The Good Shepherd Part 3

Jesus preached to the crowds out of a boat. He told them most beautiful stories. They liked these stories so much that they did not care to go away--not even when it was evening. But Jesus and His disciples needed rest, so Jesus told the disciples to go over to the other side of the lake.

When the boat started, Jesus was so tired that He lay down at the end, out of the way of the men who were rowing, and put His head upon a pillow, and fell fast asleep. Soon the wind began to blow, and it blew louder and louder. Then the waves curled over and dashed into the boat till the boat was nearly full. But still Jesus slept quietly on.

The disciples were afraid that their boat would sink, and they came to Jesus, and woke Him, and said, 'Master! Master! we peris.h.!.+ Lord, save!' And Jesus arose, and told the wind to stop, and He said to the sea, 'Peace, be still.' And suddenly the wind stopped, and the sea was quite smooth. Then Jesus said gently to His disciples, 'Where is your faith?' Those disciples might have known that the boat could not sink when Jesus was in it.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Ruins of Capernaum.]

When Jesus came back to Capernaum, a man, called Jairus, fell down at His feet and begged Him to go to his house, where his little girl, about twelve years old, was dying. So Jesus and His disciples started to go to Jairus' house, and a great crowd of people went with Him. But while they were going, someone came to Jairus, and said, 'It is of no use to trouble the Master any more. The child is dead.' But Jesus said to him quickly, 'Do not be afraid. Only believe, and she shall be made well.'

When Jesus came to the house of Jairus, He heard a great noise. As soon as anyone dies in the East, people come to the house, and cry and howl, and play wretched music. They are paid to do that. That was the noise which Jesus heard, and he asked, 'Why do you make this ado? The little maid is sleeping.' And those rude people laughed at Jesus, just as if He did not know what He was talking about. So Jesus turned them all out.

Then Jesus took three of His disciples--Peter, and James and John--and Jairus and his wife; and they went together to look at the child.

There she was, lying quite still. Life had flown away from her body.

But Jesus took hold of the girl's hand, and said, 'My little lamb, I say unto thee, Arise.' And life flew back to her body again, and she opened her eyes and got up, and walked. And Jesus told her father and mother to give her something to eat.

When Jesus came out of Jairus' house, two blind men followed Him, begging Him to make them well. Jesus waited till He had got back to the house where He was staying and then He touched their eyes, and made them see.

Just about this time Jesus had some very sad news. Herod Antipas, the son of wicked King Herod, had shut up John the Baptist in a prison, called the Black Castle, by the side of the Dead Sea. Part of that castle was a beautiful palace, with lovely furniture and a coloured marble floor. One day Herod gave a grand birthday party. Herod had married a very wicked woman, who was at the party. Her name was Herodias. Herodias hated John the Baptist, because he had said that she ought not to be Herod's wife. So she made up her mind to have John the Baptist killed. Herodias had a daughter called Salome, who danced beautifully. And on that birthday Herod was so pleased with Salome's dancing that he said, 'I will give you anything you ask me for.'

Salome went to her mother, and said, 'What shall I ask?' And Herodias said, 'Ask for the head of John the Baptist.' And Salome came back quickly and said, 'I want the head of John the Baptist.'

Now, it is wrong to break a promise. But it is not wrong to break a _wicked_ promise. It is wrong ever to have made it. Herod was sorry, but he was afraid of what other people in the party would think if he did not do what he had said. So he sent his soldiers to the prison, and had John the Baptist's head cut off to give to that dancing-girl.

Jesus had sent His twelve disciples out to preach to people He could not go and see Himself. When they came back they had a great deal to talk about, and they were very tired. But there were always so many people coming to see Jesus that they could get no quiet time at all, no time even to eat. They were all at the Lake of Galilee again, and Jesus told them to come away with Him into a desert place, and rest awhile. That desert place was near a town called Bethsaida, where Peter, and his brother Andrew, and Philip lived once upon a time.

Jesus and His disciples got into a boat as quietly as they could, and went away. But some people near the lake caught sight of the boat, and they saw who was in it; and they ran so fast along the sh.o.r.e of the lake that they got to the desert before Jesus was there. Jesus felt very sorry for these people, and He began to teach them many things.

By and by it got late, and Jesus said to the disciples, 'How many loaves have you? Go and see.' And Andrew said, 'There is a boy herewith five barley loaves and two fishes; but what are they among so many?' And Jesus told him to bring the loaves and fishes. Then Jesus said, 'Make the people sit down.' So the disciples arranged the crowds in rows on the gra.s.s. And when every one was ready, Jesus took the five loaves and the two fishes in His hands, and He blessed them, and divided them, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. And there was plenty for everybody. Jesus made those loaves and fishes last out till everybody had had enough. And then He said, 'Gather up the fragments (that means the little pieces) that are left, that nothing be lost.' And the disciples picked the little pieces up, and put them together in baskets. And there were twelve large baskets full--more than they had at first. There were five thousand men in that gra.s.sy place, and a great many women and children besides. And when the people saw the miracle that Jesus had done they said, 'THIS MUST BE THE MESSIAH;' and they wanted to make Him their king--the king of their country, but not the king of their hearts.

