Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1918-02-27
SUNDAY SCHOOL
Lesson 9.-First Quarter, March
3, 1918.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES
Lesson Text, Mark 4:35-41; 5:f5-2o-
Memory Verse, Mark 5:ts--Goiden
Text, Ps. 1876: documentary Pre-
pared by Rev. D. M. Stear1s-

The incident Of the storm stilled and
the healing of the demoniac are found
also In Matthew and Luke, and in the
same connection. Their taking Christ
even as he was and his falling asleep
In the storm. may imply that he was
weary in his body, and possibly in mind
also. His labors would give him
weary body, and the unbelief and
hatred all about him would tend to
give him a weary mind. One of the ac-
cusatlons of the prophet against Israel
your words" tMal. 2:17; see also John
4:6.) When he said, Come unto me-
: all We that labor and are heavy laden"
Matt. ii :2S) he knew what II meant
to have such an experience, for lie
was In all points tempted like as we
are" and is touched with feeling OF
our infrmities (Heb. 4:15). Some
times the stormy wind is his own, as
; when he divided the sea by strong
east wind. and sent great wind to ar
rest Jonah lex. 1922; Jonah 1:4);
and II is written HE commandeth and
raiseth the stormy wind" FPS. 107 :25).
Sometimes the strong wind is from the
devil, as when he caused the death of
Jobs children by q strong wind {Job
1 :19). But ne can make the wrath Of
men or demons to praise him and cause
ctn ind 10 fnlfsll his word
Cps. 14S ~. In Rev. I'll, see the angels
controlling the winds. 1t seems to me
that this great storm Of wind of our
lesson ". 80 must have been from
the devil because the Lord rebuked
1t ". 800. and he would not re-
buke his own wind. Now I would not
give the devil too much credit on the
line Of knowing things beforehand. nor
would make light of his knowledge,
but there Is a possibility that he knew
that If the Lord Jesus crossed over to
Gadara he might lose that fine piece of
his work In the form of that demon
possessed man whom no chains could
bind, and so fierce that no one could
pass by that way. In Matt. rs, 1t Is
recorded that there were two of them.
If he had that knowledge We can I'M
derstand why he sent the storm to sink
IL possible the boat with the Lord and
his disciples. In some respects the
devil is an awful fool, and certainly
does not know the power of God, and
In these days (1917-191Sl when the
nations are raging, and the people
imagining vain things as never before.
the Lord has them In derisiou, and will
yet set his king upon his holy hill
of Zion FPS 2:1-6). Even If the Lord
had allowed the devil TO destroy that
boat, he could easily have walked
ashore on the water and enabled his
disciples to do the same like to
watch him sleeping so calmly in the
midst of that great storm, and there
Is no storm In which we may not be
calm If We have faith In him. Cps.
27:1-3) We are too often like the dis
ciples. and afraid that some real evil
Will befall US, and he often has occa-
sion to say to US, "Why are We so fear
full How is 1t that We have no faith?'
"Why are ye troubled, and why do
thoughts arise In your hearts7" ". 40
and Luke "a :38.) How grand to see
him quietly awake from sleep and
arise and say to wind and sea, Peace,
be still" and then to see the great
storm give place to great calm Tvs
81, 39). As he slept he was truly hui
man, as he stilled the storm he was
truly God; so he was and ever is both
God and man; and there never can be
In our lives or circumstances a storm
however great that he cannot with a
word, change to great calm, for he
always was, and ever is. the one who
maketh the storm calm FPS. LOT :29).
We may still hear him say, my peace
/ give unto you," and we can let the
peace of God rule In our hearts John
IA :2T; Col. 3:15). He alone can still
the present strife of nations, and speak
peace to them all, and it shall yet be
seen that he is the one promised to
David to sit on his throne, and of
whom David said, SIS this the manner
of man, o Lord Godr e Sam. 7:19;
compare lesson verse Az.
Does 1t not seem as IL some Of the
nations were as demon-possessed today
as this man, or these men, Of Gadara?
But our Lord Jesus has the same DOW
er as ever, and at the appointed time
"Our God shall come, and shall not
keep silence" FPS. so :3-6). After Israel
shall have seen him coming In his
glory and shall have received him &C
cording to lisa. Is 20; and have come to
her right mind. then shall nations run
TO her because the Lord God, the holy
one Of Israel shall have glorified her
lisa. SIS IS: compare Mark SD. Ac-
cording to Matt. 8 20. the demons said,
art thou come hither to torment us
before the timer" for they seemed to
know that torment awaits them In due
time (Rev. 0:10). This same Jesus is
daily delivering those whom Satan has
bound with chains Of sin, and there
Is no case too hard for him; and he is
saving IN all who have Surh ofF1i,f ad