The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1917-03-03
INTERNATIONAL
SUNDNSGIOOL
LESSON
Ny f.. o. SELLERS, Acting Director Of
sunday School Course Of Moody Bible
lnstituteD
tconvrisht, 1917. Western Newspaper Union
LESSON FOR MARCH a
JESUS FEEDS FIVE THOUSAND

lHlS puTdble mdThS lut ulSu itNSi
Of the year of our Lords popularity.
1t is such an important miracle as to
be the only one recorded in all four
gospels. BE sure to use Il good har-
mOny. The returning twelve (Alatt
IL ID are taken by their master to u
desert place that they might find rest
(Mk. 6:S1) and that he might comfort
their hearts over the death of John the
Baptist Matt. 14:f-12). The multi
uude would no grant them the right
use Of their leisure, but tlocked to this
retreat in the desert. They followed
that they might listen to his gracious
words, and perhaps behold some new
wonder ". p. Carlisle. said he saw in
England forty millions, mostly fools"
Jesus saw the multitude, and was
moved, not with sarcasm, but with
compassion which took a tangible form
of service. Mark tells us { 6:34) that
Jesus vas first of all teaching the null
titude. 1t is better to teach u man how
to help himself than to help the man.
We also infer from this that the soul
of n man Is of more value than his
body. 1t is not enough, however, to
say. God bless you, be warm and fed
when Il man is hungry. st. John is the
only one to tell us of the conversation
with Philip. Philip lived in Bethsaida
near by, yet to feed this multitude was
to him too great n task, even with his
knowledge of the wv. 5,G).
We should not be surprised at Philips
BluwnesS of faith. Moses in q like
manner was once nOnplSSsed as to hoN
to feed the multitude in the wilder
ness. (Num. IL :21-23). 1t is not so
much how great the need nor how lit
tie we possess rather, is that little
given over to God? Andrew. who had
revealed Jesus unto Peter, discovers as
though in desperation Il boy whose
mother had thoughtfully provided him
with a lunch, consisting of five barley
biscuits and two small herring ". 81 ;
at least that much remained. This is
a great commentary upon the tide of
interest at this time, that the boy
should not have eaten his entire lunch,
for the boys hunger is proverbial. 1t
seems as though Jesus emphasizes the
helpleSSness of the disciples in order
that he may show his power. His COM
mand "Glve We them (Mk. 6:3O
teaches us that we are to give such
as we have, and not look to others nor
to do our charity by proxy prov.
II :24-25). Again the Savior asks his
disciples as though he would teach
them the of his kingdom.
Give what you have, and he will bless
and increase 1t to the supplying Of the
needs of a multitude. The secret of
success was when he took up the
lOaves. and, looking up" God also saw
that day and blessed it. We 1eed to
observe the systematic procedure. The
people are seated or reclining upon the
ground in ranks or in companies, the
master blessing and breaking the boys
cakes. giving first to the disciples. God
works miracles through human
agencies only. The result of this sys-
teaatic procedure was that they were
all satisfied, filled" ". 12). Luke
adds that "all did eat" ok. 9:17). Not
alone. however, was there divine order
and l~avishness, but there were economy
and thrift as well, for Jesus gave care
fuI direction as to the fragments. The
Iavishness is shown by the fact that
the baskets into which the fragments
were gathered were each probably
large enough in which to sleep. This
conservation process was a singing
rebuke to the improvident orientals
and to p%resent-day prodigals of that
wonderful bounty with which God has
blessed our land. God gives to us that
we may use for other. Joy dies unless
It is shared. Jesus is the living bread
(John 6:4S), and will satisfy hunger
and life even as bread generates in
the human body heat, vitality and
power so he would still feed the
hungry soul of mankind. We have al
hand the word, and 1t is for lack of il
that men die in the deepest, truesi
srIsc of that word. The poverty anL
pcrpleXity of the disciples in his pres
euCc aud in the presence of this grea'
need are being repeatd I've and Owe
toduy. and yet it is absurd. We have
not enough to feed the multitude. Oul
few luuyes of amusements, mental ac
tiviticS and social service will not feeC
thrIu, hut when we break unto then
ia" Living Bread, they have enough
rad to spare. The difficulty with tn,
distribution of material bread for thu
needs of mankind is not that there il
not enough grain, but rather that IL
the process of distribution certain com
paHies of unen cau control the fruits o
the earth. and withhold them from tn,
Consumer for their w profit. Is ther,
not . parable 10 this for the church II
thnt IL Is so much concerned with it
OWN Joys, pleasures and profits tina
II is Withholding from the mass o
mahlttnd. especially In the foreign field
the hfpud which alone can bring lif
aud immortality to light? The word
OF tho Irte DR.. Maitbie Babcock ar
appropriate in this connection: "BacI
of the loaf is the snowy flour, and bacl
OF the 0our the mill, and back Of tn
mill Is the wheat and the shower, an,
tue sun md the Fathers WILL"
Summary: ~ The hope Of tn
worlds salvation Is In the wonderful
pnwrr of God In multiplying the littl
we give to him in the way of service.
G., II we bring no gift, how can Go
bless man7 Compare this boys gerry
ice with the service OF the little mai