Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1917-02-28
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson W.-First Quarter. For
March 4. 1917.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Text Of the Lesson, John vi, 1-21-Msm-
cry Verses, 10, tf-Goldsn Text. Matt.
Vi, f1--commsntary Prepared BY Rev.
o. N. Stearns.

vi, ff--commsntary Prepared BY Rev
o. N. Stearns.
This miracle of the feeding of 5000
men. besides women and children. with
a few loaves and fishes Is the only
miracle recorded in each OF the four
gospels and seems to me to set before
us the one thing which believers ought
to be doing, and that is to give the
bread of life to every creature, for the
gospel Of God concerning His Son is
a trust committed to us to use for the
benefit OF others, and II we are not
faithful In the ministration OF the trust
it will prove serious matter for be
levers at the judgment seat Of Christ.
IL any should ask, W hat can do about
It? let such remember that the bread
and Dish Of this miracle came from a
little boy and was possibly his lunch
which his mother had given him, but
1t came into the hands Of the Lord
Jesus, and He multiplied 1t and used
1t. | believe these facts are the rea-
son why Of all that has been wrought
In md through my church and Bible
classes for over twenty-five years. for
/ asked Him to let me be like one of
the boys loaves, in His hands to be
blessed and broken and passed on to
help feed hungry thousands. And has
He not wrought wondrously?
Any one who is willing He win &C.
cept and use as He shall see 1T The
second part of our lesson. the toiling
disciples In the dark night with q con-
trary wind and He on the mountain
praying il 80 suggestive Of this whole
age during which we are In the con-
nict with the world. the flesh and the
devil. but He h at the right hand Of
the Father for Us. He sees US toiling.
and In the morning watch he viii
come. and we will be suddenly at our
destination, forever with the Lord. II
was Passover time, q great feast Of
the Lord to commemorate their deiiv-
erance from Egypt, but It had become
merely feast Of the Jews. Not until
Israel shall be delivered the second
Hme and the nation be reborn and the
Passover BE- fulfilled In the kingdom
shall the whole world bear Of the Iiv
Ing Bread, TOR then shall Israel bios
som and bud and oil the face OF the
earth with fruit lisa. xvii, 81.
In the meantime We who are re
deemed should lie wholly occupied In
giving the Bread Of Life as far and as
fast a. possible to complete His church
and bring the morning Of His return
He II. as then. full Of compassion to-
ward the multitudes and il saying to
rs, Give ye them to eat Matt. xiv,
16; Mark vi, 81: Luke *, 49,; but, IKE
the disciples. many prefer to send them
away a. II It was no concern Of ours.
Some. like Philip and Andrew. talk OF
what might be done II We had the
money or speak Of what IL in sight n
wholly insufficient to accomplish any
thing. forgetting that the silver and
the gold are His. and He always knows
what He intends to do and how He II
going to do 1t, and He cannot fail nor
be discouraged. for He shall see Of
the travail Of Ills soul and shall be
satisfied Elsa. XIII. 4: lii. III. He did
hot say that He would begin or make
the attempt or endeavor to build His
church, but He said. Il viii build MY
church Matt. xvi, 49,, and all His
Il wills" are as good as accomplished.
for every purpose Of the Lord shall be
performed. and no thought OF His can
be hinderei FPS. xxxiii. IL: lisa. xiv. 2l:
Jer, II. %: Job xiii. 2. margin). In
stead OF the people receiving each
little food. as Philip had suggested.
they were all filed. and twelve baskets
full remained over. for He would have
all eat and drink abundantly oversees
l, II. 10: Song v. II. The limitations
are all on our side, not on His. for He
does everything abundantly. whether
1t be pardon or giving life or an en-
trance into His kingdom lisa. ". Z:
John K. 10; II Pet 1. III.
1t does seem strange from our stand.
point that the multitudes should be
sent away In peace for a night OF rest
and those who had ministered to them
be sent out into night of tempest
and toll and perplexity while He who
knew all and did all and was full OF
compassion for all was away In the
mountain alone talking over things
with His Father. AS we stall see In
our next lesson Verse SIN aud we can
not call too much attention to 1t. He
ever lived by the living Father who
had sent Him. and we are not ms right
as we might be In our daily life with
Him unless He Is all ir all to us. as
the Father was to Him tCol. iii. III
His doings and leadings often cause us
fear. but His word to His disciples IL
always: BE Of good cheer. II is I: be
not afraid" CMatt. xiv. p: Mark vi.
50). His own good cheer was His Fa-
theirs absolutely perfect win. ana
when we cen truly say that we al
ways accept His will concerning us as
perfect we shah walk on the waves OF
Ill circumstances without sinking. for