THIRD QUARTER 2024
SABBATH SCHOOL INSIGHT #5
AUGUST 3, 2024
"MIRACLES AROUND THE LAKE."

 

As we study this week’s lesson together, we see Jesus performing a number of miracles in Mark chapters 4-6. Questions may arise in our minds. Who is He performing these miracles for and why? Was it physical healing He was seeking to provide or spiritual healing or both? Also, from another perspective, what was Jesus teaching the disciples and the crowds to which He spoke? Finally, what is important for us to learn as part of His last day church today from Christ’s miracles around the lake that will help us prepare for His Second Coming and be able to share His everlasting gospel with the world?

Sunday’s lesson looks at Mark: 35-41, where Christ and the disciples are crossing the lake, when a fierce storm arises and the boat they are in appears to be in danger of sinking.

Ellen White provides us with insight on this miracle in her book The Desire of Ages,(emphasis supplied here and throughout):

“When Jesus was awakened to meet the storm, He was in perfect peace. There was no trace of fear in word or look, for no fear was in His heart. …. He trusted in the Father’s might. It was in faith— faith in God’s love and care—that Jesus rested, and the power of that word which stilled the storm was the power of God.

“As Jesus rested by faith in the Father’s care, so we are to rest in the care of our Saviour. If the disciples had trusted in Him, they would have been kept in peace. Their fear in time of danger revealed their unbelief.…

“How often the disciples’ experience is ours! When the tempests of temptation gather, and the fierce lightning flashes, and the waves sweep over us, we battle with the storm alone, forgetting that there is One who can help us. We trust to our own strength till our hope is lost, and we are ready to perish. Then we remember Jesus, and if we call upon Him to save us, we shall not cry in vain.… Living faith in the Redeemer will smooth the sea of life, and will deliver us from danger in the way that He knows to be best.” pp. 334-336.

Another powerful quote from Ellen White comes from the book In Heavenly Places:

“Some have stormy tempers; but He who calmed the stormy Sea of Galilee will say to the troubled heart, ‘Peace, be still.’ There is no nature so rebellious that Christ cannot subdue it, no temper so stormy that He cannot quell it, if the heart is surrendered to His keeping. We have an all-powerful Saviour. Looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith, you can say, ‘God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea.’ (Psalm 46: 1-2).” p. 17.

E. J.  Waggoner also has some valuable thoughts for us in the periodical Signs of the Times International of Sept 21, 1891:

“We cannot help wondering at the reproachful question which they asked Jesus, ‘Carest thou not that we perish?’ Are you so unmindful of us that you can calmly sleep while we are about to be swallowed up by the sea? Is this your care for those who have left all to follow you? Their thought was only of themselves, and they did not stop to consider that he was in the boat with them.

“So, the fact that Jesus was in the boat was the surest protection that they could have. It was safer in the storm with him than in the calm without him.

“Is there not in this a lesson for us? How often when people are in deep distress and affliction, —when the waters have almost overwhelmed them and the proud waters have actually gone over their souls, —they say, ‘Why do we suffer this? Has God forgotten us? Does not the Master care for our trouble?’ Oh, how many, many times has the Master been pained by such words of selfish, faithless reproach from those who call themselves by His name!

“Remember the disciples in the boat; their fears had drowned their feeble faith, yet the Master was with them none the less. And His promise is that he will be with us. ‘If we believe not, yet He abides faithful; He cannot deny himself.’ 2 Timothy 2:13. It is this knowledge of His faithfulness that begets faith in us.

“How, then, can we murmur and complain? How can we fear and be troubled for the future? Is not the Master in the boat with us? Is He not sharing our danger? Do we believe the assurance of His word? Then how can we spend time pitying ourselves? To do so—to murmur at our hard lot, or to wonder why such trials are allowed to come upon us—is to disbelieve the Master’s words: ‘I am with thee;’ ’I will not leave thee, nor forsake thee.’

