Person and is the touch of spirit with Spirit, not of flesh with flesh. (5) Jesus to teach this touch said, "Who touched Me?" "Thou seest the multitude," they said, "and sayest, Who touched Me?" They saw not that He meant the faitli touch, not the flesh touch. He may have "taught in our streets" (Lk. 13: 2 6 ); we may have grown up in a Chris- tian community; have been baptized in infancy or in maturity, taught the truth, registered in the records, and yet have never touched the Lord. A thousand glass rods may touch a cable yet not catch a spark, where the slen- derest wire is charged at the lightest contact. (6) "He looked round to see her," etc. He knew who had done it, b u t (a) would constrain her to frankly and openly confess, (b) know that He knew, (c) know that it was His grace, not His garment, that healed, (d) not the sense of touch but the spirit of faith that saved. (7) Then He bade "Go in peace," knowing that not the length of her arm, but of His; not physical contact, but spiritual would preserve her "whole spirit, and soul, and body," to the end (1 Thes. 5:23). (7) None of us is lost in the crowding billions of humanity. "He calleth His own sheep by name," "the Lord know- eth them that a re His" (Jno. 10:3; 2 Tim. 2 : 19 ). III. JAIRUS' DAUGHTER. B. 1. Fa i th tested. The first strain. (1) With his child at the point of death can Jairus brook the stay on the road? Will he begrudge the poor woman her blessing, or upbraid the Master for His deliberation? (2) Will He mistake delay for dlenial? or does he know that men ought to pray "and not to f a i n t ?" (Lk. 18:1; Ps. 69:3; 130:5). (3) Is he a true son of unstaggering Abraham? (Rom. 4:20, 17). The second strain. The doubter's counsel, "Why troublest thou the Master?" (1) Heed them not, oh Jairug. You can trouble Him only by refraining from troubling Him. There is no trouble to Him but the trouble to us. Our unfaith and tears, not our prayers, trouble Him. We briiig Him no trouble by Him bringing our troubles. (2) He is able. Thank God, death ends not hope; it limits not our Redeemer's power. Average faith expects the prob- able, hopes the possible, despairs of the impossible, but full vigored faith claims all for "with God all things are pos- sible. 2. Faith supported. "As soon as Jesus heard." "E re we can offer our complaints, Behold Him present with His aid."
He would not have the father's heart sink within him. "Be not afraid," He said, "only believe." Think of the far- reaching application. As He stretched a hand to Peter sinking in the sea, His word supported Jairus sinking in the Slough of Despond. "A word spoken in due season, how good it is." (Pr. 15: 23). 3. Faithirewarded. (1) The mourn- ers rebuked. They found the neighbors and hired mourners weeping and wail- ing "much," as Orientals do. The Lord said, "Weep not." He does not forbid to sorrow, but to sorrow "as those that have no hope" (1 Thes. 4: 13). (2) The case stated: "The maid is not dead, but sleepeth" (Jno. 11:11; 2 Thes. 4:14; 2 Cor. 15:51). There is no death to faith because of the waking. (3) The scoffers refuted. "They laughed him to scorn." Unbelief is as heartless as it is faithless. Natural men are natural sceptics. The resur- rection always makes them laugh (Ac. 4:2; 17:32; 26:8; 1 Cor. 15:12; 2 Tim. 2:18). Such scoffers are plentiful to- day; in pulpit and pew as well as with- out. Jesus soon stopped their mouths with the fact. And they all shall soon "laugh on the other side of the face." (3) Jairus' laughs. With three choice witnesses and her parents Jesus went in, took the maid by the hand and said "Maid, arise." That was all; and she arose, walked, ate. JESUS REJECTED AT NAZARETH Lesson VIII. Luke 4 : 1 6 - 3 0 . August 25th. I. NAZARETH. 1. Relation. "His own country" (Mat.), "where He was brought u p" (Lk.). Born at Bethlehem. Reared at Nazareth (Lk. 2:4-7; 4:16). 2. Situation. Central Galilee. Due west of the lake; on a hillside; lovely spot; fertile terraces; flowery waysides; grand vistas; center of world-threading caravans. Above it " t he brow of the hill," a precipice 40 or 50 feet high. Here He grew up, played, studied, wor- shipped, neighbored, plied his trade, till 30. II. AT SYNAGOGUE. 1. His custom. The church-going habit. It has saved most of the saved. The want of it has lost most of the lost. It gives God and the- soul a chance. Jesus went though the preach- ing was mixed with error, the congre- gation with false professors, and even personal enemies. Jesus keeps up the good custom yet on the same terms.
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