The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1943-02-12

GOLDEN TEXT-"One thing know. that,
whereas was blind. now see" John 9:25.
The love of Christ is seen in its
full beauty against the background
of mans hatred and unbelief. Last
week we saw Him coming away from
the stones with which his enemies
sought to kill him. AS He passed by
He had the time and the compass
sion to stop and help man who
had been born blind. His disciples,
afflicted in some degree with the
speculative tendencies of their time,
saw in this blighted life only an il
lustration of a theological theory
about sin.
But Jesus, by loving and
gracious act, stirred in the heart of
the man that faith which caused
him to obey-to go, to wash, and to
see ". y. The enemies of Christ
were not willing to believe even
what they now saw to be true. Their
stubborn unbelief shut the door to
blessing for them, but the blind
man received three things by faith:
/. Healing wv. 1929.
The argument with the mans par
ents hinged on one point-he had
been healed of his blindness. The
parents were unwilling to risk ex-
communication by discussing the
matter, but they did know that he
had been blind and now could see.
That was clear.
An experience like that is impos-
sible to deny. The healing of the
soul of man in regeneration is also
a stubborn fact which deniers of
Gods Word and Gods grace are
unable to meet and overcome. The
one who was blind and now could
see had no questions about the deity
of Christ and His saving power.
What is more, he was not afraid to
testify. He could speak for HIM
SELF ". Ply.
Note the difference between the
three classes here: Blind and stub
born unbelief ". 18), faith too fear
full to speak ". 22), and the assured
faith of the one healed. That is our
next point.
III. Assurance wv. 24-34).
The appeal of the Jews in verse
"a based on their statement: "We
know that this man is sinner"
reminds us that there is no knowl-
edge so absolute (and so absolutely
wrong) as that of ignorance backed
by self-conceit.
They said they knew, but did not.
The man had complete assurance
by faith and by experience. He did
not argue ". 24), he simply restated
his healing. 81 was blind-now I
see.' When they evaded that reply
(for they dared not meet it,, he
thrust deep with the convicting fact
that God does not perform His mira
cles in response to the prayers of a
wicked man. That was too much
for them, and they cast him out.
Even as the stupidity and stub
born willful unbelief of our Lords
enemies grew step by step, so also
did the healed mans assurance grow
as he testified. First he called the
Lord "a man called Jesus" ".
,11); then "a prophet" ". ~, and
then at last, 'the Son of God' wv.
$3.50.
Standing true to Christ and speak
ing for Him means growth in faith,
in knowledge and in grace. It may
mean persecution and even exclu-
sion, but remember that when the
man was cast out by the haters of
Christ, he met Christ. Ellis excom-
munication was a promotion. He
went from the synagogue to the
Saviour" (Scroggie). And that is
our third point.
III. Fellowship wv. $3.50.
He did not know Jesus. He had
heard His voice, but he was blind
then and had not seen Him. He
probably did not know where to find
Him. Then, too, he was now an
outcast under the disfavor Of the
authorities, and even his friends
would fear to be seen with him.
But Jesus sought him. All, that's
the glorious difference between our
Lord and those who look at the out
ward appearance of things. He went
to find the man who now needed
fellowship, instruction and encour-
agement. ,N
He had sought the man out to heal
him, now He sought him again to
help him spiritually. We need to
learn of our Lord that we are not
to wait until the sin and suffering
of men force themselves upon our
attention and force us to do some
thing. We are to 60 out into the
highways and the hedges and urge
sinners to come to Christ. We have
failed in this. We have built churches
and expected the people to come,
instead of going where the people
are, and bringing them the gospel.
The war is teaching us some lessons
in that connection, but we are none
too quick to learn and to act.
There is a beautiful touch in verse
81. DIR. Maclaren points out that
when speaking to the woman of
Samaria, Jesus said: 81 that speak
unto thee am he" but to the man
IL s..rk L1.,,x. 81 coo II. 4 4.