will cause multitudes to glorify God. Again is prophecy fulfilled (Isa. 35:6). The people were glad and the Pharisees were mad and blasphemed God in as- cribing the deliverance to the devil. If you please God, you will never please the Pharisees. POINTS PRACTICAL. (1) It is a well-founded faith that puts a finger upon the fringe of His garment. (2) Virtue is vested in Him and flows forth at faith's demand. (3) A full frank confession of Him as the Christ of God brings comfort and cheer. (4) It is well worth while to count Him worthy of worship. (5) The faith of one who follows the Lord is not disheartened by dis- tance, disturbed by delay, nor dis- couraged by doubts. (6) The Pharisees had the incurable disease of sin, were blind to the truth, possessed of demons of doubt and were dead to God. (7) Binding the broken hearts, deliver- ing the demon possessed, bestowing sight upon the blind and defeating death are matters of greater mo- ment than debating with doubting Pharisees. Lesson No. 2—April 10. THE MISSION OP THE TWELVE. 1- 4 (4) Sending Forth Shepherds..5-15,40-42 The parallel passage is found in Mark 6. With adult classes it will be well to read this lesson in its dispensa- tional aspect. Verses 16-39 reach into this age and have a forward reach into the coming age; however, the truths here are practical and should be force- fully applied. (1) SPIRITUAL VISION. "When He saw the multitude." .Tosepbus tells us that there were 204 cities and populous villages in Galilee. The word multitudes is therefore not an exaggerated term. In his visitations the Lord Jesus had looked upon the crowds and had been made conscious of their deep need. What He Saw. Sheep without a shep- herd (Num. 27:17; 1 Kings 22:17). The Jewish leaders had neglected the peo- Matt. 9:35-10, 1-15, 40-42. Golden Text—Matt. 10:8. Outline: (1) Spiritual Vision (2) Solemn Admonition (3) Separating His Servants ...35-36 .37-38
ple, the teachers had ignored them. Physical distress was evidenced every- where, many were diseased and demon- possessed. Traditions had been substi- tuted for God's Word and so their souls neglected. The masses were unshep- herded, untaught, unsaved (Isa. 56:9- 11; Jer. 50:6). What He Felt. The conditions moved Him to compassion (Heb. 4:15). This word compassion is said to be one of the strongest in the Greek language and suggests the stirring of the inmost soul with yearning. Compassion as thus used has reference to the human element in the Lord Jesus. Compassion is an ster- nal principle in God. He saw the need of body and of soul and His own body and soul responded to the cry (HeB. 5:2). This is the picture of humanity that the church needs to view with the spiritual eyes of the Master. It needs to look out upon a lost world and see the havoc that sin has wrought, and the soul of the church needs to be stirred with divine compassion. Men are lost (Rom. 3:23); like scattered sheep they are driven about by winds of doctrine (Eph. 4:14) and traditions of men (Col. 2:8). They need the Christ who is the power of God and wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1:24), and there must be men and women who will be as Paul was to a lost world (1 Cor. 9: 19-22). (2) SOLEMN ADMONITION. " P r ay ye therefore." With that picture of distressing need before Him He said, " The harvest is great," there are so few to labor. Why did He not follow it with " Go y e " ? Because it is not His order. Before He called the twelve He prayed all night (Luke 6:12-13), now He bids them pray. He did in like manner be- fore sending them forth (Luke 10:2). The door to wisdom and work is prayer. All problems of the believer are solved by prayer. If the church would pray, Christ would perform. Schools and colleges, gifts of money, getting men and women pledged to go, are essential, but the most important of all is prayer, for all the other things are compassed the moment prayer be- gins. Prayer enables God to open eyes to see the need (Eph. 1:18). Prayer prepares the heart to respond to God's call to service (Acts 13:1-4). Prayer moves the soul with com- passion and opens the purse (2 Cor. 9:1-2).
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