We have seen how many valuable lessons our Saviour taught while on
earth by the parables which he used. But we teach by our lives, as
well as by our lips. It has passed into a proverb, and we all admit
the truth of it, that "Actions speak louder than words." If our words
and our actions contradict each other, people will believe our
actions sooner than our words. But when both agree together, then the
effect is very great. This was true with our blessed Lord. There was
an entire agreement between what he said, and what he did. His words
and his actions, the teaching of his lips, and the teaching of his
life--were in perfect harmony. He practised what he preached.
But then, in addition to the every day common actions of the life of
Christ, there were actions in it that were very uncommon. He was
daily performing miracles, and doing many mighty and wonderful
works. And the prophets before him, and apostles after him, performed
miracles too; yet there were two things in which the miracles of
Christ differed from those performed by others. One was as to the
_number_ of them. He did a greater number of wonderful things than
anyone else ever did. Indeed if we take the miracles that were done
by Moses, by Elijah and Elisha, in the Old Testament, and those that
were done by the apostles in the New Testament and put them all
together we shall find that they would not equal, in number, the
miracles of Christ. There are between thirty and forty of the mighty
works wrought by our Saviour mentioned in the gospels. And these, as
St. John says, are only a small portion of them. Ch. xxi: 25.
The other thing in which the miracles of Christ are different from
those performed by other persons, is _the way in which they were
done_. The prophets and apostles did their mighty works in the name
of God, or of Christ. Thus when Peter and John healed the lame man at
the gate of the temple they said:--"_In the name of Jesus Christ of
Nazareth_, rise up and walk." Acts iii: 6. But Jesus had all the
power in himself by which those wonderful things were done. He could
say to the leper,--"_I will_; be thou clean." He could say to the
sick man:--"Take up thy bed and walk." When speaking of his death and
resurrection, he could very well say that it was his own power which
would control it all. His life was in his own hands. It was true, as
he said, "No man taketh it from me; but I lay it down of myself. I
have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again." John x:
18. And it was the same with all his other mighty works. He had all
the power in himself that was needed to do them.
And these miracles of Christ were the proofs that he was the Messiah,
the great Saviour, of whom the prophets had spoken. This was what
Nicodemus meant when he said to Jesus:--"We know that thou art a
teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou
doest, except God be with him." John iii: 2. And Jesus himself
referred to his miracles as the proof that God had sent him. John v:
36; x: 25.
And this was what he meant by the message which he sent to John the
Baptist, when his disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Are thou he that
should come, or look we for another?" Jesus answered and said unto
them, "Go, and show John again those things which ye do hear and see;
the blind receive their sight; and the lame walk; the lepers are
cleansed; and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up; and the poor
have the gospel preached unto them." Matt, xi: 2-6. These were the
very things which the prophets had foretold that Christ would do when
he came. Is. xxix: 18. xxxv: 4-6. xlii: 7.
It is clear from these passages that all the miracles performed by
our Lord were intended to teach this lesson, that he was the great
Saviour of whom the prophets had spoken. But then, in addition to
this, these wonderful works of Jesus were made use of by him to show
that he has power to do everything for his people that they may need
to have him do.
It is impossible for us to speak of all the miracles of Christ. We
can only make selections from them, as we did with the parables in
the last chapter. In looking at these we may see Jesus teaching us
that he has power to do _four_ things for his people.
_In the first place some of the miracles of Christ teach us that he
has great power to_--HELP.
We see this in the account given us of the miraculous draught of
fishes. Luke v: 1-11.
Peter was a fisherman before he became a disciple of Jesus. And James
and John, the sons of Zebedee, were partners with him in the same
business. On one occasion they had been busy all night throwing out
and hauling in their nets, but without catching a single fish. Early
the next morning, Jesus was walking along the shore of the lake, near
where their boats were. He knew how tired and discouraged they were,
and how much they needed help; and he wished to show them what
wonderful power he had to help in time of need. So he told them to
cast their net on the other side of the ship. They did so; and
immediately their nets were full; and they had more fish than they
could well manage. Here we are taught that even in the depths of the
sea nothing can be hid from the all-seeing eye of our divine Saviour.
He knows where everything is that his people can need; and he has the
power to bring it to them.
And then, by his miracle of walking on the sea Jesus taught the same
lesson. We have an account of this miracle in three places. Matt,
xix: 22-33. Mark vi: 45-52. John vi: 14-21.
