The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-03-23
The
Sundays School
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COM.
MENTS FOR APRIL 8.
Subject: The Power of Faith, Matt
0:1S-34-Commit to Memory
Verses %, 90.
GOLDEN TEXT.-"All things ara
possible to him that b~elieveth." Mark

-SopO p. e. ~ eEtg
EXPOSITION.-I. Jesus Raising
the Daughter of Jairus, 1926. Sor-t
row brought the ruler to Jesus. 1t
brings more people to Him to-day
than almost anything else. He be-
longed to a class that was largely hos
tile to Jesus. He was thoroughly IN
earnest and his pride was in the dust
(cf. Nix. 5:22; Lu. S:41). He wor-
SHIPPED Jesus. The fact that Jesus al.
lowed him to do so is n of the many /
proofs Of Jesus deity Get. Acts 1o:8
rs, rs; Rev. 1928, 9, r.. W; Ssh.
The rulers prayer was short; to the
point, intense (cf. Nix. 5:23). Jesus
arose and followed him. He is q
ways ready to enter the house of sickSS
ness or sorrow where He IS invited
(Rev. $500. Jesus went q oneg
He is just the same to-day Heb
1881. The Jewish rulers faith waEsS
not al perfect as that Of the Roaian
centurion (cf. Oh. 8:8 with. Luke
Al, and note Nix. $3.50, but'the faith
was genuine and Jesus respondedsto2
it (cf. VS.. 81, 22). The sick child
was the only daughter elk @Ss4}xzs
There are but three recorded
stances where Jesus raised the deed
an only daughter, an only sonsstLuSa
7:12) and an only brother (Jnos1
~. There was work, too, for u
to do by the way .ty. 10Y. The wotaNS
an's case was desperate (v.. 20.Ecfss
Lev. 1919, .20). The long contiHf4
ance of her plague made hertcaset
parently hopeless, but 1t was not
hopeless when we take Jesus into thh6s
account (cf. Lu. 1915; Jno. 6:5Sp8Ty
g.; Acts 4:22,N 26).$ She%had Sought
relief in many directions (kk. 5;2ggfH
Lu., S:43), but had received ponezssa
Our Lord often heals those Hnomsf0@
human skill "a help. She camAat1x
the Lord because there was no one;
else to whom she could 60. She ha3T
heard the things concerning iJesuze
.lMk. SGD, and this gave her fait1lEg
that He could heal her. The womansfMs
plan for getting the desired healtksGs
had much Of superstitious erroneous
ness mingled with II ". 81. But!
there was sincere faith, and that sfE5s
all that is. necessary. Heart fafth;sz
though mixed with error, that never
brings one t0yJesTs, bring
greater blessing than views that5afes:
correct but entirely q matter Of the
head. She received a hearty welcofle&
land the complete healing that shea
sought. Jesus had been sdelayedi0n
The way in ministerfng to- the woman
who had touched the hem Of His gar
ment,and was made whole, and mean
time the little girl had died (ef. MI
Lu. 8a49}. IT seems as 1T JesHks
was now 'toohlaDe:. It often seems 7EoT
(cf. Jno. 1l:211, but FasneYers fst
JESUS found the rulers house tAEedzEss
with nproaTious, ostentatious par3dElA
of sorrow. In hearty disgust at IT al3SS]
He drives the noisy hiourners fof$fgz
y(cf. Nix. 5.39). Jesus fs always di
pleased with undue lamentations oven
departed friendsit1 Thess. 4.131sH
gives a good reason why the Iamenfa{aSl
:tion should cease at once. THE daIn5E
Sci is not dead but sleepetR," The
reason holds .for+all our ffiendssWhEssE4s
have fallen asleep in Jesus; theyS.art5s
not dead; but simply sleep I1aThes8Ss
4:14; Acts 1907 They maySano9
awaken quite as o as dfdsJaifwgs
daughter, but wakatthey surely VIII
and 1t will not be long ~ Thess4
16, 10. .3esps, statement was feS
ceiVed with derfSfve laughter. TheyEf
seemed good ground for the derisistis
The scorners had reason and cOmnioh
sense on their side. but thsy weyfsSl
wrong. On the other side. was noth+sa
ing but the wordIbf the Son OF GodsS
The scorners and the formal; molFns
ers all gone Jesus works. Note fhaSs
taking by the hand; it vas the fEHSa
quent practice Of our Lord 1efaMksd
1:31; 1923; 9:27; Matt. 14iS1l And
there was always power In. that hana4
grasp. To the Jewish mind theraJ
was contamination in the touch or
the dead hand (Num. 1919, but the
Prince of Life will not be CONTAINING
ated, but communicate life. Death
gave way to the Prince Of Life and
the damsel arose.
II. Jesus Opening the Eyes of Tvs
Blind Men, 27-S1. Further work
awaits our mighty Lord. Two blini
men require His help. They wers /
very earnest, following and crying
out. They had faith in Him as the
Messiah, the Son of David, and IN His
ability and readiness to help. The
Old Testament had prophesied that
the Messiah would open the eyes OF
the blind Elsa. 1918; 1875, 42:6, 71.u
Jesus did not seem to pay any atten-
ton to them at first, but with, persist
ent faith they followed Him right
into the house. Jesus put n CUES
tion to them that went right to the
root of the matter ". 2S). Faith is
the one condition that Jesus demands
if we would realize experimentallyI
the fulfllment of His promise and the
enjoyment of His power (Lu. LAB;
Jas. 1:5-7). If more of US could say
"Yea Lord" to Jesus, believe We that
I am able?" we would know more OF
His power to help. Our faith is the
measure of the blessing we enjoy (ry
29). One touch of Jesus hand and
the blind eyes were opened.
III. Jesus Casting Out a Demons
1924. Still another needs our Lords
help, a man possessed with a demon
Recent investigation proves that de-
monical possession is a reality to-
day. The demon in this case had
rendered the man dumb. The best
thing to do with any man possessed
of a demon is to bring him to Jesus
Our Lord can make those who arg
dumb from any cause speak (Ex. A
II, 12). In giving this man the pow
er of speech an Old Testament pro
phecy concerning the Messiah was
fulfilled lisa. $3.50. The multitudeS q
marvelled and said it was never sd
seen in Israel, but the Pharisees werd