the desire of ages-第65节

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not　even　ask　Him　to　come　in　person　to　perform　the　miracle。　〃Speak　the　word　only；〃　he　said；　〃and　my　servant　shall　be　healed。〃

The　centurion's　servant　had　been　stricken　with　palsy；　and　lay　at　the　point　of　death。　Among　the　Romans　the　servants　were　slaves；　bought　and　sold　in　the　market　places；　and　treated　with　abuse　and　cruelty；　but　the　centurion　was　tenderly　attached　to　his　servant；　and　greatly　desired　his　recovery。　He　believed　that　Jesus　could　heal　him。　He　had　not　seen　the　Saviour；　but　the　reports　he　heard　had　inspired　him　with　faith。　Notwithstanding　the　formalism　of　the　Jews；　this　Roman　was　convinced　that　their　religion　was　superior　to　his　own。　Already　he　had　broken　through　the　barriers　of　national　prejudice　and　hatred　that　separated　the　conquerors　from　the　conquered　people。　He　had　manifested　respect　for　the　service　of　God；　and　had　shown　kindness　to　the　Jews　as　His　worshipers。　In　the　teaching　of　Christ；　as　it　had　been　reported　to　him；　he　found　that　which　met　the　need　of　the　soul。　All　that　was　spiritual　within　him　responded　to　the　Saviour's　words。　But　he　felt　unworthy　to　come　into　the　presence　of　Jesus；　and　he　appealed　to　the　Jewish　elders　to　make　request　for　the　healing　of　his　servant。　They　were　acquainted　with　the

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Great　Teacher；　and　would；　he　thought；　know　how　to　approach　Him　so　as　to　win　His　favor。

As　Jesus　entered　Capernaum；　He　was　met　by　a　delegation　of　the　elders；　who　told　Him　of　the　centurion's　desire。　They　urged　〃that　he　was　worthy　for　whom　He　should　do　this：　for　he　loveth　our　nation；　and　he　hath　built　us　a　synagogue。〃

Jesus　immediately　set　out　for　the　officer's　home；　but；　pressed　by　the　multitude；　He　advanced　slowly。　The　news　of　His　coming　preceded　Him；　and　the　centurion；　in　his　self…distrust；　sent　Him　the　message；　〃Lord；　trouble　not　Thyself：　for　I　am　not　worthy　that　Thou　shouldest　enter　under　my　roof。〃　But　the　Saviour　kept　on　His　way；　and　the　centurion；　venturing　at　last　to　approach　Him；　completed　the　message；　saying；　〃Neither　thought　I　myself　worthy　to　come　unto　Thee；〃　〃but　speak　the　word　only；　and　my　servant　shall　be　healed。　For　I　am　a　man　under　authority；　having　soldiers　under　me：　and　I　say　to　this　man；　Go；　and　he　goeth；　and　to　another；　Come；　and　he　cometh；　and　to　my　servant；　Do　this；　and　he　doeth　it。〃　As　I　represent　the　power　of　Rome；　and　my　soldiers　recognize　my　authority　as　supreme；　so　dost　Thou　represent　the　power　of　the　Infinite　God；　and　all　created　things　obey　Thy　word。　Thou　canst　command　the　disease　to　depart；　and　it　shall　obey　Thee。　Thou　canst　summon　Thy　heavenly　messengers；　and　they　shall　impart　healing　virtue。　Speak　but　the　word；　and　my　servant　shall　be　healed。

〃When　Jesus　heard　these　things；　He　marveled　at　him；　and　turned　Him　about；　and　said　unto　the　people　that　followed　Him；　I　say　unto　you；　I　have　not　found　so　great　faith；　no；　not　in　Israel。〃　And　to　the　centurion　He　said；　〃As　thou　hast　believed；　so　be　it　done　unto　thee。　And　his　servant　was　healed　in　the　selfsame　hour。〃

