If we are diligent to seek the surpassing righteousness, we shall eventually become merciful toward others. In our seeking we shall find that our natural man is weak and that we are prone to failure. If you do not realize the pitiful condition of your natural man, you will never have mercy on others.

The Gospel of John speaks of the Lord Jesus as the Son of God coming to people so that they may have His life. Although the Lord Jesus contacted thousands of people when He was on the earth, John selected specific cases to prove that in order to meet all man’s needs the Lord Jesus causes man to have His life. The event recorded in this portion of John 2 is one of many cases.

THE DISTRIBUTING OF THE FATHER'S RICHES.

At the time of Paul, many rich families had stewards whose responsibility was to distribute food and other necessities to members of the household. Our Father has a great family, a divine household. Because our Father has such vast riches, there is the need in His household for many stewards to dispense these riches to His children. This dispensing is the stewardship. Hence, a stewardship is a dispensation...

The Lord wisely spoke about not being covered by a bushel. In ancient times a bushel, as a measure for grain, was something related to eating and therefore related to the matter of

making a living. Thus, hiding the lamp under the bushel indicates anxiety concerning our living.

The thirst of this Samaritan woman had led her to many wrong things, such as having five husbands and living with a man who was not her husband. That was the kind of life she found herself in. She sought the physical things to satisfy her, but found only dissatisfaction. The six men represent the physical and material things, which could never satisfy people.

PEACEMAKERS BEING CALLED THE SONS OF GOD

If we are peacemakers, we shall be called the sons of God. The sons of the Devil make trouble, but the sons of God make peace. As the Son of God, the Lord Jesus made peace with God and man. (the Sign of the Cross) Now, as the sons of God, we must follow Him to make peace. Then we shall be called the sons of

God.

To be righteous is to deal with ourselves, to be merciful is to deal with others, and to be pure in heart is to deal with God. Toward ourselves, we must be strict and allow no excuses.

Toward others, we should be merciful, giving them more than they deserve. But toward God we must be pure in heart, seeking nothing besides Him.

1. The Vision of Christ in Colossians

2. The Subjective Experience of Christ in Galatians

3. The Secret of Experiencing Christ in Philippians

4. The Issue of the Experience of Christ in Ephesians

1. The Vision of Christ in Colossians

2. The Subjective Experience of Christ in Galatians

3. The Secret of Experiencing Christ in Philippians

4. The Issue of the Experience of Christ in Ephesians

1. The Vision of Christ in Colossians

2. The Subjective Experience of Christ in Galatians

3. The Secret of Experiencing Christ in Philippians

4. The Issue of the Experience of Christ in Ephesians