109
February 1928
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
Such a spirit as this always is attended by the blessings o f God. Mk. 6:31. “And H e saith unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest awhile ” This verse seems to indicate that the Apostles in their great enthusiasm and zeal for the work from which they had just returned, had gone beyond the limits o f their physical strength and needed rest. It is also quite probable that they had neglected their de votional life and had lost much o f the spiritual power which they had had when they first began this evangelistic tour. This inference is drawn from the record found in the seventeenth chapter of Matthew. It is necessary to have divine guidance and spiritual wisdom to know when, to call a halt and go aside into a desert place and recuperate both spiritually and phy sically. On account of the throngs which pressed upon them, they went into a desert place in order to have relaxation. . V. 32. They entered into a boat, and crossing the Sea of Galilee, landed on the northeastern shore, which seems to have been a place hot thickly inhabited. It is quite possible that the word “desert” does not mean a barren waste, for, according to v. 39 o f this chapter, there was green grass. It becomes imperative for workers frequently to lay aside their work and get alone with God in a quiet place. V. 33. Notwithstanding the effort to be quiet and alone with God, their in tended rest was interrupted by the coming of the" multitudes who ran around the northern end of the sea, and came to the place where they landed. V. 34. It seems that, when Jesus dis embarked, a great multitude was awaiting Him on the shore, and seeing them and realizing their great spiritual needs, He had compassion on them. The great throbbing heart of Jesus was so large and compassionate that it embraced every soul. These people who were usually with Him were as sheep without a shepherd. Religion in those days had become so very formal and mechanical that the heart yearnings of the masses were dying, spiritually speaking. There were no real men of God within the pale of Judaism who were able to satisfy the longings and yearnings of their hungry hearts. Taking advantage o f the opportunity thus af forded, Jesus began to “ teach them many things." Of course He had to be very rudimentary in His teaching, giving the “milk o f the Word” because ■they were not able to bear the meat o f the Word. Even to the Apostles, Jesus could not speak concerning all matters but left many things to be revealed to them by the Holy Spirit. Vs. 35, 36. As the evening drew on, the disciples, realizing the situation of the people, very wisely, humanly speaking, suggested that, since the place was desert, Jesus dismiss the people in order that they might go into the surrounding villages and purchase food. Frequently what ,appears to be the wise course, viewed from the standpoint o f the world, is not the way of God. The problem o f ascertaining what is the wise course to pursue in prac tical matters is most frequently very dif ficult. Generally speaking, however, one may depend upon the solution of a prac tical problem: first, by seeing whether the thing contemplated is in accordance with the written W ord; secondly, by as certaining whether existing circumstances are favorable; thirdly, by praying to God
What is the sure way to make a little multiply into much? (Mt. 14:18.) What should be our thought, even when we sit down to eat? (6:41. Cf. 1 Cor. 10: 31.) What may we learn from our Lord’s method in handling a great crowd? (Jn. 6:11. Cf. 1 Cor. 14:40.) —o— G olden T ext I llustration . I am the Bread o f life : he that cometh to me shall not hunger, and he that be- lieveth on me shall never thirst (John 6:35). Have you ever sat beside the seashore when the tide was low? If so, you have noticed‘ how deep holes here and there appear in the sand and rocks. But wait till the tide comes up and you will see all of those crevices filled up. Thus there are unsatisfied longings in human hearts, crevices: that never can be filled by the pleasures o f the world and the flesh. But look to Christ, and in Him you will find a tide o f grace to fill up every hollow and crevice in your nature.
Win the one next to you. That is the only scheme that Jesus had to offer, and noth ing else will work. One Sunday morning as a pastor was conducting the communion service, he paused to ask if anyone had been missed in the passing of the bread. Like a flash, there came before his mind millions of heathen who have never heard of Jesus. How will they partake o f the True Bread, if no one takes it to them? “ They took up twelve baskets full of fragments” (v. 43). Though perhaps the chief lesson here is that Christ is an in exhaustible source of spiritual supply, giving us “ exceeding abundantly above all we ask or think ” , there is many a church that needs a lesson in economy. Why so little for missions ? Why curb soul-winning enterprises? Because the back door robs the house. Instead of using what they have to feed the perish ing, they spend it extravagantly for their own comfort. Don’t let us understand that our (giv ing to missions is to be from the left-overs. Too often that point has ben made on these “twelve baskets,” and it is a wrong principle. Nevertheless,;. Jesus wants no fragments to fall which could be used to the satisfying of hungry souls. Be sure to connect up the great lesson which John records in Chapter 6 of his Gospel. Jesus proclaimed H i m s e l f the Bread o f life, the one source o f spir itual satisfaction. Those who come to Him will bi z “filled.” Not one has ever gone away hungry who has come into vital union with Him. Dr. A. T. Schofield, an eminent Eng lish physician, deliberately placed an ag nostic nurse to care for a devout Chris tian girl who had been horribly mangled in an accident. The nurse knew that her patient had been so disfigured that she never again could appear in society. Yet so. perfectly at rest in Christ, and so sat isfied in her soul, was this Christian girl, that her testimony resulted in the conver sion o f the nurse. Jesus still satisfies. P ith and P oint . Say the wise men of the church: “We must consider this thing' from the stand point o f dollars and cents” (6:36). Christ cared for the bodies of men and a Christian worker cannot be unmindful o f physical needs. When you’re up against it, it’s well to ask yourself, “How many loaves have I that I have not yielded to Him?” You can’t lose by putting your scant stores at His disposal. None go hungry who come to His table (6:42). God loves a cheerful giver, but not a wasteful one (6:43). Jesus usually leaves the law o f God to it, course: “ In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread till thou return unto the ground.” — o — S uggestive Q uestions . What are our resources when it comes to carrying out a Christian enterprise? (Phil. 4:19.) Upon what does bounty depend? (Prov. 11 :24-25.) What shall we do when we come up against the seemingly impossible? (Phil. 4:13.) On how many occasions did Jesus create food? (Cf. Jn. 2.)
’T HE events of this lesson fall toward * the latter part of the second full year of Christ’s personal ministry, or at the be ginning of the third or last year. The re
stricted commission, concerning which the lesson was last Lord’s Day, constituted the third tour in the great Galilean ministry, at the conclusion of which the Apostles gathered together and made a report to Jesus concerning the had done and which It appears from the were very enthusiastic with which their
ÌDIWTODNAL COMENT. «lumi iiwiiiniiiiiii Mil things which they they had taught, record that they over the success
n men n mm istry was blessed. Furthermore, it appears that they seemed to have the feeling that they were the ones who had done the work and were not giving the Lord the glory. If such was the case, they made a mistake. . All that one does that will en dure throughout eternity is done in the power of the Holy Spirit. Paul, because o f necessity, compared his work with that of self-glorying Judaizing teachers, but immediately he denied that it was he that did the work and declared that it was the grace of Christ working through him.
See K. B. A dv . in front o f this issue
“JEWEL S” You will prize this new booklet o f spiritual nuggets. It is yours for sending us names o f prospective sub scribers. Think over the list o f Sunday School teach ers. D o they take the K.B. ?
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