Bill Link - Class 3: The Master's Eyes

Automatically transcribed. Accuracy is good but not perfect, and words are sometimes wrong. Trust the audio over the text.

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   This is day three of the 2017 Idyllwild Bible School. Our third period teacher is Brother Bill Link. His general topic is portraits of the master. Today's topic is the master's eyes. Brother Bill? Good morning, brothers and sisters. My dear brothers and sisters and friends in Christ Jesus. The eyes are often called the window of the soul. We might not be able to put into words what we mean when we say it, but we can describe somebody as having angry eyes, or somebody as having gentle eyes or welcoming eyes.

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   The fact is we read a lot about people and our interactions are governed by our looking at people's eyes and figuring things out. People squint, for instance, when they're suspicious, and our eyes dilate when we're attracted to someone. In fact, there was a study done where they took pictures of people, and they just touched them up a little bit. And what they did was they used Photoshop or whatever to dilate the pupils.

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   And then they put the pictures up one after the other and said, which one makes the person look better? And people always chose the one with the dilated pupils without even really being able to explain why they were choosing that one. It's something that's unconscious because of our reading of people's eyes. In fact, there was a paper published in the prestigious Proceedings of the National Academy of Science a few years back, where they showed that even infants can read fear in people's eyes, and even with only a quick glimpse at their eyes.

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   People's eyes really do tell us a lot about them. And so it's not surprising that the Gospels bid us take note of our Master's eyes.

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   A lot of these things that we could very easily read right past the little details given in the Gospels. And it might not matter if we misread somebody else's eyes, but it would be an awful shame not to take note of the evangelists' observations, which paint a picture in our mind of the Lord we wish to know.

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   And once you start paying attention to it, you might even find it a bit startling how many references there are to Jesus' eyes, to his look, his gaze. There's something about it, I think, that his witnesses never forgot.

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   In particular, we're drawn to Jesus' eyes when he prayed. If you open your Bible to the Gospel of Mark, chapter 6, verse 41. This one's recorded in all of the Synoptic Gospels, Matthew, Mark, and… You know why they're called Synoptic? They have the same optics. They have the same perspective. Matthew, Mark, and Luke, the Synoptic Gospels.

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   And they all tell us at the feeding of the 5,000 that when Jesus prayed, he looked up to heaven. Mark 6, verse 41. When he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven and blessed and break the loaves and gave them to his disciples to set before them.

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   And the two fishes divided he among them all. What was conveyed by that heavenward glance? Chapter 7, verse 32. So they bring unto him one that was deaf and had an impediment in his speech, and they beseech him to put his hand upon him. And he took him aside from the multitude and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit and touched his tongue.

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    And looking up to heaven, he sighed. And saith unto him, Ephphatha. That is, be opened. Why mention that Jesus looked up? Why did he look up? What's it teach us about him?

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    How do we know him better? By noting this. There are other examples of it. We won't look these up. These are in the Gospel of John. But John chapter 11, at the resurrection of Lazarus. They took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid, and Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.

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    John 17, his prayer en route to Gethsemane. These words spake Jesus and lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, Father, the hour has come. Glorify thy son that thy son also may glorify thee. I was struck last night by Brother Tim's comments about our posture in prayer. That 1 Timothy chapter 2 has the apostle saying, I desire that men everywhere lift holy hands.

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    And Brother Tim encouraged us to at least try having our hands open. And maybe there's something about lifting our eyes as well. Not that this is all static or that this is a, you know, we always do the same thing. But making prayer real.

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    I've mentioned a few times about the place I work that it's protected land that I can go wander off in the evenings, ride a bike or whatever. And sometimes when they're in the quiet and desolate place where I know nobody's going to see me, I can lift my hands. I can look to heaven.

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    It's powerful. I suggested Monday that the gospel of Matthew has, draws our attention to Jesus' hands. I mean, when you look at a harmony of the gospels, which is a great way to read the gospels. It's a good study. My wife, Sister Carol, did this recently where she just went through the gospels, using the harmony of the gospels to lay them out side by side and to notice the differences and the things are added.

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    Matthew brings our attention to Jesus' hands. And similarly, and I never noticed that until I was preparing these studies, Mark draws our attention to Jesus' eyes. So in addition to the ones we've already noted, which are shared among the other gospels, we have, for instance, Mark chapter 3. Very much brings our attention to Jesus' eyes.

