T h e K i n g ' s BLACKBOARD LESSON MARY the J I arvelouj thej\ 1 ESSIAH. I a n S tar out ofjacob Nura-wu. BRIOHT-MORNINGSTAR L- DAY STAR m M Ü N ¡8 \V 0 f^DWas made {¡eslv /Û.H. Oct Ü V. 27. Why was John especially chosen to be the protector of Mary? Had she other children than Jesus? How explain that they are not mentiond as present at this time? * * * P ractical P oints 1. God has made known the gospel of His grace. Happy are those who hear and raise no questions, but rather say with the shepherds, “Let us go and see.” 2. The shepherds “made haste” and were the first believers to find Jesus. The eager and zealous are always foremost in knowledge and experience. 3. There is no joy on earth like the joy of “finding” Jesus Christ and telling others we have found Him (cf. John 1: 41, 45). There is great joy in heaven when Christ “finds” a lost sinner (cf. Lu. 15:5-7). 4. If you are a Sunday School teacher, do you have the joy of helping your pupils “find” the Saviour? Do not point them to the manger alone, wonderful as the story of the birth of the God-man is, but tell them o f the Christ on the cross and o f (the ascended Christ at the throne. 5. The shepherds believed, rejoiced and went away telling all they knew. Mary be lieved and “pondered.” The gospel is so simple that a child can understand its mes sage o f salvation and tell it to others, yet so profound that years or even ages of “pondering” will not suffice to enable one to fathom “the exceeding riches o f His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:7). 6. “Whatsoever He saith unto you”— your appointed program: “do it”—your olain duty. 7. The emptiness o f life when the joys o f earth have failed is illustrated in this first miracle o f Jesus; “they have no wine” can be said of all who have sought intoxication with the world’s pleasures. Why not receive the “new wine” and have a new song (Eph. 5:18-20)? 8. Mary was the mother of Jesus, but He showed Himself her Lord. There is no warrant for the Roman Catholic assump tion that Mary may be depended upon to influence Christ in behalf o f a suppliant. At the throne of God she is accepted in Christ, as are all other saved sinners. 9. We are not told what Mary suffered at the cross. Had Jesus said to her as He did to Simon Peter on another occasion, “ I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not” ? Surely it was His help that enabled her to endure (cf. Heb. 4:16-18). 10. We do not deny or detract from the idea o f the deity o f Christ when we say that we can trace the effect o f His mother’s influence and training upon His life. 11. Jesus knew the trials o f home life, and in His public ministry He seemed to B u s i n e s s
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to this place? His mother’s sister, Mary the wife o f Clopas. Matthew and Mark name other women who were present (Matt. 27:55; Mk. 14:40). And Mary Magdalene. This faithful disciple had re ceived much from Jesus and loved Him much. With such companions in her grief, Mary was not without human sympathy and support. V. 26. The disciple standing by whom he loved. John never mentions his name in his gospel, but frequently refers to him self as “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” He was nearest of all the disciples to the Master. Woman, behold thy son! Here again the word “woman” has the very highest possible idea of honor and love. The Master asked His mother to there after look upon John the beloved as her own son and her protector in His stead. V. 27. Saith he to the disciple. The repetition made the matter more certain and more solemn. Behold, thy mother! Mary had other children—James, Joseph, Simon, Judas, and at least two daughters (cf. Matt. 13:56). We know that they did not at first believe on Jesus Christ. Apparently they were not at the Cross; they would have been named if they had been. These facts may indicate why Jesus committed His mother to John and not to her own children. Took her unto his own home. He seemed to own a home in Jerusalem. The language may be inter preted to mean that he immediately re moved Mary from the distressing scene on Calvary. * * * L esson Q uestions Lk. 2:15. What message had the angels given to the shepherds? Had they be lieved it? What did they determine to do? Did they have any doubt.as to whether the message which they had received came from God? V. 16. Why did they make haste? To what village did they go? What did they find there? V. 17. Did they have any questionings concerning the identity o f this babe with Messiah? What did they make known? V. 18. What was the effect of the shep herds’ message? Is it likely that all who “wondered” also believed? V. 19. In what way did Mary keep all these sayings? What is meant by her “pondering them” in her heart? John 2:1. Why was this called “the third day” •(cf. John 1:45-51)? Where was Cana o f Galilee? V. 2. Which disciples o f Jesus were probably with Him? What lesson from the fact that Jesus was willing to be present at a wedding and on such an oc casion to perform His first miracle? V. 3. What did Mary say to Jesus? Why did she bring this problem to Him? Did she expect Him to work a miracle? V. 4. Did He show any disrespect in His answer to His mother? Why did He answer in words that seemed like a re buff? What do they mean? V. 5. What did Mary say to the ser vants ? Do her words indicate that she still expected' Jesus to meet the need? 19:25. What part had the soldiers in the crucifixion? What women were mentioned by John as being present? What others are mentioned by other evangelists? V. 26. What special attention to His mother did Jesus show? To whose care did He commit her?
have a peculiar delight in bringing joy to sad homes. He responded to many ap peals from fathers, mothers, etc. Try to make a list from memory of the most no table cases. * . * * G olden T ext I llustration After one of the hard-fought battles of the war, a confederate chaplain was called to see a dying soldier. Taking his hand, he said, “Well, my brother, what can I do for you?” He supposed, of course, the young fellow would want fo cry to God for help in his extremity, but it was not so. “ Chaplain,” he said, “ I want you to cut a lock o f my hair for my mother; and then, chaplain, I want you to kneel down and return thanks to God for me.” “For what?” asked the chaplain. “For giving me such a mother. Oh ! she is such a good mother. Her, teachings are my comfort now. And then, chaplain, thank God that by His grace I am a Chris tian. What would I do now if I were not a Christian? And thank Him for dying grace. He makes this hard bed feel ‘soft as downy pillows are.’ And oh, chaplain, thank Him for the promised home in glory—I’ll soon be there.” “And so,” said the chaplain, “I knelt by his bed with not a petition to utter, only praises and thanksgiving for a good mother, a Christian hope, dying grace, and an eternal home in glory.”— Christian Ob server. * * * Mary, the Mother of Jesus Luke 2:15-19; John 2:1-5; 19:25-27. Memory Verse.—“ But Mary kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart” (Luke 2:19). Approach. —A little boy six years old prayed: "Dear Jesus, make me like You were when You were six years old,” Do you ever ask to be made in your home and school, all your everyday life, like Jesus was when He was exactly your age? Lesson Story. —Our time is reckoned
from the birth of Jesus. You know the beautiful story of His coming into the world as a wee Baby, the joy o f the a n g e l s , and t he search and worship of the wise men. You have seen pic tures that show the artist’s thought o f Mary and her Son
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Jesus. Mary belonged to the tribe o f Ju dah. Prophecy was fulfilled that told of the coming Messiah, who should be the “ Son of David.” His birthplace was also foretold. Mary and Elisabeth, the mother o f John the Baptist, were cousins. Both were made glad by the coming into their homes o f a baby boy, and both mothers brought up these children to love, obey and wor ship God. Early in his life, Mary doubt less taught the boy Jesus from the Scrip tures. The mother of Jesus kept in her deepest heart all those things which had been told her about this wonderful Boy. As He grew, she realized that He was given into the world for a great and glor ious purpose. At the marriage feast in Cana o f Galilee she was present, urging the servants to do as Jesus told them. Shi
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