Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-03-01
Sunday School Lesson
March 5, 1913
DIR. MARION NIGH. HULL.

glad" Psalm. 1868.
After 3 o'clock the Jews considered
the evening advancing. Jesus was worn
out with the indifference, apathy and
opposition He had met with that day.
it had been a strenuous day. We can
scarcely realize how great the opposi-
ton to Him was. and how greatly He
felt it when it became necessary for
Him to speak in parallels instead OF
plainly as He had been doing. SO He
said to His disciples that they should
cross over to the other side. They took
Him, even as He was, tired, worn out
and disheartened. if that words could
be applied to Jesus at any time, and
began crossing the lake. Other boats
followed Him.
At first the cool breezes and the gen.
tie unduation of the waves iulled Him
to sleep so that ere long He was sleep
ing on the cushion in the stern OF
the boat. 1t was only a sail of seven
miles across. Before they had gone far
a terrific storm arose. The sea of Cali
lee was subject to sudden storms, as
it was 6S2 feet below the Mediterranean
sea and surrounded by high mountains.
The cool air crossing its surface from
the mountains, coming to displace the
hot air of the Jordan valley below,
made sudden and terrific storms fire.
quent
The Power of Satan
This was no usual storm, however.
It was so unusual and so much more
| terrific than we can imagine that even
| these seasoned fishermen, accustomed
as they were to the storms of that
lake, were terrified. They did their best
at once; but soon the waves beat over
| the boat until il was now filling and
they realized that all hope of reaching
shore safely was gone unless Jesus In
tervened. One of them or possibly more
rushed to Him and found Him sleeping
sweetly i'm the face of the storm,
aroused Him rather petulantly, saying.
| Master, carest thou not that We per-
ish?'
What the storm had not been able
to do the cry of His disciples accom-
plished. He awakened at once and said,
why are We so fearful? Have We not
| yet faith?' And then He spoke to the
winds and waves, saying, Peace, be
still" Immediately the wind ceased and
! the water became as calm as mirror.
! Not only the disciples but the men in tine
other boats recognized that this was no usual
| subsistence of the storm. Ii would have taken
some Inne Tor the sea to be calm after having
been stirred up like teapot, but here the wilma
ceased and the waves became calm at once.
And so they turned one 10 another and mar
mandeth the winds and the ter and they
! obey Him." The storm itself was no ordinary
storm, neither was the calming OF IL any Ordl-
nary affair. Both were the manifestations OF
power. The storm the manifestation OF
| the power of the prince of the air, for satan
was res. Onsible for il. This one of the
crises in the life of Christ. Gathered in those
boats was practically the whole of the church
This Satans opportunity, he thought, I"
accomplish what he had failed to do in the
temptation in the Wilderness, in the synagogue
at Nazareth, and no other occasions. III Ne
could capsize those boats, he would at one
stroke wipe out the church. We do not realize
how malignant is his hatred nor how great Il
his power. lie is no ordinary individual. lie
is so powerful tlat he is more than match
for any one of US for he is the prince OF this
world. the ruler of this world darkness tne
prince of the power of the airs and the spirit
that wOrketh in the children of disobedi-
ence, -.
But the power Of Christ is greater; for while
the power of Satan is great it is limited, and
the power of Jesus is greater. One word from
Him, Peace, be still He spoke to the
winds and the waves, sufficient. lmme-
diately the wind ceased and the waters were
calm. His power is lmitless. The safety oil
those disciples did not depend on anything that
they had done upon their prayer of despcra-
ton. but upon the presence of Jesus. 1t was
utterly impossible 10 sink that boat when Jesus
was on board. Does il not seem strange that
these men should have been afraid? Was their
prayer demand? should they not have waited
patiently and truStfully, knowing that they
were safe, since He was on board: what Il
the difference between fear and faith any way!
Is not faith the ability to trust Him when lie
seems to fail US, and fear the inability TO 30
this? Let not judge the disciples too harshly,
We may judge ourselves thereby.
The Power of Christ
When they landed the other side, it was
near Gersha which in the country Of the
Gadarenes. Going ont the next morning. prob
ably 10 pray, there met Him man who had
been dwelling in the caves in the hillsides, VINO
was possessed with demons. Some have tried 10
make believe that this man was merely
lunatic and that Jesus dealt with him by hu-
mornC him and humOring his deluSiOn. Bur
this was no ordinary or severe attack OF lunacy.
II only the NANTES tation OF the greas
mower Of Satan. lie had filled this man with
some of his evil spirits and had made him 40
things that he could not have done Otherwise,
unless he had been under the power of the devil.
No lunatic could break hands OF iron; II -
qured than human strength. No lunatic
could have recognized Him as the Son of the
most High God, term always used by heathen
writer's Of Jehovah the God of Israel.
This man was the terror OF the neighoor-
hood. No could pass that way. The devil
manifested his power in him TO greater OK
tent than he had in any other individual, but
great as the DEVILS power in this man. the
power of Jesus was greater He spoke TO the
devils in him, saying, come forth. Ihey
resented it, saying. what have We to do with
thee. Jesus, the Son of the most high God:
Art thou come forth to torment US before the
time:' They realized that what they did they
must do now. for their time of punishment
awaited them. In order to identity them
Jesus sad. What is thy name To "hlch
he replied. My name is Legion, for we are
many" Then the devils begged Jesus not TO
send them into the abyss but that they might
he sent into the swine and Jesus gave them
leave Going ont of the man and entering
into the swine. the whole head of 1000 hogs
became stricken. fled in mad confusion down
the side of the hill into the sea and were
drowned. What became Of the Legion OF devils
after that we do not know. They may have
gone on into the abyss. for the Jews thought
that the sea was one of the three doors to the
abyss.
The swineherls ran into the city and told
the owners what had happened. These men
coming out found the demOniac clothed and
guiet and in' his right mind. but their hogs
GONE Instead Of rejoicing over the salvation
OF "a human soul. they begged Jesus to leave
the country: they thought more of their hogs
than Of the human being.
ICsuS left He never stays where He Is not
wanted: but it a sad day for them when
He did leave. As they cot into the boat. the
man came up and begged to go with them, but
Jesus said, NO 90 home to your friends ana
toll them what great things the Lord ha'h
,lonp for thee and how He has bad mercy m
thee That was where Jesus needed this man .
testimony: amongst the people who knew what
no han been and could see what he Is now
lie was the evangelist 81 the ten cities 81
ncca polis: and how we'll he did his work Is
seen nv the success that followed Jesus et-
forts when He came through that region later
Tho mower Of satan is great. but II Is Unite l.
Tho Doyc- Of Jesus is greater and unlimited.