“And then it is not only that our selfish fears will be forgotten in the thought that Jesus shares our trouble, but we may rejoice in the midst of the storm, knowing that He cannot perish, and that therefore while He is with us we cannot perish. Though death itself may come, that need not shake our faith, for He died, and in that very act conquered death. Even in this we may triumph. ‘For who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, for thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.’ Romans 8:35-39.”  p. 291.

As we read the statements above, they are confirming the fact that we are all in the boat with Christ and when we believe that fact by faith, then nothing can separate us from Him and His love for us.

Now, as we continue our study, Monday’s lesson deals with the two demoniacs of Gergesa who rushed up to attack Jesus and His disciples. Christ destroyed the legion of demons, restored the reason of the two men, and they praised God for their deliverance.

Ellen White explains for us the lesson the demoniacs had for the disciples and for us today in the book The Desire of Ages:

“The encounter with the demoniacs of Gergesa had a lesson for the disciples. It showed the depths of degradation to which Satan is seeking to drag the whole human race, and the mission of Christ to set men free from his power. Those wretched beings, dwelling in the place of graves, possessed by demons, in bondage to uncontrolled passions and loathsome lusts, represent what humanity would become if given up to satanic jurisdiction. Satan's influence is constantly exerted upon men to distract the senses, control the mind for evil, and incite to violence and crime. He weakens the body, darkens the intellect, and debases the soul. Whenever men reject the Saviour's invitation, they are yielding themselves to Satan. Multitudes in every department in life, in the home, in business, and even in the church, are doing this today. It is because of this that violence and crime have overspread the earth, and moral darkness, like the pall of death, enshrouds the habitations of men. Through his specious temptations Satan leads men to worse and worse evils, till utter depravity and ruin are the result. The only safeguard against his power is found in the presence of Jesus. Before men and angels Satan has been revealed as man's enemy and destroyer; Christ, as man's friend and deliverer. His Spirit will develop in man all that will ennoble the character and dignify the nature. It will build man up for the glory of God in body and soul and spirit. ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.’ 2 Timothy 1:7. He has called us ‘to the obtaining of the glory’—character— ‘of our Lord Jesus Christ;’ has called us to be ‘conformed to the image of His Son.’ 2 Thessalonians 2:14; Romans 8:29.

“And souls that have been degraded into the instruments of Satan are still through the power of Christ transformed into messengers of righteousness, and sent forth by the Son of God to tell what ‘great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.’” p. 241.

It is very encouraging to see, not only what Christ was able to do for the two young men at Gergesa, but also what He, as man’s friend and deliverer, is willing and able to do for you and I today!

Now, as we continue our study, on Tuesday’s lesson, Christ brings back to life the daughter of Jairus, ruler of the synagogue.

Our story continues with Ellen White in The Desire of Ages:

“Here Jairus, the ruler of the synagogue found Him. This elder of the Jews came to Jesus in great distress, and cast himself at His feet, exclaiming, ‘My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray Thee, come and lay Thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.’

“Jesus set out at once with the ruler for his home. Though the disciples had seen so many of His works of mercy, they were surprised at His compliance with the entreaty of the haughty rabbi; yet they accompanied their Master, and the people followed, eager and expectant.

“The ruler's house was not far distant, but Jesus and His companions advanced slowly, for the crowd pressed Him on every side. The anxious father was impatient of delay; but Jesus, pitying the people, stopped now and then to relieve some suffering one, or to comfort a troubled heart.

“While they were still on the way, a messenger pressed through the crowd, bearing to Jairus the news that his daughter was dead, and it was useless to trouble the Master further. The word caught the ear of Jesus. ‘Fear not,’ He said; ‘believe only, and she shall be made whole.’

