Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1889-01-18
HEALING OF TIE LEPER.
LESSON III, FIRST QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, JAN. 20.


Text of the Lesson, Mark L. 35-45-Com-
init Verses 40, 41-Golden Text, Mark
1, 4e--Commcntary by the R-v. ID. NJ.
stearns.
compiled from Lesson Helper Quarterly, by
permission Of Fl. S. Hoffman publisher, Philac
delphia.
IS, And in the morning, rising up great
while before day, He went out, and departed
into solitary place, and there prayed"
And SO we find Him again at the close of this
lesson, after healing the leper; "He with
drew Himself into the wilderness and
prayed" luke v, 1877 When the Lord sent
Ananias to Saul Of Tarsus He said concern
ing him. behold he prayeth" tActs tx, 1D;
but what are we to say Of this man, the Lord
Himself, who is ever going to some lonely
place to pray, sometimes continuing all
night, and sometimes rising up before dayi
Luke speaks Of seven different occasions on
which He is found praying luke iii, 81; v,
10; vi, IL; tx, IL, 20; xi, Ii xii, Al, AZ,
but IL ever man prayed without ceasing
it was this Man, and If ever man
needed not to pray, we would think
it was this Man, for He was God
manifest in the flesh. Now If He found it
necessary to be alone and In communion
with His Father in Heaven so much; If He
deemed it more important than rest for the
body, what conclusion can we come to, but
that we are wonderfully unlike Him and not
sensible of our need nor very intimately &C
Quainted with our Father in Heavenl A SUI
preme and all consuming desire to know the
love and power of God and walk in fellow
ship with Him as His faithful representatives
here on earth would surely send us to our
knees and on our faces before God more
often and more earnestly; il we have it not,
let us seek till we obtain it, that we may be
more like Jesus and more in sympathy with
Him in seeking lost souls.
36. "Simon, and they that were with Him,
followed after Him." Not to pray with Him,
but to find Him for those who were seeking
Him. 1t is a practical and pertinent question
for those who have found Jesus and are saved
by Him, do now seek Him and walk with
Him that l may be happy, or that may
learn through Him to win others to Him that
they too may be blessedr The last Is surely
the highest aim, bnt the self in us is more apt
to seek personal blessing than to be bless
ing to others. Jesus pleased not Himself, nor
sought His own will or glory; oh, to be more
| like Him.
81 when they had found Him they said
unto Him, all seek for Thee" Seeing that
He had power over devils and disease that
He healed oil freely and spoke such wonder
full words and with such authority, they were
irresstibly drawn to Him; but if they had
only known who He really was, does it not
seem Us if they would have worshiped
Him in TRUTH The disciples, not finding Him
in the house when they rose in the morning,
went out and sought till they found Him.
Do we thus seek Him in the early morningl
49, And He said unto them, let us 60 into
the next towns that may preach there also,
for therefore came forth" In Luke iv, 43,
He says, II must preach the Kingdom Of God
to other cities also, for therefore am l sent. "
In verses II, 10 of this chapter it is written
that He breaches that the Kingdom Of God
was at hand, and that they should repent and
believe the gospel. The time being fulfilled,
He had come to set up the kingdom spoken of
in Dan. ii, A, and elsewhere; these miracles
which He wrought were His credentials as
the prophets had foretold lisa xxxv, 5, 6; Xxi,
| ~; He must make it known in all Israel, for
He came forth from the Father, sent by Him
as sou of David, son Of Abraham, according
to Matthew's gospel, and us the servant
of God, according to this gospel.
80. And He preached i'll their synagogues,
throughout all Galilee, and cast out devils. u
Matthew says that He preached the gospel of
the kingdom and healed all manner Of sick
ness and disease Matt. iv, 23. What king
dom it will be when the devil and all his de-
mons are cast out forever, when the inhabit-
ant shall no more say 81 am SICK" when
there shall be no more death, nor pain, nor
sorrow, for He, this same Jesus, shall have
subdued all things unto Himself, and the in
heritance lost through Adams sin shall be
more than restored through Jesus Christ,
Hallelujahl what Saviourl do let us
spread abroad His fame.
40. And there came a leper to Him, be-
seeching linn, and kneeling down to Him
Matthew says that it was when He came
down from the mountain that this leper
came to Him Matt. viii, l, p. Luke says
that the man was full Of leprosy, and that
he fell on his face and besought Him duke
v, 49, A poor outcast, shut away from
home and kindred, full Of this most loath
some of all diseases that sinful flesh
seems heir to, an utterly hopeless
case Us far as human help is con
cerned, doomed to a lingering death
by a slow but sure decay Of the whole body
he makes bold to come near to this man witt
the wonderful power, for whether it was by
hearing the sermon on the Mount or by
seeing or hearing of some Of the miracles OF
healing which Jesus had wrought, he ha.
some way become possessed of such faith il
Him that he cries: Lord, if Thou wilt
Thou canst make me cleanl" Matt. viii 2
Luke V, ~ He is sure that Jesus has tn,
power to cleanse him; he has firm faith as tC
that matter, and so he just casts himself Al
Jesus feet, virtually saying: Lord, if
rise up again leper, it is because you refus'
to heal me, for believe you are more thai
man, and can heal me if you only will; SO
cast myself OH your mercy"
Al. And Jesus, moved with compassion
put forth His hand and touched him, anC
saith unto him, | will; be thou clean" Five
times in the Psalms the Lord is said to b,
full of compassion, Ps. xvii, IS; lxxxvi Is
cxi, 4; cxii, 4; cxlv, s; the same word being
translated "mercifulr in eight other places
the first of which is Ex. x1xiv, q, where W,
learn the name of the Lord; and he beinl
full of compassion, could not help having
compassion ON this leper He even puts fort.
His hand and touches him, for He Is no
afraid; but best of all, He says II will.n
what thrill of Joy Undesirable must hav
gone through and through this poor man