The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-03-02
The
unday=SchoOl
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COM
MENTS FOR MARCH 13.
Subject: Two Mighty Works, Matt. 8:
23.34-Commit to Memory
Verses 1926.

and the sea obey Him." Matt. 1927.
TIME.-A. D. IS.
PLACE.-Sea of Galilee and &C.
raSa
EXPOSITION.-I. Jesus Sitting
the Wind and Waves, 1927. 1t had
been a very busy day for Jesus (cf.
Nix. 4:1-41). Much of the day had
been spent in teaching the vast multi
tudes that %thronged down to the sea-
side to hea- Him. Evening found
Him completely exhausted. No
sooner had He reached the boat than
He fell fast asleep on a pillow in the
stern (cf. Nix. 4:38; Lu. $3.50. He
was so thoroughly devoted to the
work that the Father sent Him to do
that He had to take His sleep when
He could. We see Jesus in this les
son as a mighty worker, but we first
get a glimpse of Him in His weakness
as real man ". "a; CT. Ps. 1910.
Even the fierce tumult Of the storm
was not sufficient to awaken Him in
His utter exhaustion. 1t was a ter
rife storm that swept down on the
little boat from the valleys running
into the lake. The waves dashed over
the sides Of the boat SO that it was
filing ". "a; CT. Nix. 4:37; Lu. 8:
23). Though apparently in moment
ary danger of sinking, there was no
real danger; no boat can go down
that has Christ on board. What a
contrast between the calm slumber
of Christ through the storm and the
wild excitement of the crew. Their
prayer was short and right to the
point and plenty long enough. Jesus
first rebuked the disciples and then
the storm. His rebuke of the disci-
piles should be deeply pondered.
There seemed to be enough to make
one Fearful" with the waves dash
ing into and over the boat and the
Master apparently unheeding, but
there was no sufficient reason for
them to be fearful. There is never
sufficient reason for a disciple OF
Christ to be fearful. True faith In
Him banishes all fear (Jno. 14:1,
2D. The whole trouble was little
faith" Now Jesus rises in His ma
iesty as Son of God and He rebuked
the winds and the sea. How many a
tempest that voice has stilled. The
disciples were more afraid than ever.
A moment before they were afraid Of
the storm, now they are afraid Of One
who Is evidently a supernatural being
(cf. Nix. 4:41). How prone is the
human heart to fear, and nothing fills
1t with such overwhelming fear as
being brought face to face with God
and the supernatural. The disciples,
ought not to have feared. They
should have been filled with joy and
trust. They asked an important ques-
ton just then. What manner Of
man is this, that even the winds and
the sea obey Him." There can be
but one answer to that question, the
Divine Man"
RI. Jesus Setting Free a De-
moniac, 1854. Gerasa was a city in
q half heather territory. God was
dishonored there, and there we might
expect to find the devil doing his best
to torment and debase. To get a
complete picture Of the degradation
and misery of this man. we have to
go to Matthew, Mark and Luke. Mat
thew tells US that by reason Of his
fierceness he made the way impass-
able; Luke that he wore.n no clothes,
that there had been many ineffectual
attempts to chain and tame him, and
that he made day and night hideous
by his cries as he vented his horrid
a e upon himself, cutting himself
with stones, and that he dwelt in the
tombs. How terrible is the dominion
of the devil. If he can work such
misery on earth, what will hell be?
No man had strength to tame him
(Mk. 5:4), but Jesus had. 1t does
not do to conclude that because no
man can tame some victim of the
devil that therefore he cannot be
tanned. There is mor power in the
word Of Jesus than in mans chains
or blows. Mark and Luke tell us of
only n demoniac; from Matthew we
learn there were two. What a strange
commingling of the human and the
demoniacal: it wa the demons with
in them that enabled them to recog-
nize in Jesus the "Son of God" it
was the human need and longing
that led them to Jesus, and the demon
within again that led to the awful
cry of rage and despair ". 29). The
souls of these men were in utter and
hopeless confusion of impulses, con-
tending now heavenwards, now hell
wards. The demons knew full well,
though men less wise doubt. that
there is en- appointed time and place
of torment ". 20; CT. Matt. 25:41).
The utmost they dared hope for or
ask was a brief respite. There is here
none of the naughty and almost noble
pride that Milton pictures in the
fallen angels-nothing but foiled,
covering and contemplate malice.
driving a poor weak mortal to slow
self-destruction, but Shivering with
fear in the presence of the Son of
God-that is the real devil. An evil
spirit cannot enter even into a hog
without Christ's permission Tvs. 81,
32). The devil, as usual, outwitted
himself ". 32). If he is cunning,
his power is stupid. blind. self-con-
Trajectory and suicidal. 1t can only
destroy and involve itself in a COM
mon ruin rather than not Destroy"
We must go to Mark and Luke to
learn the completeness of the cure
(Mk. 5:15-19; Lu. S:35-39). The
wonderful cure brought the whole
city out to meet Jesus, but when they
saw Him they did not want Him.
They besought Him that He would
depart from their borders. Doubtless
they feared that some hogs
might be destroyed. They cared
more for their hogs than they did fol-
the Saviour. They have many imi.
tators to-day.