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I The Sunday School I
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JESUS WALKING ON THE SEA.
October <>, 15)12. Mark 6:4L?6.
( olden Text: "Straightway Jesus
spake unto them, saying, Be of good
cheer; ft is 1; be not afraid."?Matthew
14:27.
HOME DAILY BIBLE READINGS.
M.?Mark 6:46-66. Jesus Walking on
the Sea.
T.?Matthew 14:22-33. Peter Walking
on the Sea.
W.?Luke 12:22-32. Jesus Forbidding
Anxiety.
T.?Matthew 8:23-27. Power of Jesus
Over Wind and Wave.
F.?Romans 8:10-17. Bondage to
Fear.
S.?Psalm 27:1-6. The Soul's Confidence.
S.?Luke 14:25-33. Jesus Exhorts to
Spiritual Adventure.
SHORTER CATECCHISM.
Q. 18. W.herein consists the sinfulness
of that estate where into man fell?
A. The sinfulness of that estate
whereunto man fell, consists in the guilt
of Adam's first sin, the want or original
righteousness and the corruption of his
whole nature, which is commonly called
original sin, 'together with all actual
transgression which proceed from it.
LESSON COMMENTS.
Times The night following the feeding
of the five thousand. Perhaps about
April, A. D. 29, the beginning of the
third year of our Ixjrd's ministry.
Place: The Sea of Galilee, at its
upper end, between the region adjacent
to Bethsa.da, where the miracle of
feeding the five thousand was iperfornied,
and Capernaum, where Christ
dwplt
Connection: After the miracle Christ
dismissed the disciples, directing them
to return across the lake'by boat. Then,
having dismissed the multitude, he himself
went up into a mountain, to pray.
Here, late in the night, he saw the disciples
yet on the lake and in distress,
and he went out to them.
All A'iiflit in Prayer: The account of
the night scene on Galilee simply says
that Jesus went into a mountain to
pray. The simplicity of the narrative
indicates that it was our Ixird's custom
to go off for special seasons of prayer.
And he oftentimes continued long in
therm. He felt the need of communion
with his Father.
Watching While l'raying: Jesus was
never unmindful of his people. Never
was he so engrossed in his own occupations
or needs or suffering that he did
not see them and their needs, and show
a readiness to do everything for them.
On the very cross he cared for his
mother and provided for her a house
and a loving son. So here, "He saw
them toiling in rowing," or better, "distressed,"
or "tortured." Severe winds
or storms were not uncommon on the
little sea.
Walking on tlie Sea: Jesus came to
the disciples walking upon the water.
It was in tlie midst of a storm, at the
wierdest hour of the night, and when
they were most wearied and despairing.
As he appeared to them through the
mist, coming in a way so unknown, it is
little wonder that their superstitious
fears were aroused, and that they imagined
that it was a ghost which they
had seen, and that they cried out in
alarm. When we do not know him
well, the approaches of our Saviour, intended
in love and relief, alarm us.
"Be of Good Cheer :w Our hearts
should rest in the assurance of Christ's
THE PRESBYTERI/
love. We need not wait for the relief,
to trust him. The peace of God should
possess our hearts and minds. In the
very midst of the distress we should
know that he is near, that his kind and
strong hand will be stretohed out directly
to help us, and that there is
never a moment when he is unconscious
of our need. If in the days of his own
weakness and pain he could see out
*
from the mountain, through the darkness
of the night and through the thickness
of the storm-cloud, and could go
to the relief of his disciples, he can do
the same now.
Peter's Request: Matthew's account
tells of one incident in this story which
Mark's omits. When the reassuring
voice and words of Jesus were heard,
with characteristic impulsiveness, and
also with a little admixture of un-faith,
Peter cried out, "Lord, if it he thou,
bid me come to thee on the water." To
give him a good lesson, Jesus permitted
this, and bade him come. What motive,
besides his Impulsiveness, moved Peter,
no one knows. Some think, love for
Christ, and desire to show his faith in
rMirict Q roQ pfinn from *-V* n
superstition which had just before
mastered him. Others think it was
natural daring and fool-hardiness, pride,
conceit, desire to outdo others. The
event proved that it was not altogether
creditable to Peter, whatever it was.
