THE KING’S BUSINESS
170
(Matt. 8:5-13), but the points of difference are far more noticeable than the points of similarity. The two miracles were per formed at different places, at different times, upon different persons. There are the most striking and suggestive Contrasts between the centurion with his extraordi nary faith at the very beginning (see Matt,» 8 : 8 - 1 0 ) and this king’s officer with his very weak faith at the beginning. Only a deter mination to reduce the miracles of our Lord to as small a number a? possible and to convict the evangelists of inaccuracies could ever have led any one to confuse these two miracles. Each has its own lessons. What kind of faith did the nobleman manifest by his reply to the Lord? Mark 5:23. Did Christ perceive that the man had faith? Acts 14:9, 10. Who had a like faith? Rom. 4:20, 21. Was his faith enlarged by seeing his son ? v. 53. What like example have we of faith perfected? John'4:39-41, 42. Is faith shown by obedience to the Word? Heb. 11:19. What should be our attitude toward the Word of Christ? John 2:5. PRACTICAL POINTS (1) Sickness was a blessing to this home; it brought Christ into it. (2) If Christ is not willing to heal, it is because it is not His will to heal. (3) The nobleman’s faith rested uj>on Christ’s works; He wanted it to rest upon His Word. (4) Christ hears every call from the human heart. (5) The faith of the believer is fixed upon facts. ( 6 ) Let patience have her perfect work. OUTLINE ( 3 ) F a ith P erfected , v*. 49 -5 4 .
it was the second miracle of a certain char acter, viz., performed immediately upon coming out of Judea into Galilee, as in the case of turning the water into wine (see ch. 2:11). The use of the word “again” in this verse is one of the marked' char acteristics of John’s style, just as the fre quent occurrence of the word “imme diately” or “straightway” is of Mark’s style. The word is found 47 times in John’s Gospel, only twice in Luke’s and only 17 times in Matthew. The attempt has been made by not a few critics to identify this miracle with that recorded by Matthew in the healing of the centurion’s servant ( 1 ) F a ith ’s B irth, vs. 43 -4 7 . What is the seed of faith? 1 Peter 1:23. How does faith come? Rom. 10:17. What had the nobleman heard concern ing Jesus? v. 45. How was faith strengthened in John the Baptist? Matt. 11:2-5. What other illustrations can we find of faith inspired by hearing? 2 Kings 5:1-5, 14. What is essential in order that this mes sage may be heard? Rom. 10:14, 15. Who are responsible for the giving of this Word? 2 Cor. 5:20. Was Paul stimulated in faith by hearing? Col. 1:4, 6 . ( 2 ) F a ith ’s T rial, v. 48 . Do men look for signs and wonders as a basis for faith? Luke 11:29. Does Satan work signs and wonders ? 2 Thess. 2:9. Did Jesus test the nobleman’s faith? v. 48. Why did Jesus test his faith? James 1:3. What is the fruit of tested faith? 1 Peter 1:7. Did Job stand the test? Dan. 6:16-24; Job 13:15. Did Abraham stand the test? Gen. 22:1-14. . Did Paul stand the test ? Acts 27:25. LESSON
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