72
THE KING’S BUSINESS
practical aspect, and is persuasive, accomp lishes the desired effect The heart o f our Lord is full o f sympa thy, and responds gladly to that in the human heart. Sympathy incites; they believe Jesus has power; He wants to exercise it. Power to forgive sin rests always with God. Jesus forgives sin; Jesus is God; Jesus sees faith because faith is always active; faith centers in the Son of God and faith knows He is abundantly able to accomplish faith’s desire. P ower to F orgive .—A little girl came into her father’s office saying, “ Papa, Fred die hit me.” “Well,” said her father, “what are you going to do about it?” Still argu ing her case she said, “But Freddie is larger than I am and he hit me.” But the father insisted, What are you going to do- about it? She finally hung her head and said, “Well, I suppose I ought to forgive him.” Young people and older ones are slow to forgive wrongs,. but Jesus “has power to forgive.” He will impart forgiveness to every one who will turn to Him and sin cerely confess and put away their sins. ' In 1859 when the great revival was at its height in Ireland, ? school teacher saw a boy with his hand raised. She asked him what was the matter and he said he was “sick.” She sent an older boy home with him. On the way the' little fellow said, “Oh, my sins.” The older boy was a Christian, and he asked the little fellow to kneel down and they prayed to Jesus. All at once he jumped from his knees and started for the schoolhouse, crying, “Jesus has forgiven my sins.” As he went into the schoolroom a wail went over the schol ars and in a few minutes the whole com pany were crying to God for forgiveness. The teacher declared that she saw as high
PRACTICAL POINTS (1) Sin paralyzes and deadens; the Sav iour pardons and delivers. (2) True sympathy has a movement to it. (3) Jesus proved His divinity by a divine act; He read their hearts; He raised the man. (4) The power o f Jesus is proven by the walk o f those saved. (5) He forgiveth all iniquities; He heal- eth all diseases. ( 6 ) Difficulties but sharpen our desires. (7) Faith rests upon action, even if it be roof-high. ( 8 ) W e fail if. we do not get the needy to the feet o f Jesus. as five boys kneeling along the playground wall claiming forgiveness through Christ. F orgiveness P urchased .—Jesus has power to forgive because he has purchased forgiveness., from God -with His own pre cious blood. He has paid the debt. I f I buy two fine Elgin watches and offer one to you and one to your neighbor, and you refuse yours and he receives his, which one gets the watch? Did I not pay for both o f them? Jesus bought forgiveness for everybody. Only those who receive it really possess it. The story is told o f a Russian from a family o f the nobility who Was a “sport” and spendthrift. He succeeded in buying a lieutenantship in the Russian Army. When the Crimean War was in progress he was commanding at the siege o f Savas- tapool. Through some means he was brought under deep conviction, and one night he wrote out all his sins. He put down all his debts and all the wrongs, then underneath wrote, “Who will pay for all o f these?” Being tired, he fell asleep beside his writing. The Czar, who was encouraging his officers, came by, and look ing over the list said to himself,; “ I will pay these debts.” So he wrote, “I will,” and sealed it with the signet of the realm.
PERTINENT ILLUSTRATIONS
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs