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Chosen no: R-5095 b, from: 1912 Year. |
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"It Is I, Be Not Afraid"
--MARK 6:45-56.--OCTOBER
6.--
Text:--"Straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying,
Be
of good cheer, it is I; be not afraid."--Matt. 14:27.
TODAY'S STUDY shows us how interested people
become in anything that will relieve them of sickness and ailments, which cause
our race to be, as St. Paul described it, "a groaning creation." The
crowds continued to gather wherever Jesus went, partly for hearing, partly from
curiosity, and partly because the Message that He gave was one of consolation,
comfort, hope. He was not forever blaming them for not keeping the Law, but, on
the contrary, He was continually expressing sympathy for them in their
weaknesses, and helping them out of them and encouraging them to "go and
sin no more."
After the feeding of the five thousand, Jesus
urged His disciples to leave Him and to return to the other side of the Lake. He dismissed the multitude and went into the
solitude of the hills for prayer. It is noteworthy that nearly all of the Great
Teacher's prayers that are recorded are simple and brief. Whenever He wished to
make long prayers He went to the Father alone, by Himself. Undoubtedly this
would be a good example for all of His followers to observe. Long prayers are
frequently a weariness to the flesh, and so far as we can discern are likely to
contain many vain repetitions, or to be attempts to instruct the Lord and
counsel Him concerning matters which He understands much better than do any of
His children.
WALKING ON THE SEA
The disciples in their fishing boat experienced
contrary winds and found the rowing toilsome. In the night they saw what they
supposed to be an apparition, a spirit manifestation in human form, walking on
the water, and apparently intending to pass by their boat. They cried out, for
all saw it and felt troubled. Then they heard a voice saying, "It is I, be
not afraid." Jesus got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased, to
their amazement, for they had already forgotten the lesson of the previous
afternoon--the feeding of the five thousand with the five loaves and two
fishes.
In addition to seeing in this a further
manifestation of Divine power operating through the Redeemer, we may see a
further suggestion of a spiritual lesson. No doubt, after the Master's
ascension, the disciples felt themselves very much alone in the midst of a
contrary people, and found progress difficult and all of their experiences
stormy. No doubt it helped them to look back to this occasion and to remember
the Master's ability to come to them on the troubled seas, and how His coming
brought peace and quiet.
Thus their hearts may have been led to look for
Him who instructed them, "I will never leave nor forsake thee;" and
again, "Lo, I am with you alway, even to the end of the Age." And
this precious lesson still holds good for all who are truly the Lord's
people--all who have made a Covenant by sacrifice with the Lord, all who have
presented their bodies living sacrifices through the merit of Jesus. He is with
them continually, to sanctify to them their deepest distress.
"LORD, SAVE, OR I PERISH!"
St. Matthew gives an additional feature of this
lesson not recorded by St. Mark. He tells us that when St. Peter learned that
it was Jesus who walked upon the sea, he requested the Lord to sanction his
walking on the water to Him. The Lord consented, and St. Peter had the
wonderful courage to make the effort. Had his faith continued, doubtless he
would have been sustained, but the Lord's rule with His people seems to be,
"According to thy faith be it unto thee." We are not to encourage credulity in ourselves or others, but we are to remember that faith which has a
true foundation is very precious in the Lord's sight.
In St. Peter's case it was entirely proper that
he should attempt to go to the Lord, because the effort had been sanctioned. It
would have been credulity for him to have supposed himself able to walk on the
water, without the Lord's sanction and invitation. But when he saw the
boisterous waves his faith failed, he began to sink; and then it was that he
cried, "Save, or I perish!" How true it is of all God's people that
like St. Peter they would like to do some wonderful thing to show their faith
in the Lord! And how like St. Peter's are
their experiences, often! They would utterly fail did not the Lord interpose
for their rescue. However, as the Lord found no [R5096
: page 281] fault with St. Peter for his effort, we are bound to admire
the degree of faith and courage which he manifested.
ST. PETER THE TEACHABLE
Much has been said respecting St. Peter's
rashness and the difficulties he repeatedly got into. The criticism is surely
to some extent justified, but we are to remember that the Master loved him
greatly, partly on account of his zeal, partly on account of the energy which
on several occasions got him into difficulty. One thing should always be
remembered in his favor, that although he was the oldest of the Apostles he was
evidently one of the most meek and most teachable of them all. Of his mistakes
he made a mirror, and thus, learning to know himself more particularly,
he was safeguarded through the many dangers natural to his temperament; and he
stands [R5096 : page 282] forth in the
Scriptures as one of the very noblest of the Apostles. The wisdom of St.
Peter's course is illustrated in a little verse published in the New York Sun.
THE THREE FAULT FINDERS
The poem tells that the three fault-finders were
provided each with a crystal, to do with as he pleased; and this was the
result:
"The fool contrived of his a lens,
Wherein, to gloating eyes,
The smallest blot that could be found
Was magnified in size.
"The just man made of his a pane,
All clear without a flaw;
Nor summer sun nor winter rain
Affected what he saw.
"The wise man pondered long and well
How best to search, to aid,
Then, taking up the crystal given,
Of his a mirror made."
There must have been a great strain continually
upon the Great Teacher and Healer, for He was continually
expending His vitality in both directions at once. In healing the sick, virtue,
or vitality, went out from Him and He healed them all, we read. And all His
public teaching cost considerable vitality, especially when He addressed large
multitudes. Thus was fulfilled in part the saying of the Prophet respecting
Him, "Himself took our sicknesses and bore our infirmities."
Nevertheless, we find Him ever ready, ever alert
about the Father's business, and looking after the welfare of, and instructing
all who gave evidence of being, or of ever becoming, children of God.
When the ship reached shore in the morning, the
people recognized Him and ran round-about that whole region, and began to carry
about on beds those that were sick, to where they heard Jesus was. And
wheresoever he entered, into villages, or into cities, or into the country,
they laid the sick in the public places, and besought Him that these might
touch if it were but the corner of His garment; "and as many as touched
Him were made whole."
The healings which our Lord gave forth during
His ministry were physical. As we have already seen, none but Himself had yet
received of the Holy Spirit in its begetting power. But did we not hear His
word saying, "Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the Age"? And
have not God's consecrated people throughout the past eighteen centuries
realized a blessing also--a spiritual blessing--as Jesus passed their way, as
they came to a knowledge of Him, as by faith they reached out and touched the
hem of His garment, realizing Him to be the Son of the Highest, the Redeemer of
the world, the Head of the Church which is His Body, and shortly to be the King
of Glory, reigning for the blessing of all the families of the earth?
W.T. R-5095b : page 281 - 1912r.