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Lesson material is based upon outlines of International Sunday School Lessons, copyrighted by the International Council of Re ligious Education; used by per mission.
LESSONS
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Points and Problems
For the Children
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LESSON FOR MAY 5 Learning Good Will From Jesus LESSON MATERIAL: Mark 3:14-17: Luke 9:49-56: 1 John 4:7, 8. GOLDEN TEXT: "This commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also” (1 John 4:21), Outline and Exposition I. 3:14-17) When Jesus chose certain from His followers for special service, they needed training for the responsibility. This included their ordination, or ap pointment to office; their personal communion with Him, and f i n a l l y their being empowered by Him (vs. 14, 15). It is not without reason that the three named in the lesson were those whose bigoted and intolerant spirits needed correction. They had to be taught by the example and words of the Lord Jesus, that good will must characterize believers in all their serv ice for Him. n. T h e T e a c h i n g ( L u k e 9:49-56) Jesus’ address was Interrupted by John, who stated that he and the other disciples had seen one casting out de mons in the name ofTJesus and that they had forbidden it, because said they, “he followeth not with us.” The “name” always means “by the author ity of,” and refers to the nature and character of work, with the accom panying authority and power associ ated with it. Hence, this one was do ing a real work for God, but was re buked because he was not within the inner circle of disciples. This was a manifestation of arrogant sectarianism which has cursed the Church from the beginning. The example of the Lord Jesus, with His charity and absence of self-importance should have cured them of such a spirit, and filled their hearts with good will toward others. T h e S c h o l a r s ( M a r k
Again, when the Samaritans refused to receive Jesus, the disciples were an gered and. desired to call down fire from Heaven to destroy them. This manifested a vindictive spirit; they were ready to take up material means to defend the reputation of the Lord. But Jesus declared that He had not come to destroy, but to save, men’s lives. III. T he B asic T ruth (1 J ohn 4:7, 8) Deliverance from a spirit of intoler ance and bigotry can come only from God, who is love. His love is more than mere sentiment which excuses wrong-doing; His love is righteous and just, but compassionate and sacrificial. Christ does not persecute; He pleads with men to come to Him. He wants His children to “beseech” men that they be reconciled to God. Points and Problems 1. "And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach” (Mark 3:14). The order used by Jesus in sending forth the twelve Should be carefully noted. They were first appointed or'called—“He o r d a i n e d twelve” ; second, they were trained— “they should be with Him” ; and, third, they were sent. They were not sent out until they had prepared. Time had to be taken for communion with the Lord and study of His ways ere H is disciples were ready for service. The principle has not changed. 2. "Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us" (Luke 9:50). There is a problem involved in this statement for it seems to contradict Luke 11:23. “He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.” However, when the different situations are taken into consideration, the problem vanishes. In the quotation from our lesson, the reference is to those wh.®
labor in the power and with the authority of Christ. The phrase “in thy name” (v. 49) is the key that unlocks the meaning. All the servants of Christ do not see eye to eye on some things; all do not belong to the same group or denomination, but if they labor in Christ’s name, they are not to be repudiated by the others. Christ here rebukes that narrow sectarianism too often evident among God’s peo ple. It is a phase of spiritual pride. In the second passage (11:23), the context is altogether different. There it is a matter of loyalty to either Christ or Satan. Here there can be no neutral ground. A person is either the servant of Christ or of the devil; he is either born again or he is not born again. For the Children ( L u k e 9:51-56) MEMORY VERSE: “Let us love one another” (1 John 4:7). Although James and John had often been with the Lord Jesus Christ, they had never learned to love others as He had commanded them. Just before the Lord Jesus was cru cified, He and some of His disciples were going toward Jerusalem. The Saviour sent messengers ahead of them to a village of the Samaritans to make ready for Him. When the Samaritans knew that Jesus was planning to go to Jerusalem, they re fused to receive Him. This made James and John so angry that they said, “Lord, wilt thou that we com mand fire to come down from heaven, and consume [burn] them?” (Luke 9:54). The Lord was grieved at these unkind words. He had taught His disciples to love their enemies and to do good to those who wronged them. Jesus told James and John that He had not come into the world to kill veople, but to save them. S t o r i e s o f J a m e s a n d J o h n
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