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THE K I N G ’ S BUSINESS Outline (1) SEPARATING HIS SERVANTS, vs. 1-4. (2) SENDING FORTH HIS SHEP HERDS, vs. 5-15. ^ (3> SWEETS OF REWARD, vs. 40- 42. (1) SEPARATING HIS SERVANTS, vs. 1-4. “He called His twelve disciples.” In the previous lesson we had the vision of our Lord Jesus Christ, seeing the multitudes as sheep without a shepherd, and then we had His solemn admonition to them to LESSON pray the Lord of the EXPOSITION harvest that He would T. C. Horton send forth laborers into His harvest. Here we have that prayer answered. They prayed, and now He is sending them forth. They are to have the joy of service in the whitened fields. Twelve of the most mighty men in all the history of the world are these twelve obscure, unlettered, uncultured men. They were without much means; without social standing; some were de spised; they were not leaders among the Jews, but the Lord made them that day mighty men. They are to rule over the twelve tribes of Israel in the regenerated earth, and their names are to be blaz oned upon the foundations of the heav enly city. (Rev. 21:14). God’s ways are not man’s ways (Isa. 55:9). His choice is not the world’s choice (1 Cor. 1:27). . “ But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.** This is the first ordination service in the new dispensation. We have the names of the disciples in couples, for so they were sent forth — two and two (Luke 10:1). Two are better than one, (Eccl. 4:9, 10), but they must be agreed else how can they walk together? (Amos 3 :3). Bitter
ness and strife in service can only be avoided by agreement in the Spirit-- (Eph. 5 :2). “ And walk in love as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour.” Their deficiencies drove them to de pendence upon divine power. Even Paul, the scholar, stripped himself of all his fleshly equipment (1 Cor. 2:1-4) when he undertook the task of teaching the truth. The Lord compensated their human insufficiency by fitting them with a fur nishing impossible to the schools (Acts 1 : 8 ). “ But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the utter most part of the earth.” If Christ be not divine, what sacri lege is this in selecting, ordaining and giving the message to men involving eternal destinies! (2) SENDING FORTH HIS SHEP HERDS, vs. 5-15. “ Go to the lost sheep.” Theory and practice are beautifully 'combined in our Lord’s training school. He taught and He trained. He in structed in Word and initiated in work. They had the deep thoughts of God and the definite things in practical serv ice. The commission is direct and in cludes five things: Preach. “ The king dom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 3:2; 4:17). Heal the sick; Cleanse the leper. Raise the dead. Cast out de mons. A mission and a message to both soul and body. He had abundant ly blessed them. They were to bounti fully bestow the blessing upon others, without money and without price. He had ministered of His fulness and now they were to go forth in His name, in the power of His Spirit, and do His mighty deeds. The scope of their ministry: The lost sheep of the house of Israel. He is sending them to His own. Therefore they were not to make provision for
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