS
Cd A Program of Salvation.
aRepent ye." Men are lost and
ruined by sin. The first thing is
to get right with God. Nor can
We get right with him without
turning away from sin. But the
lpenitent soul always finds mercy.
There is no greater task than
that of leading men from sin to
him who is the one and only
Saviour from sin.
| (2). A Program of Sacrifice.
"Left their nets-left the boat
and their father" He who gave
up everything for US expects us
to give up everything for him
His sacrificial death calls for ou1
sacrificial life. We cannot cling
to him when our hands are full
of earthly things.
(3) A Program of Training
81 will make you fishers of men,
The good fisherman needs train
ing under the Great Teacher IL
! order to be good fisher of men
But Jesus knew this divinest arr