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    This is the time when Jesus is in the synagogue and they bring a man with a withered hand. And they're looking to see if they can trip Jesus up. Right? Let's see if he'll heal him because that's not legal. That would be breaking the law of God. That we have him if he does that.

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    And they watched him, it says, verse 2, whether he would heal him on the Sabbath day, that they might accuse him. And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, stand forth. And he saith unto them, is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath days or to do evil? To save life or to kill?

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    They held their peace. They didn't hold their peace out of embarrassment. They just didn't feel like responding. And when he'd looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, stretch forth thine hand. And he did. And he was healed. And the Pharisees went forth, verse 6, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, and how they might destroy him.

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    And I mentioned the other day when the parents were bringing the children to Jesus to lay his hands on them. That Jesus was indignant. That the disciples rebuked him and said, don't trouble the master. That he was indignant. It says so. There was, when he tipped over the tables of the money changers.

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    It doesn't say he was angry there, but I can't imagine that it was done completely coldly and dispassionately. But it doesn't say he was angry. The disciples could say that the zeal of my father's house has eaten me up. So they could see. But this is the only place where we read of Jesus being angry.

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    And what's remarkable about it is that the anger wasn't expressed in words. It was expressed in a look. Verse 5. When he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their heart. Mark is the only one that records this detail. The word grieved that's used there is a word meaning afflicted.

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    Well, it's it. It's the word afflicted, but with a prefix that means together. It's as though Jesus was entering into the feelings of this man with a withered hand. He's afflicted together with him. And he's grieved with the hardness of their hearts. Yes.

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    This was really righteous indignation. By the way, have you ever justified your indignation as righteous indignation? We might do that sometimes. And I think that when we try to lay claim to righteous indignation, we're in real danger. Like, you know, you're most likely to do something unwise when you're sure you're right, when you're confident you're right.

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    And in fact, what the Scripture tells us is that we aren't righteous. Any righteousness that we have is by the gracious imputation of righteousness because of faith. That God imputes our faith as righteousness. But let's stay away from saying righteous indignation for ourselves. Because most of the time when we get indignant, it's the wrath of man that worketh not the righteousness of God.

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    But in the case of Jesus, really something. Mark chapter 3, verse 34. Mark emphasizing the eyes of the Lord. Remember they, we talked about this, I think, Monday. With, behold, my mother's and my brother. And Matthew says, he used his hand to gesture. And Mark says, he looked round about on them which sat about him.

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    And said, behold, my mother and my brethren. Chapter 5, verse 32. The woman healed of the issue of blood that we talked about before. Mark only has the detail. Verse 32. He looked round about to see her that had done this thing. Mark chapter 8.

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    When Jesus is explaining to the disciples that he's got to go to Jerusalem and be mistreated and killed. And Peter, in his affection for the Lord, says, no, no, no. Be it far from thee, Lord. Don't let this happen. And look what Mark says. And again, this detail is only in Mark. Verse 33.

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    When he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter. Why did he do that? Peter says, don't let this happen. Be it far from you. Spare yourself.

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    Jesus looks at the disciples, each one of them. Is he gauging their reaction? Is he looking to see? Is he challenging them? He does that and then he addresses Peter. Peter.

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    Chapter 10. Well, we'll skip this one for now. This is the rich young man. We're going to come back to it. But that has Jesus. Mark is the only one describing Jesus' gaze. But we'll come back to that one. Mark chapter 11. So it's over and over again that Mark brings us to consider Jesus' eyes.

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    Mark chapter 11 has the triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Luke speaks of how he'd steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, knowing what lay ahead. And he and his disciples are staying at Bethany, probably with Lazarus and Mary and Martha. All of the Gospels describe the triumphal entry, the acclamations of the crowd, which would soon be denying him.

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    It's an emotional time for him, just days before the crucifixion. He has wept over the city's impending fate. He's gone to the temple and healed the blind and the lame. But only Mark says this.

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    Verse 11 of chapter 11. Jesus entered into Jerusalem and into the temple. And when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out into Bethany with the twelve. It's an interesting, isn't that kind of an interesting description of things? Jesus went in and he had a good look around.

