The Red Cloud chief., 1917-03-29
LESSON FOR APRIL I
JESUS GIVES SIGHT TO BLIND

entire chapt,rD
GOLDEN TENT am the light OF the
world.-John 90.
This. another of the signs which
Jesus performed, is recorded only by
John. II probably occurred I'm Octo.
Der, six months before the c%rucinxion,
while Jesus was attending the Feast
of the rabcrnaclcS. There are six
other cases of blindness recorded as
having been cured. Look them up.
!. The Case wv. 1-l). It was abso.
lutcly hopeless. No human skill could
touch It, but Jesus passed by and
that changed everything. What men
cannot do Jesus AN. Jesus is passing
today, and we may expect things quite
rs wonderful To- happen (John 1i:12).
This blind man illustrates the unsavcd
sinner Il Cor. 2:lD. lie never had
seen. He was beyond humnn help ".
32). He had doubtless given up all
hope of seeing. He was without sym
rathy, suspected and dcSpiscd wv. .,
3D. Poor-he was Il bCggnr. lie is
also II type OF the nation of Israel
uicv. 3:lO. We must not attempt To
explain all sickness ". -. God fire.
Qucntly uses ii for the advancement
of his kingdom (John II :4). Jesus
not only passed by but he saw The
feeling of the crowd was that of curl.
osity and contempt. His feeling was
that of compassion wv. .. 4 and 81.
Sickness sometimes manifcSts Gods
SIIStpipinsy ,,rn,,n lII Tn,- 10 90 1nN n.
is doubtless true that II large percent
age of sickness Is the direct result Of
sin (JOhn 5:14; Nix. 2:5; Acts L. :23),
some, of course, indirectly (Job % Ia
30).
u. The Cure wv. 4-11). The word
must in verse four is II strong one.
The time for us to do our work is
now" This word 'must" carries with
IL the idea of n divine imperative, and
the reason for that impcrativcncss is
the approaching might" 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 Specializing
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
Spite. The miracle was performed I'm
plain view of all who might see. The
man did not ask Jesus to help him, but
Jesus had gone where he was ". 81.
His words, SEQ wash" were a test OF
the mans faith Gil Kings 5:l0-14),
and his part In the transaction was a
testimony that 1t was Christ who
worked the cure. The use OF the
material means in this ceremony made
the man more willing to go and wash.
1t gave him something to do. and doing
Is always an end to faith. Sloan
means 'sent," and was a type of Jesus
himself ". 4; John 10 :3G; Rom. S:3;
Gal. 40. If we wish to receive sight
for our blind eyes, we should go to
him and battle (John 8:12).
III. The Controversy ". IL to end Of
chapter). This controversy gave OPP
%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 n prophet" He Is a
prophet ". ~, and later still he
recognizes him as 'The Son Of God"
wv. 35-3S). This controversy estab-
lished beyond question the fact Gf the
cure. 1t brought out the deity of
Christ ". 33). The man was excom-
municated, but for that matter he was
already outside because of his physical
lnfirmity, but, best Of all, he became
truly Chrlst's disciple.
". Comments. This lesson with It's
vivid contrasts Of belief and unbelief
gives us II wonderful opportunity to
urge upon pupils Il decision to live the
Christian life. Has Christ opened the
eyes of our scholars to the love Of
God, 10 the awfulncsS of sin, to the
need Of II Savior, our divine Leader
and Brother? Urge them, in the class
and out, to be as outspoken and cour-
agcous 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.
Being cast out by the rules Of the
synagogue brought this man into closer
and deeper fellowship and commun-
ion with Jesus.
He had believed far enough to obey
his bidding, and had thus been healed.
Now he Is brought to a great saw
Ing, transforming faith, viz, that Jesus
Is the Son of God.
Do we take advantage Of our prlvi-
lege Of cOnfeSsiOnp
Before Christ came there we're no
hospitals.
He is the inspiration of all charitable
institutions, but healing of the body Is