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convention, a concerted gathering at which were assembled Pharisees the acknowledged spiritual leaders of the Jews, respected, nay revered, by all the people and doctors of the law, learned men versed in the Scriptures and esteemed as authorities in all matters relating thereto. These were assembled from every town of Galilee, and Judea, and Jerusalem. There can be no shadow of doubt that they had come for the express purpose of investigating the claims of Jesus as the expected One, the Messiah who was promised to Israel. To investigate, nay to carp and criticize, to criticize God incarnate, Immanuel, God with us! And yet the sacred record adds, & and the power of the Lord was present to heal them (Luke 5:17). Grace, grace, marvelous grace, Grace that will pardon and cleanse within, Grace, grace, infinite grace! Grace that is greater than all my sin! And it was not God s fault if any of them went away unhealed. There is never a person who comes to a healing meeting, I care not how sinful or how sick he may be, but that the power of the Lord is present to heal him. God is not willing that any should 140 The Man Borne of Four perish. He wants to save and heal all. Even if they are carping and criticizing He desires to bring them to repentance and faith and to heal them. It is said of our Lord Jesus Christ that He & went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with Him (Acts 10:38). Now these magnates filled the house where Jesus was teaching so that there was no room for real seekers. There they sat occupying every inch of space, listening with ears that were deaf to the divine power of the message; gazing with eyes blinded lest the light of the glorious gospel should shine into them; refusing to enter themselves and preventing others from entering. There are people today who are regarded as spiritual leaders who are doing that very thing. Into this darkness enters the cluster of flashing faith diamonds. The man borne of four. How do we know that the paralytic exercised faith? Because he allowed the four bearers to carry him, helpless, palsied creature that he was, into a struggling mass of humanity. I spent years in hospitals and I can assure you that it took faith on his part. Many and many a time I have known paralytics refuse absolutely to permit themselves to be moved. If it were done, in spite of their protestations, they would rend the air with their cries and groans. It is hazardous enough to go into a mob like that if you are possessed of all your physical powers, but to allow yourself to be thrust into it when you are a perfectly inert mass of impotence takes faith. Try as they might the courageous four could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude. Did they give up? Did he cry and whimper, Boys, you shouldn t have brought me. Take me home. I only hope I may live to get there. No: he had faith. Faith doesn t know how to give up. Do you remember when Elijah was praying on the top of Mount Carmel and 141 His Healing Power sent his servant to look towards the sea to see if there was any sign of the rain for which he was praying? The servant came back and said, There is nothing. And Elijah said, Go again. And he returned with the same message and received the same instruction. And again, and again and again it was repeated. There could be no giving up. God had promised. So, to return to the paralyzed man and his four bearers, may we not imagine this conversation? We are going to hoist you up the side of the house and let you down through the roof. And his replying, I don t care what you do with me as long as you lay me at the feet of Jesus. That s the place for me. He must have been not only willing but also anxious, or they would never have attempted such a difficult and dangerous proce- dure. I have directed the transfer of too many helpless patients not to know that. Nothing would stop them, the fearless five; faith knows no fear. They tear up the roof; doubtless the owner of the house expostu- lates, and we may imagine the conversation continuing: Never mind, Neuben; we will make you a new roof that will beat this all to pieces, when he is healed. I ll mend it with my own hands, adds the paralytic. Easy there, boys, as they begin to lower him. All right, down you go; you ll walk home, from the faithful four. And with indignant gazes the dignified rabbis behold this igno- rant man, unversed in the Law of Moses, actually about to tumble on their reverend heads. To avert this catastrophe they hastily take them out of the way. And the paralytic reposes restfully at the feet of his Redeemer. Those who have reached that haven of rest after battling midst the fierce waves of physical anguish and mental torture know what 142 The Man Borne of Four blessed quietness fills the entire being there. To alter the dear old hymn a little: From every stormy wind that blows, From every swelling tide of woes, There is a safe, a sure retreat, Tis found at Jesus sacred feet. 143 Chapter 5 At the Beautiful Gate Apparently the friends of this unfortunate man had done all in their power to aid him. Day after day they washed him, dressed him, fed him, and carried him to the Beautiful gate of the temple where A his pitiful plight was sure to appeal to the sympathies of worshipers in that sacred place. And they had persevered in this benevolent work for years, for we are told that the man was about forty years old at the time of his healing. But let us note that all that human effort could accomplish left him outside of everything worthwhile. It was a beautiful gate but he was on the wrong side of it. A gate is something through which to pass to something beyond: an entrance, a portal, to the supply of your needs, the satisfaction of your longings and desires, the fulfillment of your aspirations. How perfectly the condition of this sufferer typifies the state of unregenerate humanity! By nature we are outside the Beautiful gate, far off, without God and without hope; strangers from the covenants of promise. (Eph. 2:12.) It doesn t matter how people may cleanse us by reform methods, or how resolutely we may endeavor to cleanse ourselves, how we may be dressed up in culture, morality, and refinement, we are still outside the Beautiful gate. 145 His Healing Power We may be borne along on our own native resolution, or the will power of others, to the very portal; but we cannot enter; for Jesus has said, & no man cometh unto the Father, but by me (John 14:6). It takes Jesus to bring you in. And how ready He is to do it! See where He comes, in the persons of two of His representatives, Peter and John, and of them the lame man asked an alms. (Acts 3:3.) What a poor, imperfect prayer! But a prayer nevertheless, and oh, the power of prayer! He asked, and One has said, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: for everyone that asketh receiveth& (Matt. 7:7,8). Everyone that asketh, no matter how imperfectly, receiveth. Many years ago I heard a woman address an audience of thou- sands in one of the great cities of the world. She has been in the homeland for a long time now, and it is not necessary to mention the name by which she was known on this earth. Suffice it to say [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] |