Jesus did not wish to be made a king like Herod or Caesar. He was G.o.d, so He was King of kings already. He made His disciples go away at once in the boat to the other side of the lake, and He sent the crowds away Himself. When Jesus was alone, He went up into a mountain and prayed.

But now a great wind began to blow, and the waves on the Sea of Galilee began to toss about. The disciples rowed hard, but they could not get on; the wind kept trying to blow them back. But Jesus saw them, and when the night was nearly over, He came to them walking on the sea.

The disciples had never seen Him walking on the water before, and they could not understand who He was, and they cried out for fear. But Jesus was sorry for them, and He spoke kindly to them directly and said, 'BE OF GOOD CHEER (that means, 'Be glad'). IT IS I. BE NOT AFRAID.'

And Peter said, 'Lord, if it be Thou, bid me come unto Thee on the water.' And Jesus said, 'Come.' And Peter jumped out of the boat, and walked on the water to go to Jesus. But soon Peter began to think of the rough wind and waves instead of thinking about Jesus, and then he could not get on at all, and he began to sink in the water, and called but, 'Lord, save me!' And Jesus put out His hand and caught him, and said, 'O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?' Then they both came into the boat, and the wind stopped blowing. And the disciples fell down at the feet of Jesus, and said 'THOU ART THE SON OF G.o.d.' Then, all at once, they saw that their boat was close to the land. Jesus had brought it there.

CHAPTER VIII

MORE WONDERFUL WORKS AND WORDS

And now Jesus went right away from the Sea of Galilee again to Caesarea Philippi. That place was called Caesarea after Augustus Caesar, Emperor of Rome, and Philippi after Herod Philip. When they were going to Caesarea Philippi, Jesus talked quietly to His disciples, and said, 'Whom do you say that I am?' Peter almost always spoke first, before the others had time to say anything, and he said quickly, 'THOU ART THE CHRIST, THE SON OF THE LIVING G.o.d.' Jesus was very much pleased with that answer.

Then Jesus called the people who stood near, and His disciples too, and He told them that if they followed Him, they too might have to die for His sake. But He told them that they must not mind that, because heaven is better than this world. And He told them that if they were ashamed of Him, He should be ashamed of them before His Father and the holy angels. Dear children, I hope, when you go to school, or are with your little friends, that you will never be ashamed of Jesus.

About a week after that talk with His disciples, Jesus took Peter, and James, and John into a high hill alone to pray. There is a splendid high mountain near Caesarea Philippi, called Hermon. All at once, as Jesus was praying, the disciples saw that His face shown like the sun, and His clothes were white and s.h.i.+ning like the light. And as the disciples looked, they saw two men talking with Jesus, called Moses and Elijah, two holy men who went to heaven long, long ago. We do not know how long they talked. Peter, and James, and John were men, so they could not look very long at those heavenly visitors; soon their eyes closed, and they fell fast asleep. When they woke up, Moses and Elijah were still there, and when the disciples saw Jesus again, looking so bright and beautiful, they were very much afraid.

When they came down from the mountain, they saw a crowd down below.

Jesus had left nine of His disciples behind when He went up Mount Hermon; and now He saw a great number of persons all round them, and heard some Jews worrying them with questions. When Jesus came near enough to speak, He asked what was the matter. And a man came running to Him out of the crowd, and begged Him to look at his boy--his only child. And he said to Jesus, 'If Thou canst do anything, take pity on me, and help me.' And Jesus made the boy well from that very hour.

The disciples had not had faith enough themselves to be able to do that sick boy any good.

Every year the Jews had to pay half a shekel of money for the splendid Temple in Jerusalem; and when Jesus came back to Capernaum, the men who were collecting the money came to Peter, and said, 'Does not your Master pay the half-shekel?' And Peter said, 'Yes.' Now the Temple was G.o.d's house, and Jesus was G.o.d's Son. And Jesus explained to Peter when he came into the house that kings did not expect their own sons to pay them taxes. But it was not wrong to pay the half-shekel, and Jesus never vexed people if He could possibly help it, so He said to Peter, 'Go thou to the sea and cast a hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up, and when thou hast opened its mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money. That take, and give unto them for Me and thee.'

And now, after a long time, Jesus and His disciples went up to Jerusalem again; and as they walked along, they saw ten lepers standing a long way off. As Jesus came near, they cried out, 'Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.' Nine of the lepers were Jews, and one was a Samaritan. And Jesus was sorry for them all, and said, 'Go, show yourselves to the priests.' So they turned straight round to go to the priests, and lo! as they were going along the road, they suddenly felt that they were strong and well again. When the Samaritan felt in himself that the leprosy had gone away, he turned back, and threw himself down at the feet of Jesus, and thanked Him, and thanked G.o.d too for all His goodness. But none of the nine Jews came back to thank Jesus.

