The Holt County sentinel., 1912-09-20
INTERNATIONAL.
SUNDGYSC[lOOL
LESSON
tBy z. o. SELLERS. Director Of Evening
Department. The Moody Bible Institute.
Chicago)
LESSON FOR SEPT. n.
FEEDING THE FIVE ThoUSAN


LESSON rExr-Msrk sNM
GOLDEN TExT-"Jesus said unto
them. I am the bread OF iife."-John 80
This parable marks the high .lssel
Of the year Of popularity In the nfs Of
our Lord II 10 such IN important
miracle - to be the only one rscor6sd
BY all four gospel writer's.
The returning disciples ". S0) are
urged by the Master to come with him
into a desert place that they might
rest. and also that he might comfort
their hearts over the death Of John
the Baptist They had no leisure"
Jesus knew the need and also the
proper use OF leisure. But the multi.
tude would not grant this and focked
to his retreat In the desert They saw
and followed that they might listen
to his gracious words or behold some
new wonder. but Jesus also saw and
ministered. '. "a. Carlisle said he saw
In England forty millions. mostly
fools" Not 30 with Jesus. lie saw
and was moved. not with sarcasm. bat
with compassion. which compassion
took a tangable form OF service. II IL
Interesting to note In verse "a that the
compassion Of Jesus led him first OF
all 10 teach. II Ia better TO teach q
man how to help himself than TO help
the man. We also infer from this
verse that the soul Of man II OF
more value than his body. II II not
enough. however. TO say, God bless
you. be fed and warm" when man
Is hungry. So II is that Jesus listened
10 his diciples when they saw the
physical need OF the maltitude.
A Great Task.
St John tells us In this connection
Of the conversation with Philip. Phil.
lp lived In Beihsaida near by. yet to
feed this multitude was for him too
great a task. even with his knowledge
Of the resources at hand. John $751;.
Yet We need not be surprised at Phil.
lp's slowness OF faith. Moses In like
manner was once nonplussed how TO
feed six thousand In the wilderness.
see Mum. il:2l.23. II IL not 80 much
as 10 how great the need nor how III.
tie We possess, but rather IL the little
given TO God.
Another disciple. Andrew, who had
discovered the Saviour unto Peter. dis
covers as though IN desperation u boy
whose mother had thoughtfully pro
vided him with lunch consisting OF
fve barley biscuits aud two small
dried herring John 500. at least that
much remained, II Is q great com
mcntary upon the tide Of interest al
this time that this boy should not
have eaten his lunch. for q boys hun
ger II proverbial. II seems as though
Jesus emphasizes the helplessness OF
| the diciples In order that he may show
his power. His command, give ye
them" ". 80 teaches MS that we are
10 give such as We have. not look 10
others. nor do our charity by proxy
Prov. ll;2t, %.
Again the Saviour asks his disciples
10 see ". 3sI as though he would
teach them the boundless resources OF
his Kingdom. Give what you have and
he will bless and increase II to the
supplying OF the needs OF the multi
tude. The secret OF success was when
he took the loaves and looking up
for God also saw on that day. and
blessed II.
We need TO observe the systematic
procedure. The people seated or 70
clining upon the ground In ranks OF
by companies. The Master blessing
and breaking the boys cakes and Civ
ing first TO the disciples. for God only
works such miracles through human
agencies, and then giving to the peo
pie. The result OF this systematic pro
cedure was that "all did eat" and
further, they were satisfied. v. az. Not
alone, however. was there Divine or
der and lavishness. but there wal
economy and thrift as we'll. for Jesus
| gave careful directions as to the frag
ments. The lavishness is shown by
the fact that the baskets into which
the fragments were gathered were
each large enough In which to sleep.
Living 0read.