Middletown transcript., 1917-02-17
INTERNATIONAL,
SUNlMSQlO0L
LESSON
By E. o. SELLERS. Acting Director OF
Sunday School Course of Moody BiDte
Institute.)
(Copyright 1917, Western Newspaper Union)
LESSON FOR FEBRUARY IS
JESUS HEALS NoBLE-1aTs SON.

JESUS HEALS NOBLE-<iN'S soN'
LESSON TEXT-John 4:43-H
GOLDEN TEXT-As thou hast believe
cd, 80 be 1t done unto thee.-Matt. S:A
This event occurred few days ant
er that Of last Sundays lesson. 1t
was Jesus second miracle in Cana.
John the Baptist is still preaching, ana
Jesus is closing the first year OF his
ministry and beginning his work In
Galilee. Teachers should bring q
vivid picture of Galilee to their
classes, as that was one OF the I'M
portant fields to which our Master de-
voted much of his time. (For descrfp-
ton see some good Bible dictionary
The people of that land were mora
worldly, less bound by conventional
tiles, 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"
l.. suppIication (Testing) w. 43-49.
Jesus left the revival at Samaria wv.
39-44) and returned to Galilee. Els
own people Of Nazareth refused to ac-
cept him "for prophet hath no honor
in his own country" 1t was in Galilee
that he had his great victories. Here
he was welcome ". 45) because they
had known the things that he did al
Jerusalem, the report Of which wac
brought back by those who had visited
the feast (John 2:14-1O. In Cana
(Ch. 2:11) one came to him who was
q kings officer, one who was used to
command, and whose great personal
need overcame any prejudice (Matt
9:18: Luke 7:2). God uses affections
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 die"
Mans extremity is ever Gods oppor.
tunity. Not only extreme cases OF
sickness can be brought to him, buf
extreme cases of sin rs well Il Tims
1:15; Heb. 7:25). He can heal not
only those who are "at the point of
death" but those who are already
dead (Eph. Ply. 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.
II. Surrender (Trusting) w. 50-51
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 its spiritual power and author
ity. It was probably one o'clock when
Jesus spoke the healing word In Cana.
At that same hour the household at
Capernaum saw the change in the sick
boy for "the fever left him." We
may we'll imagine the Joy which pos
sessed the father and that household
on the following day when he received
this report.
III. Satisfaction (Triumph) wv. 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 1t was enough. The
word Of Jesus who u.s. 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 walk OF
faith. He had nothing but bare prom
ise to support him, yet on his return
he found his son living ". SPY. On
this word Of Jesus he, himself, be.
lieved, and his whole house. 1t seems
improbable that this could be otherwise
II he were an honest man. If any
father who is an honest man will read
the records Of the life Of Jesus with.
out being convinced that the stories
are true, by that disbelief he gives
evidence Of his lack of sincerity, and
any father who believes, and whose
household does not also believe, gives
evidence Of a fundamental weakness
in either his own profession or Ia his
application of the truths of the gospel
w. Suggestions (D The living, per
sonal presence Of Christ Is no. need
full. 1t was wise provision Of Gods
ecopsmy that Christ should have re
turned to heaven.
(2) Acts are the true indications o1
our faith. Gods written revelation
and the revelation Of his son, the Liv
ing Word, and the witness Of the e1
perience of Gods saints are sufficient
facts upon which to base faith.
(3) Faith is progressive. Notice tn,
growth from verses 48 to SO and So.
At first the man believed in Jesus
power; then he believed in Jesus
word, and believed in Jesus, himself
then he reaches the highest point IL
that he does not believe alone, for hi
whole house believed with him.
(4) Faith is the source of al
| Christian gifts and pracoS Wo bor