Brief Thoughts For Busy Teachers International Sunday School Lesson As Taught by T. C. Horton at the Bible Institute, Los Angeles, Cal. Lesson No. 1—April 3. THE POWER OF FAITH. Matt. 9:18-34. Golden Text—Mark 9:23. Theme: A Fourfold Truth of Faith. Outline: gogue where Jesus taught, nor before Him in a public audienee. She had exhausted all of her resources in a vain effort to find relief. She is a type of the sinner whose sin is like a running sore; who tries all the devil's quack doctors and gets no better. Doctor,— No sin—no hurry—not so bad—do your best—pay your debts—God is too good and a hundred other pill makers who drive their victims to an untimely and unchanging destiny. The sinner gets worse every day and power to resist sin is lessened as the days pass.
(1) Faith for Body Subject to Disease. (2) Faith for Body Subject to Death. (3) Faith for Body Subject to Defor- mity. (4) Faith for Body Subject to Demons. The theme of our lesson is Faith, as illustrated in different individuals under different circumstances, and shows how all things are possible to faith. This will be a good time to lay the founda- tion deep and broad for a true faith upon the part of each member of your elass, in the Son of God. The lesson is also an illustration of the personal relation of the Lord Jesus Christ to individuals. " F a i th believes God upon His bare word, against sense in things invisible against reason in things incredible."—John Trapp. Faith is the substance (Heb. 11:7). Faith is not dependent upon what it sees, but is itself the substance of things de- sired. In his " T h e Master He a r t ," Robert Speer says, ? ' Faith with Jesus is per- sonal confidence in Himself. Faith with Jesus is the answer of a man's soul to His soul, the touch of a man's per- sonality upon His personality, thè sur- render of a willing life to Jesus Christ as its Lord and King. ' ' (1) FAITH FOR DISEASED BODY. " T h y Faith hath made thee whole. ' ' These verses tell a wonderful story of faith. Mark and Luke add some items of interest. The woman had been sick for twelve years, for the same length of time that .the Ruler's daugh- ter had lived (Luke 8:42). The woman had suffered many things of many physicians, had spent all—• was no better, but worse (Mark 5:25). The Complaint. An issue of blood which sapped her life and rendered her unclean. She could not go to the Syna-
The Conscious Need. She knew her helpless condition and realized that she must act while He was near. The most convenient season is now for saint and sinner; now while you feel your need, lay hold of Him. The Contact by Faith. She said within herself, or over and over again, " I f I do but touch His garment." The hem or fringe of His garment was probably blue (Num. 15:35)—heavenly color signifying that the character of His service was heavenly (Psa. 133:2). The faith of the woman was simple and definite. She did not analyze it. She simply believed that there was a cure in a touch. The Compassion of the Lord. He honored that child-like simplicity which sought unnoticed to secure the blessing. He knew that virtue had gone out of Him (Mark 5:30), showing elearly that all of the service of our Lord was rendered at the expense of His vital powers. His heart had been moved, His sympathies aroused. He had re- sponded to faith, and healed her. The Confession of the Lord. "Who touched Me ? " Multitudes had touched Him. The crowd had jostled, but He asked Who? He had been touched by the curious. The touch of convention- ality had been upon Him by Simon, who made Him a feast. At Gadara they touched Him carelessly and begged Him to depart, and at Nazareth they crimi- nally touched Him and sought to slay Him. At the house of Jairus there was the touch of contempt. No virtue went out of Him to the many who had the
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