The Republican., 1947-02-13


MEMORY SELECTION-I am the light
OF the world: he that folloWeth me shall not
walk in darkness, but shall have the light
Of Ife.-John 8:12.
The Light of the World is
Jesus!" Who does not remember
with what delight we as children
sang, Come to the light, It's shin
ing for thee . The Light of the
World is Jesus" How precious was
the truth that thus flooded our souls!
Has the passing of the years
dlnmed the beauty and glory of
that light in our hearts and lives?
Do we need it renewed? God is will
ing and ready. Jesus is the light,
and just as the sunlight sheds its
glory on an awakening world at
dawn, so Christ sheds abroad the
light Of God in the hearts of be-
neVlng men. The writer of these
lessons pens these words with the
prayer that as this portion of God S
Holy Word is studied and taught.
that light may break forth on
many a soul lost in the bewilder-
ment of this dark world.
Our study centers around three
simple words fraught with beauty
and rich in meaning.
j. Light (John 8:12-16).
The text says, "Then spake
Jesus" When? Just after he had
silenced the hypocritical accusers of
woman taken in sin, and had
spoken the word of peace to her
troubled soul. She was to ego and
sin no more" because she had met
him who is the light of the world
They that follow him "shall not
walk in darkness"; they are the
children of light, they have the very
light of life.
How sad it is that with the light
of the world shining in all its bright
ness, men loved their own darkness.
The Pharisees, instead of receiv-
ing the Light, had to argue, and to
do 1t on a low, feshly plane. They
even accused Jesus of being a liar.
Think of that!
So 1t is that men may reject the
Light of God and go on into dark
ness made deeper because they
have seen the light.
Now we look at our second beau
tiful word, How sweet it sounds as
we repeat it
II. Freedom wv. 31-3G).
Free! Four letters, but what a
depth of meaning, Chains have
fallen off, prison doors are open.
The one who was bound is free. But
here we are concerned with an even
more important liberty, the free
dom Of the soul. Many there are
who boast of their independence,
but who are merely slaves Jesus
said: "Whosoever Conmitteth sin is
the servant of sin" ". 34) not its
master.
How shall they be freed? Note
three things in these verses. ID A
condition-'If ye continue in my
word" This means not only pro-
fession of faith, but a daily appro-
priation and realization of his truth
in life. (2) A promise-"Ye shall
know the truth" The philosophers
OF men profess to be a seeking after
truth, but how few there are who
look to the one place where it can
be found-in Jesus Christ. (3) A
result-"The truth shall make you
free Truth always sets free
Men are enslaved because, as in
some foreign lands, they have not
had the opportunity to learn the
truth 1--WE have failed to send it), or
because they have rejected it.
Freedom and light can lead only
III. Vision (John 0:1-5).
This is one Of the most instructive
passages in Scripture. A man born
blind is seen by Jesus. His disciples
note his interest and begin to theor-
ize on a theological question. They
had learned SO little of the COM
passionate spirit of Jesus that they
saw in this blightec, life only an il
lustration Of theological problem.
May God help us that we may never
be so blind
Jesus goes at once to his blessed
work. He was in the world to do
the works of God. He and the Father
always work. Let us follow his
blessed example. The Kings busi-
ness requires haste Let us work
'While it is day, the night cometh
when no man can work.
By a loving and gracious act,
Jesus stirs in the heart of the man
that faith which causes him to go,
to wash, and, glory to God, he
sees!
Such a personal experience of the
divine power of the Son of God
leaves no doubt in the mans mind
that the One who caused him to
see ''is a prophet" All of a mans
doubts concerning the deity of Jesus
Christ disappear when he becomes
his Saviour
Do not fail 10 read the remainder
Of the chapter and note how this
mans faith was victorious in the
face Of trials, persecution, and even
of accommodation for outside the
temple he met Jesus and took him
as his Lord. AS Dr. Scroggie puts
it, His eXcommunication was
promotion. He went from the syn
agogue to the Saviour"
Gerhard Eisler. described as one Of