Covenanter Witness Vol. 53 - Rparchives.org

son"years'There was a very sick man in Capernaum. He could not walk but had tostay in bed. Four of his friends were veryanxious to get him to Jesus. So they decided to pick up his bed and carry him tothe house where they heard Jesus was.But whentheygot there the place waspacked! How were they going to get in?The people inside were very selfish. Noone would let these men and the bedin, so they could get the sick man toJesus. But the sick man was very anxiousto see Jesus and the four men would notturn back until they had tried everythingthey could think of to get in. At last theythought of a plan. The houses in Palestine had flat roofs with an outside stairway leading upto the roof. These fourmen carried bed and all up the outsidestairway to the roof. They found outwhat part of the roof was very nearlyabove where Jesus was sitting in thehouse. Then the men began to take theroof apart! The people inside heard thesound and as they looked up they saw abed with a sick man in it being let downthrough the roof. Now they had to makeroom for the bed, or it would sit ontop of them.When Jesus saw that these men reallythought He could help, He turned to thesins besick man and said, "Son, thyforgiven thee." What a queer thing tosay! Jesus is teaching us that it is moreimportant to have our sins forgiven thanit is to have our bodies well and strong.How often we pray that God will makelis well when we are sick and forget toask Him to forgive and take away oursins.Some of the people sitting in the roomthought in their hearts, "This Jesus isonly a man. Who does He think Heis? Only God can forgiveJesus can read even our thoughts. Hesins."Butknows what you and I are thinking. Howcareful we should be not even to thinkevil thoughts. And Jesus knew what thesemen were thinking. So He said, "Whyare you thinking that I am not God? Justto show you that I am God and can forgive sin, I'll do something that no mancan do." And He turned to the sick manand said, "Get up, pick up your bed andcarry it home." What! a sick, weak man"who had been in bed for years gettingup and having the strength to roll up hisbed and carry it! And the people droppedtheir jaws in amazement and said, "Wenever saw this done before." And instead of thinking Jesus was only a man,they were sure He was God.Yes, Juniors, Jesus is God. Manychurch people would like us to believethat Jesus is only a man and just showedus how to be kind and loving and helpful to one another. But Jesus showed usby His miracles that He is God. No mancould do what He did. Men who say Je-December 29, 1954sus is only a man, have never knownHim.1. Where did the miracle in our lessontake place? Mark 2:12. How did four men and a sick manshow their faith? Mark 2:43. Why do you think Jesus first said,"Thy sins be forgiven thee" (Mark 2:5)instead ofhealing the sick man?4. How did Jesus show that He wasGod? Mark 2:10, 115. What effect did this miracle haveon the people? Mark 2:12For your notebook: Draw a picture offour men carrying, on their shoulders,a stretcher with a man on it.SABBATH SCHOOL LESSONJanuary 16, 1955CHRIST THE SON OF THE LIVINGGODRev. W. J. McBurney(LessonB based an International Sunday SchoolLessons ; the Intsrnational Bible Lessons foiChristian Teaching, copyrighted by the InternationalCouncil of Religious Education.)Matt. 16:13-17; John 5:17, 18; 1:1-14;14:8-14; 17:1-5; Phil. 2:5-11; Col. 1:15-20; Heb. 1:1-4Printed Text, Matt. 16:13-17;John 14:8-14Caesarea Philippi was at the base ofMount Hermon, near the headwatersof the Jordan. Alone with His disciples,Jesus led them to see the differences between the opinions of men and the truthconcerning Himself. Men, groping to explain His wonderful words and works,thought He must be John the Baptist, orone of the prophets. One of these men,noted for insight and fearlessness, musthave risen from the dead. Had the disciples shared in this delusion? Peterspoke for them. He announced the central truth on which the Gospel rests. Hehad not learned it from the wisdom ofmen. It had been revealed to him by theHeavenly Father.Both in doctrine and conduct, we areprone to be swayed by the opinions andpractices of men. Cefas, Peter, was nevercalled a Rock. But he announced theRock, the foundation of our salvation,THE CHRIST, THE SON OF THELIVING GOD. It is significant that inthis connection, Christ called Peter,Bar-Jonah (son of Jonah). It was those whodid not know Christ that called him sonof Joseph. Christ called himself The Sonof Man, and The Son of God, not A son.John records twenty-four times that Jesus spoke of his relationship with TheFather. He is the Son byPeter could become "aeternal right.by adoption.Satan sifted Peter and found much chaff.Surely Satan did not know,or understand, Christ's relationship to the Father,or he would not have wasted time tryingto prove Him false.John 14:8. Philip was partly right; Atrue vision of God, is all-sufficient. ButPhilip had been blind to his opportunity.Christ's mission was to reveal the Fatherin Himself. It was because of this revealingof the Father that the Jewssought the more to kill Christ. The Jewsconsidered neither the voice of God, northe works of Christ.When Philipfailed to receive the truththrough the higher channel, Christ offeredhim evidences to his senses. God's worksdeclare Him. The Truth is written plainfor all who sincerely seek it. Philipbrought his question to the right source.Christ gave him two answers; the firstwas Himself, the second was His works.Some minds receive evidence through thesenses more readilythan through spiritual appeal, and to meet such naturesChrist performed signs and wonders. Thiswas Christ's answer to the messengersof John the Baptist. Philipshould havebeen beyond the Junior grade in his studyof Christ and God. Christ was ready tomeet him where he was, and give him instruction suited to his attainments.v. 12. "Greaterworks."Yes, but not inquality, however. There were four men,who under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, wrote their story of the Life of Christ.Each, we suppose, wrote one copy. Theseare by far the best stories of the Life ofChrist that have ever been written. Christians today are producingmillions ofcopies of the Gospels, a greater workthan the authors ever dreamed of. Butnot better. It is possible that Billy Graham carried the message to more peoplelast year, than Christ met in His threeministry. And Billy is onlyone ofmany thousands that are carrying themessage today. A greater work, but notby man's power or skill. Christ said, "Because I go to the Father." Not becauseHe was going away, but because He wasarriving. He was not deserting His disciples, or His cause. He was going to abetter vantage point from which to bewith them in His Spirit of Power, evenunto the end of the world."If ye ask anything in My Name."Simple? Not very. Once, in a strange citywhere I was entirely unknown, where Ihad neither money nor property, I wentinto a Bank and asked for a sizeableamount of money. The banker gave it tome with a smile. A man whose name waswell known had given me a slip of paperauthorizingme to receive in his namea certain amount of money. When we askin Christ's name, it must be for what Hehas given us authority to ask, and wemust sign our name.John 14:13 ". . . . that the Father maybe glorified in the Son." What is the chiefend of man? Could any greater honor bebestowed on men than that Christ wouldallow him to glorify God by receiving411