Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1908-03-12

I r1TEHlSArIONAL IIussoN CON.
,tRfgEs g0Is AlARCH ~. 4
\ ss- =. .rI.I \. -
Subjects Jesuu Heals ! Man Born
Mind John 0:f-12 Golden
Text John .. Commit Verses
10, IL Documentary.
TIME October III. "A. b. 20,
PLACE Jerusalem.
HXpOGITION. -- /. Receiving
Sight, III. There are three words Of
immense import IN the. first verse,
Jesus passed by. Great things may
be expected to occur when Jesus
passes by. The case Of this man was
absolutely hopeless. He had been
blind from his birth. No human skill
could touch his case. But Jesus
passed by. That changed everything
What man cannot do, Jesus can
Jesus II ever passing our way In these
days, so we may constantly expect
wonderful things to happen (Jno. IA:
49, This blind man Is a suggestive
illustration OF the unsaved sinner;
blind q Cor. 2:14), he never had
seen; he was beyond human help ".
32): his case was hopeless, humanity
speaking doubtless he himself had
given up all hope Of ever seeing); he
was without human sympathy, sus.
pected and despised Tvs. 2, 34); he
was poor, beggar. But all his need
was only an opportunity for Gods
abounding grace in Christ. Jesus not
only passed by, HE saw" He ever
sees us in our need and distress (cf
Elk. 3:7;s 6:5). Contrast the feeling
of Jesus disciples as they looked at
the man with that Of Jesus Himself.
Their feeling was one of curiosity
and contempt. His of deepest com.
passion e, A, 81. Are we likest to
the Master or the disciples? What is
your feeling as you gaze upon the
poor, the outcast and the unfortu-
nate? Jesus saw In this mans mis-.
fortune call to help; they saw In It
only the just consequence of sin. The
disciples thought all sickness must
be the direct consequence of sin.
Jesus plainly declares this Is not so,
that there Is another purpose in ply
sical inflrmity, viz: 'that the works
of God should be made manifest" ;"
They were made manifest in this
mans case by his healing. Some
times they are made manifest by
Gods sustaining grace In weakness
e Cor. 12:8-10). Doubtless sickness
is often the direct result of sin (Jno.
5:14; Mark 2:5; Acts 1929. In
other cases 1t Is the indirect result.
When Gods children wander from
Him He suffers sickness to overtake
them, to bring them to their senses
and Himself (Job 33:14-30). But
sickness does not always arise from
this cause (Phil. 2:27. 30; Q Kings
1910. We live in day when men
are making sweeping congratulations
about sickness from only part of the
data. Jesus did not teach by verse 3,
that neither this man nor his parents
had ever sinned, but that they "did"
not sin as the cause Of this blindness
(see r. W The parent SO far from
being sinless, sinned before the chap
ter ends. That is a wonderful mus"
in verse 4. II must (R w., we must)
work the works OF Him that sent Me,
while it is day." indeed we must.
Night is coming fast. No man can
work then. Up and at the work now.
Oh, those solemn words. "The night
cometh," the night of death, when we
sleep, not work, not unconscious, but
shut out of activity and shut up with
Christ in blessed communion (Phil.
1920, but beyond the possibility of
finishing any work we have left un-
done here. The other night cometh
when the church shall have been re-
moved from the earth, and the dark
ness of the great tribulation shall
have settled down upon it. Note the
works we must do; not our own, but
"tho works of Him that sent Me-" 1t
is plain from comparing VS.. 2 and A,
that Jesus considered delivering men
from evil far more important than
speculating about the origin of evil.
If we are to follow Jesus, we ought
not to wait until misery comes to us,
we should go tcy 1t. The command,
Go, wash, etc." was test of faith
e Kings 5:10-14; Mark 3:5; Luke
17:14). Sloan" means sent" and
was a type of Jesus Himself (v. A.;
JhOs lVs0Ot Nv. osop Wal ~ -
we wish sight for our blind eyes We
should go to Him and bathe (Jno. s.:
12). The man gave the best evidence
in the world of faith, prompt obe-
dience. The res alt, 'he came see-
ing"
II. witnessing, S-12. The blind
mans cure occasioned discussion and
division. Christ's work always
arouses discussion and causes divis-
ior The discussion gave an oppor-
tunity for testimony. The man
showed his manliness by saying, II
am he" che that sat and begged") !.
His frank testimony for Jesus cost
him excommunication (v. 34), but 1t
brought him deeper, fuller knowl-
edge of the Lord (vs. 35-38). When
he was asked how his eyes were
opened he gave model statement OF
the case, short, right to the point and
giving the exact facts. He spoke of
his deliverer as "the Man called
Jesus" Later in the day he said.
"He is prophet" (y. III. Later
still, he recognized Him as ''the Son
of God" (55-38). Those who heard
wanted to see Jesus (v. 12). Such is
the power OF testimony. He was then
brought to the Pharisees, the recog-
nized enemies of Jesus (v. a.; CHI.
11:46, AZ, 81; 12:42). But the man
did not dodge the issue even then.
His testimony created division even
among the Pharisees (cf, Acts 14:3,
AZ. Some decided that He could not
be from God, because He kept not the
Sabbath, according to their notions.
But others said, "How can man that
Is sinner do such signs?" That is
an unanswerabie question for all de-
niers of the deity OF Christ, for II He
is not divine He Is the chief Of blas-
phemers.