At the close of a busy day, in which he had been teaching the people
and feeding them by miracle, Jesus told his disciples to go on board
a vessel and cross over to the other side of the lake. Then he sent
the multitude away, and went up into the mountain to pray to his
Father in heaven whom he loved so much. It proved to be a stormy
night. The wind was dead ahead; and the sea was very rough. The
disciples were having a hard time of it. Tired of rowing, and making
little progress, there was no prospect of their getting to land
before morning. But, dark as the night was, Jesus saw them. It is
true as David says, that--"_The darkness and the light are both alike
to thee._" Ps. cxxxix: 12. He saw they needed help and he resolved to
give it to them. But there was no boat at hand for him to go in.
True: but he needed none. He could walk on the water as well as on
the land. He steps from the sandy shore to the surface of the
storm-tossed sea. He walks safely over its troubled waters. The
disciples see him. Supposing it to be a spirit, they are alarmed, and
cry out in their fear. But presently the cheering voice of their
Master comes to them, saying: "_It is I. Be not afraid_." He steps on
board. The wind ceases, and immediately, without another stroke of
the oars, the mighty power of Jesus brings them "in safety to the
haven where they would be." Other miracles might be referred to as
teaching the same lesson. But these are sufficient. And Jesus has the
same power to help now that he had then.
Here are some illustrations of the strange way in which he sometimes
helps his people in their times of need.
"The Dead Raven." A poor weaver in Edinburgh lost his situation one
winter, on account of business being so dull. He begged earnestly of
his employer to let him have work; but he said it was impossible.
Well said he, "I'm sure the Lord will help." When he came home and
told his wife the sad news she was greatly distressed. He tried to
comfort her with the assurance--"The Lord will help." But as he could
get no work, their money was soon gone; and the day came at last,
when there was neither food nor fuel left in the house. The last
morsel of bread was eaten one morning at breakfast. "What shall we do
for dinner?" asked his wife.
"The Lord will help"--was still his reply. And see how the help came.
Soon after breakfast, his wife opened the front window, to dust off
the sill. Just then a rude boy, who was passing, threw a dead raven
in through the window. It fell at the feet of the pious weaver. As
he threw the bird in, the boy cried out in mockery, "There, old
saint, is something for you to eat." The weaver took up the dead
raven, saying as he did so:--"Poor creature! you must have died of
hunger!"
But when he felt its crop to see whether it was empty, he noticed
something hard in it. And wishing to know what had caused its death,
he took a knife and cut open its throat. How great was his
astonishment on doing this, to find a small diamond bracelet fall
into his hand! His wife gazed at it in amazement. "Didn't I tell
you," he asked, in grateful gladness, "that the Lord will help?"
He went to the nearest jeweler's, and telling how he had found the
precious jewels, borrowed some money on them. On making inquiry about
it, it turned out that the bracelet belonged to the wife of the good
weaver's late employer. It had suddenly disappeared from her chamber.
One of the servants had been charged with stealing it, and had been
dismissed. On hearing how the bracelet had disappeared, and how
strangely it had fallen into the hands of his late worthy workman,
the gentleman was very much touched; and not only rewarded him
liberally for returning it--but took him back into his employ, and
said he should never want work again so long as he had any to give.
How willing, and how able our glorious Saviour is to help those who
trust in him!
"The Sailor Boy's Belief." One night there was a terrible storm at
sea. All at once a ship, which was tossing on the waves, keeled over
on her beam ends. "She'll never right again!" exclaimed the captain.
"We shall all be lost!"
"Not at all, sir!" cried a pious sailor boy who was near the captain.
"What's to hinder it?" asked the captain. "Why you see, sir," said
the boy, "they are praying at this very moment in the Bethel ship at
Glasgow for all sailors in danger: and I feel sure that God will hear
their prayers: Now see, sir, if he don't!"
These words were hardly out of the boy's mouth, before a great wave
struck the ship, and set her right up again. And then a shout of
praise, louder than the howling of the storm, went up to God from the
deck of that saved ship.
And so, in the miracles that he performed, one thing that Jesus
taught was his power to help.
_In the next place, among the miracles of Christ, we find some that
were performed in order to teach us his power to_--COMFORT.
