The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1918-01-17
Lesson Artist Quarter, Janu-
airy II, 1918.
THE INTERNATIONAL. SERIES
Text OF the Lesson, Mark 2;t-t2-
Memory Verse, Mark 2:5-ooIden
Text, Mark 2:to-commentsry Pre-
pared by Rev. o. NJ. stesrns.

commission that repentance and. re-
mission OF sins should be preached In
his name among all nations; In Peters
exhortation at Pentecost that they
should repent and be baptized In the
name OF Jesus Christ for the remission
OF sins, and In Pnul's declaration nj
Antioch that through this Man Is
preached unto you the forgiveness OF
sins. and by him all that believe are
justified from all things Luke "a ~
Acts 2 :3s; IL :3s, 39). On the occasion
of the incident OF our lesson he was
teaching In n house In Capernaum. and
there were Pharisees and doctors OF
the law sitting by which were come
out Of every town of Gnlilee. and Ju-
dea. and Jerusalem: and the power Of
the Lord was present TO heal them
duke 5:l7). The meeting was dis
turbed by men uncovering the roof to
let down through II n man sick OF the
palsy. lying on bed. whom four OF
friends had brought to Jesus. be-
0eving that he would heal him. When
they could not reach Jesus with their
sick friend because OF the multitude
about the house. their faith and perse-
vernnce took this method Of accom-
plishIng their object. The Pharisees
and the doctors were probably dis
turbed by this unusual proceeding. but
the Prince o. Pence was surely calm
ms usual. He had been preaching the
Word 20 all who could hear him. open
ing 20 them the Scriptures. as was his
custom Uuke - %. AZ. but now he
full words, 'Son. be OF good cheer. thy
sins be forgiven thee" lie was
brought that his body might be healed.
and many are thinking more OF that
even nov. than Of the forgiveness OF
their sins, but the healing OF the soul
Is the first and nll-lmportant thing.
"Ye must be born again" Is the essen
tlnl word for even n Nlcodemus. and
the new birth includes the forgiveness
OF sins. when we as sinners plead
guilty. and truly receive the Lord Je-
sus. putting oil our trust In his great
lleving that his own self bore our sins
In his own body on the cross. wounded
for our transgressions. bruised for'our
iniquities. then we can rejoice that
we have been made children Of God.
accepted In the Beloved. and In him
have redemption. the forgiveness of
our sins. with the assurance that they
shall never be mentioned to US Rom.
3:l0. "a; lisa. 80 SO; Peter "a; John
! ~; I John 2 ;l2; Eph. 1 90, Z; lisa.
~ :25). II IL written that Jesus saw
their faith Tvs. -, which may have In
cluded the faith of the sick man. but
we know from the story OF the Roman
centurion. the Syro-Phoeniclan woman
and the Capernaum nobleman that our
faith can bring blessing 90 others
Matt. Sab; 10 :2s: John ;50). Moth
Ing seems 10 please our Lord like great
faith. a simple childfike confidence In
him. just taking him at his word and
counting on him to do as he has said
and without faith II Is impossible to
please him (IIeb. IL 90. yet how often
ne had to say TO his disciples. 20 ye of
little faith" Matt s 20; $3.50; Ii 81
1879. The Scrlbes said truly when
they said, "Who can forgive sins but
God onlyf" Tvs. -. And II they had add
ed This man must be God, they would
have reasoned correctly. but seeing
him only as man they accused him
Of blasphemy. No mortal man can for
sAAN ha ha nr
bishop, or archbishop, or pope. but
the humblest believer Is authorized to
lead a sinner 20 Christ and show him
In the Word the way of forgiveness,
and the Spirit by his Word will give
assurance Of forgiveness to every true
penitent.
n Jesus perceives all our reasonings
VS.. 81 and knows every thought OF
our hearts and by his Spirit and his
Word will cast down all reasonings
and bring all our thoughts into subjec-
ton TO himself (Ezek.1i IS; Ps. 139 IA;
ii Cor. 1914. 8. margin).
b Having given the man forgiveness OF
his sins, and health OF soul. he also
gave him health for his body. and he
went forth before them all carrying
that which had carried him, and his
four friends, as well as himself, must
have been filled with Joy. Such faith
as theirs is never disappointed. The
same great sacrifice Of Christ, by which
we obtain forgiveness of our sins, In
sures 10 us at the resurrection OF the
Just a perfect body Just like his glori-
fed body (Phil. 3 20. 81; i John 81.
p. Between our salvation and that
bright morning OF his coming again he
will see TO II that these mortal bodies
shall have all the health that will glo-
rify him provided that we are fully
yielded 10 him, living sacrifice. ever
only all for him, determined that he
shall be magnined In these bodies
whether by life or death (Rom. 1871,
2; Phil. / :20). Those who witnessed
this miracle glorlfled God. saying, I'VE
never saw II on this fashion" Tvs. 12),
or, eve have seen strange things to-
day" (.uke o :20). There are so many
palsied or paralyzed people in all the
churches, whose feet and hands, and
tongues refuse to glorify God BY word
or deed. =.