Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1910-03-16
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson XIl.-FirSt Quarter, For
March 20, 1910.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.

X.
Memory Verse. 2-Golden Text. Matt.
tx. 6-commentary Prepared by Rev.
Q. M. stearns.
In Luke viii. 10. we read that when
Jesus returned from Gadara the people
gladly received Him. for they were all
waiting for Him. In Mark II. /. -. we
read thai maly were gathered TO-
Scther. Glling che house and leaving NO
room even about the door. and lie
preached the word unto them. In
Luke V. Il. we read that there were
ThariseeS and doctors Of the law pres
ent from every town in Galilce and
also from .iudca and Jerusalem and
the power of tho Lord was present to
heal them.
Then came four men, bringing on
bed palSicd friend of theirs, and
when they could not get even near the
door because of the crowd they car
ricd him To the roof. made an opening
and let him down through the thing,
with his couch. into the midst before
Jesus. Compare the records in Mari; il
and Luke y with our lesson in Mat
thew. AID in each YOU hear Jesus say
ing TO the sick man. THY sins are for
given thee" Matthew adds that He
said. son. be of good cheer" In Matt.
ix. -. He said TO Il sick woman. "Dau.h-
ter, be of good comfort" Ecmcmbcralso
His BE of good cheer" of Matt. xiv. -:
John xvi. 35. ana Acts xiii. H. 1t Is
the same word in each case. Just one
word. used only 10y our Lord and on
these five different occasions. 1t Is
used once by the people to the blind
man in Mark Y. 10. The word used by
Paul in Acts xvii, 80 -. is Il differ.
cnt word, but one of great encourage
ment. There can be no lasting comfor;
or good cheer apart from the forgive
ness of sins Jesus did not treat sym
toms, as many physicians do. but went
at once to the root of the difficulty.
The four men brought their friend
that lie might be cured of his palsy.
but Jesus began by forgiving his sins
He saw the faith of those who brought
him and determined 10 heal him. but
He began 10y cleansing his soul. lie
once said to Simon Peter. IF | wash
thee not thou hast no part with Me"
John Kill. -, ana that is truly 4 say
Ing of great import. If we are c,eansed
from our sins we shall il due time
have perfectly whole bodies; so. having
saved this man. lie also gave him n
healed body. and he arose and depart.
ed TO his house. The four earnest men
who brought their palsicd friend to
Christ To he healed of his disease
were quite sure that if they could get
him To Jesus they would not need &c
carry him away, and they were not
disappointed.
The question of the Pharisees, "NNho
is this duke V. 2D repeated In Luke
vii, 40; Matt xxi, 10, carries us back &c
lisa. xiii. !; Jer. xxx. 81. Moses said,
"Who am - QlX. iii. IL but the only
pertinent question is. who is He:'
"Whom say We that | am:' II is
blessed thing FOR all who know that
He is the Son Of Man who hath power
on earth to forgive sins ana that lie
has forgiven them. Luke says that
Jesus perceived the thoughts of these
men, or, as it is in our lesson, Jesus,
knowing their thoughts, said, Where
fore think We evil in your hearts?"
Eek. II, >, 81 know the things that
come into your mind. every one of
them"
AS Jesus went forth He saw a publ
can named Levi or Matthew sitting
at the receipt of custom, and. having
said to him, Follow me" he left all,
rose up and followed Him. Compare
verse and Luke Y. p, 2S Matthew
speaks only Of Jesus sitting at meat in
the house, but Luke tells us that this
was Il great feast which Levi made for
Jesus in his own house and that q
great company of pubiicans and Others
sat down with them. Jesus calls whom
/ he pleascs CLARK iii. 80. The Father
/ gives unto Him whom lie Will CJohn
/ vi, 81; xvii. p, and yet there are none
/ among those who hear who may not
come if they viii (Iohn iii. 16: Rev.
xxi, Ia. The fault finding. self right
eOus scribcS and PhariSceS are always
on hand with their murmurings. but
they said Gne thing one day when
they said, This man rcceiveth sinners
ana Catct! with them" duke Nv. p.
They were tie destructive critics oil
their day. and those Of our day would
do well to lay to heart some things
that Jesus said to them and of them
They considered themselves whole and
righteous and had no use for such as
Jesus, ard lie told them plainly that
lie had not come to call such as they
but that they had better go and Learn
the meaning Of these words: Il vii
have mercy and not sacrifice" Chris
Ipcile c1pne not a r,pfph I'm an old am