One day, a great multitude of people waited on Jesus from morning
till evening, to listen to his preaching. They were so anxious to
hear that even when hungry they would not go away to get food. As the
evening came on, the disciples asked their master to send the people
away to get something to eat. But Jesus told them to give the people
food. They said they had only five loaves and two fishes. Jesus told
them to make the people sit down on the grass. And when they were
seated he took the loaves and blessed, and brake them, and gave them
to the disciples, and they gave them to the people. And great as that
multitude was the supply did not fail. This was wonderful! Those
loaves were very small. They were not bigger than a good-sized roll.
The whole of the five loaves and two fishes would not have been
enough to make a meal for a dozen men. And yet they were made
sufficient to feed more than five thousand hungry people. How strange
this was! The mighty power of Jesus did it. We are not told just
_where_, in the interesting scene, this wonder-working power was put
forth. It may have been that as Jesus brake the loaves and gave the
pieces to the disciples, the part left in his hands grew out at once,
to the same size that it was before. Or the broken pieces may have
increased and multiplied while the disciples were engaged in
distributing them. It is most likely that the miracle took place in
immediate connection with Jesus himself. The power that did it was
his: and in his hands, we may suppose that the wonderful work was
done. As fast as he broke the loaves they increased, till all the
people were fed. This was indeed not _one_ miracle, but a multitude
of miracles, all performed at once. The hungry multitude ate till all
were satisfied: and yet the fragments left filled twelve baskets.
Five thousand men were fed, and then there was twelve times as much
food left as there was before they began to eat. All this was done to
satisfy that hungry crowd, and to teach them, and us, what power this
glorious Saviour has to comfort those who are in need or trouble.
And when he healed the daughter of the Syrophoenician woman, as we
read in St. Matt, xii: 21-28; when he healed the lunatic child, as we
read in St. Matt, xvii: 14-21; and when he raised Lazarus from the
dead, after he had lain four days in the grave, as we read in St.
John xi: 1-54, he was working miracles to show his power to comfort
those in trouble.
And we see him using his power still to comfort persons who are in
distress. Here are some illustrations of the way in which he does
this:
"Shining in Every Window." A Christian lady, who spent much time in
visiting among the poor, went one day to see a poor young girl, who
was kept at home by a broken limb. Her room was on the north side of
the house. It did not look pleasant without or cheerful within. "Poor
girl!" she said to herself, "what a dreary time she must have!" On
entering her room she said:
"I am sorry, my friend, that your room is not on the other side of
the house, where the sun could shine upon you. You never can have any
sunshine here."
"Oh, you are mistaken," she said: "the sunshine pours in at every
window, and through every crack."
The lady looked surprised.
"I mean Jesus, 'the Sun of righteousness,' shines in here, and makes
everything bright to me."
Here we see Jesus showing his power to comfort.
"Ice in Summer." Some years ago a Christian merchant, in one of our
eastern cities, failed in business, and lost everything he had. After
talking over their affairs with his wife, who was a good Christian
woman, they concluded to move out to the west and begin life again
there. He bought some land on the wide rolling prairie, built a log
cabin, and began to cultivate his farm. In the midst of the second
summer, hard work and exposure to the sun brought on an attack of
sickness, and a raging fever set in. They were twelve miles away from
the nearest town. One of the neighbors went there and came back with
a doctor. He examined the case very carefully, and left some medicine
with them, and told them what to do. He said it was a very dangerous
attack. If they could only get some ice to apply to the burning brow
of the sick man, he thought he might get over it; but, without that,
there was very little prospect of his recovery.
As soon as the doctor was gone, the sorrowful wife gathered her
family and friends round the bedside of her sick husband, and kneeled
down with them in prayer. She told God what the doctor had said, and
prayed very earnestly that he who has the power to do everything,
would send them some ice.
When the prayer was over, some of the neighbors whispered to each
other that the poor distressed woman must be losing her mind. "The
idea of getting ice here," they said, "when everybody knows there
isn't a bit of ice in all the country! It would be contrary to all
the laws of nature to have ice in summer."
The wife of the sick man heard their remarks, but they did not shake
her faith in God, and in the power of prayer. Silently, but
earnestly, her heart breathed forth the cry for ice.
As the day wore on, heavy clouds began to gather in the western sky.
