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T HE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S (2) THE HELPLESS WOMAN, y. 11. “ Bowed down and could in no wise lift up herself.” An illu stration of poor, helpless hu m anity is found in th is woman. God made man to differ from th e animals— th e ir faces are earthw ard ; man was made to look God in the face, bu t Satan, by his power over Adam and Eve, won th eir faith in his word. They doubted and denied God’s Word, lost th e ir r g -1 to look God in th e face, hid in the bushes and ever since, by n atu re, th eir faces have been earthw ard. H ere is an opportunity to stress the power of Satan, as prince of th is world, to bind humanity, to pu t a heavy yoke upon th e ir necks, and make them help less slaves. “ She could in no wise lift herself up.” No man can by any human means change his natu re. He has a crooked natu re. (Psa. 38:6) am tro u b le d ; I am b ow ed dow n g r e a tly ; I g o m o u rn in g a ll th e d a y lo n g .” He needs a hew nature. He must be born anew. (John 3 :3 ) “J e s u s a n s w e re d a n d sa id u n to h im , V erily , v e rily , I sa y u n to th e e , E x c e p t a m a n be born, a g a in , b e c a n n o t se e th e k in g d om o f G od.” It is th is picture of all men which we need to see and understand,— help less, hopeless, bowed down w ith a weight of sin and woe. (3) THE HEART OF JESUS, v. 12. “And when Jesus saw h er.” She was in th e synagogue, bu t the synagogue could not help her. Jesus saw her. Thank God. “T h e e y e s o f th e L o rd a r e In e v e ry p lace, b eh o ld in g th e ev il a n d th e g o o d .” (P ro v . 15:3). The “ eye” stands for knowledge. God knows. Not an act th a t He does n o t see. Not .a sob He does not hear. “He knowethxour fram e.” Jesus saw her. He saw N athanael under the fig tree. (John 1:48) “ N a th a n a e l s a ith u n to him , W h en ce k n o w e s t th o u m e? J e s u s a n s w e re d an d sa id u n to h im , B e fo re th a t P h ilip c a lle d th e e , w h en th o u w a s t u n d e r th e fig tre e , I s a w th e e .” He saw th e m ite th a t th e widow
to teach, but a lesson which requires heart-searching in order to be honest in teaching it. Never teach a lesson un til you have tested its tru th s by your own h eart and life. There are six n atu ra l heads here and any one of them could be used as a theme. F ou r classes of people are in the picture— Jesus, th e woman, the Pharisees, the people. (1). THE HABIT OF JESUS, v. 10. “He was teaching in the syna gogue.” Jesus is on His last long journey tow ard th e Cross. It is th e Sabbath Day and, as was His custom, He a t tended the synagogue service. (Luke 4:16) _ “A nd h e cam e to N a z a re th , w h e re h e h a d b een b ro u g h t ups an d , a s h is c u sto m w as, h e w e n t In to th e s y n a g o g u e on th e s a b b a th d ay , a n d sto o d u p to r to re a d .” We are creatures of habit. I t is a good thing to acquire a church-going hab it; to recognize th e importance and value of one day for special fellowship in worship w ith believers. There are grave dangers confronting us in our beloved land by reason of the growing habit of indifference to church going. One of the strong argum ents used to bring about the Saturday half or whole holiday was th a t it would in crease the attendance upon church serv ices; but, alas, it has had th e opposite 'effect. There are four good reasons why we should acquire th is habit. (1) I t is God’s law. Under th e old dispensation it was “Remember th e Sabbath Day” . Under this dispensation, it is “Not for saking the assembling of ourselves to geth er” (Heb. 10 :25 ). If our Lord was rig h t to observe th is by precept and example, how much more should we do so. (2) It affords fellowship for kin dred spirits. “They th a t loved the Lord spake often one to an o th er” (Mai. 3: 16)'. (3) It affords opportunity to w it ness and to teach. (4) It enables us to witness, by example, to others.
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