Middletown transcript., 1918-03-02
IMPROVED UNIFORM INTERNATIONAL
SUNl6XS01O0L
LESSON
(By E. o. SELLERS. Acting Director OF
the Sunday School Course of the Moody
Bible Institute. Chicago)
Copyright. 1918. Western Newspaper Union:o
LESSON FOR MARCH 3
JESUS BRINGING PEACE.

LESSON TExT-Mark 4:35-5:2o:
GOLDEN TEXT-Jehovah hath zone
great things for US whereof We are glad.
-Ps. 1858
DEVOTIONAL READ1NG-Ps. 171-s.
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL FOR
TEACHERS-Matt. S:23-34; Luke S:22-Ss:
Matt 14:22-33; Luke 9:N-43A.
PRIMARY LESSON MATER1AL-Mark
l:35-N
MEMORY vERSE-Even the wind and
the sea obey him.-Alark 4:H.
INTERMEDIATES TOPIC-Telling tn"
good news about the Prince Of Peace.
MEMORY VERSE-Mark 6:19.
This lesson is a most dramatic one.
Surprise and revelation, rebuke ana
encouragement are rapidly inter-
changed. Leaving the multitude 10
whom he had been preaching, Jesus
asks the disciples to pass over with
him to the other side of the lake w.
35). LET us pass over;" Jesus never
asks his disciples to 60 where he Will
not 20. How vivid is the touch In Y.
SO: "They took him Us he was" he
was tired and weary, he whose invita-
ton is to "all who ore weary ana
heavy laden" He who chad not where
to lay his head" is carried by loving
hands into the boat, and is soon lost
in restful slumber. Both Master ana
friends are soon to meet q great SIN
ner but first they must encountered q
great storm.
I. The Great Storm. The Master OF
forces sleeps calmly on. Why not1
Who else could afford to be so appar~
emily Indifferent! Not so these dis
ciples. They have yet to know MIN
perfectly, and hence it is natural that
In their alarm they should awaken
him as they view the rapidly filling
boat, and exclaim, master, carest thou
not that we perish? Weary and I'M
concerned as he appears to have been,
he arose and rebuked the wind ana
the waves. Wind and waves are mate
rial things and therefore not suscep-
tible to rebuke. Jesus fronted the IN
tangible cause; he rebuked the devil
who was responsible for this turbul-
ence: and the calm was commensurate
with the storm. The Psalmist says.
"Great peace have they that love thy
law" individuals and nations are
now in the midst Of great storm,
n day of crime, stress, distress and
tragedy; struggle, temptation, gr1ef
and loss. and the cry Lord save us!"
is growing louder and more 1nslstent'
Some of us look for the early return
of the king, but all should listen for
his words "Peace be still" for II IS
the peace which he alone can give
that has power to calm the growing
turbulence Of this age.
n. The Great Sinner. Reaching the
other side, they entered the land OF
Gadara and there met demoniac VINO
is. we believe, a type Of the great sin
ner, for he was, GAY without restraint /;
mo man could bind him" ". 81; (b)
he was injuring himself. "cutting,
etc. ". 81; (c) he was separated
from his friends. "dwelt among the
tombs" ". 81; (d) he was "unclean
". p. There was also evidence OF
the futility of human resolutions and
the vainness of attempt at control OF
reformation ". A.. mo man had the
strength to tame him." Note the tor
ment of his life ". y. AS he healed
this man. the people saw their illegal
gain interfered with, and hence the
selfish request that Jesus should de
part out Of their coasts" ". ~, and
this even in the face of what had Deen
done for the stricken one. Selfshness
knows no law. The Jews could not
eat nprk but they were raising 1t to
sell to the Gentlles of the land, which
amounted to an insult to their God
and an evasion Of their law. Jesus
"permitted" the demons to enter tnt
swine thereby rebuking the avarice Of
the people and conclusively showing
, that they had left the demoniac. Luke
y tells us $3.50 that the Gadarene'
were "taken with a great fear" Feal
Of what? Surely no fear Of the Gall
, lean teacher, but rather OF the enec
of the restored mans testimony OF
; their material prosperity. Big busi
, ness will have many sins to accoun
for in the face Of greed for gain whil'
ignoring the cry of the afflicted annie
unsuitable and unsanitary living con
ditions. Church members have n
e right to condemn the liquor trah1e
t while they rent stores to carry on TIL
K destructive business.
e A suggested outline for this lessor
9 would be as follows:
/. A Great Storm-Ch. :35-41.
d The command of Jesus-v. IS.
s. The WEAKNESS of Jesus-v. SO.
8 The alarm of the disciples-v. 81
t. The Indifference Of Jesns-v. 80
d The great calm-v. 80.
e n. A Glorious Cure-Ch. 1920.
It The Gadarene a type Of the sir
n ner-vv. Is.
g (Unclean, separated, no n
straint, self injury.
The Gadarene cleansed-vv. 81!
(He recognized purity-desire
!, commandments assigned
:. service).
III. The Great Mission-vv. 1920.
:. An improper request ". 10.
" A proper request ". 49,.
A hard request ". 49,.
A great result (see Luke 8:40).