They rolled in darkness over the heavens. The distant thunder was
heard to mutter. Nearer and louder it was heard. The lightning began
to flash. Presently the storm burst in its fury. It came first in
rain, and then in hail. The hail-stones came in lumps of ice as big
as eggs. They lay thick in the furrows of the field. The thankful
wife went out, and soon came in rejoicing with a bucket full of ice.
It was applied in bags to her husband's head. The fever broke, and he
was restored to life and health.
This grateful woman never troubled herself with any questions about
whether it was a miracle or not. She only knew that she had prayed
for ice in summer, and that the ice had come. And her faith was
stronger than ever that the gracious Saviour, who did so many
miracles when he was on earth, has just the same power now to comfort
his people when they are in trouble.
_In the third place, we see Jesus performing miracles to teach us
what power he has to_--ENCOURAGE--_his people_.
We have an account in St. Luke xiii: 10-17, of the miracle he
performed on the woman who had "a spirit of infirmity." This means
that she was a cripple. Her body was bound down, so that she had no
power to straighten herself or to stand upright. She had been in this
condition we are told for _eighteen_ years. How hard to bear--and how
discouraging this trial must have been to her! No doctor could give
her any relief, and she had made up her mind, no doubt, that there
was no relief for her till death came. But when Jesus saw her, he
pitied her. A miracle of healing was performed upon her. He laid his
loving hand upon her bent and crippled body, and in a moment her
disease was removed. She stood straight up, and glorified God. What
encouragement that must have given to her!
One day, when Jesus was at Capernaum, the tax-gatherers came to Peter
to get the tribute, or tax-money, that was due to the Roman
government, for himself and his master. But, it happened so that
neither of them had money enough with which to pay that tax. Peter
went into the presence of Jesus to speak to him about this matter.
But Jesus knowing what was in his mind, before Peter had time to say
anything on the subject, told him what to do. He directed him to take
his fishing-line and go to the lake, and cast in his line, and catch
the first fish that should bite; and said that in its mouth he would
find a piece of money with which he might pay the tribute that was
due for them both.
Peter went. He threw in his line. He soon caught a fish. He looked
into the fish's mouth and lo! there was a piece of money called a
stater. It was worth about sixty cents of our money, and was just
enough to pay the tribute for two persons. How wonderful this was! If
Jesus made this piece of money in the mouth of the fish, at the time
when Peter caught it, how wonderful his _power_ must be! And if,
without making it then, he knew that _that_ one fish, the only one in
the sea, probably, that had such a piece of money in its mouth, would
be the first to bite at Peter's line, then how wonderful his
_knowledge_ must be!
Peter would not be likely to forget that day's fishing as long as he
lived. And when he thought of the illustration it afforded of the
wonderful power and the wonderful knowledge of the master whom he was
serving, what encouragement that would give him in his work!
And Jesus is constantly doing things to encourage those who are
trying to serve him.
Let us look at some of the ways in which this is done. Our first
illustration is from the life of Washington Allston, the great
American painter. We may call it:
"Praying for Bread." Many years ago Mr. Allston was considered one of
the greatest artists in this country. At the time to which our story
refers, he was living in London. Then he was so poor that he and his
wife had not a morsel of bread to eat; nor a penny left with which to
buy any. In great discouragement he went into his studio, locked the
door, and throwing himself on his knees, he told the Lord his
trouble, and prayed earnestly for relief.
While he was still upon his knees, a knock was heard at the door. He
arose and opened the door. A stranger stood there.
"I wish to see Mr. Allston," said he.
"I am Mr. Allston," replied Mr. A.
"Pray tell me, sir, who has purchased your fine painting of the
'Angel Uriel,' which won the prize at the exhibition of the Royal
Academy?"
"That painting has not been sold," said Mr. A.
"Where is it to be found?"
"In this very room," said the artist, bringing a painting from the
corner, and wiping off the dust.
"What is the price of it?" asked the gentleman.
"I have done fixing a price on it," said Mr. A., "for I have always
asked more than people were willing to give."
"Will four hundred pounds be enough for it?" was the next question.
"That is more than I ever asked."
"Then the painting is mine," said the stranger, who introduced
himself as the Marquis of Stafford; and from that day he became one
of Mr. Allston's warmest friends.
What a lesson of encouragement the great painter learned that day,
when he asked for bread, and while he was asking, received help that
followed him all his days!
"The Hushed Tempest." A minister of the gospel in Canada gives this
account of a lesson of encouragement to trust God in trouble, which
he once received.