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    And it doesn't say anything more than that. Except it invites us to know our Lord. And to imagine what was running through his mind as he looked around and then left and returned to Bethany. So all this is sort of my way of introduction. To say that Mark is the Gospel that really focuses our attention on Jesus' eyes.

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    So I want us to come back to Mark chapter 10. The episode of the rich young ruler. Begins at Mark 10, verse 17. A man comes running up to Jesus.

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    All of the Gospels record this episode as following Jesus laying hands on the young children. The man who runs up is a young man. Matthew tells us. Luke describes him as a ruler. Whether that would mean in the synagogue or simply a man of authority among the Sadducees. Maybe even a ruler of the Sanhedrin.

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    Can't say for sure. But all the Gospels make clear that he was very well to do. Luke says he was very rich. Matthew and Mark say he had great possessions. So he comes running and kneels down before Jesus in verse 17. When he was gone forth into the way, there came one running and kneeled to him and asked him, Good master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?

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    Now we're familiar with these verses. Probably they come to mind first of all as a good proof passage. You know, because Jesus says, Why do you call me good? There's only one good and that's God. And so Jesus is not laying claim to the title of good. Therefore, he is not equating himself with God.

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    And that's a good piece of exposition. But let's not forget to look at the dynamics of what's going on. It's interesting to notice, though. I'll just point out in verse 20. That when the young man addresses Jesus a second time, he only calls him master. He no longer calls him good master. Jesus tells him that he has to keep the commandments.

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    Right? Verse 18. Why callest thou me good? There's no good but one. That is God. Thou knowest the commandments. Do not commit adultery. Do not kill. Do not steal. Do not bear false witness. Defraud not. Honor thy father and mother. And he answered him and said unto him, Master, all these things have I observed for my youth up.

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    Matthew adds, what do I still lack? So look at Mark 10, verse 21 and 22. Then Jesus, beholding him, loved him and said unto him, one thing thou lackest. Go thy way. Sell whatsoever thou hast and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven. And come, take up the cross and follow me.

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    And he was sad at that saying and went away grieved, for he had great possessions. And there's that remarkable passage in the Gospel of John that says, Jesus needed not that any should testify of man, for he knew what was in man. So I might be inclined when I hear this young man say, well, I've kept all these things from my youth up.

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    My first reaction would be, say, baloney, you have it. And I might think to myself, you're just looking for approval. You're just looking for me to give you some strokes and say, hey, you've done enough. You're a good guy. Everything's okay. Don't worry about it. Is that what you want? But Jesus had the penetrating insight to know what was in a man and not to need the testimony of another.

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    Like we might ask one another, well, what about brother so-and-so? Is he somebody that you would want to do such and such a job? Would he be capable and have the responsibility for that? Well, we need the testimony of others. Jesus didn't. He knew what was in a man. And so look what it says.

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    Jesus beholding him loved him. Jesus' response shows he thought that this was a sincere question from the man. And then it's what he says, that he beheld him. The word's the word that's used in that well-known passage in Acts. Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven?

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    So you can just imagine Jesus gazing at the young man. The warm smile on his face. He knew there was one problem the young man had. He was wealthy and he loved his possessions. And we talked about this previously. But it's an observation I think makes us in this comfortable Western world, it ought to make us squirm a bit.

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    Because we have great possessions. We love our comforts. At least I know I do. I don't think Jesus' insight with the young man began with the gaze. I think he understood from the beginning. When the young man said, good master, what good thing shall I do? The young man had the idea most people tend to have that if we just do enough good, that God will reward us.

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    That our good deeds compel God's favor. But then, let's not be too hard on the young man. He hadn't had the benefit of reading Romans 4. He probably didn't understand from Genesis 15, verse 6, how that Abraham's faith was imputed for righteousness. That even though, like Paul encourages us in Romans, we ought to, by patient continuance and well-doing, seek for glory and honor and immortality, that what we do does matter, that nevertheless, God's favor is a matter of grace and not debt.

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    So, Jesus sets out to teach this young man. That's why it was necessary for him to correct him and for calling him good master.

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    None of us, and even Jesus himself at that point, could lay claim to the title of good. And that really should have answered the young man's question of what good thing he should do. Jesus was the teacher, and this was his opportunity to teach. Thou knowest the commandments. And the young man answers, I've kept all them since my youth up.