A few days after that a man came to Jesus, and asked how he could get to heaven. Jesus said that he must love G.o.d with all his heart, and his neighbor as himself. Then the man said, 'Who is my neighbor?' So Jesus told him this story, THE GOOD SAMARITAN: 'A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he pa.s.sed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and pa.s.sed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compa.s.sion on him. And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, 'Take care of him: and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.' When Jesus had finished that story, He said, 'Which now of these three was neighbor unto him that fell among the thieves?' You can answer that question, and can go and do like that good Samaritan.

[Ill.u.s.tration: The good Samaritan.]

Just opposite the Temple hill, Mount Moriah, there was another hill, called the Mount of Olives. On the other side of the Mount of Olives was a village, called Bethany, and Jesus often walked over the hill to see some friends of His there, a brother and two sisters who lived in the village. Their names were Mary and Martha and Lazarus. Jesus loved them very much, and they loved Him. But Mary and Martha showed their love in very different ways. Mary sat as quiet and still as possible when Jesus came in, and listened to every word that He said; and Martha wanted so much to make Him happy and comfortable that she ran about the whole time doing things for Him, instead of listening to the beautiful words He was saying.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Bethany.]

Jesus likes you and me to work for Him; but He likes us to talk to Him in prayer too, and to listen to the things that He whispers in our hearts, and to the words that He says to us in the Bible.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Child at prayer.]

CHAPTER IX.

THE MAN BORN BLIND, AND LAZARUS.

One Sabbath day, most likely the next Sabbath day after the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus saw a blind beggar out of doors. That poor man had always been blind. He had never been able to see at all. Jesus spat on the ground, and put the wet earth on the blind man's eyes, and said, 'Go, wash in the pool of Siloam.' And the man went and washed, and came back able to see. The people who met him began to ask him, 'How were thine eyes opened?' And the man told them. Then they wanted to know where Jesus was. But the man did not know that. Then the people brought him to the Pharisees to see what they would say. And the Pharisees said, 'How is it that you can see now?' And the man told them.

Then the Pharisees turned him out of the synagogue. Jesus heard about that, and He came to the lonely man, and said, 'Dost thou believe on the Son of G.o.d?' And the man said, 'Who is He, Lord, that I might believe 'on Him?' And Jesus said to him, 'THOU HAST BOTH SEEN HIM, AND HE IT IS THAT TALKETH WITH THEE.' Then the man fell down at the feet of Jesus, saying, 'Lord, I believe.'

And now Jesus turned to the Pharisees, and told them that _they_ were very blind. They could see things with their eyes, but they could not see that their hearts were full of sin. Then Jesus preached one of the most beautiful of all His sermons. In it He said, 'I am the Door of the sheep; by Me if any man enter in he shall be saved. I am the Good Shepherd; the Good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep. I am the Good Shepherd, and know My sheep, and am known of Mine; and I lay down My life for the sheep, And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear My voice, and there shall be one flock under one Shepherd.'

[Ill.u.s.tration: The shepherd's care (2nd version).]

The 'other sheep' Jesus spoke about meant the Gentiles, the people who are not Jews. It meant you and me, and it meant all the heathen. He has called us. He is calling the heathen. And many sheep, many quiet little lambs, have heard the voice of Jesus, and are following Him.

Have you heard Him calling you? Have you followed Him? if not, oh, make haste to go after Him now.

Soon after Jesus had gone away from Bethany, His friend Lazarus became very ill. Martha and Mary longed for Jesus now, and they thought, 'If Jesus were here, our brother would not die;' and they sent a messenger to Him to say 'Lord, he whom Thou lovest is sick.' When Jesus heard that, He stayed on quietly where He was for two days longer. Then He came to Bethany, and by this time Lazarus had been in the grave for four days. Presently somebody came to Martha, and said to her quietly, 'Jesus is coming.' When Martha heard that, she got up, and went out to meet Him. And when she saw Jesus, she said, 'Lord, if Thou hadst been here, my brother would not have died; but I know that even now whatever Thou wilt ask of G.o.d, G.o.d will give it Thee.' Jesus said to her, 'Thy brother shall rise again.' When Jesus saw how unhappy Mary and Martha were, He too felt very sad, and said, 'Where have ye laid him?' And they said, 'Lord, come and see.' And then----Jesus wept. 'See how He loved Lazarus,' said the Jews; and they wondered that Jesus had let His friend die.

Now they had come to the grave. It was a hole in the side of a rock, and there was a heavy stone over it. Jesus said, 'Take ye away the stone;' and they rolled it away. Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and thanked G.o.d that He had heard His prayer and given Him back the life of Lazarus. And then He cried with a loud voice, 'Lazarus, come forth.'

And the man who had been dead came out of the cave alive. When the Jews saw what was done, some of them believed, but others hurried off to Jerusalem to make mischief as fast as they could.

After a time Jesus crossed the Jordan and again came into Perea, and then He came slowly down through Perea to Jerusalem.

[Ill.u.s.tration: The shepherd's care (3rd version).]

CHAPTER X

THE PRODIGAL SON, AND OTHER STORIES.