The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1912-03-13
Sunday School Column
Side Lights on Next Sunday q Les
son for Teachers and Pupils.
By CHAS. K. MEYERS

Our lesson this week tells us abou
one of the wonder-workihg days in
the life of Jesus on the earth We fine
Him again at Capernaum. OF course
His presence called together large
number of people and they crowded
the little room full. Jesus preached tt
his listeners and told them of the
new gospel which he had come to pro
claim. 1t was in this city that Simon's
wife's mother was cured OF the fever
and many other miracles of healing
performed Not all those who were
diseased were able to reach Him or
that day, and among these unfortu
and perfectly helpless. Judging by the
feelings Of person in our own midst
thus disabled, one can readily imag
inc the feelings which the poor sick
man had when the hope came to his
breast that he could be cured. OF
course he was helpless so far as his
own efforts were concerned, but hap
PLY he had friends who had faith that
if he could be brought to the atten
ton of the Master he would be healed
1t takes little imagination to see
the four friends take the helpless one
on bed and start with him toward
the place where Jesus could be found !;
to understand the great disappoint-
ment which must have come upon the
sick man when told that there might
be failure to reach the Master after
all, because his friends could not force
| their way through the crowds who
were listening to the words Of Jesus.
One can see them stopping to con-
slider what could be done, and the de-
termination evidenced by their talk
that they would yet overcome all diff
ficulties and yet present the helpless
one before Jesus. They decide that
there is some hope that if they can
reach the roof of the building, tear
AWAY portion of it, they can let down
their charge in front of the Master
and they feel that after such show
ing of faith and persistence that sue
cess surely awaits them. This plan
is carried out and in due time the
poor helpless man is lying before the
blessed Jesus.
1t is not strange to read that when
Jesus saw the faith of the man and
his friends His heart was touched,
and that He was ready to heal. AS
we noted last week, Jesus came firstly
to the earth to heal from spiritual
sickness and sin, rather than bodily
ailments, for mere physical healing
awaited but for season, while spir-
itual cleansing from sin had possibil
tiles for all eternity. Jesus first
therefore, said to the helpless one:
"Thy sins be forgiven thee" The crit
icising Jews near at hand were
amazed at this and said, "Who can for
give sins but God only?" Jesus read
their thoughts and thereupon decided
to show them that His power was
such that He could forgive sins, a |
spiritual act, and cure physical all
ments also. He therefore commanded
the helpless one to 'arise, take up thy
bed and walk" TO the establishment
of the bystanders the sick man rose,
took up his bed and went out of the
house.
One OF the great points Of this les
son is the help which the friends gave
in bringing the helpless one to where
Jesus could help him. 1t is we'll to
pray and express words for the helpl
of others, but there is something else
to be done-personal work in their
behalf Without friends to carry him
and their persistency in overcoming
difficulties the man would not have
been cured either in mind or body.
There is thus call for actual person
al work not alone by one but by many
One may fail, but many will in most
cases succeed
In John 5, 4, there is that remark
able declaration, the motto of the
Woman's Christian Temperance IN
ion: "This is the victory that over
cometh the world, even our faith, and
it is ever SO.
1t is by faith and belief in the words
of the bible that we attain eternal life,
that we overcome the evil tendencies
which spring up in our hearts. Faith
is at the very center of our successes
in Christian life. 1t is said without
faith you can do nothing. The friends
of the sick man had faith that he
would be helped They showed by
tneir actions mat their faith was real,
and a glorious success came to them.
The faith of these men must be ours,
and with it work must be done for
others.