this same lake, and a terrible storm arose. But Jesus was lying asleep
on one of the hard seats of the boat.
The disciples worked hard to save the boat; but when it began to fill
with water, they awoke Him, and said, "Master, Master, we perish." And
the Saviour rebuked the storm, and it ceased, and the waters became
still.
Every miracle performed by Jesus had a lesson for us. These miracles
show that the Lord can control every element for the good of His people
and work. They also show that He can provide for all our wants.
Wherever Jesus went, the sick and the suffering were brought to Him,
and He never turned them away. By a touch the blind received their
sight. By a word the deaf were made to hear, and the lame to walk.
To the appeal of the lepers He said, "I will, be thou clean," and they
were cured of their loathsome disease. At His command the devils were
cast out, and those having all manner of diseases were healed.
All sickness and suffering are the result of sin. When the same dear
hand that healed the sick on earth shall destroy sin, all sickness and
suffering shall be forever ended.
Among the many miracles of Jesus, even the dead were raised to life.
The daughter of Jairus, a ruler in Israel, was sick, and before Jesus
reached her she died. Yet He took her by the hand, and said, "Damsel, I
say unto thee, arise." And she was raised to life and perfect health.
See Mark 5:22-43.
The son of the widow of Nain was raised from the dead as he was being
taken to the place of burial. See Luke 7:11-15.
But the greatest exhibition of divine power was in the raising of
Lazarus, who had been dead four days. He had been dead so long that no
one even thought of his being raised.
But when the stone was rolled away, Jesus cried, "Lazarus, come forth!"
At the call of the Life-giver, he that had been dead came to the door
of the sepulcher. And Jesus said, "Loose him, and let him go." These
miracles show that Jesus can break the power of death. When He shall
again come to this earth He will bring the final reward to His people.
See Revelation 22:12.
[Illustration: The Mighty Healer.]
Paul based his future hope on the resurrection. "For if the dead rise
not, then is not Christ raised; and if Christ be not raised, your faith
is vain, ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which have fallen
asleep in Christ are perished." 1 Cor. 15:16-18.
[Illustration]
The Parables of Jesus.
MUCH of the teaching of our Saviour was made plain by the use of
parables, or object lessons. He took the things of every-day life, with
which all were familiar, to illustrate the truths of eternal life.
"And He spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves
that they were righteous, and despised others:
"Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the
other a publican.
"The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank Thee,
that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or
even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all I
possess.
"And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his
eyes unto Heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to
me a sinner." Luke 18:9-13.
Our own righteousness is nothing but "filthy rags." Our own good deeds
can never save us. Prayer is simply coming to God as our Father. It is
telling Him of our needs, and thanking Him for His blessings.
The Pharisee felt no need, and so received no blessing. The publican
knew he was a sinner, and asked for the mercy of God. Hence he went
from the temple forgiven, "justified," made just before God. His record
was made clean on the books of Heaven.
[Illustration: The Pharisee and the Publican]
In another parable Jesus said, "There was a certain rich man, which
was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day.
"And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his
gate, full of sores, and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell
from the rich man's table." See Luke 16:19-31.
The rich man died and was punished, because he had not made God his
hope and trust. But Lazarus, although poor and afflicted, had been a
servant of the Most High God. He also died, but received the glorious
reward which God has in store for all who obey Him.
This parable teaches that riches are no sign of God's favor; neither
does poverty indicate that one is rejected of God. At another time a
lawyer asked Jesus, "Who is my neighbor?"
[Illustration: The Rich Man and Lazarus.]
Jesus answered with a parable. A man traveling from Jerusalem to
Jericho was met by thieves, who beat him, and robbed him, and left him,
supposing he was dead.
A priest came that way, but passed by on the other side of the road. A
Levite also came and looked at him, and then went away without giving
aid. But at last, one of the Samaritans (a people despised by the Jews)
came along. When he saw the wounded man, he bound up his wounds, lifted
him onto his beast, took him to an inn, and cared for him.
Then Jesus asked, "which now of these three, thinkest thou, was
neighbor unto him that fell among the thieves?" And the lawyer could
only answer, "He that showed mercy on him." Then Jesus said, "Go, and
do thou likewise." See Luke 10:25-37.
[Illustration: The Good Samaritan.]
Our neighbor is any human being in need. A man despised may be living
out the principles taught by Christ, better than the ones who despise
him.
[Illustration]
The Death and Resurrection of Jesus.
AFTER three years and a half of ministry, Jesus came to Jerusalem to
eat the last passover. From the supper room He went with His disciples
to the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus knew that the time for His suffering
and death had now come, and He went to the garden for one last season
of prayer to His Father.
We can never understand the terrible sufferings of Christ in
Gethsemane. He was to suffer for the sins of the world. He must feel
the displeasure which God has for sin.
So great was His mental agony that drops of blood, like sweat, stood
upon His face. Three times He prayed to the Father for strength and
submission for the awful trial before Him.
After each prayer He came to the disciples for sympathy; but each time
found them asleep. Had they watched and prayed with the Master, they,
too, would have received strength for the trial and sorrow before them.
After the last prayer, He said to the disciples, "Rise, let us be
going; behold he is at hand that doth betray Me." Matthew 26:45, 46.
They were then met by the throng that had come to take Jesus, and Judas
betrayed His Master with a kiss.
[Illustration: In Gethsemane.]
That same night Jesus was examined before the high priests and
the Sanhedrim, and in the morning He was taken before Pilate for
condemnation. Pilate was a Roman governor, and no one could be put to
death unless he commanded it.
