pical of the threefold Office of Christ. ose who held these offices were types of CHRIST, Who "I will raise them up a Prophet from among their The Prophet's office was twofold. a. To teach the people from GOD. Cf. S. John B. To foretell events to come. Cf. S. John "This man hath an unchangeable priesthood.” (3) King. Unto the SON He saith, Thy Throne, O GOD, is The Work of Christ's Ministry. proclaim liberty to the captives." Hankind set free from Satan's power.1 Isa. lxi. I. S. Luke iv. 18. Cf. S. Mat. i. 21: S. Luke ii. 74, 75. n the exercise of His threefold office, CHRIST accomplishes this work. (1) As Prophet. Isa. liv. 13. (2) As Priest. Cf. S. John x. 27, 28; xv. 3. Heb. ii. 17; iv. 15, 16; vii. 24, 25. (3) As King. Rom. vi. 20, 22. Cf. S. Luke xi. 21, 22. proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord." kind restored to GOD'S favour. 1) By sin man had forfeited GOD's favour, he was "It repented the LORD, that He had made man 1 See Quinquagesima Sunday. (2) In the Person of CHRIST, GOD beholds man a with favour. "My beloved SON in Whom I am well pleas S. Mat. iii. 17. Cf. Dan. ix. 24. "The hea were opened unto Him;" in CHRIST the k dom of heaven is opened to all believ Eph. i. 6. Special Application. The necessity of Holy Baptism. If JESUS is baptized, needful that we should be! THE WORKING OF MIRACLES2 "And at Cana, wedding guest, Miracles a Sign from God. I. The sign given by God to His Prophets of old. Moses. Ex. iv. 1-10; vii., viii., ix., x., xii., xiv. Elijah. I Kings xvii., xviii. 2 Kings i. Elisha. 2 Kings ii., iv., v., &c., and others. II. Acknowledged as a sign from God by those w witnessed them. Ex. iv. 30, 31 ; xiv. 31. I Kings xvii. 24. Not by GOD's people only, but also by the heathen. Bearing witness to the Divine Mission of Christ the Anoin of God. I. The whole course of Christ's earthly Minist marked by miracles. a. Beginning with a miracle. S. John ii. 1-12. 1 Te Deum. 2 See Gospel for the Day. rist Himself pointed to His Miracles as coneing testimony of His Divine Mission. The works that I do, bear witness of Me, that the FATHER hath sent Me." S. John v. 36; x. 25, 37, 38. [S. Luke Cf. Ex. viii. 19.] xi. 20. hat they would not receive this Divine Testi-y, was the great sin of the Jews. f I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin : but now they have both seen and hated both Me and My FATHER.” S. John xv. 24. Cf. Acts ii. 22, 23. (1) Unbelief the devil's work. "The god of this world hath blinded the eyes of them that believe not." 2 Cor. iv. 4. Cf. S. John viii. 44. Compare The devils' confession, "I know Thee who Thou art, the Holy One of GOD." S. Mark i. 24, 34. S. Luke iv. 41. The Pharisees' taunt, "He casteth out devils, through the prince of the devils." S. Mat. ix. 34; xii. 24. (2) GOD reveals to the unlearned and ignorant that which is hidden from the wise. S. Mark xii. 37. S. Luke vii. 11-17. S. John ii. II, 23; vii. 31; ix. 32, 33. Cf. S. Mat. xi. 25, 26: 1 Cor. i. 26. The Miracles of Christ. › Manifestation of Divine Power. The Prophets worked miracles by the power of GOD, not by their own power. CHRIST as GOD, worked miracles by His own power. S. Mark v. 41. S. John xi. 43; iv. 50. Cf. 1 Kings xvii. 21, 22. 2 Kings iv. 29—36. The Miracles of CHRIST manifested His Supreme power over all Creation. S. John i. 3. All things obey His command.— The fruits of the earth. S. John ii. 1-12. 15-22; xv. 32-39; xxi. 17, 21. S. Mat. xiv. The forces of nature. S. Mat. viii. 23—28. S. Mark vi. 48. The animal Creation. S. Mat. xvii. 24 to end. S. Luke V. I-II. 1 Devils. S. Mat. viii. 28-34. S. Mark i. 23—28; 14-28. Disease. S. Mat. viii. 1-18. S. Mark i. 32—35, &c. Death. S. Mat. ix. 18-27. S. Luke vii. 11-16. S. Joh II. The Manifestation of Divine Glory. a. A glory always present. CHRIST'S glory as the Eternal SON of GOD could ne b. From time to time "shining forth." [Ex. xxx (1) CHRIST'S glory manifested by the miracles whi He wrought. S. John ii. 11. (2) CHRIST'S glory manifested in the Transfiguratio S. Luke ix. 28, 37. Cf. S. John i. 14. Special Application. (1) Faith in CHRIST, our SAVIOUR. (2) Faith in the power of JESUS-still the same. The Third Sunday after the Epiphany. CHRIST'S POWER OVER DISEASE AND DEATH. "Manifest in making whole, Palsied limbs, and fainting soul." The Evil of Disease and Death. I. Brought into the world by the devil. a. The author of all evil. (1) A murderer from the beginning. S. John viii. 44. Cf. Gen. ii. 17; iii. 3, 4, 5. (2) Having the power of death. Heb. ii. 14. power of inflicting disease. S. Luke xiii. 11, 16. The b. Not permitted to exercise this power according to his own will, but by permission and under the control of Almighty GOD. Job i. 12; ii. 6. 1 See Gospel for the Day. he consequence and the punishment of sin. By sin man fell under Satan's power, and became a prey to sin, disease, and death.1 By reason of sin, all have to die. Rom. v. 12. Heb. ix. 27. Examples from Holy Scripture of special sins thus directly punished by GOD. Num. xii. 2 Kings v. 20 to end. Acts v. I—12. We may not however dare to judge, imputing sin to those who suffer; it is not given to us to interpret the visitations and judgments of Almighty GOD. S. Luke xiii. 1-6. S. John ix. 1-4. Disease and death of the body, typical of sin, disease and death of the soul. prosy. Isa. i. 5, 6. İsy. Rom. vii. 18, 19. indness. S. John ix. 39, 40, 41. eafness. Ps. lviii. 3, 4. mbness. Ps. li. 15. meness. Heb. xii. 13. cath. Eph. ii. I. 2 S. Pet. i. 8, 9. Christ the Divine Healer. ist was manifested that He might destroy the s of the devil. I S. John iii. 8. Cf. Rev. xii. 9, 10. Sin the great disease of the soul. S. John iii. 14, 15. Cf. Num. xxi. 6—10. During His earthly ministry healing "all manner of sickness, and all manner of disease," sad evidence in the world around of the curse of sin. S. Mat. iv. 23. See the Office of the Anointed. Contrast the works of CHRIST, and the works of the devil. He came "that we might have life." S. John x. 10. He bare our sicknesses." S. Mat. viii. 16, 17. Cf. Isa. liii. 4. -exagesima Sunday. 2 This does not of course apply to those ere disease is the immediate and direct consequence of sin, as of ness, &c. |