The　Jewish　elders　who　recommended　the　centurion　to　Christ　had

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shown　how　far　they　were　from　possessing　the　spirit　of　the　gospel。　They　did　not　recognize　that　our　great　need　is　our　only　claim　on　God's　mercy。　In　their　self…righteousness　they　commended　the　centurion　because　of　the　favor　he　had　shown　to　〃our　nation。〃　But　the　centurion　said　of　himself；　〃I　am　not　worthy。〃　His　heart　had　been　touched　by　the　grace　of　Christ。　He　saw　his　own　unworthiness；　yet　he　feared　not　to　ask　help。　He　trusted　not　to　his　own　goodness；　his　argument　was　his　great　need。　His　faith　took　hold　upon　Christ　in　His　true　character。　He　did　not　believe　in　Him　merely　as　a　worker　of　miracles；　but　as　the　friend　and　Saviour　of　mankind。

It　is　thus　that　every　sinner　may　come　to　Christ。　〃Not　by　works　of　righteousness　which　we　have　done；　but　according　to　His　mercy　He　saved　us。〃　Titus　3：5。　When　Satan　tells　you　that　you　are　a　sinner；　and　cannot　hope　to　receive　blessing　from　God；　tell　him　that　Christ　came　into　the　world　to　save　sinners。　We　have　nothing　to　recommend　us　to　God；　but　the　plea　that　we　may　urge　now　and　ever　is　our　utterly　helpless　condition　that　makes　His　redeeming　power　a　necessity。　Renouncing　all　self…dependence；　we　may　look　to　the　cross　of　Calvary　and　say；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃In　my　hand　no　price　I　bring；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Simply　to　Thy　cross　I　cling。〃

The　Jews　had　been　instructed　from　childhood　concerning　the　work　of　the　Messiah。　The　inspired　utterances　of　patriarchs　and　prophets　and　the　symbolic　teaching　of　the　sacrificial　service　had　been　theirs。　But　they　had　disregarded　the　light；　and　now　they　saw　in　Jesus　nothing　to　be　desired。　But　the　centurion；　born　in　heathenism；　educated　in　the　idolatry　of　imperial　Rome；　trained　as　a　soldier；　seemingly　cut　off　from　spiritual　life　by　his　education　and　surroundings；　and　still　further　shut　out　by　the　bigotry　of　the　Jews；　and　by　the　contempt　of　his　own　countrymen　for　the　people　of　Israel；this　man　perceived　the　truth　to　which　the　children　of　Abraham　were　blinded。　He　did　not　wait　to　see　whether　the　Jews　themselves　would　receive　the　One　who　claimed　to　be　their　Messiah。　As　the　〃light；　which　lighteth　every　man　that　cometh　into　the　world〃　（John　1：9）　had　shone　upon　him；　he　had；　though　afar　off；　discerned　the　glory　of　the　Son　of　God。

To　Jesus　this　was　an　earnest　of　the　work　which　the　gospel　was　to　accomplish　among　the　Gentiles。　With　joy　He　looked　forward　to　the　gathering　of　souls　from　all　nations　to　His　kingdom。　With　deep　sadness　He　pictured　to　the　Jews　the　result　of　their　rejection　of　His　grace：　〃I

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say　unto　you；　That　many　shall　come　from　the　east　and　west；　and　shall　sit　down　with　Abraham；　and　Isaac；　and　Jacob；　in　the　kingdom　of　heaven。　But　the　children　of　the　kingdom　shall　be　cast　out　into　outer　darkness：　there　shall　be　weeping　and　gnashing　of　teeth。〃　Alas；　how　many　are　still　preparing　for　the　same　fatal　disappointment！　While　souls　in　heathen　darkness　accept　His　grace；　how　many　there　are　in　Christian　lands　upon　whom　the　light　shines　only　to　be　disregarded。

