the desire of ages-第79节

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ve；　he　cried　out；　〃Lord；　if　it　be　Thou；　bid　me　come　unto　Thee　on　the　water。　And　He　said；　Come。〃

Looking　unto　Jesus；　Peter　walks　securely；　but　as　in　self…satisfaction　he　glances　back　toward　his　companions　in　the　boat；　his　eyes　are　turned　from　the　Saviour。　The　wind　is　boisterous。　The　waves　roll　high；　and　come　directly　between　him　and　the　Master；　and　he　is　afraid。　For　a　moment　Christ　is　hidden　from　his　view；　and　his　faith　gives　way。　He　begins　to　sink。　But　while　the　billows　talk　with　death；　Peter　lifts　his　eyes　from　the　angry　waters；　and　fixing　them　upon　Jesus；　cries；　〃Lord；　save　me。〃　Immediately　Jesus　grasps　the　outstretched　hand；　saying；　〃O　thou　of　little　faith；　wherefore　didst　thou　doubt？〃

Walking　side　by　side；　Peter's　hand　in　that　of　his　Master；　they　stepped　into　the　boat　together。　But　Peter　was　now　subdued　and　silent。　He　had　no　reason　to　boast　over　his　fellows；　for　through　unbelief　and　self…exaltation

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he　had　very　nearly　lost　his　life。　When　he　turned　his　eyes　from　Jesus；　his　footing　was　lost；　and　he　sank　amid　the　waves。

When　trouble　comes　upon　us；　how　often　we　are　like　Peter！　We　look　upon　the　waves；　instead　of　keeping　our　eyes　fixed　upon　the　Saviour。　Our　footsteps　slide；　and　the　proud　waters　go　over　our　souls。　Jesus　did　not　bid　Peter　come　to　Him　that　he　should　perish；　He　does　not　call　us　to　follow　Him；　and　then　forsake　us。　〃Fear　not；〃　He　says；　〃for　I　have　redeemed　thee；　I　have　called　thee　by　thy　name；　thou　art　Mine。　When　thou　passest　through　the　waters；　I　will　be　with　thee；　and　through　the　rivers；　they　shall　not　overflow　thee：　when　thou　walkest　through　the　fire；　thou　shalt　not　be　burned；　neither　shall　the　flame　kindle　upon　thee。　For　I　am　the　Lord　thy　God；　the　Holy　One　of　Israel；　thy　Saviour。〃　Isa。　43：1…3。

Jesus　read　the　character　of　His　disciples。　He　knew　how　sorely　their　faith　was　to　be　tried。　In　this　incident　on　the　sea　He　desired　to　reveal　to　Peter　his　own　weakness；to　show　that　his　safety　was　in　constant　dependence　upon　divine　power。　Amid　the　storms　of　temptation　he　could　walk　safely　only　as　in　utter　self…distrust　he　should　rely　upon　the　Saviour。　It　was　on　the　point　where　he　thought　himself　strong　that　Peter　was　weak；　and　not　until　he　discerned　his　weakness　could　he　realize　his　need　of　dependence　upon　Christ。　Had　he　learned　the　lesson　that　Jesus　sought　to　teach　him　in　that　experience　on　the　sea；　he　would　not　have　failed　when　the　great　test　came　upon　him。

Day　by　day　God　instructs　His　children。　By　the　circumstances　of　the　daily　life　He　is　preparing　them　to　act　their　part　upon　that　wider　stage　to　which　His　providence　has　appointed　them。　It　is　the　issue　of　the　daily　test　that　determines　their　victory　or　defeat　in　life's　great　crisis。

