Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1898-04-06

Place in the Life of Christ.-The middle
or the third year of his ministry. The
beginning of the announcement OF himself
as suffering Messiah. TimeiSummer
Of A. d. 20. Place-On the way from the
Sea OF Galilee to Cesarea Phillippi, city
situated 20 or 30 miles northeast of the
Sea OF Galilee, near the headwaters of
the Jordan, at the foot of the Lebanon
Mountains.
Il. From that time forth began Jesus.
Jesus waited till they were fully con-
WINGED that he was the expected Messiah,
and then began to correct their precon-
ceived IDEAS of what the Messiah should
be and do. Unto Jerusalem" The cap
ital of the Jewish nation, the symbol
or the church. the place of the temple.
and Its sacrifices which he had come to
fulfil. Suffer many things" AS de-
scribed in the last chapters of the gos-
pei And be killed" By crucifxion,
thus making the atoning sacrifice for the
sins of the world. This is stated to guard
the disciples from being disappointed
thus losing faith In him as the Messiah.
They must see it as an essential part OF
the plan of salvation. And be raised
again the third day" The resurrection
OF Jesus was essential to the proof that
he was the true Messiah, essential to
his work of redemption, and reigning as
king at the right hand of God u Cor. IS:
14-1S). This Is stated in each OF the three
accounts, and is emphasized for the sake,
OF the faith and hope of the disciples.
1t was an enigma to them as yet. and 1t
did not seem to make much impression
on their minds at the time, but 1t be-
came at length the corner stone of their
faith.
p. Then Peter took him." One side.
apart. to speak to him privately. Be.
gan" He only began-for he was soon
interrupted ITO rebuke him." 1t was
love to Jesus. devotion to his cause, min
gled with his native self-confdence, per-
haps increased by the promises just made
to him by name, that he should have the
keys of the kingdom Of heaven, which
led Peter to speak thus. Saying. Be
it far from thee. Lord" The plan of
redemption outlined by Jesus was so con-
trary to all Peters expectations and
hopes, so completely opposite to his pic
ture Of the Messiah as a glorious trium-
plant king, that Jesus saying was incon-
ceivable to Peter.
%. Get thee behind me Satan" He
did not call his apostle a satan. devil.
but he looked for the moment through
Peter, and saw behind him his old enc
my, cunningly making use of the preju
dices and impulsive honesty Of the UNI
developed apostle-Morrison. Thou art
an offense." A stumbling-block instead
of foundation stone: hindrance by
placing this temptation before me, by
your blindness in not understanding the
true nature and work of the Messiah.
Thou savorest not (mindest noD the
things that be of Cod" Gods plan OF
salvation and work of the Messiah. as
just before revealed by Jesus w. 2D. But
those that be of men," The natural. hui
man view of the Messiah's. worldly
kingdom, riches. honor. glory and tri-
umph.
II. THE Disciples and Their Cross, and
Their Victory.-Vs. 24-26. "a. IF any
man will (would, wishes to- come after
me-" Be my follower, my disciple; and
seek to attain his character and his re-
ward. Let him deny himself Re-
nounce self as master. and accept Christ
as master. When the heart accepts Je-
sus and chooses God. then the whole
lower nature. all passions, aims, desires,
are to be subjected not only to conscience.
but to Jesus. There is a sphere where
they belong and can freely act. Denial
of these, where it brings no higher good,
st. Paul calls doctrine of devils Il Tim.
4: 1-3). Take up his Cross Daily. Not
merely on special occasions. % The cross
is the symbol of doing our duty at any
cost, even at the cost of the most pain
full death. 1t is the emblem, not of mere
Of Christ and his gospel. (0 Each one
must take up his own cross. (9 He must
take it UP voluntarily, accept it. not
merely endure what is laid upon him.
This is what changes the cross into a
glory. "The cross for the cross, never:
but the cross for the Lord, always" "a
The cross is a test. 1t is the Ithuriels
spear. which tests whether we are disci-
pies in deed and in truth, or only seek
ers after the loaves and fishes And
follow" no regard to whether thing Is
profitable or not. Selfishness is the seek
ing our own good at the expense or in
jury of others. IF he shall gain the
whole world" All the pleasure. the
wealth, the sources of enjoyment, the
honors the blessings. this world can give.
But note this IT, Very few that lose
their souls gain the whole world, or but
the smallest part thereof. The offer of
the whole world Is one of Satan's glitter
ing lies 1t is like his promise to Eve
in the garden of Eden. And lose his
own SOUL" Soul here is the same word
that is translated life in the previous
verse. The meaning is the same, from
different points of view. Thus, If a man
in gaining the whole world becomes lost
Guke). as on desolate island or IL he
dies in the process. or II he loses his
health and is racked with pain or IL
he loses his innocence and is tormented
with remorse. what has such a person
gained? All this applies with double
force to the eternal loss of character,
happiness. and peace. "or what shall a
man give in exchange for his soul?"
There is no compensation for the loss of
the soul. All other losses may be re-
paired. Tie loss of the soul Is without
remedy and without hope.
81. For the Son of Man shall come In
the glory of his Father" The time is
coming when all these days of humilia-
ton and the cross will pass away, and
Jesus shall be a triumphant king. He
shall conquer death by the resurrection.
The kingdom which seemed so feeble
then shall rule over the whole earth
with his angels" A glorious retinue
of the most glorious beings in the uni
verse, indicating his rank as King OF
kings. HE shall reward every man ac-
cording to his works." Because the works
are the index and proof OF the character
as the time the hands keep on the face Of
the clock are the test of the goodness
of the unseen works within. He who
was condemned then shall be the Judge.
honest and true. The well done" will
be spoken only to those who have done
well: and Enter into the joy of your
Lord only to those who have been faith
full to their Lord.
IS. There be some standing here"
etc.: there We're some before him who
would live to see the beginnings of this
triumph, the establishment of the new
kingdom. and thus the pledge OF his final
coming glory.