The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1906-05-31
The PULPIT.
An ELOQUENT SUNDAY S:FMCN 81
THE REV. D. +. OVERT ON.
Subject Confessius Christ.

the Gre,n. Avenue Presbyterian
Church, preached on "ConfessinG
Christ" The text was from John xii.
ALB: Nevertheless even Of the rulers
many believed OH Hin: but because of
the Pharisees they did not confess it.
lest they should be put out CT the
synaeogu for they loved the slcry
Of men more than the glory of God.
Mr.. Overton said:
We have mentioned here in the text
two Of the greatest privileges and du-
ties of our lives, namely. that Of be-
lieving il Christ. and that Of confess
ing Christ. John. in telling the story
OF Christ's work. is complaining that
there were so many WHO though they
saw the wonderful works Christ did
before them. Gid not believe on Him.
He explains this by saying that this
has ever been the experiences Of the
prophets. Isaiah. ole of the greatest
prophets Of the Old Testament. had
this same complaint: "Who hath be-
lieved our report? And TO whom hath
the arm of the Lord been revea.ed:'
He, complained of blinded eyes. and
of hardened hearts and of stubborn
wills. II these things were true OF
the prophets of the past; if this was
the experience of them all. then it
was not strange that it should be
Christ's experience. isaiah saw that
this must ever be the experience OF
any true prophet that would come to
this earth. even Of rhat greatest
prophet whom he expected. the Mes
Siah, the Christ. and so he predic:cd
this experience for Him. The greater
His glory and the more marvellous His
work, the greater would be the oppa-
sition g Him. Such experience would
not argue against the Mes ~iahship OF
the Christ. but in favor Of it.
That this was the experience Of the
Christ the verses preceding the text.
and many others that we might give.
declare. Often He complained of the
siowness of mems faith and the dull
ness of mems minds. and the stubborn
ess of mems will. We read that He
narveled at their unbelicf.' He had
many things that He wanted to say to
them, but their minds were so dull that
they could not understand Him. He
wept over the Holy City most Of all.
because OF the stubhorness Of the Wills
or It's perlShlnS people.
Yet even though this was Christ's
experience, as it has been the eXper-
fence of, every prophet. His word and
HIS, work did not return unto Him
empty. Some believed. and followed
and confessed. Many others believed.
as we read in the text. but did not con-
fess their belief. They We're timid.
hasitating. half hearted Christians. It
is Of such that would speak this
Sunday morning. And leading up to
this would speak first Of believing oH
Christ.
This. of course. is fundamental. and
sli-important. without faith it is inl-
possible to please Him." Without faith
It is impossible for Christ to be any
thing to US. or 10 do anything for us.
It Is faith that links our lives to His
that brings Him near. and makes Him
real. to us. We must believe in Him
or we cannot reap the benefit of His
great and glorious work for US. Every
where in ChriSt's message and in al
the New Testament faith is made a
condition Of the blessed life. This is
true Of all life'S relationships and It is
supremely true of our relationship to
God. There is little that Ee can do
for: us unless by faith we open our
hearts and lives to Him. Faith is the
channel that lets the life of God into
the soul of man.
But this is what wish 10 emphasize:
Our faith must be strong enough to
lead to something. It must lead to coll
fession. to service. to sacrifice. Faith
fui work is dead" The faith that sets
us to no task, and that leads to no
changed and better life is false and
useless faith. I say that because | be-
lieve that so much Of the faith in
Christ is of this kind. 1t is vague,
visionary. general. half hearted. spas
modic faith that leads to nothing per-
manent, and takes us nowhere worth
while. 1t is faith that was we'll rep
resented in that crowd that followed
Christ. or that threw garments. or
palms in His way Oh that first Palm
Sunday long ago.
It is believed By many that there
were many in the multitude who n:d
Him honor that day. but who before
the week ended were crying with all
other crowd: Away with Him: CRU
city Him! Cruelty Him. Their faith
was futile because it led to 40 confes-
sion. nor conservation.
There is much faith in Christ that IS
Ike that to-day. 1t is srasmodic. hys-
terical, sephemeral. It leads people to
church at Easter time. or at Christmas.
who rarely if ever are seen there at any
other time OF the whole year. II 3aE
be ttat such lave come to. eh,Tas:
more to show their new found faith IN
Christ, but We will not bring that ac-
cusation against them. We will give
them credit for little faith. even # it
Goes not last except but fo: one or two
days Of tie year.
Then there is a great deal OF this
kind of faith out in the world that neT-
er gets into the churches even Cor once
or twice a year. 1t is a negative. pas
siye faith. 1t has nothing against
Christ. but it leads to nothing for Him.
There are lots of people who will tell
you. if you asked them. that the! be-
l;eve in Christ. and Yet they are doing
nothing for His cause or kingdom.
They never have confessed Hin pub
lic!y. They never have enlisted in His