Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1894-08-25
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON TX. THIRD QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, AUG. 2s

Verses. 1-5-GoIdcn Text, John u. II.
Commentary by the Rev. d. N. stear1~
/. ssAnd the third day there was a snar>
riagc in Cana Of Galilee, and the mother
Of Jesus was there The number three Is
one Of the most suggestive Of Bible mum
bers from Genesis to Revelation. 1t stands
for soli,lity or fullncss and. in connection
with the Trinity, divine fullness- The
third day il suggestive Of resurrection, as
in the resurrectiun Of Isaac and Jonah and
Jesus tGcn, xii, 1; Mafh- xii, 10; Hos.
Vi, q. This first miracle makes us think
OF the marriage Of the Lamb, which viii
probably take place on the morning of the
third day.
2. And both Jesus was called and His
disciples TO the marriage = The disciples
ut this time were probably Andrew. 81
mon, John, James, Philip and Nathaniel,
and it may have hcon, for aught we know,
tho marriage of Nathanas1, for bic belonged
to Cana t.Iohn xxi, ~ Some day we shall
know, ii necessary. We may think Of
Mary and Jesus and the disciples finding
time 70 attend q marriage and clarifying
with Jesus and serve or wait with Him.
.. And when they wanted wine the
mother Of Jesus saith unto Him, They
have no wine There was then neccs-
sity unsuppliesl, which viii give Jesus an
opportunity to work. Happy viii we be
If VIC sec IN every time Of need an occasion
for Jesus to manifest Himself And are
not all needs permitted to come to the
children Of 6cd just 70 give occasion to
ful1ll tho promise, My God shall supply
all your need according to His riches in
glory by Christ jesus tPhil iv, l9). Wine
must be good when God makes it and pro-
viies il, for there would surely be no leay-
en- in it, no evil, and yet we read, THY
love is better than wine Is. cf Sol. /, y.
4. "Jesus saith unto her: Woman, what
have TO do with thee; Mine hour is not
yet come " Whatever apparent difficulty
there may be in these words, we may be
sure that there was nothing disrspcctful
to Mary, fer Jesus never said nor did q
wrong thing, nor anything ont OF place.
As 70 the time not being cclne, God Is new
or too fast nor too slow in anything lda
does. Tho year and month and day and
hour and moment are all clear and known
to Him for every event. He is never taken
by surprise, never unpTcpared.
3. His mother saith unto the servants,
Whatsoever He saith unto yon, do it. .
She did not misunderstood Him nor take
amiss what He had said, but sure that Iie
would see to 1t, she gives this order to
the servants. How would it do TO hand all
servants over to Him for His management
and rest in His ordering Of persons and
thingsg Certainly 1t would he well for us
all 10 take delight in being His bond scrv-
ants ready TO fill promptly all Hlsupppint'
ments I'll Ssun. ", l5l.
&. And there were set there six water
pots Of stone, after the manner of the puri.
flying Of the Jews, containing two or
three firkins apiece /" Vessels for purify
ing. How suggestlyel And six of them,
the human number, the number Of man,
and Jesus viii presently use tbcm, How
many verses como 10 mind. A vessel
meet fer the masters usc, - We have this
treasure in earthen vessels and some
times they are vessels Of only second sort
lTII Tim. ii, 81; ii Cor. iv, Z; Ez. |, l0).
The great thing is to be ready 20 His hand
and empty-rcady il He wants me, hav-
Ing no plans nor purposes but His, will
ing, il He should not require me, in 81.
ence 10 wait on Him still. my heart sing
ing, Thou art worthy, O Lord, and am
fer Thy pleasure that Thou maycst be
magnifled, =
7. jesus saith unto them, FIJI the wa.
terpots with water. And they filed them
up TO the brim. II was wine they want
ed, but he orders water. Again how per
feet Born Of water a well of water
springing up, rivers OF living water tJohn
Iii, 5; iv, Ii; vii, 3s) And filed to the
brim. Dear fellow believer, would you
be Of uso to Him in connection with His
approaching mauiageY Then let the serv.
ants fill you with living water cycn His
word and Spirit (John Vi, 63).
8. "And He saith unto them, Draw out
now and bear unto the governor Of the
feast, and they bare 1t. - Wo receive the
water not for ourselves, but for others.
We receive it only TO pass it on, and unless
we pass ii on VIC are not using it Alright
We are supposed to live not unto ourselves,
but unto Him who loved us and gave Him
self for US, to the governor first. Whether
writing letter or making a call, teach
ing a class or preaching the gospel, it must
be ''unto Him, not as pleasing men, but
God, who tricth our hearts, studying 90
show. ourselves approved unto God q
Thess. ii, 4; II Tim. Ii, l5).
8. "When tho ruler Of the feast had tast-
ed the water that was made wine and
knew not whence 1t. was, but the scrv-
ants which drew the water knew, the
governor Of the feast called the bride
groom. Sec how the water, probably as
it was drawn out, was changed into wine
As we give forth the living water 1t max
eth glad the heart Of man, like the wine
Of the kingdom. The true bridegroom,
whose approaching marriage we greatly re-
joice in, Is Jesus Himself, and it Is well
when the water we bear 10 others makes
them so glad that they inquire for the
bridegroom, People say; Where do you get
such good wincs How do You find 50 much
and such precious things in the books Tho
servants who draw the water know. lie
does il all
TO- And saith unto him, Every man at
the beginning doth set forth good wine,
and when man have well drunk then that
which is worse, but thou hast kept the
good wine until now" Confirming our
selves for q moment to the actual event In
Cana that day. see how Jesus, who wrought
the miracle, Is passed by and the bride
groom gets the credit. 1t requires great
grace TO be the instrument IN good work
and see another get the credit of it, l.ut
His grace is sufficient even for that Let
W. rtI AAtN We III tilt lHlifES fB4tgiilif ti1t
Lord as We fope that bridegroom did that
day, informing tho governor a. TO the au-
thor OF the wine. In all the fcfsts where
The Lord provides it is better further ON,
and the last win be the best.
II. ssThis beginning of miracles did Jc-
rus in Cana Of Galilcc. and manifested
forth His glory, and IisdiscipIcs believed
on Him. His glory will be manifested
at His e,Vt, ntorftae.f ana, III, chaIl ,.,4t,.,,
for the Judgment Of nations, the CONVEX
sion Of Israel and the establishment Of
His kingdom under tho whole heaven
Dan. VII, ~. Then shall all our cups <
cold water he changed into the ncx w.in
Of the kingdom, and all Israel shall be
iieve on Him as they shall look upon Hin
whom they have pierced aud sing. Bless
ed be He tllat comcth in the name % the
Lord. This is our Ged- We have waited
for Him. =