The Picture in the Bethany Home vv. 6-13
Helps for the Children Some Ways to Serve God Matt. 25:31-46
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The second picture centers in the home of Simon, the leper, in Bethany. The Simon mentioned in this connection was probably one who had been miraculously cleansed of his foul disease by Jesus. He showed his appreciation by inviting Him to his home. It must have been a great experience to have Jesus in the home in those days. It still is I In the picture before us John tells us that they were eating supper (John 12:2). Lazarus was there, as were Mary and Martha, Simon, the disciples and Jesus. See John 12:2ff. In the course of the meal Mary took an alabaster box of very precious ointment and poured it upon the Saviour’s head (w . 3-7). The perfume filled the whole house (John 12:3). It was a mark of affection and a preparation for His burial. Jesus com mended her for what she had done and said it would be told of her as a memo rial wherever the gospel should he preached. This was the Lord’s attitude toward this expression of love after His disciples, instigated by Judas (John 12:4-6), had questioned the action. The writer believes that in the break ing of the alabaster box (Mark 14:3), in the love that prompted it, its cost, and in its sweet influence, we have a beau tiful picture of our Lord who took the alabaster box of his own body and broke it at Calvary that the blessings of its content might be available to the whole world. The Picture in the Upper Room vv. 26-30 We are not told whose upper room it was. It was likely that of John Mark’s home. At any rate, Jesus desired a place to spend His last evening with His disci ples. He had no home to which to invite them, so He was dependent upon some friend. There in a quiet place, Jesus gathered with the Twelve for a last in terview and for the establishment of the memorials of His saving work. See that picture! Jesus and the Twelve reclining about a table. The usual subject for discussion at the Jewish Passover feasts was the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt. But this was the Christian Passover Supper and the true Passover Lamb was present and on the morrow He was to be slain. Little wonder, there fore, that Jesus talked to them about His death and gave to the church the memo rials of His saving work. In the passage before us we have presented the memo rials of His broken body and shed blood. In John 13 we have the establishment of the feet-washing service which pictures the cleansing of the believer’s walk. Other Scriptures teach us that our Lord wants His followers to partake of these symbols as memorials of His finished work. Believers should need no other reason for a faithful observance of these things than this. Following in this chapter we have the picture centering in the Garden of Geth- semane (w . 30-56), and finally the sec ond picture centering about the home of Caiaphas (w . 57-75). T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
Memory Selection: “Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me” (Matt. 25:40). Have you ever wished that you had been living when the Lord Jesus was upon the earth so that you could show Him how much you love Him? Perhaps you wish that you might have invited Him to your home for dinner or that He might have slept in your home when He had nowhere to go. Such wishes can never become true, but we can just as truly show our love for the Lord Jesus today as though He were here among us. Just before His crucifixion the Son of God said, “Verily, verily [truly, truly] I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my breth ren, ye have done it unto me.” Although this verse is talking mainly about how people treat the Jewish people who are God’s chosen people, we know that it can include others than the Jewish people too. Here we find six ways in which we may serve God today. As we talk about each of these ways, ask yourself if you can serve Him in any one of them this week. Has a tired, hungry stranger ever come to your door looking for warmth and rest and food? If so, you may serve God by feeding him and taking him into your home. Of course you must let your parents decide just how your family may help such a person. Perhaps you have some outgrown clothing that you may share with another child who is cold and poor; perhaps you have a friend or a neighbor who is ill and who would be cheered if you would leave your play long enough to visit him. Maybe you know someone who is in trouble and who especially needs to know that someone loves him and is willing to help him and tell him about the Saviour. Rather than daydreaming about what you would have done for the Saviour had you been living when He was upon the earth, open your eyes to the needs of those about you and help them prayerfully, always remembering to tell them of your Lord as you help them. In this way you will be truly showing your love for your Lord. Matthew, thé twenty-sixth chapter, is filled with old familiar pictures which everyone should seek to have indelibly stamped upon his mind. It does one good at times to take down the old family album and look at some of the scenes and faces of other days. So there are some pictures in the chapter before us which we will do well to look at again and again. There are at least five such pic tures here. The first picture centers in the home of Caiaphas (w . 1-5,14-16). It is a picture full of dark shadows and possessing a hideous background. But we are not concerned with this picture in our lesson. Mar. 22, 1953 OUTPOURED LOVE Matt. 26:6-13, 26-30
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