The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1894-10-11
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
OCTOBER IL.
Lesson Text: "The Draught of
Fishes" Luke ", 1-1t--Goldcn
Text: Mark L., 17-Com-
mentary.

I. "And II cnme 70 pass that, NJ the people
pressed upon Him TO hear the wor,l OF God,
He stood by the lake OF Gen 1esareth." After
He was expelled from Nazareth, as we saw
In last weck's lesson, He for q timc made
Capornaum His centre (Nratb. iy., 13) that
prophecy might be fulnlled. About that time
Andrew and Peter, James and John received
rall to follow Him and did so (Matb. w.,
.o-22). Among the many sick and sut-
fering whom He healed In Capernaum were
the man in.the synagogue with an unclean
spirit and the mother OF Simon's wife.
Throughout all Gnllleo lie healed all man
ner OF disease and preached the gospel OF tho
kingdom. so that Hts fame spread every
where (Mntb. iv., 23-25). In tho midst OF
this popularity to-days lesson finds Him
preaching to the people hungcring for the
word on the shore OF Galilce's sea. From
my present experience IN fifteen Bible
classes, held In ms many different cities and
towns, in whi,h | meet from 1000 10 5000
people weokl; in all kinds OF weather, I
most earnestly testify to nil preachers and
teachers that people still hunger for tho
word of God. Why should there be fam
Inc? (Amos vlii., II. l2).
2. "And saw two ships standing by the
lake, but the fishermen were gone out OF
them and were washing their nets" This is
clearly different incident from that In Math
w., 1922. for thrrethe men were In the ships,
two OF them casting net .and two mending
tueu netS. HOW " " tOut all
do Is seen and noted, aud the Spirit thinks IL
worth while to record whether these men
were washing or mcnding or casting their
nets II we would 1.-Two always as under the
eye OF the Lord, what difference 1t might
make
Q. "And He entered into one OF the ships,
which was Simon's, and prayed him that no
would thrust out n little from the land. And
He sat down and taught the people out OF
the ship" To appreciate this fully one must
remember that fishing boat is not always
tho sweetest nor cleanest kind OF vessel,
md some Christian people would consider
we'll before stepping into n fishing boat even
TO do people good. Let us consider Jesus
and have moro OF II spirit. what He would
tench the people wc may imagine from His
discourse with Nicodomus and tho woman
OF Samaria. etc. IL would surely DO con-
corning the Kingdom and how TO reach IL
and walk worthy OF 1t.
4. snow. when He had left speaking Uo
said unto Simon. Launch out into the deep
and let down your nets for draft" Ho
had been In n figure. casting the net for
souls, and His word would surely accom-
plish His pleasure and bear fruit o the glory
OF God. But lIo has been using Slmon's
boat aud taking Simon's time, and He will
let no service go unrcwarded. He is not
unmindful OF the needs OF tn" body and will
surely make pood Math. W.. 33.
8. "And Simon, answering, said unto
Him, Master, we have toilcd all the night
and have taken nothing-nevcrtheless at
Thy word will let down the .uet." We can
not help thinking of that other night long
after when they toiled all night and caught
nothing (John XXI, 3). Is there any con-
nection? IL is well for Christians TO remem.
her that no labor is ever in vain in the Lord
(I Cor. XIV, $50.
@. "And when they had this done they in
closed great multitude OF fishes, and their
net brake" Al Hts word something Is al
ways accomplished. When It is God who
worketh there will always be results, perhaps
not what we would like or WISH but always
what He pleases. Ho controls ever tnshes,
and ashe> more easily then mon. for iey DO
not resist Him. In the post resurrection
incident the net did NOT break CJohn xxi,
III. Consider why.
2. "And they beckoned unto their part
ners which were In the other ship that they
should come and help them. And they came
and filed both the ships so that they began
10 sink" what giver the Lord Is How
abundantly He rewards these partners for
the use OF one OF their boats Why do wo
know so little OF the Lords fullness, of
His exceeding abundancep Is II not because
We do not yield fully to Him? We arc so
loath TO present our bodies u living sacrifice,
30 afraid He will require too much of us or
In some way aflilct or grlevs us. when all
the while He desires TO flll us with all His
fullness (Eph. ILL.,, 19). Hear Him as Ho
says that IL His people would only hearken
unto Him He would feed them with tho
finest OF the wheat and satisfy them with
honey from the rock (Ps. lxxxi., IS, 49,
8. "When Simon Peter saw IL, he fell down
at Jesus's knees, saying, Depart from me,
for am sinful man, D Lord" Nothing
gives such deep conviction OF SIN as u ssht
OF the Lord and His goodness. II Is the
goodness OF God that leads US to repentance
uhas ulh
views OF self were wrought In job, Isaiah,
Daniel and Paul when thcy saw the glory
and goodness OF the Lord dob Kill, o, @,
lisa. W., s Dan. Y. Phil. ILL.,. Z, 81. IL
We have a good opinion OF ourselves, We
need only to see Jesus In order to have all
enabled truthfully TO say, "l know that In
me-that is, In my flesh h-dwelleth no good
thing" (Bom, VIII, 1s).
y. "For he was astonished and all that
were with him at the draft OF the fishes
which they had taken" All their nights
toll had accomplished nothing, but now,
with one cast Of the not, both boats are
filed almost 10 sinking. What an illus
tratlon OF Prov. T., 90, II. ", 1.-The bless
Ing OF tho LORD, 1t maketh rich, and toll
addeth nothing thereto" n we would only
abide always and wholly under His control,
how much He might accomplish through US !!
His name IN wonderful, and there is nothing
too wonderful for Him.
10. "Aud so was also James and John, tho
sons OF Zebedee. which were partners with
Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon Fear
not. From henceiorth thou shalt catch
men," Earthly partnerships are helpful
81 in the Lord, rs these four were, but we
must avoid all partnerships with the
ungodly or Cor. vi, l4-is) Esteem above
all things tho partnership with this
very same Jesus. who in our lesson so
blesses these men, for He condescends TO let
us be laborers with Hin Il Cor. Ill.,. 81.
IL. "And when they had brought their
ahips 10 land they forsooK all and followed
Him" On previous occasion It Is written
that they left their nets and followed Him
Isiaib. w., 20), but now they iorsook all.
Yet, after the resurrection, we find some OF
them, at Peters suggestion, toiling at their
nets again, but fruitlessly. 1t was on that
occasion that Jesus said TO Simon, Lowest
thou Me more than these?" (John XXI, 3,
6.)-Lesson Helper.
The Adirondack Silence.