"It was in the year 1853, about the middle of the winter that we had
a succession of snowstorms, followed by high winds, and severe cold.
I was getting ready to haul my supply of wood for the rest of the
winter. I had engaged a man to go out the day before and cut the wood
and have it ready to haul. I borrowed a sled and two horses from a
neighbor and started early in the morning to haul the wood. Just as I
reached the place, it began to snow hard. The wind blew such a gale
that it was impossible to go on with the work. What was I to do? If
it kept on snowing, I knew the roads would be impassable by the next
day. Besides, that was the only day on which I could get the help of
the man or the team. Unless I secured the wood that day it would not
be in my power to get the fuel we needed for the rest of the winter.
I thought of that sweet promise, 'Call on me, in the day of trouble,
and I will deliver thee,' Ps. i: 15.
"I kneeled down amid the drifting snow, and said, 'O, my God, this is
a day of trouble to me. Lord help me. The elements are subject to thy
will: Thou holdest the winds in thy hands. If thou wilt speak the
word, there will be a great calm. O Lord, for the sake of my helpless
little ones, let this snow lie still, and give me the opportunity of
doing what I came to do, and what it is so necessary to do to-day,
for Jesus' sake. Amen!'
"I do not think it was more than fifteen minutes from the time I
began to pray, before there was a visible change. The wind became
more moderate; the sky was calm; in less than half an hour all was
still; and a more pleasant time for wood-hauling than we had that day
I never saw, nor desire to see. While I live, I never shall forget
the lesson of encouragement to trust in God that was taught me on
that day." And this was one of the lessons Jesus taught us by his
miracles.
_In the fourth place, among the miracles of Jesus we see some that
were intended to teach us his power to_--PROTECT--_his people_.
And there is no lesson that we more need to be taught than this;
because we are exposed to many dangers, from which we are too weak
to protect ourselves.
One day, Jesus went into the house of the apostle Peter, and found
the family in great distress, because the mother of Peter's wife was
very ill and in danger of dying. We judge from the history that she
was the head of the family. Her death would have been a great loss to
them all, and yet it seemed as if no human power could protect them
from that loss. But Jesus performed a miracle to save them from this
threatened danger. He went into the room where she lay. He put his
healing hands upon her, and at once she was well. Immediately she
rose up from that sick bed, and took her place in the family and
waited on Jesus.
On another occasion he was crossing the sea of Galilee with his
disciples. Weary with the work of love in which he had been engaged,
he laid down in the hinder part of the ship and fell asleep. While he
was lying there a sudden storm burst upon the sea. The wind howled in
its fury. The angry waves rose in their might and dashed against the
vessel in hissing foam. The ship was full of water, and in danger of
sinking. The terrified disciples came to their sleeping Master with
the earnest cry:--"Lord save us: we perish." He heard their cry. He
rose at once. Quietly he took his stand by the side of the
storm-tossed vessel. He rebuked the winds, and said unto the sea:--"
Peace: be still." They recognized their Master's voice and obeyed.
"The wind ceased, and immediately there was a great calm."
As long as those disciples lived they never would forget the lesson
he taught them by that miracle of his power to protect in danger.
And then many of the miracles of our Saviour were performed for the
purpose of showing what power he had to protect his people from
Satan, and the evil spirits that serve him. It pleased God to allow
these evil spirits to have more power over men during the time when
Jesus was on earth than they had before, or than they have now. We
often read in the gospels of men who were "possessed of devils." This
means that the evil spirits entered into the bodies of these men, and
used them as their own; just as you, or I, might go into an empty
house, and use it as if it belonged to us. But Jesus performed a
number of miracles to show that he was able to control those spirits;
to cast them out of the bodies of men and to protect his people from
their power. We have an account of one of these miracles in St. Matt,
viii: 28, 34; of another in St. Mark v: 1-20; and of another in St.
Luke viii: 26-39.
The Bible speaks of Satan "going about, like a roaring lion, seeking
whom he may devour." I. Peter v: 8. But he is a chained lion: and
Jesus holds the chain. If we are trying to love and serve Jesus, we
need not be afraid of this roaring lion. He cannot touch us till our
Saviour gives him permission; and he will not let him hurt us. We see
this illustrated in Job's case. Satan wanted very much to injure Job
in some way. But he could not do it. And the reason of it was, as he
said himself, that God had "put an hedge about him, and about his
house, and about all that he had on every side." Job i: 10. This
hedge, or fence, means the power which Jesus exercises to protect his
people from the harm that Satan desires to do to them. In this way he
protected Job. And in this way he protects all who love and serve
him.
