The Morris County chronicle., 1910-05-31
The
Sunday School
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COM
MENTS FOR JUNE 5.
Subject: Jesus Walks ON the Sea,
Matt. 14:22-36- Commit
Verses 26, ~.

GOLDEN TEXT. -s,Then they that
were in the ship came and worshiped
Him, saying, OF truth Thou are the
Son Of Cod Matt. 1888.
TIME.-April, A. D. 20.
PLACE.--The Sea of Galilee be-
tween Bethsaida and Capernaum
EXPOSITION.-I. Jesus Sending
His Disciples Into the Storm, ~, "a.
The multitude who beheld the sign
of the multiplied loaves and fishes
were so affected by itthat they wished
to take Jesus at once and make Him
king (Jno. 6:14, 15). To keep His
immature disciples out of this po1itf-
cal excitement Jesus Immediately
forced them to get into the boat and
pull for the other side. They wanted
to stay In sending them away He
was sending them into a terrific storm.
How often to-day He sends us away.
from the place of quiet and refresh-
ment to meet the midnight storm.
They were safe there. When both
disciples and multitude had gone
Jesus went further into the mountain
to pray. Son of God though He was,
He needed prayer. Can we then ex-
pect to get beyond the place where wO
need prayer? There we're things that
He must pour into no ears but Gods.
Solitude is needful for the best pray
er. He was there alone" He prayed
long, way on till near dawn. He
seemed to greatly need rest, He haG
gone apart to get 1t, and then had had
day of excessive toll, but He needed
prayer more than rest. There is often
greater refreshment in prayer than
sleep (Is. 40:31. There had jusS
been a great crisis in His history, and
SO He must talk it all over with the
Father. While He prayed, through
the flashes of lightning He saw His
disciples out on the sea distressed
with rowing against the storm MARK
6:48). They had been in the storm
before, but then Jesus was with them,
now they were alone (Jno. 6:17).
Jesus did not go to them at once. He
left them to battle with the waves
while He continued in prayer. But
He was helping them by His prayers
and He helps US to-day by His inter-
cession (Heb. 7:25).
III. Jesus Coming to His Disciples
In the Storm, 25-27. In the darkest
hour, just before dawn, as their boat
was helplessly tossed about, Jesus
Himself came to the despairing disci-
pies. He came, walking upon the
sea" (cf. Job $3.50. The disciples
were not relieved, but troubled at the
sight of Him. They did not recognize
Him, but fancied that He was an ap-
partition, and that their time had
come. They cried out for fear. Jesus
often approaches lis in way that we
do not at first recognize Him, and we
are terrified instead of comforted. But
Jesus did not leave them long in sus-
pense and fear. He uttered the most
comforting words He can ever say, 1T
is l. The "be of good cheer and
pc not afraid would not have helped
without the "It is 1. z
III. A Disciples Approach to Jesus
In the Storm, 1881. Peter, true to
his character, comes forward with a
proposition. Good and bad are
strangely mixed in the request. There
was the good desire to get to Jesus at
once, there is the bad desire to dis
play himself. There is faith and there
Is unbelief. Jesus says but one word,
Come" Peter climbed over the side
81 the boat and began walking on the
waters. He trusted Christ and the
power OF God sustained him q Pet.
l;5). He was quite proud of his
achievement and began to look around
instead of looking at Jesus. Then he
saw the wind and down he began to
SINK. Alas, for the man who takes
MS eyes on from Jesus and looks at
MS environment. But Peter was wise
IN his peril. he did the best thing any
one can do when sinking. His prayer
was snort, explicit, personal, right to
the point. intensely earnest, and it
was answered Immediately, though its
taltn was by no means perfect. If any
SINKING soul honestly cries to Jesus,
Loro, save me-" He will do it (Ro.
~: l5). Jesus helped immediately
tcr- IS. 65:24). It was with His out
stretched hand that He took hold Of
MIN and saved (cf. Ps. 1887; Mark
1881; 4l:5-41; Acts 4:30; Is. 5s.1).
Peter failure was through his
doubt
IV. jesus on Board, the storm
over and the Desired Haven Reached.
82-SS. AS soon as Jesus was in the
boat the wind ceased. All that many
q tempest-tossed soul needs is to take
Jesus on board and it will find calm
and safety at once. The disciples
were greatly amazed at what had ham
pened (Mark 6:51). The demonstra-
tlons that they had already seen Of
Jesus divine power should have pre-
pared them for this further one
mark 6;52). They immediately
worshiped" Jesus. They were right
In SO doing (Heb. 1:6; Jno. 5:23).
Jesus acceptance without protest Of
the worship thus offared clearly
proves His recognition of His own
deity (cf. Matt. 4.9, los Acts 1925.
20; Rev. 19;10). The disciples ex-
claimed, "Of truth, Thou art the
Son Of God" This, too, was true (cf.
ch. 16:16-18). Immediately upon re-
ceiving Jesus into the boat thew
reached the shore. If any one is "ail
at sea- and storm-driven. toiling
fruitlessly against wind and wave. lef
him take Jesus on board and he viii
come speedily and safely to land
Y. Jesus Healing the Sick, 1890.
The disciples are to have still further
PROOF that Jesus is truly the son az
Goa. AS soon as the men Of Genne-
saret recognize Jesus they scour the
country around about for any that are
SICK and bring them to Him. Would
snat we mad an equal appreciation of
Jesus to-day and would scour the
country for all that are sick, not onlv
IA body, but in soul They were verv
humble In their demand, they onlv
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