The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-03-05
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
MARCH 8.
Lesson Text: "The Great Physician,n
Luke iv., 33-44-Golden Text:
Mat viii, 16-Commentary.

In the synagogue on the Sabbath days. The
frst part Of our lesson is the record Of an in;
cident that occurred while He was thus teach!
ing one day. Then, as now, all kinds Of peol
pie went to church, some with one objectI
some another, and then, as now, Satan went
also among them AS far as we can learn
from the Scriptures there is but one devil
properly so called, the leader Of all wicked
spirits, whose other names are Satan, the old
serpent, the dragon, the god of this world
the prince of the power Of the air, the fathed
Of lies, etc.; but he seems to have associated
with him innumerable other wicked spiritstt
properly called demons and so translated Id
The R. Y. margin; and the great business Of
the devil and his demons is to enter into and
possess and control people for their destruc1
tion. A man possessed by one Of these demons
was in the synagogue on this particular Sab
bath day while Jesus was teaching.
"a. LET US alone: what have we to do
with Thee, Thou Jesus Of NAZARETH Art
Thou come to destroy usr Thus the demon
They hate Jesus, they hate the Word of God
they seem to know that there is place OF
torment prepared for the devil and his angelay
for in Matt. viii. 90, the demons In the poor
Gadarene cry out, "Art Thou come hither to
torment us before the timer We know that
1.-The Son Of God was manifested that Ha
might destroy the works Of the devil" and
devil but all his works shall be forever bani
ished from this earth-and in this we do re;
joice. 4
II know Thee who Thou art; the Holy
One of Cod" On one occasion when cer1
tain men who knew not Jesus tried to cast
out demons, the demons cried out; "Jesus 1
know, and Paul know, but who are yeYll
And the man with the demons leaped on
them, and overcame them, and prevailed
.--N l.eAl Ill.,, daI 49, In&
house naked and wounded (Acts xix, Is, 49,!
The devil and his angels do not know Jesus
for their good in any way, but they know
Him as the Son Of God, the Holy One, the
Christ, and they fear Him, and they know
and fear those who are truly His, as Paul
was
25. "And Jesus rebuked him, saying: Hold
thy peace, and come out of him. And 2
he came out Of him, and hurt him not.
He addressed the demon in the man, and
His word compelled tho evil spirit to leave
the man, and he was healed There Is no
doubt that the devil and his angels possesa
people to-day, and through them say and do
the fearful. things Of which we hear and read
and which we see with our own eyes. :
SO. "What word is this! for with au!
thority and power He commanded the un:
clean spirits, and they come out" The last
verse Of the last lesson Tvs 39 says that
|
the power is given us in Acts K, 3S, where
we are told that God anointed Jesus Oh
Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with
power; who went about doing good, and
healing all that were oppressed OF the DEVIL
for Goo was with Him"
81. "And the fame of Him went out into
every place of the country round about.
His name is as ointment poured forth Can't
l., 81; and as Saul Of Tarsus was chosen to-
bear His name, and to suffer for His names
| sake, so we are chosen to bear His name and
to suffer with Him that His fame may be
spread abroad (Acts *, Is, 16). 1--we choosa
| to please ourselves and prefer our own way
and our own glory, that will disqualify us
| for His service, and we shall be set aside aS
| vessels unfit for His service. But If we are
| willing to be purified We shall become vessela
unto honor, sanctifed, meet for the Masters
use. and prepared unto every good work.
3S. Sand He arose out of the synagoguei
| and entered into Simon's house" In Mark il
20. it is said that Andrew and James and
John went with Him; quite party to take.
| home from church, and especially to house
where was sickness. Had Simon's wife been
| somewhat of Martha's spirit she might have
| been careful and troubled that day. and peri
haps have informed Simon that he should
! have known better than to bring company
home when her mother was so sick. Not
knowing how she did feel or act, we can only
hope that she joyfuliy received her Lordand
! His followers.
80. s'He stood over her, and rebuked tbs
fever and it left her; and Immediately she
arose and ministered unto them" A ittle
before He had rebuked the unclean spirit, and
now He rebukes the burning in this woman's
| body, and as quickly as the spirit fled from
| theman, so this great fever fees before tho
same Almighty Word, and the woman Is in
stantly well; so well that she is able to mini
lister unto them, and she does it at once. In
| public and in private Satan works: In ting
| church and in the home causing disturbance
and weakness and suffering, but Jesus Is
Prince of Peace and Prince Of Life Qsa. X,
| 6: Acts ill.,, 15) and before Him all the power
| of the enemy must fall.
40. And he laid His hands on every one
| Of them and healed them" Tidings from
| the synagogue and from Simon's home soon
spread through the city, and people sick With
| all kinds Of diseases are brought unto hsna
| every one Of whom is sent away healed. Onl
| the wondrous hand Of Jesus! -
| fl. Sand devils came out Of many
+ 1" and He, rebuking them, suffered
them not to speak, for they knew that Hs
! was Christ" How many happy homes there
were in Capernaum that night; people now
| perfectly well who had long been sick and
had suffered much; people now about on the
streets and at their work who had not been
seen there for many day; people now meek
and gentle to whom you could not speak be-
fore without being insulted; and all because
Jesus had come. His word and His hand
did it all, and He still lives, and is accessible
TO all who truly seek Him. i
A. "And when it was day, He departed!
and went into desert place" Mark says
that He rose great while before day and
went away to pray Mark j., $S. What
hungering for communion with His Father
what abstraction from the things Of eartht
God, clinging to God waiting upon Him
alone, a whole hearted reliance upon Him, g
living in His sight, a witnessing unto Him
that He may be glorified, studying to show
ourselves approved unto Him, seeing no one
but Jesus only. This is for us the way OF
power.
"And the people sought Him, and came
unto Him, and stayed Him, that He should
not depart from them" What contrast 70
the conduct Of the people q Him. far oD Sus
;ake or for the blessings TO be received at His
hands A more practical question Is, ,-e1- "nS
ybs oa ssbbaib ssff % as well as on the Sabbath And
why do YOU seek him? Is it for His giftss
some blessing from Him, Or Is i5 to e.oH
Hin, and the power of His resurrection, and
the fellowship of His sufferings? u
49, "And He said unto them, must preach
tho kingdom of God to other cities also; for
therefore am sent The r. '. says:lnI
must preach the good tidings of the kingdom
Of God" Matthew adds that He preached
the Gospel of the kingdom and healed oil
manner Of sickness ard allmanner Of disease:
a. And He preached in the synagogues Of
Gal.ilee." Matthew Gays that He went about
all Gallilce. The commission to all His fol-
lowers now is to $50 into oil the world and