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    And I suspect that there was something in the man's tone that suggests that he knew that even then he hadn't done enough, that he kind of did understand. There was a feeling of something lacking.

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    And Jesus calls him to complete dedication. One thing thou lackest. All of the synoptic gospels record Jesus' appeal. Come and follow me. Mark adds this wonderful phrase in 10 verse 21. Take up the cross. The cross that was ever before our Lord. Now you think we're going to talk on Friday about the mind of the Lord and how it's expressed in the Psalms.

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    But you think, how many times had Jesus read Psalm 22? How many times had he seen people crucified and thought about the prophecy of Psalm 22 and thought about the cross? And maybe this young man had seen crucifixion too. It was a powerful symbol of denying yourself. Jesus says, deny yourself completely.

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    Follow me. And the young man went away sorrowful. He was sad at that saying, verse 22. Some versions say his countenance fell. The same word used to describe gloomy weather and clouds, which the hypocritical Pharisees could discern when they couldn't discern Jesus' mission. He went away sorrowful. I imagine he'd hoped that there was one single act he could do, maybe even a great charitable donation, so that he could henceforth live life to the fullest, enjoying his wealth and position and in the confidence that he would inherit eternal life.

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    But Jesus was never one to set the bar low. Not then, nor now either. He says to us, so likewise ye, when ye have done all these things which are commanded you, say, we are unprofitable servants. We have done that which was our duty to do. It's an interesting balance, isn't it? The awareness of our complete inability to save ourselves, that we are not good, that we're absolutely in need of God's grace.

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    And on the other hand, that his abundant grace is there, that God is a God who delights in mercy and who commends his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more than being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

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    For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his son, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. Jesus never set the bar low. How he challenged this young man whom he gazed upon and loved. Now come back to Mark and have a look at verse 22 to 24 of chapter 10.

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    The young man went away sad at that saying, went away grieved, for he had great possessions. And once again, we're drawn to Jesus' eyes. Jesus looked round about.

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    He looks round about and he says to his disciples, how hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God. I'm guessing that it was incredulity that he saw in the eyes of his disciples. They thought that wealth was a sign of God's favor.

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    To their way of thinking, this young man was surely one who is okay with God. Just look at his position. You know, leader of the synagogue. Wasn't his wealth an evident sign of God's favor? And we're reminded of what we started off with in the first class. Paul's words in Philippians chapter 3, that all of those things, all of those outward tokens of religion that one could put confidence in, that he calls that the flesh.

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    wouldn't want to have confidence in the flesh. Rather, his desire to know Jesus and the power of his resurrection. And so they're astonished at his response. And so there is more education to be done, not only of the rich young man, but of Jesus' disciples. It says that he looked round about and said to them, how hardly shall they that have riches enter the kingdom of God.

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    Verse 24, the disciples were astonished at his words. Verse 26, they were astonished out of measure. And once again, verse 27, Jesus looking upon them, saith, with men it is impossible, but not with God. For with God, all things are possible. So note verse 27. Here's the teachable moment, the climax. Once again, Jesus makes eye contact with them.

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    He looks on them. Imagine his eyes. Matthew and Mark conclude this episode with Peter's question. Behold, we've forsaken all and followed thee. What shall we have therefore? I imagine that Peter was feeling kind of deflated. Was Jesus saying that all that they could give counted for nothing? Jesus' answer is reassuring. He wasn't the hard man who sets impossible standards.

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    Rather, he says, Mark 10, verse 29, verily, there's no man that hath left house or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my sake in the Gospels.

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    But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time houses and brethren and sisters and mothers and children and lands with persecution and in the world to come eternal life. God is not unrighteous to forget our work and labor of love which we show in his name. And we have a taste of the blessings that God has in store for us here at Bible School receiving a hundredfold now.

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    And so, I urge us all to mingle, mix, get to know one another. Those, we tend to know certain people and be more comfortable talking. Get to know the hundredfold that the Lord has given us now. Amen. There's a couple other references to Jesus' eyes in other Gospels that I just want to make quick passing reference to.

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    One of them is the feeding the 5,000. When, on that occasion when he's heard of the death of John the Baptist and he just needs to be a part, it says, they got out there into the desert place and he lifted up his eyes and here came 5,000 people and said he had compassion on the multitude.