Those　who　fail　to　realize　their　constant　dependence　upon　God　will　be　overcome　by　temptation。　We　may　now　suppose　that　our　feet　stand　secure；　and　that　we　shall　never　be　moved。　We　may　say　with　confidence；　〃I　know　in　whom　I　have　believed；　nothing　can　shake　my　faith　in　God　and　in　His　word。〃　But　Satan　is　planning　to　take　advantage　of　our　hereditary　and　cultivated　traits　of　character；　and　to　blind　our　eyes　to　our　own　necessities　and　defects。　Only　through　realizing　our　own　weakness　and　looking　steadfastly　unto　Jesus　can　we　walk　securely。

No　sooner　had　Jesus　taken　His　place　in　the　boat　than　the　wind　ceased；　〃and　immediately　the　ship　was　at　the　land　whither　they　went。〃　The　night　of　horror　was　succeeded　by　the　light　of　dawn。　The　disciples；　and　others　who　also　were　on　board；　bowed　at　the　feet　of　Jesus　with　thankful　hearts；　saying；　〃Of　a　truth　Thou　art　the　Son　of　God！〃




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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　41

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Crisis　in　Galilee


When　Christ　forbade　the　people　to　declare　Him　king；　He　knew　that　a　turning　point　in　His　history　was　reached。　Multitudes　who　desired　to　exalt　Him　to　the　throne　today　would　turn　from　Him　tomorrow。　The　disappointment　of　their　selfish　ambition　would　turn　their　love　to　hatred；　and　their　praise　to　curses。　Yet　knowing　this；　He　took　no　measures　to　avert　the　crisis。　From　the　first　He　had　held　out　to　His　followers　no　hope　of　earthly　rewards。　To　one　who　came　desiring　to　become　His　disciple　He　had　said；　〃The　foxes　have　holes；　and　the　birds　of　the　air　have　nests；　but　the　Son　of　man　hath　not　where　to　lay　His　head。〃　Matt。　8：20。　If　men　could　have　had　the　world　with　Christ；　multitudes　would　have　proffered　Him　their　allegiance；　but　such　service　He　could　not　accept。　Of　those　now　connected　with　Him　there　were　many　who　had　been　attracted　by　the　hope　of　a　worldly　kingdom。　These　must　be　undeceived。　The　deep　spiritual　teaching　in　the　miracle　of　the　loaves　had　not　been　comprehended。　This　was　to　be　made　plain。　And　this　new　revelation　would　bring　with　it　a　closer　test。

The　miracle　of　the　loaves　was　reported　far　and　near；　and　very　early　next　morning　the　people　flocked　to　Bethsaida　to　see　Jesus。　They　came　in　great　numbers；　by　land　and　sea。　Those　who　had　left　Him　the　preceding　night　returned；　expecting　to　find　Him　still　there；　for　there　had　been　no　boat　by　which　He　could　pass　to　the　other　side。　But　their　search　was　fruitless；　and　many　repaired　to　Capernaum；　still　seeking　Him。

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Meanwhile　He　had　arrived　at　Gennesaret；　after　an　absence　of　but　one　day。　As　soon　as　it　was　known　that　He　had　landed；　the　people　〃ran　through　that　whole　region　round　about；　and　began　to　carry　about　in　beds　those　that　were　sick；　where　they　heard　He　was。〃　Mark　6：55。

After　a　time　He　went　to　the　synagogue；　and　there　those　who　had　come　from　Bethsaida　found　Him。　They　learned　from　His　disciples　how　He　had　crossed　the　sea。　The　fury　of　the　storm；　and　the　many　hours　of　fruitless　rowing　against　adverse　winds；　the　appearance　of　Christ　walking　upon　the　water；　the　fears　thus　aroused；　His　reassuring　words；　the　adventure　of　Peter　and　its　result；　with　the　sudden　stilling　of　the　tempest　and　landing　of　the　boat；　were　all　faithfully　recounted　to　the　wondering　crowd。　Not　content　with　this；　however；　many　gathered　about　Jesus；　questioning；　〃Rabbi；　when　camest　Thou　hither？〃　They　hoped　to　receive　from　His　own　lips　a　further　account　of　the　miracle。

