389
TH E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
October, 1939
Service: “She arose, and ministered un- I to them.” Be suspicious of the so-called salvation which does not produce service. But notice the infallible order. Service and works are the fruit of salvation; not its cause or condition. 2. “Many that were possessed with devils” (v. 16). About this expression notice several things: First, the word should be “demons” instead of “devils.” There is one devil, but there are many demons. Second, demon possession was not merely an inference on the part of ignorant and superstitious people in the presence of some form of disease. The New Testament always carefully dis tinguishes disease from demon posses sion, as in this very passage. The de mons are “cast out.” The sick are “healed.” Third, the demon-possessed of the New Testament are not to be con fused with those of the Old Testament who were said to have “familiar spirits.” The latter group held communication with the demons, apparently voluntarily, were held responsible and p u n i s h e d (Lev. 20:27). But those possessed with demons were treated as victims and graciously relieved. 3. “He . . . healed all that were sick” (v. 16). There is something grand about this declaration. We are in the pres ence of Him who is the Lord of life. There is nothing too hard for Him. He not only could heal every disease, but also healed “all” who had the diseases. Those who maintain that bodily healing today is on the same basis as it was in our Lord’s day are put out of court by this one word “all.” Our Lord did not select the easy cases, and He had no failures to explain. But even in the ministry of Christ, the “all” is limited by divine sovereignty. He healed “all,” not all in the world, but all who were brought to Him in the towns where He taught in the land of Palestine. Why did He not heal all the sick of the whole human race? You dare not say that He could not. Then why did He confine His healing ministry to one little land ? And to one small nation, with a few excep tions? There is no answer to this ex cept divine sovereignty — He did not choose to do so. It was not His will. Look now at the crowds that He did heal, many of them unimportant folks, having little ability. We do not even know their names. Then think of Paul, great missionary, tireless soul-winner, writer of Scripture, and p r e a c h e r to kings. How much more he could have done, we are likely to say, if God had healed him of his “thorn in the flesh” ! But God, for good reasons of His own, aaid No. Let all this comfort you if you are ill and discouraged because God does not heal. And do not forget to be thankful for a God who is sovereign in His ways. Golden Text Illustration A cts 10:38 A friendless boy, who had known nothing but unkindness a n d w a n t
But we will mistake the lesson if we think only of the power to heal. The healing was performed in fulfillment of prophecy that He “himself took our in firmities and bare our sicknesses’’ (v. 17; cf. Isa. 53:4, 5). This prophecy was being fulfilled there and then, as this passage clearly tells. HI. W arning D isciples (18-22) Three requirements are revealed in these verses. First, our Lord demands full surrender of His disciples, such sur render as will be undaunted by hardship of apy kind. Second, He demands full obedience, such obedience as will put Him and His service supreme over all other demands, even those of nature. Third, He asks severance of all ties that bind one to any other object than Him self. He warns those who would follow Him to count the cost of such a deci sion. They are not to enter upon their discipleship under any mere emotional urge, or excitement of seeing Him at work. He never conceals the difficul ties of discipleship, nor does He" with hold its delights, but He yearns for in telligent and understanding acceptance. IV. S tilling the S torm (23-27) The danger into which the obedience of these disciples had led them was very real, and it was danger against which they had no visible protection. There was something so sinister about the storm that, seamen though they were, it made them afraid. But they made their appeal to the Lord. He spoke, first, a word of rebuke:,.“Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?” And sec ond, he uttered a word of power ad dressed to the forces of nature which instantly obeyed Him. A great calm took the place of the great storm. Quiet trustfulness in His power and care brings calmness to the spirit anywhere. Points and Problems 1. There is a beautiful picture of Sin, Salvation, and Service in Matthew 8:14, 15. First there is a picture of Sin: Pe ter’s wife’s mother lay sick of a fever, and it was a “great fever” according to Luke, the physician (4:38). Second, there is a picture of Salvation: The Lord “touched her hand, and the fever left her.” How simple, and all of grace! The fever of sin cannot endure His bless ed touch. Oh, the touch of His hand on mine! Third, there is a picture of BLACKBOARD LESSON
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