The Green Forest tribune., 1912-10-25

LESSON TEXT-Mark 7:31-S:10
 GOLDEN TEXT-"He hath done all things well: He maketh even the deaf to hear and the dumb to speak. "-Mark 7:27 R. V.
 Last week we saw our Lord in the region of Tyre and Sidon dealing with the Syrophenician woman. In 31 (R. VI we now see him journeying back towards the Sea of Galilee through the border of that section con taining ten cities, for that is what the word Decapolis means.
 1. JESUS THE HEALER (vy. 31- 37). Jesus had gone north seeking rest but he "could not be hid," and now upon his return he continues to meet these sad cases which need healing, and who are brought to him by their intensely interested friends. Jesus does not need beseeching. He whose heart was touched with compassion is ready to hear the faintest cry
 This first section is rich with sug- gestions. Jesus takes the man apart suggesting the necessity for individ- ual personal dealing with God. Men are not saved en masse but as sepa- rate individuals, it could not be other wise and have a man retain his per sonality. To work any cure for our sins Jesus demands our individual at tention. Then Jesus placed his fin- gers in the mans ears; suggesting the added emphasis that we must come into personal contact with God if We would be healed. We may stop to req son Qsa. 1:18) with him but our sins, that be as scarlet, will not be removed unless we come by personal, indiyid- ual, experience under the blood, (Eph. 1:7).
 "TIis blood avails for all our race.
 His blood avails for me-"
 Moistening the mans tongue with his own saliva suggests that the source of healing is to be in Jesus own per son. Our salvation is not in the words he spake, nor the life he lived, but the life he gave (Heb. 9:12-1Q.
 Fellowship With God.
 Jesus also looked to heaven, indicat- ing that we must continue in fellow ship with God, and also indicating his own fellowship with the father. Jesus sighed over the wreck of sin. The son of man came to bear our sorrows and to share our griefs, qsa 63:9). At tention has been called to the signs and the tears of Jesus. If our pray CTS were more accompanied by. tears and heartfelt signs they would be more powerful (cf. Romans S:26). It is equally true that if our signing were accompanied by more prayers we would accomplish more in his king dom.
 After these preliminary and sugges- tive acts Jesus spoke the one word "Ephphatha"-Be opened-and deaf ears were opened to words of praise and counsel and to the cry of distress. Loosed was the mans tongue to speak his word of personal testimony and to witness for his healer. Read Isaiah 32:1-4 and 35:4, 5.
 II. JESUS THE PROVIDER (vv. 1-10, of. Matt. 15:32-3S.)
 ue U otii SoaoS0 is graphically suggested by Mark in verse one of this section. From far and near they had gathered and now at the end of the third day their small supply of food is exhausted. We are told by John (6:26, 2D why they had followed him, still they were deeply interested in him and considered him e.1 Nauor. .oeIess Jesus was moved with con- passion then, even as now he is moved when he beholds us in our unworth- mess.
 No Hunger Too Great.
 The compassion of Jesus is very active principle, it does not consist of sighs and lamentations, or of investi, gations and condemnation of condi- tions. His compassion causes him to act. But the disciples are aghast at his suggestion that he feed this null. titude of about four thousand" Whence shall one be able to fill these men with bread" (R. VI? On the oth. CT occasion Jesus had asked Philip, who lived in the nearby town of Beth- saida, where they might find bread; but now they are in desert place. It may seem strange for the disciples to ask such question. He had fed larger number with smaller resources.
 After taking stock (Y. 5 Jesus com mands the people to sit down. He received their seven loayes (v. 6) and brake and gave, first to the disciples, and through them to the people. Such es they had, first given to him, respond ing to his touch, was enough and to spare (v. 8. When we give him our all he will bless. multiply and use.
 Our Golden Text (v. 3O is suggestive of wide application in teaching this lesson. We have in this lesson two incl dents as illustrations. In both we can see those principles that govern his life and ministry, viz, unvarying loy- atty to God and unwearying compass sion for poor, weak humanity. As has already been suggested, we also see that the methods of Jesus varied. ac- cording to the individual need and al- ways with the unswerving purpose of glorifying God. The same lesson of careful conservation of what remained is taught as in the case of the feeding of the five thousand.
 
 Drop DumpIncs