Jesus　did　not　gratify　their　curiosity。　He　sadly　said；　〃Ye　seek　Me；　not　because　ye　saw　the　miracles；　but　because　ye　did　eat　of　the　loaves；　and　were　filled。〃　They　did　not　seek　Him　from　any　worthy　motive；　but　as　they　had　been　fed　with　the　loaves；　they　hoped　still　to　receive　temporal　benefit　by　attaching　themselves　to　Him。　The　Saviour　bade　them；　〃Labor　not　for　the　meat　which　perisheth；　but　for　that　meat　which　endureth　unto

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everlasting　life。〃　Seek　not　merely　for　material　benefit。　Let　it　not　be　the　chief　effort　to　provide　for　the　life　that　now　is；　but　seek　for　spiritual　food；　even　that　wisdom　which　will　endure　unto　everlasting　life。　This　the　Son　of　God　alone　can　give；　〃for　Him　hath　God　the　Father　sealed。〃

For　the　moment　the　interest　of　the　hearers　was　awakened。　They　exclaimed；　〃What　shall　we　do；　that　we　might　work　the　works　of　God？〃　They　had　been　performing　many　and　burdensome　works　in　order　to　recommend　themselves　to　God；　and　they　were　ready　to　hear　of　any　new　observance　by　which　they　could　secure　greater　merit。　Their　question　meant；　What　shall　we　do　that　we　may　deserve　heaven？　What　is　the　price　we　are　required　to　pay　in　order　to　obtain　the　life　to　come？

〃Jesus　answered　and　said　unto　them；　This　is　the　work　of　God；　that　ye　believe　on　Him　whom　He　hath　sent。〃　The　price　of　heaven　is　Jesus。　The　way　to　heaven　is　through　faith　in　〃the　Lamb　of　God；　which　taketh　away　the　sin　of　the　world。〃　John　1：29。

But　the　people　did　not　choose　to　receive　this　statement　of　divine　truth。　Jesus　had　done　the　very　work　which　prophecy　had　foretold　that　the　Messiah　would　do；　but　they　had　not　witnessed　what　their　selfish　hopes　had　pictured　as　His　work。　Christ　had　indeed　once　fed　the　multitude　with　barley　loaves；　but　in　the　days　of　Moses　Israel　had　been　fed　with　manna　forty　years；　and　far　greater　blessings　were　expected　from　the　Messiah。　Their　dissatisfied　hearts　queried　why；　if　Jesus　could　perform　so　many　wondrous　works　as　they　had　witnessed；　could　He　not　give　health；　strength；　and　riches　to　all　His　people；　free　them　from　their　oppressors；　and　exalt　them　to　power　and　honor？　The　fact　that　He　claimed　to　be　the　Sent　of　God；　and　yet　refused　to　be　Israel's　king；　was　a　mystery　which　they　could　not　fathom。　His　refusal　was　misinterpreted。　Many　concluded　that　He　dared　not　assert　His　claims　because　He　Himself　doubted　as　to　the　divine　character　of　His　mission。　Thus　they　opened　their　hearts　to　unbelief；　and　the　seed　which　Satan　had　sown　bore　fruit　of　its　kind；　in　misunderstanding　and　defection。

Now；　half　mockingly；　a　rabbi　questioned；　〃What　sign　showest　Thou　then；　that　we　may　see；　and　believe　Thee？　what　dost　Thou　work？　Our　fathers　did　eat　manna　in　the　desert；　as　it　is　written；　He　gave　them　bread　from　heaven　to　eat。〃

The　Jews　honored　Moses　as　the　giver　of　the　manna；　ascribing　praise　to　the　instrument；　and　losing　sight　of　Him　by　whom　the　work　had　been　accomplished。　Their　fathers　had　murmured　against　Moses；　and　had　doubted　and　denied　his　divine　mission。　Now　in　the　same　spirit　the

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children　rejected　the　One　who