Peter Begun to Sinks At first he
seemed to have walked on the water
safely. Then he seemed to take counsel
of hiB fears again, and when he looked
around and saw the tempest and the
waves, he began to sink. Now he cries
out, "Lord, save me!" and the rescuing
hand of Jesus is held out and Peter is
kept from going down. Peter's cry was
more in desperation than in faith, yet
there must have been a little of the
latter. At any rate, Jesus did not stop
to measure or estimate it. Peter needed
saving and the Lord saved him. That
was all. Our Saviour is not going to
stop to parley, or to see whether our
faith is little or much. That is not his
way, ever. If we have accepted him, he
is going to take care of us. The father
or mother that loves the child does not
stop to calculate faith and love when
the child is in danger.
"0, Thou of Little Faith:" As in the
case of the stilling of the tempest a
little before, so here, the Lord .utters a
gentle rebuke because full fa.th was
lacking. He does not measure our faith
when it is a question of need that: is
peiiuiu^, out ne notes tne littleness or
our faith an<l wants us to improve. In
all his love, he is not insensible to our
fault, he gently chides us for it, and
gives us urgent command and warrant
as well for increasing it.
Sore Amazed: The disciples were
greatly amazed when they realized that
it was Ohrisf and when, as be stepped
into the boat, the wind ceased and they
were in safety once more. The narrator
adds, whether of hiB own motion and in
comment, or as an indirect statement of
some words of Thrist, we know not,
"For they considered not the miracles
of the loaves, for their heart was hardened."
So easy is it to forget the numerous
past deliverances we have had.
and so easy is it to allow ourselves to
become insensible to God's grace. >!f
Christ had been so kind to the multitude
the afternoon before, and for care
of them in a mere matter of hunger,
might they not have been Justified in
expecting him to come to the help of hir
best friends in a time when their very
lives were involved?
Seeing Troubles and Seeing Christ?
One of the great lessons of the story
Is to be drawn from Peter's experience.
He was master over even natural law
as long as he kept his gaze fixed on
(Continued on page 21.)
IN OF THE SOUTH
|Young People's Societies]
HUMILITY.
Topic for Sunday, October ?: The
Christian Virtues. X. Humility. Luke
18:9-17.
DAILY READINGS.
Hn?J..r. TKn -
*i*v IIUUJ IUC U1IC CAUI1I1HC. U v orinthians
8:9.
Tuesday: Promise to the humble.
James 4:6-10.
lVrdnesdajr: A pattern. Matthew 11:
25-30.
Thursday: Humility's reward. 1 Peter
5:5-11.
Friday: Humility's hesitancy. Jeremiah
1:4-10.
Saturday: The fruit of experience.
I .uke 15:18-21.
The parable of the Pharisee and publican.
and the Incident of Christ's blessing
the children gives us two fine object
lessons on humility.
The Pharisee shows what is the opposite
of humility. He trusted in himself.
He extolled hi'.nself as a very
pious man and better than others.
He boasted of his fasting twice in the
week, and of his giving tithes of all he
uossessed. Hp thankpri flrwl thai ha was
not as other men, or even as that pubIran.
The publican stood afar off, not at a
prominent place in the temple. He
would not lift up so much as his eyes
unto heaven. He smote upon his breast.
He asked mercy towards himself as a
sinner.
The chief characteristic of little
children is their guilelessness and the
total absence of pride. We deplore the
day, and count it as a mark of their innate
sinfulness, when they manifest
self-consciousness and show pride.
There is every reason for humility on
man's part. He is a sinner, weak, helpless,
lost. He needs but to be let go, to
become as vile as the vilest, and even
the restraints which check him have
a very loose hold upon him.
It is told of John Newton that when
he saw a drunkard in the gutter, he exclaimed,
"There, but for God's grace,
lies John Newton." It is of God's mercy
that every living soul is not hopeless.
There is no ground for human boasting.
