438
December 1943
INTERNATIONAL LESSON Commentary Outline and Exposition Blackboard Lesson Childrens Division - Object Lesson Golden T ext Illustration By B. B. S utcliffe By G retchen S ible V By M ildred M . C ook By E lmer L. W ilder By A lan S. P earce Points and Problems By H omer A . K ent , Professor at Grace Theological Seminary, Winona Lake, Ind.
God: repentance and belief in that gospel. The kingdom of God was “at hand” to John in the person of Jesus; it was “ at hand” to Jesus in His own Person. Christ’s invitation to Simon, Andrew, James, and John (vs. 16-20), was a call to service. Their call to salvation is found elsewhere (cf. John 1). In today’s passage they were called to be taught by Jesus, to learn how to work for him, and to obey His word. They knew what following John meant, because they had been John’s disciples; now they were to be dis ciples of Jesus. “Come ye after me” ’ was a call to personal, voluntary, and definite surrender, If they would re spond, the Lord Jesus would make of them “fishers of men.” With one ac cord, these four men responded to the call, and the after history reveals how graciously Christ’s promise was ful filled. III. T eaching in the M inistry ( 21 , 22 ) It had been the habit of Jesus to re sort to the synagogue on the Sabbath day. Now He entered it officially,' to begin His teaching ministry. ;. His message astonished His hearers, because it was With “ authority, and not as the scribes.” The teaching of the scribes had degenerated, into the mere echo of the instruction of others who preceded them. The teaching of Jesus proceeded from truth resident in Him* self, and it was delivered witH power supplied by the Holy. Spirit. , The Lord’s message brought to these people only increased guilt, because, while recognizing its authority, they refused to obey it. Thus, in germ, at the very beginning of His ministry, is given a revelation of thp character of the reception of that ministry—not only in that day, but also in all the days until He comes again to earth. Happy is the person to whom the Word of the Lord Jesus comes, and who, like the first disciples, voluntarily accepts and obeys it. Points and Problems 1. "Jesus came from Nazareth" (Mk. 1:9). One cannot fail to see in these words one side of a remarkable contrast. From Nazareth, the little place hidden in the hills of Galilee, the place of human toil and common things, the place held in contempt by the Judeans—from such a place Jesus
JANUARY 2, 1944 JESUS BEGINS HIS MINISTRY M ark 1:1-22
Christ was at all times divine, the Son of God. But at this particular time there came to Him, as a Man, the necessary power for His-ministry on earth. That power was received in the coming upon Him of the Holy Spirit, and through the voice of God that'de- clared who Jesus Christ was. It is the HoTy Spirit^ working in fulfillment of the Word of God, who settles all ques tions as to guidance and enduement —not only in the case of the Lord Jesus, but also of all Christians. The enemy of Jesus (vs. 12, 13) im mediately challenged both the ability and the assurance of the Saviour. The test was whether, with the Holy Spirit resting upon this Man, He was suf ficient to defeat Satan’s attacks, and whether the assurance given by the voice from heaven was enough to up hold the Lord Jesus through all cir cumstances and experiences. Both these matters were proved abundant ly sufficient at the very outset of Christ’s ministry, and after forty days there was no question as to who was the master.' Christ, as the Second Adam, was “with the wild beasts” having domin ion over all the works of God’s hands, even to controlling the animals. Here is a foretaste of what will be in a coming day (cf. Isa., chapters 11 and 35). * n. A ssistants in the M inistry (14-30) The voice of John the Baptist was thought to be silenced when the prison cell received him; but it was forgotten, if. known, that John’s voice was the voice of God, preparing the way for the Lord. Thus Jesus at once took up the ministry where John had concluded, and began preaching the gospel of BLACKBOARD LESSON vesta- mss BAfr/zej> o i s V/y W/LPe/p,Y£SS — TE/irreDor v**. /:ts f - f S I ^ _ A f « * * ’ -REPEOT - -M E , flfïD&EUEUE THE COSPEL* mK.uw,« l/Z/AS e/J/»
Mark 1:9 And It came to pass In those days, that Jesús came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. 10 And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: 11 And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. 12 And immediately the Spirit driveth 'him into the wilderness. 13 And he was there in the wilderness forty days tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him. 14 Now-after that John was put In prison, Jesus came into.Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, 15 And saying, The time Is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. 16 Now as he walked by tha Sea of Gali lee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. 17 And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. 18 And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him. 19 And when he had gone a little further thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were In the ship mending their nets. 20 And straightway, he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship With the hired servants, and went after him. 21» And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught. 22 And they were astonished at his doc trine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes. LESSON TEXT: Mk. 1:9-22. GOLDEN TEXT: “ The time Is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel” (Mk. 1:15). DEVOTIONAL READING: Isa. 40:3-11. Outline and Exposition I P reludes to the M inistry (9-13) F OR THE NEXT three months, the brief but suggestive book, The Gospel of Mark. The baptism of Jesus (vs. 9-11), was performed by John the Baptist, the last voice of the Old Testament (cf. Lk. 16:16). As such, it was John’s duty to induct Jesus into His public minis try by means of this baptism. Jesus [Lesson material is based on outlines o f International Sunday School Lessons copyrighted by the International Coun cil of Religious Education and is used by its permission. Scripture portions quoted aré from the King James Ver- ñon unless otherwise stated .]
lessons will be in the Gospel according to Mark. One of the best helps is Charles R. Erdman’s
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