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THE K I N G ’ S BUSINESS
NOVEMBER 28, 1920 HOW JESUS WAS RECEIVED. Golden Text: “ Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” Mat. 11:28. LESSON TEXT Mat. 11:1-6, 16-19, 25-30; 12:14. (Read Mat. 11 and 12; Isa. 53:1-6.)
(1) A n d it cam e to pass, w hen Jesus had m ade an end o f com m anding his tw elve disciples, he departed thence to teach and preach in their cities. (2) N ow w hen John had heard in the prison the w orks o f C hrist, he sent tw o o f his dis ciples. (3) .A nd said unto him , A rt thou he that should com e, or do w e look for another? (4) Jesus answ ered and said unto them , Go and shew John again those things w hich ye do near and see: (5) T he blind receive their sight, and the lam e w alk, the lepers are cleansed, and - the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the p oor have the gospel preached to them . (6) A nd blessed is he, w h osoever, shall not be offended in m e. . . . (16) But w hereunto shall I liken this gen eration ? It is like unto children sittin g in the m arkets, and callin g unto their fellow s. (17) A nd saying, W e have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; w e have’ m ourned unto you , and ye have not lam ented. (18) F or John cam e neither eatin g n or drinking, and they say, H e hath a devil. (19) T he Son of m an cam e Outline (1) THE CRUCIAL QUESTION AND THE CONCLUSIVE ANSWER, vs. 1-6. (2) THE CLEAN-CUT COMMENDA TION, vs. 16-19. (3) THE CONDEMNING AND CALL ING, vs. 20-30. Following the ’ sending forth of the Twelve, Jesus resumed His ministry of preaching and teaching LESSON in the cities. No doubt EXPOSITION He had other disciples T. C. Horton who faithfully followed Him in this tour. (1) THE CRUCIAL QUESTION, “ Art thou He that cometh?” In chronological order this lesson antedates the sending forth of the Twelve by some six months. John had been cast into prison by Herod through the machinations of Herodias, his wife (Matt. 14:3-5; Mark 6:14-30; Luke 9:7-9). His place of confinement was a dungeon in a desolate region about
eatin g and drinking, and they say. B e hold a m an glu ttonou s, and a w inebibber, a friend o f publicans and sinners. But w isdom is ju stified o f her children. (25) A t that tim e Jesus answ ered and said, I thank thee, O Father, L ord o f heaven and earth, because, thou hast hid these things from the w ise and prudent, and hast re vealed them unto babes. (26) E ven so, F ath er: for so it seem ed good in thy sight. (27) A ll things are delivered unto m e o f m y F ath er: and no m an know eth the Son, but the F ath er; neither know eth any m an the Father, save the Son, and he to w h om soever the Son w ill reveal him . (28) Com e unto m e, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I w ill give yo u rest. (29) Take m y yok e upon you , and learn o f m e; for I am m eek and low ly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto you r souls. (30) F or m y yok e is easy, and m y burden is light. (12:14) T hen the P harisees w ent out, and held a council against him , how they m ight destroy him . nine miles east of the north end of the Dead Sea, and about a hundred miles from where Jesus was engaged in His Galilean ministry. He had been imprisoned for about a year. Many of his disciples remained steadfast to him and brought reports of the work of Jesus. The Messiah was drawing men to Himself. He was meek and lowly. He had not used the axe nor started the fire (Matt. 3:10-12). Confined in prison when the prophets had declared that Messiah was to set the captive free (Isa. 61:1) John may have begun to doubt whether Christ was the real Messiah, or if another was to come; as some taught that there would be two Messiahs, one to set up the Kingdom, and the other to suffer death. Some think that John himself did not doubt, but that his disciples did, and that the message was for their benefit. John had testified that Jesus was the Coming One (John 1:6-8; 33-
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