Arizona sun., 1947-02-14
JESUS AT THE FEAST
OF TABERNACLES

OF TABERNACLES
LESSON TEXT-John 8:12-16. 31-36; 9:
les.
MEMORY SELECTION-1 am the light
of the world: he that followeth me shall
not walk in darkness. but shall have the
light of life.-John 8:12.
1.-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
dimmed 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-
lieving 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.
I. Light (John 8:12-16).
The text says, '"Then spake
Jesus" When? Just after he had
silenced the hypocritical accusers OF
a woman taken in sin, and had
spoken the word of peace to her
troubled soul. She was to "go 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 it on a low, f1eshly plane. They
even accused Jesus of being a liar.
Think of that!
So it is that men may reject the
Light of God and go on into a 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
III. Freedom wv. 31-36).
Free! Four letters, but what q
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 committeth sin is
the servant Of SIM ". 34) not its
master
How shall they be freed? Note
three things in these verses. O A
condition-''If ye continue in my
word" This means not only a pro.
fession of faith. but 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 seeking after
truth, but how few there are who
look to the one place where it can
be found-in Jesus Christ. 90 A
result-'The truth shall make you
free" Truth always isets 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 iD, or
because they have rejected it.
Freedom and light can lead only
to
iii. Vision John 9:1-5.
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 blighted 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 dc
the works of God. He and the Father
always work. Let us follow his
blessed example. The Kings bust
ness requires haste. Let us work
''while it is day, the night conheth
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 60,
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 tc
see ''is a prophet" All of mans
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