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    He looked up. Our attention's drawn to his eyes and his reaction so different than my own. Mine would have been to go, ah, then want to run away. Jesus' reaction was to have compassion. We'll talk about his compassion tomorrow. Another one where Jesus actually lifts up his eyes again with Zacchaeus. Apparently, the fig tree that Zacchaeus climbed into is one that grows in a number of places in Africa and only in a small section of the land of Israel.

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    And so, this little man, Zacchaeus, in a big crowd, a little man who's despised because he's not only a tax collector but he's a tax collector for the Romans and one who has been known to cheat a little bit. But he's got to see Jesus and he climbs up into the tree which is a pretty humble thing for this important personage to do.

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    And as the crowd's coming along, Luke 19, verse 5 says, when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and saw him and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, come down for today I must abide at thy house. Imagine that look. Imagine Zacchaeus meeting the Lord's eyes on that occasion.

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    Well, there's one more episode with Jesus' look and I'm guessing that y'all can anticipate what it is. It's perhaps the most well-known instance of Jesus' look. book. We'll be reading from Luke chapter 22.

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    It's right at the end of Jesus' ministry. It's just before the crucifixion. It's that time in the courtyard of Caiaphas when Peter denied his Lord. Now, when we try to put ourselves into the experience of the Gospels, Peter must have thought the Lord is acting very strangely. All this talk about suffering and dying, saying that the disciples are going to abandon him, there's no way we're going to abandon you.

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    says, Luke 22 verse 33, he says, Lord, I'm ready to go with thee both into prison and to death. And Matthew Mark says that all the disciples took up Peter's words. And then the things that happened overnight, the vigil in the garden with Jesus so distracted,

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    sore amazed, very heavy, it says in Mark 14. He'd asked Peter and James and John to stay awake with him, but they were so exhausted from the previous day's exceeding busyness that they just couldn't stay awake. And Jesus had come to them, and he seems to me that he was surprised when he says to him, couldn't you stay awake one hour?

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    This is one of a couple episodes that when you read it as allowing for Jesus to be surprised by something, it sort of adds a dimension. The other one is when Judas shows up.

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    Jesus knew about Judas. He knew what kind of man he was. Judas there at the Last Supper, and Jesus knew, and he says, what thou doest do quickly. And Judas goes out, and it was night. it was the dark situation. Jesus knew all about that. And yet, when Judas shows up with the band of people, and he steps forward and gives Jesus a kiss, the Lord says, Judas, betrayest thou me with a kiss?

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    Like, Jesus would have known about the crucifixion, would have known about a lot of what was going to lay ahead, parting the garments, buffets, but there's nothing in the prophecies to prepare him for that. That is token of love, was the token now of a denial, rejection, the infamy of it. And it's almost like we read Jesus' words, betrayest thou me with a kiss?

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    Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. Whew. The disciples had questioned at the last supper who it was that betrayed Jesus. And now they knew. And Peter whips out his, it wasn't probably really a sword, it was probably more what we'd call a hunting knife, not that long, and he slashes away wildly, the crowd there, and Peter, he slashes it, and he hits the high priest servant Malchus' ear, and Jesus immediately put up your knife, heals the man's ear, and there's confusion and mayhem, and in the confusion all the disciples forsake him and flee, including Peter.

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    And they take Jesus first to the house of Annas, and then to the house of Caiaphas. Caiaphas was high priest that year. Of course, the high priest was supposed to be for life, but it wasn't that way in those times. Annas, Annas was a man of great authority, but the Romans didn't want the high priest being too influential, and so they made sure the Jews swapped that responsibility among themselves.

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    Caiaphas was the high priest that year. And so Peter makes his way following the arresting crowd to the house of Caiaphas, and somebody lets him in. It's recorded in John's Gospel, and it says that one of Jesus' followers was known to the high priest. And we think maybe that's an anonymous way of John saying it was me, but not wanting to use his known name.

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    That explanation doesn't really convince me. I think more likely it was maybe Nicodemus or Joseph of Arimathea that would have been known of the high priest. John was a humble fisherman. Why would he have been known? But it doesn't matter. One way or another, Peter gets in the door.

