The Morgan County press. (Wartburg, Tenn.) 1916-1926, 1917-02-22
LESSON FOR, FEBRUARY rs
JESUS AT POOL OF BETHESDA.
LESSON TEXT-John 5:1-i5.


had made him whole.-John 5:15.
Following the events of last Sum
days lesson, Jesus went to Jerusalem
to attend the feast ". ~. He went up
according to the requirements of the
Jewish law Eek. 81 :23; see Gal. 4 ~,
but he was not satisfied with the con-
vehtional fulfilling of the duties for
that occasion, nor was he occupied
with social and commercial functions,
but in 'going about doing good.' The
| feast was an occasion of joy and mirth
on every hand, but in the midst of it
is this great need so graphically pic
tured in this lesson. How true this is
to our daily experience. Teachers
should appeal to the Imagination of
their scholars and describe as wildly
as possible this pool. Let them depict
room, on the floor of which is pool;
in one corner of the room a stairway
leading up to the ceiling; surrounding
the room, at the top of the wall a
broad walk; on the wall, looking down
toward the floor and the pool is "a
multitude of them that were blind, halt
and withered." These were the
wretched ones who sought the pool,
and evidently Jesus sought the most
wretched of this company.
!. Jesus went where there was need
". 81. In the midst of this company
Jesus "saw" this man lie He had been
there often ". y, and his case seemed
10 ha hou1n1 al homo h1f thnro 1o
nothing too hard for God (Gen. 1874;
Jer. 32:1T.
II. Jesus throws the responsibility
upon the man ". 81. Jesus had eyes
not only to see need, but he also saw
Gods and his own personal power to
relieve the need. The question is, what
do we see as we journey through life?
III. Jesus was moved with compass
sion Matt. IA :14). He always has that
feeling when he looks upon suffering
and the misfortunes of men (Heb.
- g; 4 1916; lisa. 63 ~ Jesus does
not do for the man what the man can
do for himself; SO he makes his first
appeal to the mans desire and, through
his desire, to the mans will, "Wilt thou
be made whole?" The fact that he has
been long time in his predicament, or
the fact that sinner has been q long
time in an evil state is no reason for
that Jesus will not take in
;erest in him or that he cannot sage
md help and heal him Matt. 9:2f;
luke :43; Acts 1922. His question
hrows the whole matter upon the will
# the man. Jesus is willing and able;
he only question is, are we willing?
~. Jesus commands the impossible.
rhe man thought the only way he
ouId be made whole was through the
of the waters In this pool,
tut Jesus, by speaking a word, had
he power that would heal him FPS.
OF :20); so today it is the power of
he word of Christ that can save all
tho believe on him (Rom. 1 :16). All
ve have to do to live is to hear and
elieve (John :24). With the COM
hand of Christ, rise, take up thy
ed" was enabling power. The cure
yas not only complete, but it was in
tantaneous (Acts 1919.
v. He worked a complete cure. He
yas made whole even according to the
uestion which Jesus had asked at the
utget. The man at once began to use
ais Christ-given strength by taking up
is bed, and doing exactly as he was
(II Tim. 3:12). Jesus
kes these hard cases, those of "long
". 81. He also likes those
lat are the results of sin, for that was
Is work in the world ". IA; Matt.
:2D.
vi. Opposition and dagger wv. 10
-. The objection raised was that Je-
is had transgressed the Jewish law.
he mans answer to this was, HE
cd is our law (Matt. 7:5). The
rength that Jesus gives US is to be
sed in obedience to him in clarifying
S name. The man did not tell the
ews who it was that made him whole,
,cause he did not know, himself; but
soon as he found out who it was he
Id them without fear or hesitancy.
e did not even wait for them to ask
IN, but sought an opportunity for
tnessing ". 15). Any man who is
uly saved will at once give his wit
SIS to others. The admonitiOn which
sus gave to this man ". 14) still
Ids good. How many men we have
en- who have been saved from the
ink habit or some other evil i'm life,
d who have grown Indifferent or
releSS and returned to their sin only
have "a worse thing come unto e.
EN-" 1t is interesting to notice that
suS nprfnrlnad this miracle in tho