The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1918-02-21
Lesson 9.-First Quarter, March
3. 1918.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES
Lesson Text, Mark 1884; s;ts-2o-
Memory Verse, Mark s:te-oolden
Text, Ps t26:3-commentsry Pre-.
pared by Rev. D. M. stesrns

same connection. Their taking Christ
even as he was. aud his failing asleep
In the storm, may imply that he was
weary In his body. and possibly In mind
also. Ills labors would give him
weary body. and the unbellef and
hatred all about him would tend to
give him n weary mind. One Of the ac-
cusatlons Of the prophet against Israel
your words" tMal. 2:l7; see also John
4:6.) when he said. "Come unto me.
all ye that labor and are heavy laden"
tMntt. II :2S) he knew what II meant
90 have such an experience. for Gle
was In all points tempted like ms we
are" and Is touched with feeling OF
our infrmities uieb. 4:i5). Some
times the stormy wind Is his own. as
when he divided the sea by strong
east wind. and sent great wind 10 ar
rest Jonah tEx. 1921: Jonah I ~
and u II written "Iie commanded and
Falscth the stormy wind" Ps. 100 :25).
Sometimes the strong wind Is from the
devil, ms when he caused the death OF
Jobs children by strong wind dob
:io). But he can make the wrath Of
men or demons 20 praise him and cause
even stormy wind 10 fulfll his word
(Ps. I4s 80. In Rev. ~. see the angels
controlling the winds. II seems TO me
that this great storm OF wind OF our
lesson ". 37l must have been from
the devil because the Lord rebuked
II ". 3ol. 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 IL n possibility that he knew
that II the Lord Jesus crossed over 10
Gadara he might lose that fine piece Of
his work In the form OF that demon
possessed man whom no chains could
bind, and NO fierce that no one could
pass by that way. In Matt :2S. II Is
recorded that there we're two Of them.
II he had that knowledge we can I'M
derstand why he sent the storm to sink
~ DNrrlUlt Nut bVNA WIN AhN AsNAh hA'
his disciples. In some respects the
devil Ia an awful fool. and certainly
does not know the power OF God, and
IN these days U9l7-iois) when the
nations are raging. and the people
imagining vain things ms never before,
the Lord has them In derlsion. and will
vet set his king upon his holy hill
OF Zion Ups. 2:l-6). Even II the Lord
had allowed the devil TO destroy that
boat. he could easily have walked
ashore on the water and enabled his
disciples 90 do he same. ] like TO
watch him sleeping so calmly In the
midst Of that great storm, and there
Il no storm In which we may not be
calm II we have faith In him. Ps.
2T:i-3.) We are too often like the dis
ciples. and afraid that some real evil
win befall us. and he often has occa-
sion 10 say 10 us. "Why are We so fear
full How Is II that We have no falthT'
why are ye troubled. and why do
thoughts arise In your heartsT" ". 40
and Luke 20 :3s) How grand 10 see
him quietly awake from sleep and
arise and say 20 wind and sea, Pence,
be still" and then TO see the great
storm give place 10 a great calm Tvs.
RI, 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 storm
however great that he cannot with a
word. change TO "a great calm, for he
always was. and ever Is. the one who
mnketh the storm a calm (Ps. l07 :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
i4:2T; Col. 3:l5). He alone can still
the present strife of nations. and speak
peace 10 them all. and II shall yet be
seen that he II the one promised 10
David TO sit on his throne, and OF
whom David said. "Is this the manner
of man. o Lord Godf" q Sam. 7;lo;
compare lesson verse Az.
Does II not seem as II some OF the
nations were as demon-possessed today
as this man, or these men. Of Gadara
But our Lord Jesus has the same pow
er as ever, and at the appointed time
sour God shall come. and shall not
keep silence" (Ps. so 800. After Israel
shall have seen him coming In his
glory and shall have received him &C
cordlng TO lisa. 25 20; and have come "a
her right mind. then shall nations run
to her because the Lord God, the holy
one Of Israel shall have glorified hei
Elsa. SO 70; compare Mark SD. Ac
cording to Matt. & 20. the demons said
-Art thou come hlther 10 torment US
before the timer" for they seemed Il
know that torment awaits them In due
time (Rev. 20 100. This same Jesus Il
daily delivering those whom Satan has
bound with chains Of sin, and there
10 no case too hard for him; and he u
saying 10 all who have such afflicted
ones, Bring them TO me-" Have faith
and doubt not" The property OF thu
Gadarenes had been touched. and the,
had sought Jesus TO depart from then
(B:1D and Il is so stlll when the COS
pei conflicts with business; and we arr
moving on 10 the time when the deyi
will control all buying and selling
<Rev. rs :16 III.