Evening star., 1932-01-30

Christ's ministry had reached a crisis
with the events recorded in todays les
son. Our Lord had, through His prac-
tical presentation of His messages
throughout Galilee, won a great fol-
lowing among the people, who were
attracted by His healing ministry and
philanthropic efforts to help needy
souls The twelve had returned from
their first missionary tour and were
anxious to report to the Master about
their experiences. They found this was
almost impossible, because He was SO
busy ministering to the multitude that
came to His headquarters in Caper-
naun, bringing the sick to be healed
by Him, so that they could not find a
chance to make their report.
Jesus knew that the apostles were In
need of rest, so He proposed that they
take vacation, which would give them
an opportunity to tell Him all about
their experiences and rest at the same
time. They took boat to an unln-
habited section on the shore OF the Sea
of Galilee, or Sea of Tiberias, which
was probably in the territory Of Beth
saida. The grassy plain of Butaiha
that is on the northeastern shore of
the sea. appears to meet the details
mentioned in all four gospels. OF the
35 miracles of the Master recorded in
the gospels, the feeding of the 5000
is the only one found in all the narra-
tives. Each gives some small detail
that one should consider in connection
with their study of the lesson this week.
While they were reaching the place
by boat a great crowd had followed
them on foot The recent death of
John the Baptist had stirred the Lord
Jesus and caused the followers OF His
forerunner to turn to Him for comfort
People passing through Capernaum 90
their way to the Passover increased the
number of those who had been at
tracted to the Master by the signs that
He had performed in healing the sick,
as well as through the messages of the
apostles, who had succeeded in stir
ring up all Galilee by their ministry
The multitude had made better time
than Jesus and the twelve, for the
shore was crowded with the people who
had desire to share in His ministry,
when they arrived.
Christ's Compassion.
Jesus did not reveal any regret or
diSpleaSure at their presence. He knew
that He would have to change His
plans His program of giving rest, re-
reation and retirement to the twelve
was Immediately set aside, because His
heart beat in sympathy with the con-
dition of the people, who appeared to
Him to be like sheep without Shep-
herd" The condition of a crowd al
ways moved the Master with compass
sion. He sees the individual needs of
every soul in the great multitude, who
in the dark and trying times through
which the world has been passing, have
been tested and tried. He sees the
needs of the weary soul, the burden
bearer seeking work, the disturbed en-
ployer, the uncertain business man and
the perpleXed statesman. The Master
has longed for them to bring their
pressing problems to Him for solution.
He has wanted them to draw near and
let Him give them rest. The one solu-
ton Of the hour for all the world is
to seek first the Kingdom Of God. Men
rave left the Lord out of their plans.
yet He is anxious to help them, but
they must seek His assistance and ask
His help.
During the day the Master healed
their sick and taught the crowds, who
had come out of all the cities to be
miniStered unto by Him. When the
evening drew near His disciples urged
that Jesus dismiss the people. SO that
they could secure food. Imagine th.eir
surprise when the Lord told them to
feed the multitude. When He asked
Philip. Whence are we to buy bread,
that these may eat?" the Master was
testing His apostles. He knew what
He would do, when out of compassion
for them He refused to send them
away hungry, even when Philip pre-
st I,as,.
curing enough food for the crowd. Pos
Sibly their treasurer, Judas. did not
have S34, which amount was suggested
as being needed to pay for a dinner
for the number who had spent the day
with them, listening to Christ's words
and seeing Him heal the sick Andrew
reported that the only person in the
crowd having any food was a boy, who
had brought along a lunch consisting
of five barley loaveS" and two dried
fish. Each loaf being a thin wafer.
not as large as a cracker He ordered
them to bring the scant supply to Him
Feeding 5000.
When the lad contributed his supply
our Lord did not despise its smallness.
Before He started to perform the
miracle that was to play an important
part in His own life He ordered the
apostles to divide the crowd up into
groups of hundreds and f1fties and be
seated upon the grassy hillside. They
presented a picture of a flower gar
den in their variegated costumes. They
were so placed that each person could
easily see the Scant supply that was
before the Lord when He looked up into
heaven and gave thanks They could
see it literally increase in His hands
as He broke the bread and fish up be-
fore giving the same to the apostles to
distribute to the multitude. The SyS-
tenn that Jesus used supplied food for
the needs Of each person. There IS
plenty Of food in our land and no per-
son ought to be in want of the same.
If we followed the principles of the
Lord Jesus, there would be a system of
distribution that would meet and sup
ply the needs of each individual soul.
The miracle that the multitude saw
worked in their sight revealed that
Christs executive ability had provided
for the weak ones and His thoughtful
ness of each person present. His spirit
of conservation was seen in His order
ing the apostles to see that nothing
was lost, with the result that each one
of the u had basket full of provisions
after giving to the others. The crowd
saw in the demonstration of Christ's
power one that could supply their need
Of food. At once the thought filled
their minds that Jesus would be an
ideal Messiah. according to their con-
ception. because He could feed an army
According to Napoleon, soldiers travel
on their stomachs. Under the Masters
leadership the people believed that the
power of Rome would be quickly
crushed and the nation re-established
Almost spontaneously, movement was
started to make Him their king by
force.
Refusing the Crown.
Jesus recognized that it was not
safe atmosphere for the IL. He did
not permit the temptation to influence
Him. He dismissed the crowd and
the disciples, while He withdrew alone
to obtain power from above thr0r9
prayer From the mountain sioe He