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December 1932
T h e
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II. A t W ork in the H ome (29-34).
JANUARY 15, 1933 JESUS A T WORK M ark 1:21-45
Leaving the synagogue, Jesus entered in to the home of Peter where He received the news that Simon’s wife’s mother was sick of a fever. He healed the fever with a touch, and the woman immediately rose and ministered unto them. There was no season of convalescence in which she re gained her strength after the wasting ef fects o f the fever, but at once she was healed and restored. The Lord was in the house as a guest, but He could not remain long in any house and fail to bring what ever blessing might be needed there. What ever the need, there is power and grace in Him to meet it. That evening, the news o f Jesus’ pres ence being spread abroad, many that were diseased and many with demons were brought unto Him, and He healed them all. There is a startling difference be tween the healings of Jesus and those of many present-day so-called healers. He did not set aside some particular day upon which sufferers might be healed, nor did He make any demands upon sick ones, other than that they come to Him. What ever the disease or whatever the day, He was ready to heal; and that, too, without waiting for the sick one to make even a confession of faith in Him. III. A t W ork in the S olitary P lace (35). “ Rising up a great while before day, he went into a solitary place, and there pray ed.” In this one verse, we have a large body of teaching concerning prayer. The need is suggested by the fact that this One, who was the Son o f God, required time spent in prayer. I f He needed it, how much more does every child o f God? There is a good time stated* “rising up in the morning.” Before the duties of the day are entered upon, before the face of man is looked upon, before the world and the flesh and Satan begin their attacks, then is the time for prayer. There, is a good place suggested, “ a solitary place.” There is a freedom and absence o f any embarrass ment in the solitary place, where one may pour out the deepest yearnings and the hid den secrets before the Father who seeth in secret. And there is a good manner sug gested; He was alone. There is blessing and power in uniting in prayer with, other believers, but there is need of the personal dealing with God in prayer that no saint can do without except at the expense o f blessing which otherwise might be his. W e should remember that our Lord is seen here as a Man, and as a Man He need ed strength for the duties before Him. The people wondered at His teaching; they were amazed at His power; and they won dered about the source o f such teaching and power. W e may say that the wisdom for the teaching and the power for the mir acles had their source in these seasons of solitary prayer alone with God. Lesson Questions Vs. 21, 22. What was Jesus’ habit on the Sabbath day? What was there in His teaching that astonished His hearers ? When may Christians today speak with au thority? Vs. 23-28. Where was the man with the unclean spirit found? What does this im ply? From the words o f the demon, addressed to Christ, what do you learn of a general nature about evil spirits: (a ) their chief plea; (b ) their knowledge of
refuse to obey it (2 Pet. 2:21). It would be better to be a native o f an African jun gle, living in utter ignorance o f the truth df God or o f the name of Christ, than to be ah enlightened American having knowl edge of the W ord and refusing to bow to its demands. 2. Casting out demons (23-28). The unclean spirit was not afraid to en ter the sacred precincts of the temple, nor to show himself there. It is not true that Satan is afraid o f the house o f God, nor is it true that demons are not acquainted with the truth o f God. There are no in fidels among the demons, nor are there any infidels in hell; infidels are to be found only among men upon earth. The angels be lieve and rejoice; the devils believe and tremble; the saints believe and find salva tion; but infidels are those who turn their backs upon all evidence and deliberately grope their way into ever deepening dark ness, because o f their settled opposition to God and to His Son. The demon in this man knew who Jesus was, even if the nation of Israel refused to accept the proof he offered them. All that demons want is to be let alone. Sin wants no disturbance from holiness. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, commanding him to hold his peace and to come out of the man. The devil does not give up his own without a struggle, and this demon must needs tear the man before leaving him. But it is better to be torn and freed than to remain whole and be in terrible bondage. There are some unclean spirits in people today which, if they ever come out, will leave their victims “torn.” Habits o f many years’ standing are sometimes im possible to root out without a tearing pro cess, but it would be better to be thus torn than to continue in their grip. Again the people were amazed when they saw evidence o f such power, and they be gan to question among themselves con cerning this thing which, to them, was some new teaching. They were astonished that the demons heard, and that they were forced to obey the voice o f this strange Teacher. But even while they thus had be fore them the evidence o f the power o f God, they remained unyielding to His Word. They were willing to spread abroad the Lord’s fame as a great wonder-worker, but they did not yield to Him the obedience which alone could bring them deliverance from their sin. These people have many followers today—those who are willing to accord fame to Jesus Christ, but who are not ready to bow before His authority as Son o f God, the Saviour, and the Lord. BLACKBOARD LESSON (&®m> S tabil , HE IS OUR, HE- WONDERFUL
Lesson Text: Mark 1:21-35. Golden Text: “My Father worketh hitherto, and I work” (John 5:17). The Synagogue at Capernaum pon a small point o f land jutting out into the Sea o f Galilee on its northwestern shore lie the ruins o f the once thriving city o f Capernaum. Not a building of that ancient city remains standing. The site is now overgrown with grass and weeds, which in the springtime
present a r i o t o f color. Beautiful and fragrant wild flowers can be found in abun dance. A lo n g the shore o f the lake is a beautiful pink fringe o f oleanders. Slightly farther i n l a n d is a double row o f euca lyptus t r e e s . T h en
sloping gradually up to the Galilean hills is the little plain upon which the city once stood. Viewed from a distance, it seems to be perfectly smooth and level. Upon closer investigation, one finds small heaps o f stones here and there which represent all that remains of the houses o f the city o f old. The most remarkable fact of all is that the most extensive ruins on the entire site are those o f the ancient synagogue. Only a few o f the stones remain standing in the walls, but over an area of an acre or more, there is a great mass o f building material. Pieces from all parts o f the former structure can be found. There are columns, doorposts, capitals, and cornices. Many o f these stones are well carved. W e can see pomegranates, the star o f David, and even the pot o f manna chiseled upon their surfaces. By comparing the por tions o f the walls which are still standing with the ruins lying about, we conclude that the original building was about sixty feet wide and eighty feet long. Along the sides, the roof must have been about fif teen feet high, while in the center, it was twice that height. A triple doorway let the congregation into the synagogue on the east side. It was most likely in this syna gogue that Jesus preached when He was in Capernaum. Outline and Exposition 1 A t W ork in the S ynagogue (21-28). 1. Teaching the people (21, 22). It was Jesus’ custom to go to the syna gogue on the Sabbath days, because there He would find the people gathered, and there He would have opportunity to teach (Lk. 4:16). His teaching astonished His hearers, because it was wholly unlike the teaching of thé scribes. The scribes took the expositions o f the rabbans and expounded them, or merely repeated what these great men said. There was nothing fresh in such teaching, and hence it was without power. But here was a Teacher who taught directly from the W ord of God and as tonished the people. But, like many today who recognize the authority of the W ord o f God, they gave no response to its de mands. It is bad to be without the hearing o f the Word, but it is worse to hear it and
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