Evening star., 1917-03-03
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON.

I ing because they do not consider first
the unlimited power of the Lord Jesus
before they consider their limited re-
| sources.
The proposition to spend 200 denari
which would be about $34, would have
| lbankrupted their treasury, although the
denarius. which was the average daily
wage of laboring man. had q larger
purchasing power then than the salary
man finds today that his wages Will buy
on account of the increased cost of liv-
Ing due to the war conditions in Europe
They suggested In view of the limited
supply of food. which Andrew found was
| available, that the crowd be dismissed
The resourceful Andrew had revealed the
| dawning of the faith that at least SYM
pathized with Christ's desire to care
| for the crowd although he hesitated to
believe it possible with the lads supply
| of five barley loaves and two dried
| fish.
| The Master did not despise the scant
| supply of the boy. He wants all men
| to understand the hidden possibilities
i in their own possessions If they will do
| the best they can with what they have
/ by dedicating their resources to the
Lords work of relieving the needs OF
men. Jesus placed the value of pre-
| vention above that of cure. The aver
| age man underestimates the gospel OF
| Christ because he considers only its
| remedial powers and overlooks its great
preventive efficiency in supplying spir-
| itual power.
| Christ's preparation for the feeding of
| the five thousand was in accordance
with what has been called heaven
| first law. They could never be fed as
| a mob, so He ordered them to be d.
vided into groups and to sit down IN
rows of fifty and a hundred on the
grass so that all could see what he
was doing and the apostles could carry
hnr1
supply furnished by the lad after He
had first offered the prayer of thanks
giving. The multitude could see 1t ut
orally increase in His hands. as ne
broke up the fish and bread and direct
ed the distribution by the apostles
among the multitude. that had the ap-
pearance of a flower garden as they
were seated in groups with their Varle-
gated costumes.
The miracles worked in their sight
revealed the Masters executive ability
and His thoughtfulness and care for
the weak and needy. His action In
saving the fragments. which. when
gathered up, filled twelve baskets with
broken pieces from the five barley
loaves was in harmony with Gods law
for the conservation of the forces of
nature, and marked Jesus as the leader
whom the nation needed to unite their
forces and free them from the tyran-
nicaI power of the Romans, who had
crushed them beneath their military
forces. Their action, which had been
precipitated by the combination OF
events, compelled the Lord to nsht
out again the temptations of the will
derness. He dismissed the disciples and
the multitude. destroying their hopes
for His acceptance of the kingshlp'
which made evident the moral neces-
sity of a rupture between Jesus and
the multitude because of their differ
ent conceptions of His duty in the hour
of the nations need.
Having reached the crowning point
of popular success. Christ saw the
necessity of His being alone. SO that
in secret prayer with God He might
expel forever the temptations from His
own mind, as He faced the parting Of
the ways. -
one an easy way and the other hard
way II He listened to the popular
DESIRE before Him was the easy way
that led to splendid temporal SOW
ereignity, that presented many oppor-
tunities of spiritual service. such as
President Wilson has been trying to
perform for the world in his efforts to
free the nations from the domination
of force.
Christ did His greatest work and sup
piled mems greatest need by His rev.
elation of the life from above, the gift
of Gods love and the liberty of all
who would follow the Masters path
.
the world. The disciples who had left
Him in obedience to His command
were having a struggle in the storm.
The darkness of the night and the alb
sence of the Lord increased their diff
ficulties. His presence always meant
security. His sudden appearance turned
the darkness into Light and filled them
with fear. l-, t" @sf-
They had been disappointed after
their successful campaign by Christ's
rejection. and they. had to learn how,
amidst all the trials that they would
face as a result of His refusal of
power. that their Lord was the King
over nature and would protect them
if they continued to do His will. In
every hour of trial the Masters word
will fill His followers with hope and
aid them to overcome the difficulties
of their environment. His presence
means in the dark and trying hours
that we are facing victory. The indf-
vidual and the nation that profess but
do not possess the presence of the
Lord with them is destined to fail. To
every true follower Jesus says in this
dark hour as He draws near: "It is l.
be not afraid" Let US trust Him and
win.