Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1917-02-24

LESSON TEXT John 5i-i5.
GOLDEN TENT-It Nsts Jesus nHicr
had made bin whole John q B.
Following thu events of ja-t sun
days lesson. Jesus went To- Jerusalem
10 attend the feast ". -. u" went ur
according O." the requirements of th'
Jewish law OEN. - ~. see Cal. 40.
hut d" was not satisfied with TIA" con
veutioual fulnHing of The duties Tor
that occasion, nor was he occupied
with social AMI commercial functions
but iU going about doing good The
feast was nm occasion of Joy and mirth
on every band. bur in the midst of It
+ this great need So graphically pie
tuT"d in this lesson. How true this -
"a our daily experience Teachers
should appeal 10 the Imagination of
their scholars and describe "a wildly
as possible this pool. Let them depict
a room on the floor of which T. II pool
IN one corner of the room II stairway
leading up to the ceiling, surrounding
the room. AT the top of the wall
broad walk on the vail. looking down
toward the floor and the pool Is "a
multitude of them that were blind halt
and withpred." These were the
wretched ones who sought the pool,
and evidently Jesus sought ia" most
wretcbed Of this company.
!. Jesus went where there was need
". 81. IN the midst of this company
Jesus Saw" this man lie. lie had been
there often ". -, and his cas-" seemed
to he beyond all hope, hut there -
nothing too hard for God (Gcn. ISL;
Jcr. 32:I7).
H. Jesus throws the responsibility
upon the man ". 81. Jesus had eyes
not only Ia see need. but he also saw
Gods ana his own personal power 10
relieve the need. The question is. what
do We see aS We journey through iitet
Are our eyes open Ia the great needs
of men, spiritually and morally, and
are We aware of the resources which
God has placed at our disposal to meet
these fundamental needs Of mcnf
1T. Jesus was moved with compass
sion Nlatt. II ID. lie always has that
feeling when he looks upon suffering
and the miSfortuneS Of men (I"b.
1873: 4:I5-I8; lisa. G3 -. Jesus does
not do for the man what the man can
do for himself; 81 he makes his first
appeal to the mans desire and through
his desire, To the mans will. wilt thou
be made wholef' The fact that he has
been a long time in his predicament. or
the fact that a sinner has been IL long
time In an evil state is no reason for
supposlng that Jesus will not take In
tereSt In him or that ne cannot save
and help and heal him tMatt. 9:2l {;
Luke SAB; Acts 3D.. His question
throws the whole matter upon the viii
of the man. Jesus is willing ana able ;
the only question is. Hre we willing?
Rev. 22-lO. The only thing that keeps
men from enjoying eternal life is their
personal attitude toward God (JOhn
400. Jesus did not ask the man if
he would be made better. but II he
would be made whole. He does not
wish TO make the sinner better but TO
make him whole.
The man thought the only way he
could be made whole was through the
efficiency Of the waters I'm this pool,
but Jesus. by speaking word. had
the power that would heal him (Ps.
107 :20) 81 today IL is the power of
the word of Christ that can save all
who believe on him Rom. I:t6). All
we have To do TO live is tn hear and
believe John 5:24). With the com
mand of Christ, Rise. take up thy
bed" was enabling power. The cure
was not only complete. hut 1t was in
Simultaneous (ActS 3:7.Sl.
v. He worked a complete cure. He
was made whole even according to the
question which Jesus had asked at the
outset. The man Mt once began to use
this Christgiven strength by taking up
his bed, and doing exactly as he was
commanded Gil Tim. 3:12). Jesus
likes these hard cases. those Of "lOng
standing" ". 81. He also likes those
that are the results of sin, for that was
his work In the world ". Il; Matt.
:2D.
VI. Opposition and danger wv. 10
l5). The objection raised was that .Je-
sus had transgressed the Jewish law.
The mans answer 10 this was, HE
hath made me whole" The word of
God IL our law Matt. 1850. The
strength that Jesus gives us Is 10 be
used In obedience to him I'm clarifying
his name. The man did not tell the
Jews who II was that made him whole,
because ne did not know, himself; but
as soon as he found out who IL was he
told them without fear or hesitancy.
He did not even wait for them to ask
him, but sought an opportunity for
witnessing ". 49,. ANY man who Is
truly saved will at once give his Wit
ness TO others. The admOnitiOn which
Jesus gave Ia this man ". 14) still
holds good. How many men we have
seen who have been saved from the
drink habit or some other evil in life,
and who have grown Indifferent or
careless and returned tn their sin only
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