Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1890-05-10
No. Is.
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
MAY1l.
Lesson Text: "Feedins the Multi.
tnde," LIKE tx, IO.17-GoIden
Texs: JON" vi. So: ommcnt.
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Text: JOHN vi. So: ommcnt.
airy on thea1.csson.
The sending forth Of the twelve, and Tho
beheading of John the Baptist, briefly re-
ferred to in the opening verses OF this
chapter, are more fullyrecorded by Matthew
and Mark. In connection wit the first, it is
worthy of note that He had just taught them
to,pray that the Lord of the harvest would
send forth laborers into Bis harvest; then
He called the twelve and sent them forth to
answer their own prayers. When we pray
let us remember that God expects US to be
willing to be used by Film in answering our
prayers.
10. "And the apostles, when they were re-
turned, told Him all that they had done."
Mark says that they told Him all things.
both what they had done and what they had
taught. He had sent them forth to preach
that the K ingdonn was at hand and to heal
the sick. He had sent them only to Israel,
forbidding them to go either to Gentiles or
Somaritans Matt x, 5-Sl; so that tile king
dom they preached must have been the King
dom promised 10 David and spoken Of by oil
the prophets, which would make a restored
Israel with Jehovah dwelling i'll their midst,
a center Of blessing to all the world. Tho
preaching were proofs that the Messiah OF
the prophets had actually come lisa. xxxv.,
SO: ,. ..;s ~;
vately.n There were so many coming aud
going that they had no leisure even to eat,
and He took them aside to rest awhile MARX
vi, 2D. While we continue in these mortal
bodies we cannot work increasingly, but tho
time will come when we shall be able to servo
unweariedly REV. VIII, 15l.
II. "And the people, when they knew it. fol.
lowed Him." John says that Jesus crossed
the Sea of Galilee, and the people followed
because they saw His miracles. Matthew and
Mark say that Jesus went by ship, and that
tho people followed on foot md ontwenG
Him. In the boat He would be an hour or
two alone with His disciples, and they would
have little rest; but what busy Lille lilo
lived.
"And He received theEn Matthew and
Mark both say that He was moved with COM
passion toward them. No pity for Himself,
but full Of pity for these sheep Tithouta
shepherd, even though lie knew their mo-
tiyes in following Him.
''And spake unto them of tho kingdom OF
God, and healed them that had need Of heal
ing" Both body and soul he attended to,
for He is Saviour for both, aud the time
will come when every saved soul shall have
redeemed body in which to dwell.
12 'Send the multitude away" So said
the twelve as the day began to wear away,
and as they, weary and hungry, saw no
prospect of rest, and not much prospect OF
even bite for themselves from their few
loaves and fishes, IL that hungry crowd re-
NAMED Not all the glorious things OF the
could make even the twelve forget that they
were hungry men. They had seen Him still
the storm and raise thedead but they seemed
not to consider that the same power could
feed these hungry thousands Their wisdom
was to let them scatter where they might,
and find food and shelter as they we've able
in the towns and country round about. Inc
old question still lived, "Can God furnish
table in thewilderness~ FPS. 1xxYiii. 49,.
AZ. yIu Lac saIu uupo uivuI y1.yeys ~lerIl
to eat" He had asked Philip, "Whence shall
we buy bread that these may eat" and Philip
had replied that they would need about two
tle And nos when He says "Give ye them
hundred pennyworth." John VII, 81; Mark
vi, 81. Moses had said that the coming
Messiah would DO prophet like unto him
(Deut xviii. u, 49,. and had they renlenl-
bered that, they might also have ren1eT-
bered the food from heavon, which fed mill
ions of people daily for nearly forty years.
1--WE have no more but five loaves and two
fishes" When He asked Philip, He did it to
prove him, for He Himself knew what He
would do John vi, G), just as He so often
lets us get into strait place to prove us.
while all the time He knows the way out and
just what Ee will do
IA, Is. "And He said to His disciples: Make
them sit down by ffties in n company. And
they did SO, and made them all sit down"
Mark says: upon the green grass" John
says: There was much grass in the place.
Mark vi, 80; john vi, 10Y. Matthew
children Matt. xiv, aT; SO there may have
been 1870 companies Of fifty each, or ten COM
panies to each OF the twelve disciples. But
observe the order, and remember the pre-
cept: "Let all things be done decently and
in order,n for God is not the author OF con-
fusion ([ Cor. xiv, SO, 4V. A disorderiy
home Oh room or wardrobe or bureau drawer
or Office or store is no credit to Christian.
Confusion, disorder, tunult unquietness are
mono of the things Of the Holy Spirit.
16. "Then He took the five loayes and the
two fishes, and looking up to Heaven, He
blessed them and brake, and gave to the dis
ciples to set before the multitude He took
Just what they had and used it. He took tho
rod that was in Moses's hand and wrought
wonders with it. Tie took the widows pot OF
oil and multiplied it. BE does not ask us to
waste time in vain regrets about what We
have not, or in wishing that we had this Oh
that He simply says, What have you'll
Bringit to Me-" And anything placed unres
sorveily in His hands can be made to do
wonders, for He has oil power. Thousands
of ewes are upon Him as Ho takes in His
hands the loaves and fishes, and lifting
His face to heaven, acknowledges before
them all that thence comes the power and
the blessing. He never sought His own glory,
but in all things glorified Col.
II. "Ani they did eat, and were all illed.'
Philip thought that two hundred penny
worth might be enough to give every one q
little, but Jesus does not give that way bis
drink abundantly, o beloved" Song of Sol.
v. ". And even these poor shepherdless
sheep he delights to ill. As the disciples
pass around from company to company
pressing more food upon them the answer
comes from all directions: Satisfied, alum
dainty satisfied.
"And there was taken up Of fragments
that remained to them twelve baskets" In
stead Of little for each disciple, which
would have been all that twelve mon could
obtain from five loaves and two fishes here
is basgetful for EACH Had they selishly
kent what they had for themselves, how lit
Ito they would have had, but by giving it
away what abundance, becomes theirs
Afraid to give to God lest we have not
enough for ourselves, we continue poor; but
when we cheerfully give Film that which is
all His own any way, then He makes
us to enjoy His fullncss, and our
cno runneti over. ''The blessing Of tue
Lord, il maketh rich; and He addeth no sor-
row With IT, prov. x, 22. Hc gave Him-
self to bs broken aud poured forth for us;
why should we hesitate to place ourselves in
Hi; hands most unrcserveily, that we may
be broken aud passed. roual by His hands
for the life Of others? It may not be pleas
mt to the flesh. but it will be wonderfully
profitable. Excerpts corn Of wheat fall in
to the ground and die, it abidetI alone; put put
xii. al. Who Is willing to be passed round
for the good of others, not loving his life here