In the third place, we see Jesus performing miracles to teach us what power he has to—­ENCOURAGE—­his people.

We have an account in St. Luke xiii:  10-17, of the miracle he performed on the woman who had “a spirit of infirmity.”  This means that she was a cripple.  Her body was bound down, so that she had no power to straighten herself or to stand upright.  She had been in this condition we are told for eighteen years.  How hard to bear—­and how discouraging this trial must have been to her!  No doctor could give her any relief, and she had made up her mind, no doubt, that there was no relief for her till death came.  But when Jesus saw her, he pitied her.  A miracle of healing was performed upon her.  He laid his loving hand upon her bent and crippled body, and in a moment her disease was removed.  She stood straight up, and glorified God.  What encouragement that must have given to her!

One day, when Jesus was at Capernaum, the tax-gatherers came to Peter to get the tribute, or tax-money, that was due to the Roman government, for himself and his master.  But, it happened so that neither of them had money enough with which to pay that tax.  Peter went into the presence of Jesus to speak to him about this matter.  But Jesus knowing what was in his mind, before Peter had time to say anything on the subject, told him what to do.  He directed him to take his fishing-line and go to the lake, and cast in his line, and catch the first fish that should bite; and said that in its mouth he would find a piece of money with which he might pay the tribute that was due for them both.

Peter went.  He threw in his line.  He soon caught a fish.  He looked into the fish’s mouth and lo! there was a piece of money called a stater.  It was worth about sixty cents of our money, and was just enough to pay the tribute for two persons.  How wonderful this was!  If Jesus made this piece of money in the mouth of the fish, at the time when Peter caught it, how wonderful his power must be!  And if, without making it then, he knew that that one fish, the only one in the sea, probably, that had such a piece of money in its mouth, would be the first to bite at Peter’s line, then how wonderful his knowledge must be!

Peter would not be likely to forget that day’s fishing as long as he lived.  And when he thought of the illustration it afforded of the wonderful power and the wonderful knowledge of the master whom he was serving, what encouragement that would give him in his work!

And Jesus is constantly doing things to encourage those who are trying to serve him.

Let us look at some of the ways in which this is done.  Our first illustration is from the life of Washington Allston, the great American painter.  We may call it: 

“Praying for Bread.”  Many years ago Mr. Allston was considered one of the greatest artists in this country.  At the time to which our story refers, he was living in London.  Then he was so poor that he and his wife had not a morsel of bread to eat; nor a penny left with which to buy any.  In great discouragement he went into his studio, locked the door, and throwing himself on his knees, he told the Lord his trouble, and prayed earnestly for relief.