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    He's tried to stay true to his word. He's followed the crowd that arrested Jesus all the way to the house of Caiaphas, and is watching the proceedings from a distance.

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    The denials come, so easily but so understandably. The first time, it was the young woman who had admitted him. And she said, you're not also one of his disciples, are you? And that admitted me, no, no, no, not me.

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    Then as Peter attempted to warm himself, so chilly that he was willing to risk being found out, one of the gospels says they lit a fire because it was cold. And you say, well, why else would they light a fire? Because it was cold. It's just like John's it was night. And so it's cold.

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    And Peter's there at the fire, attempting to warm himself. Maybe it was being in Caiaphas' house. Maybe it was after having wounded Malchus that Peter was afraid and wanted to be anonymous. As he made his third denial, that time panicking and backing up his words with a curse. In other words, saying, the Lord strike me dead.

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    If I know him. The Lord turned and looked upon Peter. Luke 22, verse 60. Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately while he yet spake, the cock crew. And the Lord turned and looked upon Peter. and Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.

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    How do you imagine that look from the cross of the courtyard? Jesus was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. Surely there must have been some grief in that look. It's intriguing to note that it's the same word as is used of him looking at the rich young man, that he gazed on him.

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    And I imagine that just like when he looked at that rich young man and gazed on him with love, that he gazed at Peter with a look that was mingled sorrow and love. Because we read that Peter went out and wept bitterly.

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    That look, the power of that look, and what a change it wrought. It's interesting, it's not the first time that Jesus is described as gazing on Peter. It's a word that doesn't happen all that often happens in the Gospels. It's in John 1 when Jesus first met Peter. It's in John 1 verse 42.

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    It says, when Jesus beheld him, he said, thou art Simon the son of Jonah, thou shalt be called Cephas. Jesus' look was a look of penetrating insight and of love. And in this final interaction before the crucifixion, Jesus beheld Peter.

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    Jesus had, in the evening just preceding, told Peter that he had been praying for him specifically. we read yesterday in Hebrews chapter 4 verse 13 where it says, speaking of Jesus, that there is no creature hidden from his sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

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    And in the apocalypse, the Lamb of God is portrayed as having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.

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    Surely our Lord sees and knows. He is alive. He understands. He cares. He exhorts. Like Peter, there's times where we deny our Lord. We love him, but we have so much to learn. You know, a day is coming when we will seek Jesus, when we will look into his eyes. First John chapter three, verse two says, Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

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    that marvelous thought. We're going to look into those eyes. We're going to look to the eyes of our Lord, who loves us, who strengthens us, and encourages us, who exhorts us to take up our cross, to deny ourselves, to follow him.

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    So there's a hymn that I'd like us to conclude with today that seems particularly appropriate, except that it's not quite. And the reason it's not quite is because it's an evening hymn and it's not evening. So how are we going to deal with that difficulty? One of the teens suggested that it's evening somewhere.

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    That's one possible way of dealing with it. Another way is for us to pretend it's evening, or maybe we could think of this as a metaphorical evening, that we're in the last light of Gentile darkness, or something like that. But it's a hymn that I, well there's one phrase in it that's particularly powerful.

98. 44:49

    It's hymn 407. And I'm thinking, well all of it's marvelous for the topic we're considering this week, but I'm thinking of verse 4 in particular. O Savior Christ, thou too art man. Thou hast been troubled, tempted, tried. Thy kind but searching glance can scan the very wounds that shame would hide. We've all got them.

99. 45:15

    The self-inflicted wounds of sin that shame would hide. And his kind but searching glance scans them. and looks on us with love. Hymn number 407.

100. 45:41

     The deep in air and the sun will stand, the sick of the world around the day. Though the dark nighter changed the end, the wind was born in the hands of rain. A storm to see and dry can be, a breath with air is still so near. What in our heart we cannot see, we know and feel that our dear.

101. 46:42

     Though still in our eyes are boldly still, though some are sick and some are sad. And some have never loved the hell, and some have lost the love again. O Savior, our hearts bowed to our end, the last which the whole tent will try. I find the searching lands and sand, the very wounds that shame would lie.

102. 47:35

     My touch has still this ancient power, no word from thee, and prudence for. Here in this solemn, leaving hour, and in thy mercy heal us all. For a full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full full