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T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
December 1926
EXPOSITION OF THE LESSON 7 . T .C H o ito i BLACKBOARD OUTLINE . • . , Fred S. Shepard DEVOTIONAL COMMENT . . ' . Wm. A. Fwher ELEMENTARY . . . . • • Mabel L. Merrill SCRIPTURE REFERENCES FOR CLASS HOUR . USE ..................................... Grace Maxwell VITAL TRUTH ILLUSTRATIONS . . • • . ............................... Selected by Rev. Albert Mvgatt
The International s - Sunday School Lesson Series
“If any man serve me, him will my Father honor” (John 12:26). Many follow Him without serving Him. Mul titudes followed Him because they saw the miracles which He did (John 6:3). Over and over again the Gospel tells us that the multitudes followed Him, crowding upon Him, yet He had but few true, dependent followers. (2) FISHERS OF MEN, v. 17. “I will make you to become fishers of men.” Catching Men. In Luke 5:12 it reads, “Thou shalt catch men.” The most wonderful work in the world is that of fishing for men. A careful study will show that the essentials needed in fishing for fish correspond exactly to those needed for soul-sav ing. Here are a few of the require ments: /K, (1) Knowledge: One must know the characteristics of the fish, their haunts and habits of life. This knowl edge can only be acquired by study. So we must know men. There are three sources of knowledge in the study of men: Yourself, your fellow men, and the Word of God. The Bible is the most perfect delineator of the character of mankind. (2) Love for the Work: Fishing is work. -It is often a recreation, but every real fisherman finds fishing a la bor. For this reason and because it is often hard, tiresome and unsuccessful work, many people do not care for it. You must love the lost souls of men, or you will never be one of Christ's true followers. If you are not catching men, it is because you do not have the love of Christ in any large measure in your heart. Ponder this carefully, for it must be true. His love never changes. He loved and loves the lost. (Matt. 9:36). His love developed in you will compel you to love men. (3) Equipment. A fisherman needs a boat, bait, net, tackle—according to the kind of fish and the place of fish ing. We need to have the bait of the Bible. Some portions will do for some men. Others for other men. Some will be hooked easily and quickly. Others will have to be “played for” a long time. There are many kinds of hooks and lines and rods. Fishing is an art. There is always something new to be learned about the business. A fisherman needs patience. No one will make a successful fisherman with out this qualification. The wind is wrong one day; water too rough the next; weather too cold the next; but keep at it. "Let patience have her perfect work.” A fisherman must have perseverance. Sometimes men have fished season af ter season for a certain fish. Often men have failed repeatedly with a cer tain kind of tackle, but they keep on, try again and keep on trying. What
JANUARY 2, 1927 THE CHRISTIAN, A FOLLOWER OF JESUS MARK liie-20; 1 Jobs 2:6
intimates during the three and a half years of His ministry, He found them among the humble toilers. They were not men of rank, but men of character. The history of the church is full of illustrious examples of such choices: Bunyan, the tinker; Zwingll, the shep herd; Melancthon, the smith; Luther, the miner’s son. They were not idlers. God never calls an idle man. They were faithful in following their voca tion. Men are chosen for service who are working well in their own sphere. Men who dream of doing great things, but who never have done well the least thing, will be left to their dreams. Moses was tending sheep; Joshua was a soldier doing service under Moses; Gideon was threshing wheat; Elisha was plowing. God wants men who know how to do things, and then do them. Saul of Tarsus, as a perse cutor, was hot with hatred for the Christians and gave his best effort to putting them in prison. When Saul surrendered and became a preacher, he was full of fire for the spread of the Gospel and went about as a flam ing evangel, telling the story of re deeming love. Jesus found them busy with their nets, and from their homely service called them to the highest hon ors in the kingdom. “Follow Me.” Here speaks the King,. He commands His disciples to follow Him. The seal of prophecy is upon Him. He has the right of com mand. He was born at the right time. (Dan. 2:44); in the right place (Mi- cah 6:2); brought out of Egypt (Hos. 11:1); reared in Nazareth (Judges 13:5); a prophet (Isa. 9:1-7); with the testimony of Elijah (Matt. 4:1). “Follow me” means “Come behind me.” Jesus says first of all: “Come unto Me.” They come for rest (Matt. 11: 28), then for service (John 8:12). He goes before as a shepherd, and they follow (John 10:4). “If any man serve me, let him follow me.” * * *
Golden Text: “He saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose and fol lowed him.“ Mark 2:13. Lesson Text: Mark 1:16-20; 1 John 2 : 6 . Devotional Reading: Phil. 2:6-11. Additional Material for Teachers: Luke 6:46-49; John 1:35-61. SAVING ALL FOR i r O I I O JtMJo Lesson Outline: (1) Finding the Fishermen, v. 16. (2) Fishers of Men, v. 17. (3) -Forsaking and Following, vs. 18-20. Introduction: Matthew, Mark and Luke are called the "Synoptical Gospels“ (as distin guished from the Gospel of John), and in all of them the ministry of Christ b e g i n s with the LESSON “Great Galilean Min- EXPOSITION istry” ; whereas, the T. C. Horton first year of o u r Lord’s ministry is re corded by John, which was mainly in Judea. The period covered by our les son is the year following the baptism of Christ. At this time the Disciples come into a closer relation with the Master. The scene of our lesson is at the Lake of Gennesaret (Sea of Galilee), probably at Capernaum. Mark tells us that our Lord was walking by the sea and saw the fishermen casting their nets. Luke tells us of the boats on the shore, the fishermen washing their nets, and that Jesus took one of the boats, pushed out a little from shore, sat down and taught the people. The district was very populous, and the people pressed upon Him. After His sermon He paid the fishermen for the use of the boat by giving them a big draught of fishes. (1) FINDING THE FISHERMEN, v. 16. “They were fishers.” Simon, Peter and Andrew, James and John, had become disciples of Jesus, leaving John the Baptist. They had not entirely abandoned their oc cupation, but had spent some time with Jesus in Judea. Now He calls them to a definite service. When the Lord sought those who were to be His
A 11 Sunday School workers will appreciate these Lesson Comments appearing f r o m month to month in The King’s Business. Five or more sub scriptions, deduct 25c each from regular price, which Is «1.25 in U.S., or «1.50 foreign.
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