The Carlisle independent., 1917-02-15
LESSON FOR FEBRUARY 18
JESUS HEALS NoBLEmAN's SON.
LESSON TExT-John 4:48-54.

This event occurred a few days aft CT that of last Sundays lesson. IL was Jesus second miracle in Cana John the Baptist is still preaching, and Jesus is closing the first year of his ministry and beginning his work in Galilee. Teachers should bring a vivid picture of Galilee to their classes, as that was one of the im' portant fields to which our Master de voted much of his time. Cor descrip- tion see some good Bible dictionary0 The people of that land were more worldly, less bound by conventional ities, and more accessible to the teach ings which Jesus brought than those of Judea Josephus says they were fond of innovations, and disposed to changes"
 I. suppIcation {Testine) w. 43-49 Jesus left the revival at Sanaria (yv 39-4D and returned to Galilee. His own people of Nazareth refused to ac- cept him flor a prophet hath no honor in his own country" It was in Galilee. that he had his great victories. Here he was welcome (v. 45) because they had known the things that he did at Jerusalem, the report of which was brought back by those who had visited the feast John 2:14-10. In Cana (Ch. 2:11) one came to him who was kings officer one who was used to command and whose great personal need overcame any prejudice (Matt 9.1S: Luke ' D. God uses atIlictions ofttimes to drive us to him. and the most effective way to induce men to come to Jesus is to bring them to recognize their need which he alone can supply. The lad was "at the point of death" hence the fathers journey of twenty miles from Capernaum to Cana. seeking help. We have here the weakness of faith indicated in verse forty-eight. in that the man would not believe except he should see signs and wonders. We have also the earnest ness of the man in verse 49. "Sir. come down ere my child dien Mans extremity is ever Gods oppor- tunity. Not only extreme cases of sickness can be brought to him, but extreme cases of sin as well q Tim. :15; Heb. 7:25). He can heal not only those who are "at the point of death" but those who are already dead (Eph. 2:1). The child was dy- ing, the father had not strength to wait to see wonders, but he could and did trust Jesus to heal his son.
 Il. Surrender (Trustng) w. 5O-51. When the soldier took Jesus at his word he surrendered his previous con- ception, and accepted the word of God; literally acting upon his belief. He went his way because he believed He did not ask Jesus again to go to Capar- naUm. We must not confuse this kind of faith, however. with his having ac- cepted Jesus as Savior He accepted Jesus only as healer. We have men today who will accept Jesus Christ in the perfection of his character and the purity of his teachings but who will not accept him to be their personal Savior Such men want to receive the benefits of Christianity, failing to rec ognize it's spiritual power and author ity.
 III. Satisfaction (Triumph) (vv. 52- 54). The fathers faith rose to the need for "he believed the word that Jesus spake" That word did not seem at all probable, but it was enough. The word of Jesus who is, himself, the truth, is a sure and more reasonable ground of faith than any amount of speculation. This fathers walk from Cana to Capernaum was a walk of faith. He had nothing but a bare prom iSe to support him, yet on his return he found his son living (v. 52). On this word of Jesus he, himself be- lieved, and his whole house. It seems improbable that this could be otherwise if he were an honest man.
 ". Suggestions CD The living, per sonal presence of Christ is not need- ful. It was a wise provision of Gods economy that Christ should have re- turned to heaven.
 CD Acts are the true indications of our faith Gods written revelation and the revelation of his son, the Liv- ing Word, and the witness of the ex- perience of Gods saints are sufficient facts upon which to base faith.
 (3) Faith is progressive. Notice the growth from verses AS to 50 and 53.. At first the man, believed in Jesus power; then he beleived in Jesus word and believed in Jesuss himself; then he reaches the highest point in that he does not believe alone, for his whole house believed with him.
 (4) Faith is the source of all Christian gifts and graces. We have an advantage over these Galileans of nearly nineteen centuries of what Christ has wrought among the peoples of the earth among those who have believed on him. He has been tried and proved, and the gifts of Gods grace, eternal life, the gifts of the Spirit are all conditioned upon our faith in him and in the Lord Jesus.
 Our salvation from sin, our effective