The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-02-24
WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
THE TWELVE SENT FORTH
By HIGHT e. MOORE

Golden Textile harvest truly
is plenteous, but the labourers
are few. Pray we therefore the
Lord of the harvest, that he send
forth labourers into his harvest.
Matthew 9:37, SO.
From the summer of % A. D.
to the summer of 20 A. D. was a
year of intense evangelistic and
missionary labor during which
Jesus from Capernaum as base
made three notable preaching
tours through Galilee, and reach
ed the height of his fame on
earth. The first tour was pre-
| faced by the call of the four dis
ciples at the seaside and culmi-
mated in the choosing of the
twelve on the mountain. On the
second tour he was accompanied
by the twelve and the godly wo-
men who ministered to them of
| their substance. On the third
tour he compassionated the shep-
herdless multitudes Matt. 9:35-
38) and sadly saw the crowds fall
away as. he reached the crisis at
Capernaum-a fingerboard point
ing to Calvary the next spring.
1t was on the first preaching
tour that Jesus sent forth the
twelve, two and two, on their
first independent mission as the
worlds evangeEzers Matt. 10:1
to lid.
l. THE COMPASSION (Mat. 81
The Prayer for Christian Work
ers was urged by Christ on his
third preaching tour of Galilee.
His itinerary was inclusive, for it
touched through his audiences, if
not through personal visitation,
"all the cities and the villages"
which Josephus says numbered
215. On the round. he did as
usual his triple work of teaching,
preaching, and healing. AS the
eager crowds pressed about him
wherever he went, sick of the
husks of Pharisaism and hungry
for the Bread of Life, he pro-
foundry compassionated them. He
thought of them as shepherdless
sheep, scattered, exposed, and dis
tressed. To his disciples he spoke
of them as a plenteous harvest,
ripe and ready for the reaper,
but falling to ruin and decay for
lack of laborers. He, therefore,
urged upon his followers then
and to this day to do the one
thing that would guarantee a suf-
ficient supply of laborers into his
harvest. God is glad to answer
the prayer that he proposes.
2. THE CALL (Mat. 1O)
The personnel of Christian
Workers is illustrated in the
evangelistic call of the twelve. In
some solemn hour he called them
close around him, gave them au-
thority over unclean spirits, and
commissioned them to go forth
heralding the presence of the
Messiah. Such a task had never
before been laid upon them. They
had first been called % disciple
ship, but they were at liberty to
return to their homes and occu-
pations. Later, they were called
to companionship, when, forsak-
ing all, they were permanently to
follow and learn of him. And
after time they were called to
apostleship. thus effecting the
earliest outward organization of
the kingdom. Now they are sum-
moned to evangelization with linn
itations as to time and sphere. 1t
is their greatest work so far; and
it will prepare them for the pc
Rod of development under the
further tuition of Jesus, and also
for the period of worldwide mis-
slons after the ascension of Jes-
US and the descent of the spirit.
1t is not a mere accident that the
twelve went forth in pairs on this
first tour. Such was not the in
variable rule in the later history
of the apostolic era, but it was
wise at this time. Thus was Sc
cured mutual relief in case of dis
tress and encouragement in case
of detection, more forcible testi-
mony, wider influence and larger
results. Looking to this end, the
contrasts in these comprehensive
are very instructive as sketched
by various writer's; impetuous
Peter is paired with cautious An
drew; ambitious James with spir-
itual John; slow-witted Philip
with quick-wited Bartholomew;
skeptical Thomas with believing
Matthew; practical James with
doctrinal Jude; enthusiastic Sim
on the Zealot with business-like
Judas Iscariot. Each man found
a temperamental complement in
his associate. Hence each pair
would have conservatism and ag-
gressiveness.
8. THE CHARGE (Mat. 100
The Program Before Christian
Workers is outlined in the charge
to the twelve. That charge con-
tains two principal parts: the
present commission and the fore
cast of future conflict. We con-
slider only the opening verses of
the first part relating to the field
and the work. (1) Their field of
labor at this time was restricted
to the lost sheep of the house of