JESUS ^ EXAMPLE FOR SUCH WORK 129 



The object of the Gospel is to save mankind. It is to 

 help men whenever or wherever they need help, for the 

 present time as well as for eternity. Instead of despising 

 this body and this present life God thought so much of 

 these that He gave His only begotten Son a human body 

 and He shared our life with all its limitations. And 

 in this human flesh dwelt very God of very God, the 

 Lamb slain from before the foundation of the world. If 

 man in his present state be not the object of the Gospel, 

 what purpose does it have? ''He that believeth hath 

 (present tense) eternal life," now. When God through 

 Christ saves a person, eternal life for that person has 

 already begun. Death makes only a change in place 

 and state. The individual persists. 



This statement from Isaiah which He read in the 

 synagogue where every one knew Him can be taken as 

 the program for His own life. ''This day is this scrip- 

 ture fulfilled in your ears." If we read on to the end 

 of the chapter we have a very complete demonstration of 

 how He Himself carried out His own program. "Now 

 when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick 

 with divers diseases brought them unto Him ; and He laid 

 His hands on every one of them and healed them. ' ' To 

 one who has lived in an oriental country this picture is 

 a very full one. Disease is so common, so much of it is 

 incurable, human life slips away so easily ; remedies that 

 cure are so few. The watchers sitting by the loved one, 

 who is tossing in fever, writhing in pain, are unable to 

 help, dreading the night when life goes out all too effort- 

 less. At the hour of greatest dread and terror He laid 

 His hand on every one of them, and healed them. There 

 is no incurable ward in Jesus' hospital, no long, linger- 



