Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1912-10-03

Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be OF
good cheer; Il IL I: be not afrajd."-Mat-
thew hT.
The miracle OF the feeding Of the
Eve thousand marks a crisis in the
life of Jesus. (John 6:15). The human
ity of Jesus is shown In that as soon
as he had performed that miracle he
first sends away his disciples, then
sends away the multitude, while he
departs Into a mountain to pray" TIC
pray the yer OF thanksgiving, to
pray for strength to withstand this
new temptation. John 6:14. 15); to
pray for those whom he had fed;
and surely to pray for his chosen ones
that they might understand him and
his mission.
Jesus had taken his disciples into
the mountain for their own good.
MARK 6:31) and now he sends them
away lest they yield to the advice
the opportunities, of the crowd and
consort with them in their desire to
make Jesus a temporal rather than a
spiritual king. Such a course would
have precipitated matters. But in his
solitude as he prayed, Jesus was
watchful OF his own.
He had sent them into the storm
to avoid a greater danger, would he
not watch over them? So with many
testing in our lives. They seem
severe, but how little we know OF the
greater danger We have missed. He
saw ". 49, their distress long before
they saw their relief (v.49). Jesus
knew the need OF prayer. Jesus knew
the need Of solitary prayer as he must
pass this crisis, so 1t was that while
he fingered in prayer they were dis
tressed till "the fourth watch, near
daybreak.
~ Considered Test.
1t is not strange that they did not
recognize Jesus. He often comes tr
US in ways We do not at first recog.
nize, in ways that at first terrify us,
but he does not leave us long in sus-
pense. We read, he 'straightway"
rescued them ut is l; be not afraid"
Notice he assures them first who 1t is
that is near, at is l." They recognize
the tones Of his familiar voise and
then they were ready for his words
of confidence, "be not afraid" So God
speaks to US in the hour Of OUT
darkest trial, saying "Lo. l am with
you always; "-"be not afraid"
From the parallel account by Mat
thew (Matthew IA: 2S-S6) we read OF
Peters attempt to walk upon the wa.
ter. His rash and Ill considered test
of the reality of Jesus presence. Then
we see him as he too compares him
self with the angry storm and taking
his eyes of of Jesus begins to sink.
Peters sharp, piercing cry; his clear,
definite, appeal is at once answered
and Jesus leads him safely back into
the boat.
How different is the picture once
Jesus was in the boat, and how soon
they reached the goal toward which
they had been struggling, John 6:19,
21). II any one is at sea, II any one
Is fruitlessly toiling against wind and
board and soon they will reach a
safe landing place.
The disciples were amazed and
their hearts were hardened wv. 81,
52), and this even after the creative
miracle of feeding the five thousand
why so? 1t is evident that even
those nearest to him did not appre-
bend the true meaning of this miracle,
on the contrary their hearts were har-
dened. e. g. blind
Spiritual Application.
The real Interpretation OF Christ's
miracles is not that we are to be
amazed at the material manifestation
but that we are to see the spiritual
lesson and application.
It was different reception Jesus
received when they reached Genne.
saret wv. $3.50. There he is recog-
oized at once. There they flock to
him with their sick ones and Mark
with few def strokes shows US the
picture Of q vast deal of healing. None
is disappointed, for we read that as
many as touched him were made
whole. His healing is not confined
today to a single person. nor limited
to a peculiar place or shrine.
In this lesson we see Jesus direct
ing his disciples. We see the disciples
obeying that direction even though 1t
led them into contrary winds. We
see him as he walks into them bring
ing relief, superior to boisterous wind
and wave. His presence brought
peace as it always does to storm
tossed humanity. His assurance is
that of his own presence Matt.
2S:2G), 1T is /; be not afraid" We
see Jesus answering the fear of the
disciples.
This is a lesson of many applIca-
tions. The story is clear and simple.
Its values are for our comfort and
help. The unseen Christ is by our
side. Miracles? They are only won
derful things, that is all Something
beyond our ordinary experience. Shall
ke discredit the sunlight becaus a pin
point enters to blind the eye? Mira.
cles to the Christian are the mani.
festations Of a loving God, they are
what one would expect of the Christ,
II he be the Christ. Let US look them
sQuarely in the face and pass on