Let us take an illustration or two to show how he is doing this
continually.
"Providential Deliverance." One of the best men, and one of the most
useful ministers in London, during the last century, was the Rev.
John Newton. Before entering the ministry he held an office under
the government. One of the duties of this office was for him to visit
and inspect the vessels of the navy as they lay at anchor in the
river Thames. One day he was going out to visit a man-of-war that lay
there. He was a very punctual man. When he had an engagement he was
always ready at the very moment. But when he reached the dock on this
occasion the boat which was to take him off to the man-of-war was not
there. He was obliged to wait five, ten, fifteen minutes before the
boat came. This displeased him very much. But the hand of God was in
this delay. For, just as the boat was leaving the dock, a spark fell
into the powder magazine on board the man-of-war. An explosion took
place. The huge vessel was blown to pieces, and all the men on board
of her were killed. That delay of a quarter of an hour saved Mr.
Newton's life. In this way that gracious Saviour whom he served
protected him from the danger to which he was exposed.
"Willie's Heroism." One summer afternoon a teacher told her geography
class that they might close their books and rest a little, while she
told them a story. The story was about William Tell, the famous hero
of Switzerland. She told the scholars how a wicked governor placed an
apple on the head of Tell's little boy and then compelled the father
to take his bow and arrow and shoot the apple from the head of his
son. He was very unwilling to do it, for he was afraid the arrow
might miss and kill his child. But the brave boy stood firm, and
cried out--"Shoot, father! I am not afraid." He took a steady aim;
fired, and knocked the apple off without hurting his son.
Just as the teacher was telling this story a sudden storm burst from
the sky. There was a flash of lightning, and a loud crash of thunder.
Some of the children screamed, and began to cry and ran to the
teacher for protection. But a little boy named Willie Hawthorne, kept
his seat and went on quietly studying his lesson.
When the storm was over the teacher said:
"Willie why were you not afraid like the other children?"
"Because," said he, "I knew the lightning was only an arrow in my
Heavenly Father's hand, and why should I be afraid?"
How well Willie had learned the lesson which Jesus taught his
disciples when he performed so many miracles to show what power he
has to protect his people from danger!
Here is just one other story to illustrate this truth. We may call
it:
"The Widow's Tree," Some years ago a violent storm, with wind and
thunder, swept through the valley of Yellow Creek, in Indiana County,
Georgia. For more than a mile in width trees were uprooted, houses,
barns, and fences were thrown down, and ruin and desolation was
spread all over the land.
In the centre of the region over which this hurricane swept stood a
small cabin. It was occupied by an aged Christian widow, with her
only son. The terrible wind struck a large tree in front of her
humble dwelling, twisting and dashing it about. If the tree should
fall it would crush her home, and probably kill herself and son. The
storm howled and raged, and the big trees were falling on every hand.
In the midst of all the danger the widow knelt in prayer, and asked
God to spare that tree, and protect her home, and save her own life,
and that of her son. Her prayer was heard. And when the storm was
over, the widow's tree was spared, and strange as it may seem, was
the only one left amidst that scene of desolation. There it stood,
as if on purpose to show what power our loving Saviour has to protect
from danger those who trust in him!
_But, in the last place, we see that Jesus performed some of his
miracles for the purpose of teaching us that he has power
to_--PARDON.
A man was brought him, one day, who was sick of the palsy. His limbs
were helpless. He was not able to come to Jesus himself, so his
friends carried him on a bed. At this time Jesus was preaching in the
yard, or court, connected with some rich man's house. In those
eastern countries the houses were not built as ours are, with a yard
back of them. There is a square yard in the centre, and the house is
built round the four sides of this square. This open space is
generally used as a garden. It has a fountain playing in it, and a
covering of cloth or mats spread over it to keep off the sun. It was
in one of these open courts that Jesus was preaching on this
occasion. A great crowd had gathered round him, so that the friends
of the palsied man could not get near him with the bed on which the
sufferer lay. Then they concluded to carry him up to the top of the
house, and lower him down inside. This would not be easy to do with
us. But the eastern houses are not so high as ours. And then they
have flat roofs, and a flight of steps leading from the ground, on
the outside, to the top of the house. This made it very easy to get
up. When they were on the roof they removed the covering from the
inner court, and let down the bed, with the sick man on it, directly
in front of our Saviour. When he saw him he pitied him, and said,
"Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee." The people were
surprised at this. The Pharisees said among themselves "This man
blasphemeth." Jesus knew their thoughts and told them it was as easy
for him to heal the souls of men, as it was to heal their bodies. And
then, to show them that he had power on earth to forgive sins, he
said to the sick man--"Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine
house. And he arose, and went to his house," Matt, ix: 1-8. Certainly
the object Jesus had in view, in performing this miracle, was to
prove that he had power to forgive sins; or to pardon.
