The Green Forest tribune., 1917-03-30

| JOnn. IL pf0DaDly occurred Tn OctO- Der, six months before the crucifiXion, while Jesus was attending the Feast of the Tabernacles. There are six other cases of blindness recorded as having been cured. Look them up.
 l.. The Case (vv. 1-H. It was abso- lutely hopeless No human skill could touch it, but Jesus passed by" and that changed everything. What men cannot do Jesus can. Jesus is passing today, and we may expect things quite as wonderful to happen (John IA :12) This blind man illustrates the unsaved sinner q Cor. 2:14). He never had seen. He was beyond human help (v. 32). He had doubtless given up all hope of seeing. He was without sym pathy, suspected and despiSed (vv. 2, 34). Poor-he was beggar. He is also q type of the nation of Israel l (Rev. 8 I'D. We must not attempt to explain all sickness (v. 3. God ire quently uses it for the advancement of his kingdom (John Il :4. Jesus not only passed by but he. saw" The feeling of the crowd was that of curi- Osity and contempt. His feeling was that of compassion (vv. 2, and g.. Sickness sometimes manifests Gods | sustaining grace (II Cor. F :S-10). It Is doubtless true that large percent age of sickness is the direct result of sin (John 5 IA Mk. 2 :5; Acts 12 :23), some, of course, indirectly (Job 23 IA 30).
 II. The Cure (vv. AID. The word must" in verse four is a strong one. The time for us to do our work is now" This word must" carries with 1t the idea of a divine imperative, and the reason for that imperativeness is the approaching night Night is coming fast, when no man can work. Notice the works we are to do are not our own, but the works of him that sent me-" Compare carefully verses two and four, and see that Jesus con sidered delivering the man from evil far more important than speeulating about the origin of his complaint. Too much time is spent in investigation. Let us have more of action. The means used in this cure were clay and Spittle. The miracle was performed in plain view of all who might see. The man did not ask Jesus to help him, but Jesus had gone where he was (v. 5. His words, Go wash" were a test of the mans faith QI Kings 5:10-14, and his part in the transaction was a testimony that it was Christ who worked the cure. The use of the | material means in this ceremony made the man more willing to go and wash. It gave him something to do, and doing is always an end to faith. Siloam means sent" and was a type of Jesus himself (v. 4; John 10 :36; Rom. S:3; Gal. 4 :4). If we wish to receive sight for our blind eyes, we should go to him and bathe (John S:12). Prompt obedience was the best evidence of the mans faith. The nature of this cure was that it was complete (v. D. ChristS work always arouSes discus sion, and causes division (vv. S-12). In | answer to an inquiry the man showed his manliness by saying, q am the one lAIot "ao Nul GU NI1e tudl Sdl anu begged). His frank testimony about Jesus was not well received.
 III. The Controversy (v. 12 to end of chapter). This controversy gave op- portunity for testimony, as we have already seen, first of all upon the part of the man whose testimony was pro- gressive. At first he merely spoke of the fact. He was not acquainted with Jesus, for he calls him "The man called Jesus" Later on he Is moved to call him a prophet" He is prophet (v. ID, and later still he recognizes him as ''The Son of God" (vv. 35-3S). This controversy estab- lished beyond question the fact of the cure. It brought out the deity of Christ (v. 33). The man was excom- municated but for that matter he was already outside because of his physical Infirmity. but, best of all, he became truly Christs disciple. Those who heard him testify wanted to see Jesus (v. 12). The man did not dodge the Issue when he was brought before the enemies of Christ. His question, How can man that is a sinner do such signs?" was an unanswerable one, and when he saw their hesitancy and con sternation he boldly proclaimed of Jesus-"He is a prophet"
 W. Comments. This lesson with it's vivid contrasts of belief and unbelief gives us a wonderful opportunity to urge upon pupils decision to live the Christian life. Has Christ opened the eyes of our scholars to the love of God, to the awfulness of sin, to the need of Savior, our divine Leader and Brother? Urge them, in the class and out, to be as outspoken and cour- ageous for Christ as was this man who had never before perhaps seen or heard of Jesus, and whose gratitude at once called forth this wonderful con- fession. Conditions of healing in this case are twofold: First, faith, and. second, obedience. As we have already indicated, all sickness is not the result of sin, nor are we convinced that all healing is of faith, independent of the use of remedies. We do not question Gods ability to cure with or without remedies; According to your faith be 1t unto you," nor do we consider heal ing by faith the highest evidence of the grace and power of God as we often infer from the testimony of some Christians.
 Being cast out by the rules of the