“Jairus pressed closer to the Saviour, and together they hurried to the ruler's home. Already the hired mourners and flute players were there, filling the air with their clamor. The presence of the crowd, and the tumult jarred upon the spirit of Jesus. He tried to silence them, saying, “Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.” They were indignant at the words of the Stranger. They had seen the child in the embrace of death, and they laughed Him to scorn. Requiring them all to leave the house, Jesus took with Him the father and mother of the maiden, and the three disciples, Peter, James, and John, and together they entered the chamber of death.

Jesus approached the bedside, and, taking the child's hand in His own, He pronounced softly, in the familiar language of her home, the words, ‘Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.'

“Instantly a tremor passed through the unconscious form. The pulses of life beat again. The lips unclosed with a smile. The eyes opened widely as if from sleep, and the maiden gazed with wonder on the group beside her. She arose, and her parents clasped her in their arms, and wept for joy.” pp. 542-543.

E. J. Waggoner has some valuable comments for us as well in the periodical Present Truth U.K. of Dec. 29^th, 1892:

The raising of the son of the widow of Nain, and of the daughter of Jairus, are instances of the life-giving power of the word of Christ. To the first Jesus said, “Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.” Luke 7:15. To the other He said, “Maid, Arise.” Luke 8:54. In both instances life was instantaneous. The signs were done that we might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that, believing we might have life through His name. John 20:31. They were done that we might see how easily Jesus can raise us from the deadness of sin to the life of righteousness.

But some will say that theirs is no ordinary case. They are worse than others, and while they can believe that Jesus might save others who are not so sinful, they think that He cannot save them. They forget that sin is death, whether it be great or small, and that to raise one dead person is just the same as to raise another. In every case it is by the giving of His own life. It is no more difficult for the Lord to give His life to a very wicked person than it is to give it to one who has not sinned so greatly. But He has given us proof of this as well.

We have seen how easily Jesus raised the ruler’s daughter and the son of the widow of Nain. They had been dead but a short time. The ruler’s daughter died while Jesus was on the way to heal her and could have been dead but a few moments when He arrived. But now look at the case of Lazarus. He had been dead for days, and had begun to decay. Yet it took no more words from the Lord to bring him from the tomb than it did to raise the others. Jesus said, “Lazarus, come forth,” and instantly Lazarus came forth alive. There is no opportunity for one to say that God cannot save any sinner.

He is able to save to the uttermost them that come unto God by Him, because He ever liveth to make intercession for them. Hebrews 7:25. His life is everlasting and without limit. It is a light, which is not diminished by shining. He can give life to the whole world, and still have as much left as at the first.

The knowledge and the actual appropriation of this is the hope of the resurrection. In that day those who have been dead for thousands of years will hear the voice of the Son of God, and will come forth. But the power that will bring them forth is the very same power that now saves men from the corruption of sin. Thus, His Divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and Godliness. pp. 420-423.

Returning to our lesson study on Tuesday, we see that while Jesus was on his way to the house of Jairus, a woman in desperate need of healing touched His garment and was healed. Let us look again at Mrs. White’s commentary in The Desire of Ages:

On the way to the ruler's house, Jesus had met, in the crowd, a poor woman who for twelve years had suffered from a disease that made her life a burden. She had spent all her means upon physicians and remedies, only to be pronounced incurable. But her hopes revived when she heard of the cures that Christ performed. She felt assured that if she could only go to Him she would be healed. In weakness and suffering she came to the seaside where He was teaching, and tried to press through the crowd, but in vain. She followed Him from the house of Levi-Matthew, but was still unable to reach Him. She had begun to despair, when, in making His way through the multitude, He came near where she was.

The golden opportunity had come. She was in the presence of the Great Physician! But amid the confusion she could not speak to Him, nor catch more than a passing glimpse of His figure. Fearful of losing her one chance of relief, she pressed forward, saying to herself, “If I may but touch His garment, I shall be whole.” As He was passing, she reached forward, and succeeded in barely touching the border of His garment. But in that moment, she knew that she was healed. In that one touch was concentrated the faith of her life, and instantly her pain and feebleness gave place to the vigor of perfect health.

