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T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
February, 1938
I N T E R N A T IO N A L L E S S O N Commentary Outline and Exposition Blackboard Lesson Children’s Division Golden Text Illustration Object Lesson B y B. B. S utcliffe B y G retchen S ibley B y H elen G ailey B y A lan S. P earce B y E lmer L. W ilder Points and Problems B y A lva J. M c C lain
not wonder that they “ stumbled” in their understanding of Him. But, on the other hand, we do wonder that the words He said and the works He performed were not considered as being evidence that He was the Son of God— for His ministry was wholly unlike that of any man. In response to their stumbling the Lord enunciated the truth, now well known, that “ a prophet is not without honor, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house” (v. 4 ). These words give us a revelation of the inner life of loneliness of our Lord. Nothing but divine love and compassion, and the realization that He was performing the Father’s will could have sustained Him during those years of isolation. II. T he P ower of U nbelief (5, 6) Because of unbelief, “ He could there do no mighty work.” Like an army guarding a citadel against all assaults, unbelief stands at the door of men’s hearts and offers de fiance even to the eternal God. There are those who, in the face of the world’s sor rows, accuse God of being callous. But the truth is that the world’s stubborn unbelief in God, and the rejection of His Son, ac count for the continuance of the world’s sorrows. Christ “marveled because of their un belief” (v.6 ). Let us be careful that we do not condemn unduly these people at whose unbelief Jesus was grieved, while we our selves are slow of heart to believe all that is written in the W ord of God. III. T he M ission of the T welve (7-13) While the people of His own town re jected Him, our Lord “ went round about the villages, teaching” (v. 6). In order that large numbers of people might be reached, He appointed the twelve (v. 7). He sent them forth two and two, and “ gave them power”— power to do humanly impossible things. In this passage, let us not miss the proof of our Lord’s essential deity which alone could have made possible the trans ference of His power to others. The twelve were on a passing visit to the places whither the Lord sent them (vs. 8-11). Christ’s instructions to them must not be taken as a set of rules for the worker of today. T o attempt to apply these instructions as a whole to Christian workers in our day would pervert the teaching of all that follows in the New Testament. Here, if anywhere, we need to exercise care in “ rightly dividing the word of truth,” in order that we shall fill our place with the dispatch and faithfulness with which these twelve filled theirs. They had been given power— an unseen, spiritual, almighty power—but they had nothing else. They had blessing for every place which would
MARCH 6, 1938 SERVING WITH WHAT WE HAVE M ark 6:1-13
Mark 6:1 And he went out from thence, and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him. 2 And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands ? 3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. 4 But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honor, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house. 5 And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. 6 And he marveled because of their unbe lief. And he went round about the villages, teaching. 7 And he called anto him the twelve, and be gan to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits; 8 And commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse: 9 But be shod with sandals; and not put on two coats. 10 And he said unto them, In what place soever ye enter into a house, there abide till ye depart from that place. 11 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day o f judgment, than for that city. 12 And they went out, and preached that men should repent. 13 And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them. Golden Text: “ Such as I have give I thee” (Acts 3:6). Devotional Reading: Romans 12:3-8. T he D anger of F amiliarity (1-4) OM ING again into “his own country” with His disciples, our Lord, as was His habit, went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and began to teach (vs. 1,2). He taught with such wisdom and grace that the people were astonished and began to wonder concerning the source of His power. Had He been a stranger to them, they might have listened with more profit to themselves and traced the mighty works to the God they professed to worship. But this Man was familiar to them (v. 3).' He [ These lessons are developed from out lines prepared by the Committee on Im proved Uniform Lessons of the Interna tional Council. The outlines are copy - righted by the International Council of Religious Education and used by permis sion. The Scripture portions quoted are from the King James Version unless other wise stated .— E ditor .] Outline and Exposition I.
CERTAINTY OF TRUTH "I am superior to opinion." — John Foster's Essays. I build on this: G od's Word! Let men with one accord Decry my faith, and boast Their differing views— a host! It matters not to me Though they should all agree. He who created all, Before whom seraphs fall, In adoration deep, And His commissions keep, Hath spoken in the Page, Fulfilled from age to age Declared by verity A message from on high! So to that Word I cling, And aim in everything, Faith, love, obedience, Act, thought, and every sense, Only to know God's will, And be submissive still. Therefore, O World! deride O r approve; I abide, Constant in quiet mind: God speaks! There, TRUTH I find. — William Olney.
had grown up in their midst; they knew His mother as well as His brothers and sisters. The fact that He Himself was rec ognized by them as “the carpenter,” and also because Joseph is not named here, leads to the supposition that Joseph was already dead. Our Lord, in, His natural relationships, was a member of a family of at least seven children including Himself. So far as the record reveals, nothing was said during the years of His earthly life about the miraculous character of His birth — although at the time of His coming to earth, both heavenly and human witnesses had testified undisputably to the fact of His divine nature. By those who would re ject the revelation, it was generally sup posed that Joseph was the father of all the seven children. Christ being thus well known to the people of the town, we need BLACKBOARD LESSON
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