The Montgomery tribune., 1910-03-11
THE MIGHTY
WORKS
ssnd.y sts,pI Larson fer M.reh l3, isll
spoclsS5 Arranged for This Paper


ory verses, 24-26
GOLDEN TExT.-"what manner Of
man is this, that even the winds and
the sea obey himT'-Matt. 8:H.
TIME.---Autumn OF A. d. 2s; perhaps
two months after the Sermon on the
Mount.
PLACE.-The eastern shore of the Sea
of Galilee, southeast OF Capernaum,
where there were towns called Gadara,
and Gersa, or Gergesa.
Suggestion and Practical Thought
1. The Storm on the Lake. Christ's
Word OF Peace.-vs. 1927. After q
long. weary day Of varied labor for
bringing men into the kingdom Of
heaven Jesus, followed by his disci-
pies, entered into ship. Soon Jesus
lay down on pillow "in the hinder
part of the boat MARK and fell into
the deep, sweet sleep Of natural ex'
haustion. "a. And, behold, there
arose great tempest In the sea.
Mark and Luke call It furious storm,
a hurricane.
25 "And his disciples came to him."
This shows they had faith in him,
although It was feeble. Lord, save
us: we perish"
He first rebuked the disciples, and
then "rebuked the Winds" as master
rebukes his servant for d:sobedience.
Mark quotes his own words, Peace,
be still" Peace" to the winds; and
"the wind ceased" (Mark). "And
there was great calm"
81. The men marveled. Meaning
the disciples, and other sailors II any
were in the boat (see Mark 4:36).
What manner of man is this?" The
inconceivable wonder Of arresting a
hurricane was new revelation Of
Jesus power even to his disciples.
II. The Restoration of the De-
moniac--Vs. 1884. Jesus is able to
destroy the most disastrous powers
that are running the bodies and
souls of men. He gives the victory
over the principalities and powers,
rulers of the darkness of the world,
and spiritual wickedness in high
places (Eph. GIL, 12). when he was
come to the other side" in safe sail
ing after. the storm was over. doubt
less in the early morning. There met
him two" one Of which was the more
prominent and remarkable, and hence
Ia alone mentioned by Mark and Luke.
Possessed with devils" Better,
demons. Mark calls them "unclean
spirits" Coming out of the tombs."
Caves cut In hillsides, and a natural
resort under the circumstances. There
were no asylums for such persons.
Exceeding fierce" One Of the
worst, most incurable cases. Luke
says they wore no clothes, and Mark
that they had such insane strength
that letters and chains were not
strong enough to bind them. and that
! no man could tame them. No won
der that mo man might pass by that
way" ~"
80. "And they, running to him
from afar, and prostrating Themselves
before him MARK, cried out, with q
loud voice (Luke), What have we
(the unclean spirits) to do with
thee?"
80. There was good way off," at
the foot of the mountains MARK, IAN
herd Of many swine feeding" about
1000 MARK.
81 Suffer US to go away into the
herd Of swine. How demons could
enter into swine we do not know, but
1t is more of mystery than the con-
nection Of mind with body in us.
"There is no scientific objection to
demoniacal possession of brutes."
80. He said unto them, Go, I. e.,
do as you wish; / will not hinder you,
my business is to save the man, not
property. 1t was property held at
the expense of bad moral influences
upon the community, like liquor sa-
looms in our country. Jesus did not
order the demons to go into the swine.
He simply let things take their natur-
al course, and held that no amount
of property, in the scales Of heaven.
can weigh against the soul of a man
or child. A message that is needed
today.
Christ tells US that those who be-
lieve in him shall do greater works
than ne, and 1t is true that Christ in
his Christianity is doing on a far
larger scale the works of Christ than
It was possible for him to do In Pal
estine. The kindly feeling. the desire
to help, the increased skill, which
spring up under Christianity as flow
crs grow in the sunshine. have made
Christ's works through his people
greater than those he wrought on
earth. They are not miracles, but are
better than the power OF miracles, as
the prolonged sunshine is better than
flash of lightning.
Lack Development.
The world Is full Of half-developed
lives; men and women who are com.
petent in spots, as strong in some
things as they are weak In others, bril-,
liant as some of their ways and walk
ing in darkness as to others; the man