With a grateful heart, she then tried to withdraw from the crowd; but suddenly Jesus stopped, and the people halted with Him. He turned, and looking about asked in a voice distinctly heard above the multitude, “Who touched Me?” The people answered this query with a look of amazement. Jostled upon all sides, and rudely pressed hither and thither, as He was, it seemed a strange inquiry.

Peter, ever ready to speak, said, ‘Master, the multitude throng Thee and press Thee, and sayest Thou, who touched Me?’ Jesus answered, ‘Somebody hath touched Me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of Me.’ The Saviour could distinguish the touch of faith from the casual contact of the careless throng. Such trust should not be passed without comment. He would speak to the humble woman words of comfort that would be to her a wellspring of joy, —words that would be a blessing to His followers to the close of time.

Looking toward the woman, Jesus insisted on knowing who had touched Him. Finding concealment vain, she came forward tremblingly, and cast herself at His feet. With grateful tears, she told the story of her suffering, and how she had found relief. Jesus gently said, ‘Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.’ He gave no opportunity for superstition to claim healing virtue for the mere act of touching His garments. It was not through the outward contact with Him, but through the faith which took hold on His divine power, that the cure was wrought.

The wondering crowd that pressed close about Christ realized no accession of vital power. But when the suffering woman put forth her hand to touch Him, believing that she would be made whole, she felt the healing virtue. So in spiritual things. A nominal faith in Christ, which accepts Him merely as the Saviour of the world, can never bring healing to the soul. The faith that is unto salvation is not a mere intellectual assent to the truth. He who waits for entire knowledge before he will exercise faith, cannot receive blessing from God. It is not enough to believe about Christ; we must believe in Him. The only faith that will benefit us is that which embraces Him as a personal Saviour; which appropriates His merits to ourselves. Many hold faith as an opinion. Saving faith is a transaction by which those who receive Christ join themselves in covenant relation with God. Genuine faith is life. A living faith means an increase of vigor, a confiding trust, by which the soul becomes a conquering power.

After healing the woman, Jesus desired her to acknowledge the blessing she had received. The gifts which the gospel offers are not to be secured by stealth or enjoyed in secret. So the Lord calls upon us for confession of His goodness. “Ye are My witnesses, saith the Lord, that I am God.” Isaiah 43:12.

Our confession of His faithfulness is Heaven's chosen agency for revealing Christ to the world. We are to acknowledge His grace as made known through the holy men of old; but that which will be most effectual is the testimony of our own experience. We are witnesses for God as we reveal in ourselves the working of a power that is divine. Every individual has a life distinct from all others, and an experience differing essentially from theirs. God desires that our praise shall ascend to Him, marked by our own individuality. These precious acknowledgments to the praise of the glory of His grace, when supported by a Christ-like life, have an irresistible power that works for the salvation of souls. pp. 343-347.

Finally, here are some thoughts from E. J. Waggoner in Medical Missionary Conference, March 9th, 1899:

“’We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.’ ‘The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ Every person is a sinner, and that woman was a sinner. We do not say that her disease was the direct result of some specific sin that she had committed, but she was a sinner, she had this disease, and the disease was the result of a course of sin that is in the world; but see what she received: Jesus said to her, ‘Thy faith hath made thee whole,’ ‘thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.’ Who can go in peace except the one who has received forgiveness of sins? That life, that ‘virtue.’ which made her whole of her plague also cleansed her from all sin. She received a perfect sentence; she was made perfectly whole.” pp. 11-12.

In closing, the experiences of the disciples with Christ from this week’s study of Mark were a powerful learning and teaching tool for them, but just as important for you and I today. Christ knows our hearts and our needs. He is willing and able to provide us with not just the healing but also the forgiveness that we all need!

When we believe in Him and go forward by faith, which is a gift from Christ as well, then we cannot help but share His good news with others.

 

~ John Campbell