Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1914-03-11
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson W.-First Quarter, For
March IS, 1914.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Text of the Lesson, Luke xiii, 1917;
xiv, 1-6-Memory Verses, 3-5-Gold-
en- Text, Mark ii, 27-commentary
Prepared by Rev. D. M. Stearns.


Prepared by Rev. q. M. Stearns.
Both of the portions assigned for to-
day are Sabbath day incidents. In
the first He healed a woman in the
synagogue who had been afflicted
eighteen years, and in the second He
healed a man who had the dropsy in
the house of one of the chief Phari-
sees. The ruler of the synagogue was
indignant because the woman had
been healed on the Sabbath day, for
the day was more to them than the
Lord who gave them the day, and
they had not learned that the one in
their midst was the Lord even of the
Sabbath day, greater than the tenn
pie. and that it was lawful to do well
on the Sabbath day CMatt. xii. 6-S, 12l.
The late DR.. Weston of Crozier semi
nary says, in his notes on Matthew,
that the immediate occasion of the
determination by the Jewish rulers to
put Christ to death was His relation
to the Sabbath. Christ claimed that
the Jewish nation were His people;
that as Son of Man He was greater
than their greatest king. greater than
the temple, greater than the sacrifices,
greater than the Sabbath; that all
these were ordained for the sake of
redemption. that God might through
them show mercy; that His object was
to give, not to receive. and that neces-
sarily the Redeemer was greater than
all the means of redemption.
The Jewish Sabbath was the one Pc
culiar and distinctive ordinance of the
nation. 1t was the Jewish national
flag. If the nation is to be deprived
of its distinction from other nations,
what is the use of being Gods people?
Pride, self righteousness, arrogance.
had taken possession of them. Incar-
nate love was in their midst doing its
mighty works. and they thought it
was Satan.
They did not know heaven from hell
sin from holiness, God from the devil.
Their case was hopeless. The nation
was doomed. Yet He was slow to cast
them off. Ephraim was Joined to idols.
Israel would not frame her doings to
turn unto her God. yet His cry was,
"How shall l give thee up? (Hos. iv,
II; V, 4; Ii. 81
AS He said in the parable of the IN
fruitful fig tree, Let it alone this year
also till 1 shall dig about it and dung
it, and If it bear fruit, well, and, if
not, then after that thou shalt cut it
down. duke xiii, 6-9). He is slow to
anger and plenteous in mercy. not will
ing that any should perish. but the
day of the Lord will come QI Peter Iii.
9, 10Y. He delights in mercy and low
ing kindness, and judgment is His
strange work Oer tx, %, "a; Hos. vi,
6; lisa. xviii. 2D.
Sabbath signifies rest and a ceasing
from our own works (Gen. ii. 1-3; Heb.
Nv, 3, 4, 1O). but these hypocrites were
full of their own works, their own
days, their own feasts and their own
ways and were so occupied with them
and blinded by them that they could
not see the light from heaven that
was in their midst.
The sicknesses which He healed
were typical of the spiritual condition
of the nation and of the condition of
multitudes today. This woman in the
synagogue was like many who are
found in our churches. She was long
Years bowed down, bound by Satan
and utterly unable to lift herself up
Every unsaved person is bound by
Satan and unable to loosen or lift up
himself, aud neither the synagogue
nor any mere human agency can do
any good, for by the deeds of the law
can no one be justified. for the law,
although holy and just and good. can
not give life Gal. ii, 16; iii. 10. Il, 81;
Rom. vii. ~.
By one word. one touch. from Him
who is the end of the law for right
eousness to every one that believeth
the infirmity of eighteen years instant
ly disappeared. the bound one was
loosed from the bond of Satan. the
people rejoiced. and the adversaries Of
the Lord We're ashamed.
Thus it was with Saul of Tarsus
when he saw the same Lord on the
way to Damascus. Thus it will be
with Israel as nation when they
shall see the same Jesus coming in
His glory. Thus it has been with
multitudes now in glory and multi
tudes still on earth. and thus it might
be with every one still bound ny
Satan if they would let the Lord lay
His hand upon them and speak peace
to them. for the free gift of God is
eternal life. and whatsoever will may
take it Rom. vi, %; Rev. xxi. ~.
In our second portion He did not
say. (which of you shall see,'' but
(which of you shall have an OK or an
ass fallen into a pit" Surely He can
save His own property at any time
and in any place. but His pitiful cry
Is, Eye will not come unto me; Israel
would have none of me" John v. 40;
Ps. lxxxi, III. The woman came to
Him when He called her xiii. ~, and