The Holt County sentinel. (Oregon, Mo.) 1883-1980, 1912-10-04
LESSON FOR OCTOBER 6.
JESUS WALKING ON THE SEA.

LESSON TExT-Mark Gts-h
GOLDEN TExT-"But straightway
| Jesus spake unto them. saying. Be OF
sood cheer: Il 10 I: be not afraid. Mat.
thew Mn.
The miracle Of the feeding Of the
ave thousand marks . crisis In the
life Of Jesus. John 6:15). The human.
ity Of Jesus 10 shown In that % soon
o.. he had performed that miracle he
nrst send: away his disciples. then
sends away the multitude, while he
departs 'into . mountain to pray" To
pray the prayer Of thanksgiving, to
Gray for strength to Withstand this
new tel ,ptation. John 6:H, 15); to
pray TO- those whom he had fed:
and surely to pray for his chosen ones
that they might understand him and
bis mission.
| Jesus had taken his disciples into
the mountain for their own good.
| MARK SGD 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 q temporal rather than a
spiritual king. Such course would
have precipitated matters. But in his
solitude as he prayed. Jesus was
watchfui Of his own.
lie had sent them into the storm
TO avoid a greater danger. would he
not watch over them? So with many
a testing IN our lives. They seem
severe. bat how little we know Of the
greater danger We have missed. He
saw (y. 49, their distress long before
they saw their relief tv.49). Jesus
knew the need Of prayer. Jesus knew
the need OF solitary prayer as he must
pass this crisis. 80 Il was that while
he fingered In prayer they were dis.
tressed till "the fourth watch, near
daybreak.
~ Considered Test.
II IL not strange that they did not
recognize Jesus. He often comes to
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 1T is !; be not afraid"
Notice he assures them first who II Is
that Is near. 1T is l." They recognize
the tones OF his familiar voice and
then they were ready for his words
OF confidence. "be not afraid" So God
speaks to us In the hour Of our
darkest trial. saying 10. am with
you :"-'be not afraid"
From the parallel account by Mat.
thew tMatthew "a: 2S.3C) We read OF
Peters attempt to walk upon the va.
ter. His rash and III considered test
OF the reality Of Jesus presence. Then
we see him us he too compares him
self with the angry storm and taking
his eyes on 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 II the picture once
Jesus was In the boat. and how soon
they reached the goal toward which
they had been struggling. John 6:lS,
2D. II any one II at sea. II any one
In fruitlcssly toiling against wind aud
wave. only let them take Jesus on
board and soon they will reach n
safe landing place,
|
their hearts were hardened wv. 81,
52), and this even after the creative
miracle Of feeding the Ave thousand
why so? II 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, g. g., blind,
spiritua, Application.
The real Interpretation OF Christs
miracles is not that we are to be
amazed at the material manifestation
but that we are to see the spiritual
lesson and application.
II was a different reception Jesus
received when they reached Genne-
saret wv. 53.56). There he 10 recog'
nized at once. There they flock to
him with their sick ones and Mark
with a few deft 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 q single person. nor limited
TO q peculiar place or shrine.
In this lesson we see Jesus direct
Ing his disciples. We see the disciples
, obeying that direction even though II
led them into contrary winds. We
see him az he walks into them bring
ing relief, superior to boisterous wind
and wave. His presence brought
: peace as II always does to storm
5 tossed humanity His assurance II
4 that of his own presence Matt
$ 2s: 20), 1T is I; be not afraid" We
J.. see Jesus answering the fear OF the
/, disciples.
This 10 Q lesson OF many applica
lions. The story 10 clear and simple
lts values are for our comfort ant
help. The unseen Christ Is by oul
! side. Miracles? They are only won
! derful things. that IL all. Something
l. beyond our ordinary experience. Shall
= We discredit the sunlight becaus . piT
| point enters to blind the eye? Mira