When Pilate saw Jesus, he did not believe he was a criminal. He saw a
man of noble, dignified bearing, with no appearance of crime about Him.
But men had been hired by the priests to testify falsely against Jesus.
Pilate listened to them, and then questioned the Saviour. He then gave
his decision, "I find no fault in the Man." Pilate wished to release
Him: but the priests were determined that he should be put to death.
Then Pilate sent Jesus bound to Herod, for Herod was ruler of Galilee,
and the home of Jesus had been in that country. The soldiers mocked and
derided Him, and then Herod sent Him back to Pilate.
Pilate was angry when Jesus was brought back to Him for final trial.
So he said, "I will therefore chastise Him and let Him go." But the
priests would not consent, and all cried out, "Away with this man."
Nothing less than the death of Jesus would pacify them.
At this time God sent a warning to Pilate. An angel troubled the mind
of Pilate's wife, and she sent word to her husband, "Have thou nothing
to do with that just Man; for I have suffered many things this day in a
dream because of Him." Matthew 27:19.
But Pilate feared to displease the Jews. So he washed his hands before
the people, to show that he would not be responsible for the death
of Jesus. And yet Pilate condemned Him to death, and He was taken to
Calvary and crucified between two thieves.
Tender, loving hands took Him down from the cruel cross, and laid Him
away in Joseph's new tomb. But the tomb could not hold Him.
[Illustration: The Dream of Pilate's Wife]
Early on the morning of the first day of the week, a powerful angel
was sent from the courts of Heaven. The stone was rolled away from the
tomb, and the angel cried with a loud voice, "Jesus, Thou Son of God,
come forth, Thy Father calls Thee!" And Christ came from the tomb, a
conquerer over sin, Satan, death, and the grave.
When the women came that morning, to care for the body of Jesus, they
found a shining angel at the tomb. And he said to them, "Fear not ye;
for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.
"He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come and see the place
where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is
risen from the dead; and, behold, He goeth before you into Galilee;
there shall ye see Him; lo, I have told you.
[Illustration: "He is not here; for He is risen."]
"And they departed quickly from the sepulcher with fear and great joy;
and did run to bring His disciples word." Matthew 28:1-8.
[Illustration]
The Dominion Restored.
AFTER the resurrection Jesus appeared to His disciples at different
times and places. They were thus strengthened for the work that was
before them.
At His last visit, forty days after the resurrection, He walked with
them from Jerusalem to the Mount of Olives. Here He gave the blessed
promise, so dear to every child of God, "Lo, I am with you alway, even
unto the end of the world." Matthew 28:20.
And then, with hands raised in blessing, He rose from among them. As
they gazed upward, "a cloud [of heavenly angels] received Him out of
their sight."
Had they lost their Saviour forever? Oh, no! Two shining angels had
been sent to comfort them, and said, "Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye
gazing up into Heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you
into Heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into
Heaven." Acts 1:9-11.
Jesus Himself has said, "I will come again, and receive you unto
Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." John 14:1-3.
The angels told the disciples that He would "so come in like manner as
ye have seen Him go into Heaven." He ascended bodily, in plain sight of
the disciples. When He returns, "every eye shall see Him." Revelation
1:7.
Paul, in describing Christ's second coming, says, "For the Lord
Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the
Archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise
first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together
with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we
ever be with the Lord." 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17.
Paul calls the Christian's hope "that blessed hope, and the glorious
appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ." Titus 2:13.
The hope of the Christian depends on the second coming of our Lord, for
He says, "Behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give
every man according as his work shall be." Revelation 22:12.
Yes, Jesus is coming again. And when He comes the righteous dead will
be raised from their graves, and all that have been faithful and true
will be rewarded with everlasting life in the paradise of God.
[Illustration: The Ascension.]
The reward is worth receiving. A beautiful crown is waiting; for Paul
says, "Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness,
which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day; and
not to me only, but unto _all them also that love His appearing_." 2
Timothy 4:6-8.
This is called a "crown of life," in James 1:12, and Revelation 2:10.
Peter calls it a "crown of glory," and says it is to be given "when the
Chief Shepherd shall appear." 1 Peter 5:4.
And this earth, cleansed and purified from sin and the effects of the
curse, is to be our home. Peter says of it, "Nevertheless we, according
to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth
righteousness." 2 Peter 3:10, 13.
The New Jerusalem, which Christ is preparing in heaven, shall come down
to earth and be its capital city. The apostle-prophet John said he "saw
the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven."
"And I saw no temple therein; for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb
are the temple of it.... The Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations
of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it."
"And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be
no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any
more pain; for the former things are passed away."
"He that overcometh shall inherit _all things_; and I will be his God,
and he shall be My son." Revelation 21:7.
The earth and the dominion of it were given to man at creation. These
will be restored to him at redemption.
The prophet Micah said to the "daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it
come, even the first dominion." Micah 4:8.
Then Eden lost will be Eden regained, and the lost dominion will be
The Dominion Restored.
* * * * *
Transcriber's Notes:
Obvious punctuation errors repaired
Page 84, "happines" changed to "happiness" (give true happiness)
Page 107, "Benjaman" changed to "Benjamin" (Benjamin, the two)
Page 119, "Egyptains" changed to "Egyptians" (to the Egyptians)
Page 121, "recieved" changed to "received" (What they received)
Page 123, "posessed" changed to "possessed" (all they possessed)
Page 130, "Whosover" changed to "Whosoever" (Whosoever therefore shall)
Page 158, "chapthers" changed to "chapters" (plainly in chapters two)