Middletown transcript., 1899-05-13
THE SUNDAY SCIIOOI,s
LESSON VII. SECOND QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, MAY IA.

Text of the Lesson, John xviii, lila,
Memory Verses, 3-5-Goldenf Text,
lisa. Iiii, documentary Prepared
by the Rev. ID. NJ. Stearns.
copyright, 1899, by D. M. Stearns-1
1. "When Jesus had spoken these words,
He went forth with His disciples over, the
brook Cedron." He had eaten the last
Passover with them, He had instituted the
supper which they should keep as memo
rial of Him till He should come again, He
had spoken unto them the words of chap
ters xiv to xvi after he had washed their
feet, He had prayed for them, they sang a
hymn Mark xiv, 26), and now in the
night He goes forth with them to Gethsem-
,ane He is rejected by His own people,
whom He came to bless, His son Israel
(Ex. iv, %; Hos. xi, y, and they have de-
| termined to kill Him.
Q. "Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with
His disciples Hence Judas knew we'll
the place. One of the many times that
Jesus went thither is doubtless mentioned
in John viii, 1, when every man vent
unto his own house, but Jesus went unto
the Mount of Olives. He said that there
were times when the Son of Man had not
where to lay His head Guke tx, 5S).
8. Judas and his band came with Ian
terms and torches and weapons. John
makes no reference to the events in the
garden before Judas came-the agony, the
conflict, the thrice repeated prayer and the
sleeping disciples, which are mentioned by
the other evangelists. Perhaps the recol-i
lection of it was too much for John, and
he could not write it,
4. They did not have to look for Him
with their lanterns nor use their weapons
to take Him. He knew all that should
come upon Him, and He went forth to
meet them, saying, "Whom seek yer" His
hour had come to bear our sins, and He
was ready to give Himself up. His prayer
in the garden was answered He was de-
hvered from dying there, an angel strength
ened Him, and He was ready to go on to-
the cross and finish the work. He knew
it all before He left His home in glory
He saw His own sufferings when He by
the shedding of blood provided the coats
of skins for Adam and Eve in Eden (Gen.
iii, 2D.
3. In answer to His question they said,
Jesus of Nazareth" He instantly re-
piled, IT am He, or, more correctly, "I
am," for the word "he'' is in italics, indi-
eating that it is not in the Greek. He
used the name by which He had made
Himself known to Moses and to Israel, ''I
ann (Ex. iii, 14). 1t is often SO in this
gospel. If you will notice it, see chapters
iv, 20; viii, "a, ETC.
6. "They went backward and fell to the
ground" He did nothing to them. He
did not touch them, but only said, 81
am" Oh, the power of His world How
little we appreciate it! How little we
know It'll 1t created the worlds, brought
Israel out of Egypt, overthrow the Egyp-
tians. There is nothing too hard for Him. |
These would have been all dead men, they |
would never have risen to their feet again |
had He SO willed it. Yet they thought to |
take Him by force. They thought to kill |
Him, the Prince of Life.
z, g. Again He asked them, and they |
the same as before. He said: ''I
have told you that I am. If therefore ye
seek me, let these go their way" He
yielded Himself to them, but would save |
His disciples from them. He saved others; |
He could save Himself if He had willed
1t, but He could not save Himself and
others too He gave Himself up for US
that we might live He laid down His
life for us.
8. "Of them which thou gavest me 7
have lost none" This He had said in His
prayer in chapter xvii, 12 Then Judas
was never given to Him he was never one
Of His sheep, never a saved man, for His
sheep can never perish; no power can
pluck them out of His hand John K,
97-29). He will never lose any of His
property. So we may keep on singing, "I
Know whom have believed and am per-
'uaded that He is able to keep that which
have committed unto Him against that
lay Oh Tim. J.; 12). A lady told me re-
,ently that she felt SO sorry for Judas be-
ause he had to do these things and could j
lot help it. We must remember that God is
owe and willeth not the death of any sinner
TO- When Jesus said, "He that hath no,
word, let him sell his garment and buy t
'ne'' Nuke xxi, 36), think He was test g
ng them, for when they said, 'Lord, be-
lold, here are two swords, and He said,
1t is enough" He certainly did not mean
he 12 to have each sword Although
here were but two, Simon Peter carried t
ne of them. And now see the use he
makes of it. Many laundering Christian
las hindered others from hearing the gos-
el since the days of Simon Peter Are q
We by our lives and our testimony helping t
r hindering those who should be hearing ]
Him who died that they might live? Il
IL. sfThe cup which My Father hath / !,
iven Me, shall I not drink it?" Jesus
Did Peter to put up his sword, and He
ouched Malchus' ear and healed him t
Luke xxi, sly. The weapons of our war I
IRE are not carnal. What blessing that a
ur Lord can so easily remedy our blum | r
erings! But see what our Lord calls all
MS, the betrayal of Judas, the hatred of
ne rulers, etc.-"the cup which My Fa-
1er hath given Me-" Compare Acts iv,
Z, 28, and learn from our great example, :,
, see God in everything and to accept all E
lings pleasant or otherwise.
IL. They took Jesus and bound Him. 0
udas actually kissed Him (Mark xiv, 45). 81
And Jesus suffered it, merely saying, c,
thou the Son OF Man with al q
iss?'' 01uke xxi, 4S) Oh, how much :.
70 bore for us! What unjust conduct and .
,emirgly unendurable indignities! And 1t
g who bear His name and rejoice to be II
deemed by Lis precious blood find it SOL k
ard to bear just little for Him, and
hen it is anything very unjust or unkind
e are to refuse to put up with it, forget
ng Him who when He was reyiled re- IL
led not again; when He suffered, He, o,
reatened not, leaving us an example T' .,
ct. ii, 23). :,
10. Having bound Him, they led Him y
7ay to Annas first, the father-in-law Of d
aiaphas, the high priest. Thus He was, b
ought as lamb to the slaughter, and as tr
sheep before her shearers Is dumb, SO He g,
eneth not His mouth (Isa lii, D. Just !
ink of the hands being tied that were y
er being stretched forth Ito heal and &C
ess and ungodly men leading to death G.
cir Creator and Redeemerl 1t was all T
the plan for our redemption and must CT
carried out. ).
IA. This Caiaphas, as the high priest, -
d been permitted on one occasion to a'
ter prophecy that Jesus would die for ia
3 nation (chapter xi, 1859, but it was dl
the Spirit of God he said it. Do rot. 81
ink this strange, for consider the won
rful words uttered by the Spirit through,
llaam.
Millions Given Away <
= Z L. ~ 4 n L. u