More　than　twenty　miles　from　Capernaum；　on　a　tableland　overlooking　the　wide；　beautiful　plain　of　Esdraelon；　lay　the　village　of　Nain；　and　thither　Jesus　next　bent　His　steps。　Many　of　His　disciples　and　others　were　with　Him；　and　all　along　the　way　the　people　came；　longing　for　His　words　of　love　and　pity；　bringing　their　sick　for　His　healing；　and　ever　with　the　hope　that　He　who　wielded　such　wondrous　power　would　make　Himself　known　as　the　King　of　Israel。　A　multitude　thronged　His　steps；　and　it　was　a　glad；　expectant　company　that　followed　Him　up　the　rocky　path　toward　the　gate　of　the　mountain　village。

As　they　draw　near；　a　funeral　train　is　seen　coming　from　the　gates。　With　slow；　sad　steps　it　is　proceeding　to　the　place　of　burial。　On　an　open　bier　carried　in　front　is　the　body　of　the　dead；　and　about　it　are　the　mourners；　filling　the　air　with　their　wailing　cries。　All　the　people　of　the　town　seem　to　have　gathered　to　show　their　respect　for　the　dead　and　their　sympathy　with　the　bereaved。

It　was　a　sight　to　awaken　sympathy。　The　deceased　was　the　only　son　of　his　mother；　and　she　a　widow。　The　lonely　mourner　was　following　to　the　grave　her　sole　earthly　support　and　comfort。　〃When　the　Lord　saw　her；　He　had　compassion　on　her。〃　As　she　moved　on　blindly；　weeping；　noting　not　His　presence；　He　came　close　beside　her；　and　gently　said；　〃Weep　not。〃　Jesus　was　about　to　change　her　grief　to　joy；　yet　He　could　not　forbear　this　expression　of　tender　sympathy。

〃He　came　and　touched　the　bier；〃　to　Him　even　contact　with　death　could　impart　no　defilement。　The　bearers　stood　still；　and　the　lamentations　of　the　mourners　ceased。　The　two　companies　gathered　about　the　bier；　hoping　against　hope。　One　was　present　who　had　banished　disease　and　vanquished　demons；　was　death　also　subject　to　His　power？

In　clear；　authoritative　voice　the　words　are　spoken；　〃Young　man；　I　say　unto　thee；　Arise。〃　That　voice　pierces　the　ears　of　the　dead。　The　young　man　opens　his　eyes。　Jesus　takes　him　by　the　hand；　and　lifts　him　up。　His　gaze　falls　upon　her　who　has　been　weeping　beside　him；　and　mother　and　son　unite　in　a　long；　clinging；　joyous　embrace。　The　multitude

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look　on　in　silence；　as　if　spellbound。　〃There　came　a　fear　on　all。〃　Hushed　and　reverent　they　stood　for　a　little　time；　as　if　in　the　very　presence　of　God。　Then　they　〃glorified　God；　saying；　That　a　great　prophet　is　risen　up　among　us；　and；　That　God　hath　visited　His　people。〃　The　funeral　train　returned　to　Nain　as　a　triumphal　procession。　〃And　this　rumor　of　Him　went　forth　throughout　all　Judea；　and　throughout　all　the　region　round　about。〃

He　who　stood　beside　the　sorrowing　mother　at　the　gate　of　Nain；　watches　with　every　mourning　one　beside　the　bier。　He　is　touched　with　sympathy　for　our　grief。　His　heart；　that　loved　and　pitied；　is　a　heart　of　unchangeable　tenderness。　His　word；　that　called　the　dead　to　life；　is　no　less　efficacious　now　than　when　spoken　to　the　young　man　of　Nain。　He　says；　〃All　power　is　given　unto　Me　in　heaven　and　in　earth。〃　Matt。　28：18。　That　power　is　not　diminished　by　the　lapse　of　years；　nor　exhausted　by　the　ceaseless　activity　of　His　overflowing　grace。　To　all　who　believe　on　Him　He　is　still　a　living　Saviour。

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Jesus　changed　the　mother's　grief