Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1906-04-11
CHRISTIAN ENDEAvoR.
Prayer Meeting Topic For the Week
beginning April 10.

BY REV. S. H. DOYLE
Topa..-Christ's Life, ". Lessons from
His resurrection niracles.-John XII, 1-46;
Luke VII. u-l7: viii, Il, A., 1855. easter
meeting.)
Jesus Christ was pre-emfnently a
teacher teacher of spiritual truth
and is lessons. lie came to reveal
God 10 man, and man in his ignorance
needed much instruction concerning
God, and Christ, in deed as well as in
word, was eonsts ntly giving man this
instruction. His miracles strikingly IL
lustrate this character in Him. They
were pr marily signs to prove His
deity, bit they were also lessons on
spiritual truth. They may well be
called parallels in action. In His par
ables He taught with words, in His
miracles with deeds and the miracles
of Christ almost equally with His par
ables have always been used as me-
dlums OF instruction by those whose
chief business in life has been to in
terpret AMI to apply His teaNhings to
the human SOUL This is especially
true of His resurrection miracles-the
occasions upon which He used His mi
raculous power to raise the dead to life
These miracles stand out as great OBJ
ject less ons, which all may do well to
study and to profit thereby.
Three times only Christ used His
miraculous power to raise the dead,
which in itself is significant fact and
rich in instruction. In this fact Christ
clearly teaches that death is not the
terror that we usually consider it In
each of the three instances He raised
the dead not for their sakes, but for
the sake OF the living. No cry from the
dead reached His ears, but the appeals
Of burdened human hearts still in life
did reach Him and called forth His
gracious response. In one instance 1t
was the breaking heart of a mother
who was a widow mourning the loss
Of an only son, in the next it was the
anguishing cry of a father disconso-
late over the loss of an only daughter,
and in the last instance it was the
sorrow of sisters over separation from
brother dearly beloved. Christ could
have spoken the word and earth and
sea would have given up their dead as
quickly as the grave gave up Lazarus
At His command, Lazarus, come
forth But He did not DO it, for in
Him death has been robbed of its sting
and the grave of Its victory. In all
these resurrections we are taught
lesson on the sympathy of Christ. In
each case the miracle of resurrection
Set forth His sympathy for all who
mourn. 1t may not raise our dead,
but He still sympathizes with us in be-
reavement and In all our other troubles
and sorrows.
Each resurrection miracle teaches Us
many important lessons, but we can
select only one from each occasion.
i. The resurrection Of the son of
the widow of Main teaches US the les
BON Of Christ's sympathy for all human
suffering. This woman was stranger
to Him. She had no claims upon Him
whatever. She asked no favor of Him.
but He saw her passing. Already
death had claimed her husband. and
now her only son was being carried to
the tomb. And when Christ saw her
'He had compassion on her and said
unto her, Weep not" On all He has
compassion. He may be unknown to
you, but He knows you and sym
pathizes with you in all your sorrows.
2. The resurrection of the daugh-
ter of Jairus teaches us a lesson on
Christ's appreciation Of faith. Greater
faith could hardly have been possessed
than that of this Roman officer. He be-
ueyed that Christ had complete power
over death. A word was all he asked
Christ TO give, and Christ raised her In
response to his great faith. Christ ap-
preciate5 cur faith in Him. 1t should
be an absolute faith. 1t should exclude
all doubt. He will also respond to our
faith, for according to your faith be
& unto YOU"
3. The resurrection Of Lazarus teaches
Christ's love for His friends. Mary
and Martha and Lazarus Were His
friends. He loved them, and this resur-
rection miracle was testimony to His
love and fidelity to His friends. And we
may be His friends and have Him for
our friend by believing in Him, obey
ing Him and working for Him. Eye
are my friends, If ye do whatsoever
command you" Do you want Christ
as your friend? Then obey Him, and
he asks Of US faith, love and obedience.
BIBLE READINGS.
Ps. /, 1-6; Gill, 10; lisa. xl, 80; Matt.
!, 20; vii, I'll; viii, 16. fl, 20-2a; xiv, IA;
John XIV, 1917; Heb. iv, 14-16.
An Entrance Prayer.