The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1912-03-08
LESSON FOR MARCH 10.
JESUS THE HEALER,
LESSON TEXT-Mark I:2.9- &.

Ntt o'tff
Forty-one times st. Mark makes u.
OF what is a distinguishing word Il
his gospel, "straightway," or its eoHiy.
alent. forthwith" immediately, etc
Jesus. as was his custom, had haan
worshiping in the synagogue, and
while there he had performed a great
work of healing insomuch that his
fame spread throughout the Galilean
country; and forthwith as they enter
Peters house there is presented m.
other difficult case. Simon Peters
wife's mother being sick Of a great
fever" II is a noticeable fact in the
life OF Jesus that he had his own par.
ticular intimate circle of friends WITH
whom he loved TO hold Fellowship
the home in Bethany, and this home
belonging to Simon Peter, are Hug.
trations.
Why does God permit sickness and
sorrow to come to those who are
manifestly his most intimate friends,
To those who love him 'mostP Why
Peters wife's mother SO greatly sick.
Why allow Lazarus to die? These
are heart.searching questions.
Surely all suffering is not caused By
sin directly, for many innocent ones
suffer for the sins OF the guilty; much
la allowed Ito manifest Gods glory"
ON suffering is to test our faith, re.
filming us as by fire; and some must
be left to Gods inscrutable wisdom,
for surely we can allow him to do
some things without explaining hs
acts to Note, however. that
Jesus compassion caused him at oncs
to show forth a beautiful example Of
the sort Of personal work he would
have US do.
What the Act Teaches.
Now note that che evidence OF the
cure is here also for 'she m~inistersd
unto them" 1t must have been A.
complete cure, else how could she 90
at orce about her household dutfess
This act teaches us not only the fact
Of the cure but also that other LESSON
| spoken of by James In his epistle.
viz, that the best method OF showing
our faith is by our works. God Jus
titles the believer through faith tn his
Son, but we are judged righteous be-
fore the world by our works. BY her
loving min%istrations to those OF her
household, and to Jesus who was
their guest, this ancient mother-in-iaw
showed her gratitude and love for this
act Of compassion on the part OF
Gods Son. God bless the mothers-in.
law and stop our gossip.
At the close of this busy day we
can in our i~maginations see the crowd
of the city gathered about Peters
door. AT even, when the sun did set
they brought unto him all, etc" One
of the most charming and wonderful
things about the Scriptures is that II
says so much in so few words. One
can feel himself a part Of the crowd
gathered at the close Of that day.
eager and anxious to see this new
healer, and urgently, eagerly, present
ing their loved ones that he may per
form his healing ministrations ere the
shades Of night shut him from their
sight, or perchance he begin a jour
ney on the morrow, The record Is
significant in the use of the word
''all" in verse 80, and many In verse
"a, the plain inference is that not all
who came were healed. Many are
called but few chosen. Gods call fs
to "whosoever." but man by belief or
by unbelief does the choosing; and
further, even in Christ's day IL Is
plain that he did not Danish nor heal
all disease.
The next morning, "a great while
before day" Jesus goes apart for
prayer. How much we need Gods
presence and wisdom which can be
obtained only by going apart" to
the place of secret communion. espe.
cially In the day Of our greatest sue.
cess and popularity. The danger oil
material or other success Is to turn
mans thoughts away from God. Az
man contemplates the prowess of bis
own arm or the achievements OF his
own brain the temptation is to trust
himself and not to trust God. Jesus
knew the tests Of service before Him
and the need of vital contact with his
Father, Having gained this through
this early morning watch, he was
ready to reply to Peters unconscious
test when he referred to Christ's pop 4
ularity by saying that others had
need of him. | must preach to them
also, for this came | into the world.
Chief End of christ's Ministry.
The c%onpulsion Of a great mission
gave Christ no time to consider the
popular acclaim, or longer t o pause
at C~apernaum, though there were
doubtless others who needed his min
istrations. Healing of the body and
the relief Of human distress IL not the
end of Christ's ministry. He
to establish a kingdom and
must preach the good tidings, for
therefore was | sent Social serV-
ice Is indeed Godlike, but Jesus tells
US plainly that the soul Is d more
value than the body. Matt. 6:331
But everywhere he went Jesus
found opportunity for service. for in
another city there came to him a man
full OF leprosy, that loathsome plague
the east, AT this point some refer
should be made to medical mis-
to the work being done to re-
.ieve suffering in your own hons
own, and upon the foreign field.
to Isaiah's prophecy that Jesus
was to bear our infirmities and our
diseases, and emphasize that we are
o follow in his steps Contrast the
side as shown In verse 40 with