Jesus is the example of practical
humility. He "made himself of no reputation,
and took upon him the form of a
servant, and was made in the likeness
of men; and being found in fashion as
a man, he humbled hiTnBelf, and became
fthprtipnt unfo HoQth thn <InotK y\f
the cross."
And see In Jesus also the reward of
humility. "Wherefore God also hath
highly exalted him, and given him a
name which is above every name; that
at the name of Jesus every knee should
bow, of things In heaven, and things in
earth, and things under the earth, and
that every tongue should confess that
Jesus Christ is Ixird."
Humility and power are not opposed.
The rather, humility underlies power.
The soul that knows its own weakness
and turns to Christ's strength has
grasped the source of all power. And
one will not seek this i?ower except as
led to realize his own weakness. "When
I am weak, then am I strong." "iHis
strength is made perfect in weakness."
'Neither Is humility opposed to proper
sense of one's own rights and position.
It is entirely consistent with self-re- '
spect. The Uriah Heep kind of humiity
is an affectation and hypocrisy.
Man seek through it and despises us as
well as God. But man respects genuine
lowliness of mind.
'
1
[September 25, 1912
The Prayer Meeting ]
EVIDENCES OF PERSONAL SALVV.
TION.
2 C?r. os 17. Week of September 21).
When a soul comes into a state of salvation
it is the subject of a change of
nature. "If any man be in Ohrist, he
is a new creature." The spiritual disposition,
the source of motive, affection
and moral action is changed. The
change is described as passing from
death unto life, being renewed, being
born again, putting on the new, transformed.
begotten again. Ht is a change
from a state of spiritual death to one
of spirtual life. It is thus more than
a change of realm or of relationship.
All things have become new because the
spiritual nature of self has been "born
not of the blood, nor of the will of the
flesh, nor of the will of man, but of
God."
The question as to whether or not we
are in a state of salvation is one to
which we cannot rationally be indifferent.
It is the question as to whether
we are spiritually alive or dead, whether
we belong to the kingdom of darkness
or the kingdom of God's dear Son,
whether we are in spiritual bondage or
are free, whether we are blind or see,
whether condemned or justified, saved
or lost. It 1b a question of spiritual
ViaoHVi /JloAOun a~n** ?
?v?ii.u ui uiocacc, y? iouuii1 or louy, buccess
or failure, happiness or distress in
this life, and of blessedness or despair
forevermore.
What are some of the Scriptural evidences
of our belonging to the kingdom
of grace? One of these consists in the
consciousness of holy afTection. "We
know that we have passed from death
unto life because we love the brethren."
"He that loveth is born of God." Real
love to God and to our brethren is a
proof that one is "renewed after the
image of God in righteousness and true
holiness." This love prompts us to seek
to please God in all things and to seek
the salvation and the highest happiness
of our fellow beings. Persons are sometimes
mistaken in analyzing their motives
and afTections and assume that
they are Christians when they are not
Self examination should be intelligent,
honest, and reliant on the illumination
of the Holy Spirit.
The witness of the Spirit is given as
another evidence of the life that is in
Christ Jesus. The effect of the Spirit's
witness is assurance imparted by him.
of holy and happy relations to the
Father and the Redeemer. The little
child has a consciousness of the essential
relation which it sustains to its
mother." It cannot explain the relation
as it will gradually learn, of what that
relation consists, but it knows substantially
what it means to say, "father"
or "mother." So with the believer
a tnird department at evidence consists
of the effects of grace in the heart
of l.fe. These are cailed in general, the
fruits of the Spirit. Some of these are
joy, gratitude, peace, obedience, devotion
to God's service and glory. There
is an intelligent appreciation of the
beauty of holiness, the charm and wonder
of revealed truth, which is produccd
by heavenly light sh.ning into the
soul, an intelligent and responsive grasp
of truth about sin, man's need, Christ's
perpon and work, the arreat plan of
salvation, the perfectfon of moral law.
the glorious inheritance of the saints,
the kingdom and glory of our Lord. The
enlightened soul rejoices in the triumphs
of that kingdom, labors and prays
for its satisfaction in being used by his
Master in the blessed service which
angels may covet, fhich a soul ifl a
child of God and an heir of everlasting