Mother Stories from the New Testament | Page 9

away from Jericho,
followed by a large crowd of people. And there was sitting by the
wayside a blind beggar, Bartimeus by name; and when he heard the
noise of the multitude, he asked what it meant. They answered him,
"Jesus of Nazareth passeth by." Then he cried out in a loud voice,
saying, "Jesus, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me." The people
tried to keep him from calling out, but he would not be quiet. He was
determined that Christ should see him. And Jesus stood still, and
commanded them to call him. So he arose and cast away his outer
garment and came to Jesus. When Jesus asked what he would have
done to him, he answered, "Lord, that I might receive my sight." And
Jesus said unto him, "Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole."
And he received his sight at once, and followed Jesus, praising Him.
[Illustration: THE TWO BLIND MEN.]

FEEDING FIVE THOUSAND.
One day Jesus went on board a ship and sailed to another part of the
coast, where He and His disciples might have rest. For the people in the
cities crowded them so closely that they did not even have time to eat.

They landed, and went into a desert place; but the people had seen them
depart, and marked which way the ship sailed. Then they all flocked
out of the cities and came on foot to the place where Jesus was. When
Jesus saw what a great number of people had come, He had compassion
on them, and spoke to them, and healed their sick. But in the evening
the disciples came to Jesus and said, "This is a desert place, and the day
has gone; send the people away, that they may go into the villages and
buy food."
Jesus was too kind to send them away hungry like that. He said, "They
need not depart; give ye them food to eat." But they said to Him, "We
have here but five loaves and two fishes, which we have just purchased
of a lad." He said, "Bring them to Me." Then He told the people to sit
down on the grass; and He took the five loaves and the two fishes, and,
looking up to heaven, blessed them and broke them into pieces. The
disciples carried the bread and fish to the people and they all ate and
had plenty, although there were about five thousand men, besides
women and children. And yet, when the disciples took up the fragments
that were left, these fragments filled twelve baskets. How kind was
Jesus! He not only taught the people and healed their sick, but He fed
them when out in the desert place and hungry.
[Illustration: FEEDING FIVE THOUSAND.]

CHRIST WALKING ON THE SEA.
When the people had seen the miracle that Christ did in feeding so
many with so few loaves, they felt sure that He was one of the old
prophets that had come again, and they would have taken Him by force
to make Him king. So He sent His disciples by boat towards
Capernaum, and He went, alone, up into a mountain to pray.
When it was dark, the disciples found themselves alone upon the sea,
opposed to strong winds, which tossed the boat upon high waves. Then
Jesus went out to them, walking upon the waves; but when the disciples
saw Him they thought it was a spirit, and cried out with fear. But Jesus

said, "Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid." Peter answered Him,
saying, "Lord, if it be Thou, bid me come unto Thee on the water." And
He said, "Come," and Peter stepped over the boat's side and walked on
the water towards Christ. But when he saw the angry waves around him
and heard the roaring of the winds, Peter was afraid and began to sink.
He cried out, "Lord, save me." And Jesus, stretching out His hand,
caught him, and said, "O thou of little faith, why didst thou fear?"
When Jesus and Peter had got into the boat, the wind dropped, the sea
became calm and the waves still, and immediately they were at the
place where they wanted to land. Then they worshipped him, saying,
"Truly Thou art the Son of God." And they came into the land of
Gennesaret, where the people knew Him and brought to Him all that
were sick, or blind, or lame, that they might touch His garment and be
made well.
[Illustration: CHRIST WALKING ON THE SEA.]

THE WOMAN OF CANAAN.
Jesus came unto the borders of Tyre and Sidon, where the people were
not Jews, but Gentiles. And there came to Him a woman of Canaan,
who cried out to Him, saying,