THE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S pression. Sick with it, no doubt, but also sick of it. This is a healthy con dition for a sinner to be in,— sick of sin. Read Isa. 1:5, 6 for a description of sin sickness as it appears to God. Also Rom. 8:7. Peter found him. The man didn’t look Peter up. He couldn’t. It is the business of believers to find men,— cer tain men, men that are needy. The Lord Jesus came to seek (Luke 19:10) and He found. Peter sets us a good example. Wher ever we go and whatever else we do, let us be on the lookout for sin-sick souls. The whole world is a needy field if we can but see it with God’s eyes. (b) A Saviour introduced. There is a suggestion of the presence of the blessed Lord. Peter simply says “ Jesus Christ' maketh thee whole.” He intro duces Him into the sick room as a living Christ. It is not “ Jesus healed when upon earth,” or “He is able to heal,”— but “ He maketh thee whole.” He was healed at once. Salvation is immediate to faith. Jesus is the Living One. He is still going about. He is living and loving. He is looking and longing. He is heal ing and helping. He is comforting and commending. How blessed to be in such touch with Himself as to have a consciousness of His presence and power; to be in line with His purposes so that you may know it is His will to do the things that you request; Is it not blessed to know Him as the ever present, risen Lord? Some know Him as the crucified Christ. They think of Him only as dying upon the cross,— blessed vision indeed, and one to break a sinful heart. Some see Him as risen and in the glory, from whence He shall come again,— and this is a glorious hope. Some know Him as an abiding, ever-present Christ, ^unseen, yet seen. His presence over-
190 division through separation which oc curred by reason of persecution (Acts 8 :1 ); 1now, we have multiplication. How gracious is that Providence which provides for the development of the Church through such varied experiences. The order here is logical: First,— believers built up in the Word of God; second,— separated through the Word to a life of faith; third,— manifesting the life in the giving of the good news to others. (1) THE R E S T O R A T I O N OF AENEAS, “ Jesus Christ maketh thee whole.” The history of the church has for some reason left Peter in the back ground. He now appears again in the leading role. He is pressing his way throughout all quarters, carrying the precious seed of life, and sowing it be side all waters. (Eccl. 11:6.) He camesto the saints at Lydda. The word “ saint” means “ dedicated to God.” All Christians are saints (Rom. 1:7-12; Phil. 1 :1 ); they are righteous (Phil. 3 :9). “ Saints” is the Bible title for Christians. Not dead saints only, but living ones; not saints created by the act of the Church, but created by the act of the Holy Spirit in the new life imparted to believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. They were called saints before they were called Christians, and they were called to be saints (Rom. 1 :7). At Lydda, Peter found a palsied man. It does not say whether he was a saint or sinner, but he was a needy soul, which is the highest recommendation to the favor of God. ' The lesson in con nection with this miracle naturally falls under three heads: (a) A Sinner Typified: Palsy is a type of sin which paralyzes the .soul and makes it incapable of self help: It was a helpless, hopeless case of long standing. The lesson says he “ was sick of the palsy.” This is a suggestive ex-
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