Evening star., 1924-10-25
THE SHILLING OF THE
STORM.-Mark. iv.35-41.
Golden Text--who then is this,
that even the wind and the sea
obey Him MARK, iv.4I.
BY REV. HUGH r. STEVENSON,

Jesus was wearied with the days
work. His physical and nervous
strength were exhausted, SO He pro-
posed to the disciples that they turn
the boat, which He had used as a pull
pilt, toward the opposite shore where
He hoped to find rest His departure
served as dismissal of the congrega-
ton which had gathered around the
shore and heard Him expound the
mysteries of the kingdom in a series
of parallels. He could not stand the
strain of the day any longer. He had
been engaged In a service of love from
early morning until the shadows of
evening were gathering over Lake
Gennesaret. He had had no time to eat.
He had been at every mans beck and
call until He could not go on further
with the toll that He had cheerfully
rendered at the most unreasonable and
unreasonable hours.
Worn out by His ministry of heal
Ing. preaching and teaching, the Master
had fallen asleep on the steersmans
cushion in the stern of the boat, as
they turned the boat toward the sparse
ly settled sections on the other side
of the Sea of Galilee. He was SO
weary that He slept through the storm
that threatened them. The apostolic
fishermen were acquainted with the
Gennesaret. This irregular, pear
shaped body of water is 6s1 feet be-
low the level of the Mediterranean.
Its hill-girted basin has many valleys.
worn out by the erosion of the water
through the centuries, that form
great tunnels which draw cold air
down from the surrounding mountain
heights toward the warm waters of
the Sea of Galilee and produce sud-
cfn haf
with terrific violence. The wind must
have rushed down the ravines with
great force. like that of a hurricane,
that evening when the storm filled the
apostles with fear that they would be
destroyed by the waves that beat into
the boat
stfIlfnz, the Stormy Sea.
Mark used the word meaning earth
quake to describe the storm that filled
the apostles with terror. Obedience TO
Christ's commands had brought them
into the storm, just as we are fire.
quentiy summoned TO the firing line.
The battle that we are called upon
to face in affection, adversely or ad-
vancing the kingdom of God is an
evidence of His confidence in our 10y
atty. Our lives would be incomplete
without the struggles that develop our
manhood. Without suffering, sorrow
and storms of life we would be weak
lings. We are never called to endure
trials without help from above. The
discouraged disciples turned and tried
to arouse the worn-out Master by their
cries, "Carest Thou not that we per
ish? % They went to the right person
for protection and help.
The aroused Lord Silenced the
stormy winds and waves by His word
He addressed each separately. and
they obeyed Him instantly. 1t was
no mere coincidence that the storm
ceased while Christ was speaking. The
apostles were impressed by its mirac-
'ulous power. They were perplexed by
the fact that Jesus, whom they had
seen exhausted, like any ordinary hu-
man being, should possess such power
that the wind and the waves obeyed
Him. The Master did not find any fault
with them because they turned to Him
for aid when in danger, but His words
contained a rebuke for their lack of
faith. His demonstration of power
made them realize that He possessed
some power in His nature and life that
separated Him from men. SO that they
sought to solve the problem presented
to them in His character, saying one
to another, What manner of man is
this, that even the wind and sea obey
Him."
Christ'S Character.
Their question concerning Jesus re-
mains the problem for all ages.
Christianity differs from all other
faiths in that it rises or falls with
the character of its founder. We are
far better prepared to answer the
query of our golden text than His
apostles were at that hour. We have
the benefit of their experience. as
well as that of millions of others
recorded in the Scriptures and in the
history of Christianity. Three ques-
tions that we ask of any person be-
fore we assign them a place in the
annals of men will solve for US the
character of Christ: What did He
do? How did He live, and what are
the results of His life? We have the
guidance of the Holy Spirit. who had
not then been given to the church.
His Interpretation will reveal to us
the Masters character.
Jesus is remembered today because
of His work as a teacher. While
He spent most of His days as a car
penter the world recognizes Him to-
day as its greatest teacher. He en-
tered the public arena as a rabbi
without graduating from any of their
schools or without the Endorsement
of any great educator. He was a
specialist in spiritual truths. He was
a master of the Scriptures. He at
tracted mon by the authority with
which He spake. Modern pedagogy
practices the principles that Christ
introduced during His ministry. He
thrilled men by His messages con-
cerning God the Father, the brother
hood of man, the forgiveness of sin,
the Transforming power of love, the
gift of the Holy Spirit, the kingdom
of God and the truths of His gospel.
He gripped men by His life of
purity. He moved them by His
philanthropy, going about and doing
good. He inspired them by His pur-
pose to establish a kingdom univer-
sal in scope and unlimited by race
or country. His legacy was the peo-
pie whom He left to carry on His
work of winning the world by obey