Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1895-01-17

Lesson for Jan. 20.
Golden TEXTILE gave them bread
from heaven TO eat."--John O: 81.
Christ the Bread of Life Is the subject
of this lesson, which 10 found in John
9: 25-35 "And when they had found
him." The last words of the preceding
GATH verse on seeking for Jesus" Seek
and We shall find" And yet It was
blind sort of seeking. They were sur
prised when they saw him, for they did
not know of his miraculous passage of
the sea. Rabbi" they say, "when cam
est thou hither?' 1t is the word of star
tied woGderment that springs, tell-tale,
to our own lips, even when we have been
long seeking and praying for him.
And the finding; it was not whole and
complete. 1t was only the charitable
Rabbi that they sought, and they found
according to their seeking. The words
of our Saviour. in the light of this truth,
have grave and searching force,
'Whom seek YEP" What is the charac-
ter of your quest, friend? Stop and think
a little. Our Saviour's answer to their
query is strangely arrestins and reveal.
ing. He knows how to interpret ques-
tons, ind he answers the heart oftener
than he does the tongue. "When earnest
thou hither," they We're saying. And his
answer, as he looks them in the eye, is,
"Ye seek me, not because We saw the
miracles, but because We did eat of the
loaves, and were filed
There is something better than eating;
1t is seeing, discerning, or rather eating
with discernment. as Paul says, discern
ing the Lords body" We all of us, in
sense, are permitted to eat and partake
of Christly benefits here. None in this
day and generation and on the farther
hillside of the Christian dispensation are
wholly deprived of the blessings that
come with the Christ life. But o, how
few eat with spiritual sight, discerning
the Lords body, partaking and perceiv-
ing! Is there any emphasis to be laid on
the word ''filled?" Perhaps so, and per-
haps IL may explain bit the crossness
and dullness of the people The word
literally means gorged. They filled them
selves To the full, as if there were moth
ing else to do but eat. Well, so "a great
many do with the good things of this
world and of this Christian dispensation,
and indeed of the Lords house. Is there
not a caution lurking in these words of
the Master?
And possibly there was little scram-
bling for it, or, at least, reaching out.
Certainly there was wild fight across
the sea to somehow come up with this
bOuntiful hand again. Labor not"
Greek: ergazo; to strive) says Christ,
''for the meat which perisheth." Alas,
look about. What are the most of us do
ing all the time; and all of us the most of
10 wis will
the expression, Meat which perisheth."
In the original it stands. the meat. the
perishing, i. e.. the meat Of perishing
that which is connected with this body of
death. TO be of the earth earthly, and to
court death we need but go on feeding
this lower. sensuous nature. ITO be
carnally minded is DEATH"
But there is meat that "endureth" or
remaineth. We recall the twelve bas-
kets that remained over. Here i'm an
other and larger sense is remainder
unto life everlasting. All. the baskets full
that we shall gather up yonder, after all
the mu.titudes on earth's hillsides shall
have been fed! Him hath God the Faith
er sealed But seal signifies purpose,
u designation, or a destination. Sealed
for what? Sealed for bread. Such is
evidently the system here. There at the
Jordan came the Spirit and the Voice say
ing. This is my beloved Son, in whom
/ am well pleased" seal of designa-
ton or adoption. But then later came
that other voice at the TRANSPORTATION,
which said. This is my beloved Son, in
whom l am well pleased, hear We him"
Sealed for service, the seal of purpose or
destination. Bread.
Faith is evidently first and foremost
"What shall we do?" they were saying.
Believe" answered Christ. what
works." they cried, thinking possibly both
of signs of attestation and deeds of serv-
ice. This is the work of God" said
Christ, that rye believe on him whom he
hath sent" j. a., let him in, and let him
work. In other words, seek we first the
Kingdom of God and his righteousness
(the righteousness that is in Christi and
all these things shall be added unto you"
But how? Straightway they talk Of
Moses and the mama, or traditionalism
and ceremonialism. Not that, said Christ
nor even the word of Scripture, save as
it conveys the thought and life of Christ
Moses gave you not that bread from
heaven; but my Father giveth lis givng)
you the true bread from heaven" And
now they are looking straight at him.
and our Saviour answers the hunger of
thine eyes rather than of thine lips as
he speaks the word that tells it all. Il
am the bread of life" Here we pause
What does he mean? Take him for what
he says he is to us and know. Take him
OH his word. take him in faith, daily,
hourly. live i'm him and by him.
81 cannot tell how precious the Saviour
il to me,
only can entreat you TO come and taste
and Sec"
Christ the blessed one gives to all,
Wonderful words of life,
Sinner, list 70 the loving call,
Wonderful words Of life.
All so freely given.
Woong us to heaven;
Beautiful words, wonderful words.
Wonderful words of Life"
Next Lesson--"rhe Great Confession
Matthew 16: 1923.
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