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THE KING’S BUSINESS
we then when the Holy Spirit is with drawn? 4. A second probation would not be a safe doctrine to teach in this life. 5. Why should we get another chance when we have refused so many here? C onclusion . “Now is the accepted time: now is the day of salvation.” T h em e: T h e H ealing of th e M an B orn Blind. T ex t : John .9. I ntroduction . Here we have a miracle and a sermon following it, which is characteristic of John’s Gospel. 7. The man and his condition. 1. As concerns himself. (a) Blind. (b) Bom blind. (c) The discussion about his blind ness. 2. As a type of moral, mental, and spir itual blindness (vers. 39-41). This is the heart of the lesson. Men are born blind; sin blinds; and there is judicial blindness. II. Jesus and the cure. 1. Jesus Himself. Note His own testimony to Himself and His work. 2. His method. (a) He calls for faith. (b) He uses means. (c) He demands obedience. 3. The cure. (a) Was instantaneous. (b) Was complete. III. The effect of the cure. 1. On the crowd. Doubted the identity of the man; tried to prove him a falsifier, to argue him out of his cure, and to shut their eyes to the cure. 2. On the man. He confessed that he was the recipient of healing. His explanation was simple. He argued from facts. He confessed Christ as Saviour.
2. He may be candid and orthodox. 3. He may have blameless morals. 4. He may have strong conviction regarding sin. 5. He may manifest an interest in relig ious things. II. What did this man who was so near to but not in the kingdom, lack? 1. The surrender of heart and life to Jesus Christ. 2. A willingness to publicly take his place among Christ’s disciples. III. Why did this young man stay on the border line? 1. Was it because of the lack of firm decision of mind? 2. Did he love the bad better than the good; sin better than Christ? 3. Did a middle course offer a better possible advantage? 4. Did he want to put it off until some other time? C onclusion . This border state is a position of awful danger. Nearness is not possession. One can be almost saved, and yet lost. T h em e: P ro b a tio n a n d D estiny. T ex t : Revelation 22:10-12; Ecclesiastes 11:9. I ntroduction . These texts teach that human life is a probation, that by the condition in which death finds us our eternal state is deter mined. I. This earthly life is a probation. 1. Hence the importance of settling our attitude towards Jesus Christ. 2. The importance of the wise use of it. 3. Of the care of our thoughts. 4. The necessity of working before the night comes. 5. The effect of our conduct on our future destiny. II. No probation after death. 1. No second chance. 2. No likelihood of repentance in next world with the accumulation of the sins of years. 3. If we do not repent now, how can
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