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presence of the Lord. Persevering sym pathy and persevering faith is what we need when we have the command. He has the power. Joshua found it so (Joshua 1:9) and there is overcoming power always'in faith (1 John 5:4, 5). The promises of God are unfailing to the faithful, persevering believers (Rev. 21:7) “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God and he shall he my son.“ (4) PERCEIVING FAITH. “ And when He saw their faith.” How ciid He see their faith? By their works. (John 2:18; Acts 14:9). This is a pantomime. Faith in action. An eloquent voice was saying as the man was lowered to the feet of the Lord, “ Thou canst.” Here is concentrated faith. “ They spared no pains; He spared no time.” At once He spoke forgiveness. The heart of Jesus was touched and He healed his deeper disease first and set his paralyzed soul free. The walk of the Christian man is the proof to the world that his sins are for given. (Matt. 7:16.) The keeping power of God is a proof to the individual that his sins are forgiven. (2 Tim. 1:12.) (5) PARALYSIS AND PROOF OF FAITH. “ Who is this which speaketh blasphemies?” Every beautiful scene on earth is marred by the background of human selfishness. Here are people outside the door who will open the way to let the man be brought in, and people inside the door who will not open their hearts in gratitude when his burden of sin is lifted. “ Who can forgive sin but God?” they reason, and it would have been blasphemy for any mere man to have assumed this power. They threw down the challenge, “ Unless you are God you cannot forgive sin.” Jesus accepts the challenge and proves His Deity, "Arise, take up thy bed and walk.” (This is a military order, "one time and three 111
True sympathy does not stop with feeling. It acts, moves, does some thing. The great Chicago fire startled the civilized world and sent an electric shock of sympathy which manifested it self in abundant gifts from rich and poor. Jesus looked upon a world of sin and was moved with compassion. He moved out of heaven into earth. It is an un fortunate thing when people get out of touch with the needy and stricken ones. The disciples would send the multitudes away, but Jesus said, “ Give them some thing to eat.” Here we have the story of four men (Mark 2:3) who brought a paralyzed man to Jesus to be- healed, and this is associated sympathy. God lays a bur den on one heart, and uses that one to lay the burden on other hearts. Simon brought Peter, and Philip brought Na thanael (John 1:41, 45). If you can stir one heart with devotion that one heart often stirs a multitude. That is God’s order. This story should stir thousands of hearts to go out, alone or associated with others, to bring people -—young and old— to the feet of our Lord. (3) PRESEVERING FAITH. “ They went upon the housetop and let ■ him down.” There were grave obstacles in the way of these men, but obstacles are no bar riers to men of faith. Mark tells us (Mark 2:4) that “ they uncovered the roof where he was; and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed whereon the sick of the palsy lay.” The flat-roofed house with steps out side, made this possible, and the need of the man and the faith of his friends, made it imperative. Where there is a will there is always a way. (Mark 9:23) “If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.” They probably tied the bed clothes together and let the man down into the
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