THE KING’S BUSINESS
503
week were spent with Lazarus and his sis ters. Mary often sat at His feet and eagerly listened as He taught. She believed. She understood when perhaps none of the others had, that He was soon to die, to die in her place, for her sin. Her heart was bubbling over with joy and gratitude. She didn’t stop to calculate. She poured out her best, her all upon Jesus. Her love and appreciation of Christ stood out in sharp contrast to the enemies seeking His life, or the self-seeking disciples bickering for first place. Mary did not wait until Christ hung on the cross or His body was in the tomb to show her love. Did all at the dinner approve of Mary’s act? Judas was a hard-headed, shrewd, unscrupulous business man. His heart not being right, the handling of the money M EMORY VERSE.—“She hath done what she could.”—Mark 14:8. Approach .—How many of you boys and girls ever brought a bouquet of flowers to your teacher? Did you like to do it? Why ? Because you loved her. What kind of giving do we call it when we love to do it? Yes, cheerful giving, and we heard last Sunday about the poor woman who was a cheerful giver, and now we are going to have another beautiful story about some people who knew Jesus when He lived down on earth and loved Him dearly. Prayer .—Let us thank Jesus for giving us our parents and friends who love us and have done what they could to help us and make us happy. Lesson Story .—When Jesus lived down here there was a home in a little town called Bethany, where Jesus loved to visit. There were only three people in this home, two sisters, Mary and Martha, and their brother Lazarus. Some of you will remem ber how one day this brother was taken very sick and died, and Jesus came and made Lazarus live again, and O how
proved too great a temptation. John (12:6) says it was Judas who found fault, for, being a thief, he wanted the money. Why was it that Mary had so great love for Christ, and Judas with equal oppor tunity, had none? Judas had hardened his heart, shut Christ out. He had never learned to be lavish in yielding himself to Jesus. We have to choose between Mary’s atti tude toward Jesus, or Judahs. There is no half-way ground. We must either give Christ our best or we deny and betray Him. Mary gave her best and won Christ. Judas got all he could and lost Christ These two pictures show what love does for a life, and what self does for a life. Have you made your choice between love and self, life or death, heaven or hell, God or Satan? Are you Mary or Judas? happy Mary and Martha and Lazarus were to have such a friend as Jesus, and they loved Him better than ever. (Give the children opportunity to supply some of the details so far as they are able. It insures attention and helps plant the precious stories in their hearts). There were other people living in Bethany who loved Jesus too, and invited Him to their homes. Today we are going to hear about the day some of these friends asked Jesus and his twelve disciples to come and have supper at the home of a man named Simon, and Lazarus and his sisters Mary and Martha were there also. (Explain the Ori ental mode of reclining at meals. Tables easily made of cardboard, inserting short sticks for legs. Two long tables with short one across end. Guests reclining on couches or cushioned divans). We know this must have been a busy day at Simon’s home cleaning and dusting, and cooking nice things for Jesus and his friends, but we are sure it was a happy day for they were doing it for Jesus whom they loved. You know when we love people we like
BEGINNERS AND PRIMARY
By Mabel L . Merrill. Jesus A m ong H is F riends
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs