The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1928-03-08
.la.1n IL
us FEEDS THE MULTITUDE

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LESSON TEXT-Mark 6:31-44
GOLDEN TEXT am the bread of
life; he that cometh to Me shall never
hunger, and he that believeth on Me
shall never thirst.
PRIMARY TOPIC-An Unusual Meal.
JUNIOR TOPIC-A Hungry Crowd
Fed.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOP
IC-Jesus Meeting Everyday Needs.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOP
IC-Jesus' Compassion for Human
Need.
I. Jesus Invitation to che Weary
Disciples wv. 81, 32).
The apostles had just returned
from an evangelistic tour in Cali
lee with a report of what they
had done and taught. Their minis
try occasioned no little stir. Besides,
Jesus Himself continued to preach.
AS result of their combined min
istry, the commotion was so great
that there was no opportunity for
resting or eating. In such a time of
need Jesus invited His disciples to
retire from the crowd and rest In
order to do this they departed pri-
vately by ship for desert place.
Periods Of withdrawal from the
crowd in fellowship with the Lord
are necessary after evangelistic cam
paigns. They serve double purpose.
l. To get the eyes of the ministers
off themselves and their work.
q To prevent dependency for
their failures.
II. Jesus Teaching the Ignorant
Multitude wv. SO, 34).
l. Thronged by the people ". 33).
The wonderful words and works of
the Lord and His disciples brought
the multitudes to them. To escape
the throng they took their departure
for a desert place ". 32). Seeing
the Lord and His disciples depart.
the people from the surrounding
cities anticipated their landing place.
and proceeding thither, welcomed
the ship upon its arrival.
2. The Lord moved with compass
sion ". 34).
Instead of becoming irritated by
the intrusion of the crowd His heart
was moved with pity. His personal
interests were forgotten as the needs
Of the shepherdless sheep pressed
upon His notice, therefore He began
to teach them many things. Jesus is
now the same compassionate Savior
touched with the feelings Of our in
firmities (Heb. 4:15)
III. Jesus Feeding the Hungry Null
titude wv. 35-4D.
IL. Conference with the disciples
d $3.50.
3 The disciples request that the
tude be sent to the surrounding
es to buy bread ". 36). Accord
20 Matthew, Christ made the
uposition that the multitude be fed
Matt. 14:16). (2) Jesus commands
them to feed the multitude ". 81.
(3) The disciples perpleXity ". 30.
They began to calculate as to the
amount of provisions required. They
asked the Lord whether they should
go and buy two hundred pennyworth
Of bread. Their perpleXity was due
to the fact that they were depending
upon their own resources instead of
Christ. To be face to face with the
humanity impossible has a threefold
benefit Gay 1t makes US realize our
dependence upon Christ; (b) Drives
us to Him for help in our need; (c)
Leads US to give Him the glory for
the results. Though our ability to
teach, preach or to give, be meager,
when coupled with the Lords ability,
1t is equal to any demand.
2. Jesus method in feeding the
multitudes wv. 39-44).
(1) The Lords part. This was to
issue instructions as to the method
Of procedure and to create the pro-
vision. Though they had but five
loaves and two fishes He so increased
them that the need of the hungry
multitude was met.
(2) The disciples part. They were
to have the people sit down in COM
panies so as to facilitate distribu-
ton. They then took that which the
Master had blessed and distributed
it to the people, The disciples re-
sponsibility was not for the creation
of the provision, but for its distribu-
ton to the people. 90 The peoples
part. Their part was not to create.
nor distribute, but obediently to sit
down and partake Of the provision.
Even after the bread had been blessed
by the Lord and distributed by the
disciples, they would have famished
with hunger had they not partaken
of the food. Unless the people re-
ceive Jesus Christ and the salvation
which He has provided they shall
eternally starve. The Lord has done
His part. The disciples ere under
solemn obligation to do their part
and the final responsibility rests upon
the people.