And when he healed the leper it was to teach us the same great truth.
This disease was not only like all other diseases, the result of sin;
but, unlike most other diseases, it was a type, or figure of sin. It
affected the body as sin affects the soul. And then, leprosy was a
disease which none but God could cure; just as sin is an offence
which none but God our Saviour can pardon. And so Jesus performed the
miracle of healing the palsied man and the lepers in order to teach
his disciples the great lesson that he "had power on earth to forgive
sins."
And he has the same power still. Here are some illustrations of the
way in which he exercises this power now.
"No Pardon but From Jesus," There was a heathen man in India once,
who felt that he was a sinner, and longed to obtain pardon. The
priests had sent him to their most famous temples, all over the
country, but he could get no pardon, and find no peace. He had fasted
till he was about worn to a skeleton, and had done many painful
things--but pardon and peace he could not find. At last he was told
to put pebbles in his shoes and travel to a distant temple, and make
an offering there; and he would find peace. He went. He made the
offering; but still he found no relief from the burden of his sins.
Sad, and sorrowful, he was returning home with the pebbles still in
his shoes. Wearied with his journey, he halted one day in the shade
of a grove, by the wayside, where a company of people was gathered
round a stranger who was addressing them. It was a Christian
missionary preaching the gospel. The heathen listened with great
interest. The missionary was preaching from the words:--"The blood of
Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin." He showed what power Jesus had
to forgive sins and how able and willing he is to save all who come
unto him. The heart of the poor heathen was drawn to this loving and
glorious Saviour. He took off his shoes and threw away the pebbles,
saying "This is the Saviour I have long sought in vain. Thank God! I
have found salvation!"
Here is one more illustration of the way in which Jesus pardons our
sins, and of the effect which that pardon has on those who receive
it. We may call it:
"Pardon and Peace." An officer who held a high position under the
government of his country, and was a favorite with the king, was once
brought before the judge and charged with a great crime. He took his
place at the bar with the greatest coolness, and looked at the judge
and jury and the great crowd of spectators as calmly as if he were
at home, surrounded by his own family.
The trial began. The witnesses were called up, and gave clear
evidence that he was guilty. Still he remained as calm and unmoved as
ever. There was not the least sign of fear visible on his
countenance; on the contrary, his face wore a pleasant smile.
At last the jury came in, and while the crowd in the court-room held
their breath, declared that the prisoner was guilty. In an instant
every eye was turned upon the prisoner to see what effect this
sentence would have upon him. But just then, he put his hand in his
bosom, drew out a paper, and laid it on the table. It was a pardon, a
full, free pardon of all his offences, given him by the king, and
sealed with the royal signet. This was the secret of his peace. This
was what gave him such calmness and confidence in his dreadful
position as a condemned prisoner.
And so Jesus gives his people pardon in such promises as these:
"Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow: though
they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool," Is. i: 16. "Let
them return unto the Lord, for he will _abundantly pardon_." Is. lv:
7. "All that believe are justified from _all_ things." Acts xiii:
39. These promises are like the king's pardon which the officer had
received. Faith in these promises brings pardon, and the pardon
brings peace. And so, by what he is doing now, as well as by the
miracles he performed when on earth, we are taught the precious
truth, that--"The Son of man hath power to forgive sins."
Then when we think of the wonderful miracles that Jesus did, let us
always remember the illustrations they afford of the power he had to
_help_--_to comfort_--_to encourage_--_to protect_--_and to pardon_.
Let us seek to secure all these blessings to ourselves, and then we
shall find that what Jesus taught by his miracles will be very
profitable teaching to us!