Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1912-05-18

"a e. calling forth the
confession Of need. and assuring him
OF the possibility OF healing. Thus
the Great Physician constantly deals
with souls. to convince sinners OF their
need OF healing and TO teach Chris
tians that theer are still defects In
their own lives. In the one case fall
ure OF faith prevents healing; In the
other, lack Of submission prevents
Wilderness.
The study Of the impotent man is
interesting from every point of view;
and the place at which the healing oc-
Cured IL signihcant-Bethesda mean
ing house Of mercy. The waters Of the
pool had certain curative properties.
but the man OF the story was In such
a plight that he had no friends TO put
him into the pool when the water was
troubled II requires no strength OF
the Imagination to suppose that his
reply to Jesus not only was full OF
pathos. but also full Of great long.
ing, for notice the quick response and
the great result: Jesus saith unto
him rise. take up thy bed. and walk.
And Immediately the man was made
whole. and took up his bed and
walked"
The main point Of the story is in V.
"a: Verify. verify. I say unto you. he
that heareth my word. and believeth
on him that sent me. hath everlasting
life. and shall not come into condem.
nation; but is passed from death unto
life" This is really the gospel in q
sentence. for the supreme purpose OF
Jesus was to give life and to heal us
from all infrmities.
We need not describe eternal life:
but II is desirable, glorious and neces.
sary. You cannot take sin.sick.
ruined soul out OF this world and In.
habit heaven with II In the next You
cannot. There Is no such thing after
death as a spiritual revolution. God
would have TO shut you in. The glo-
ries OF heaven would mean nothing
to you, the songs OF heaven would
be torture to you. and heaven itself
n perpetual torment. So. because efer.
nal life is so desirable and is the free
gift OF God. through Jesus Christ our
Lord. the question is pertinent. wilt
thou be made whole?"
The conditions upon which you are
made whole. OF passing from death
unto life, are knowledge. repentance.
belief, obedience. They are so easy
that We make them hard and miss the
blessing because we do not accept
them in their simplicity. Eternal life
In such case is not n gift that we
cannot have but that we will not have.
Let us never forget two outstanding
things about sin: /. II defiles. Sin is
not manly. and ever since the day
when the devil beguiled Adam and
Eve the trail OF the serpent has
wound its way through human nature
and through human history. leaving
defilement in its wake. 2. Sin de-
stroys. This is an old.fashioned doc
trine but as true as II is old In spite
OF all that men may say. or hope. or
do. the wages of sin is death. There
fore. again the question is pertinent.
Wilt thou be made whole?
This old-time story is parable and
a promise. for Jesus Christ still waits
to be gracious.
Every place OF need may be Be-
thesda. and just where you are Jesus
stands opposite your need saying.
"Wilt thou be made whole?" BY ev-
cry possible way he is pleading. 20
Israel. thou has destroyed thyself. but
in me Is thy help" Thousands OF
people OF every age and cline have
found relief. healing and salvation just
as the man at the pool found II that
day by simple trust.
"Wilt thou be made whole?" That
IL the question. How often Jesus has
had to say. "Ye will not come unto
me that ye might have life" What a
tragedy when a soul turns away from
him and goes out into darkness. de-
spair and death. You can refuse
Christ, but how can you?
Let the story teach us three things:
The need OF prompt response 10
Christ's words. no thought OF failure
in the future, and continuous use of
the strength which Christ gives. Seek
ye the Lord while he may be found;
call ye upon him while he is near:
let the wicked forsake his way and
the unrighteous man his thoughts,
and let him return unto the Lord and
he will have mercy upon him: and TO
our God for he will abundantly par
dom"
'sThe Great Physician now 10 near.
The sympathixing Jesus"
MAN OF Sorrows. what a name
For the Son Of God who came