Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-12-02
Saba TIL SCHOOL LESSON
For December 4th---Matt 26:31-35 69-75
GOLDEN TEXT: "Let him that thnketh he standeth taxi
heed lest he fall" Cor. 1912

, OF them was a hnsman Of Malchus,
whose ear Peter and cut off about TIVE
hours before, and he was sure he rec
ognized the man who had attacked his
cousin. Peter stoutly denied 1t, how
ever.
Just then the cock crew the second
, time. The sound startled Peter; he re-
called the words of Jesus of a few hours
before. He must have looked toward
Him, and then He caught the eye of
Jesus, who was looking on him., with
an expression of tenderest pity ana
compassion and grief en- His face. Jesus
was grieved not so much for Himself
as for Peter. No one could help Him,
for He had voluntarily delivered Himself
up for our sakes; but He was SO sorry
for Peter, Tor whose sin He was even
now suffering.
That look was enough. Peters heart
was breaking He had been miserable
all along; he had gotten into a bad sit
ualion and didn't know how to get out.
He could not stand 1t now, so leaving
the lighted court he went out into the
darkness and wept bitterly.
: The day was just breaking over the
earJn; even so it was in Peters life.
That bitterness was the beginning of an
, endless day for him. Judas wept. too.
but not as Peter. Feter never forgot
that look. He knew how Jesus suffer
ed, and years later wnen he wrote to
the saints scattered abroad he still
sees Ii.
THE DOWNWARD STEPS.
Reviewing the incidents Of that men,
orable evening, what were the steps in
Peters fall? He did not go down all
at once, Uut step by step until he
Pride. self-confidence. fear, distance.
bad company, anger, swearing. He was
too sure. OF himself; he was proud of
his position and ability to do as he
wanted to, as he thought; when the
test came he was afraid and fled; then
he screwed up courage to follow, hJf
followed at a distance; he diszemniec,
by associating with those who were en-
emies under the guise of being friends;
he lost his temper and swore-
How insIdious is sin! Keep from
; taking the first step downward.
We condemn Peter, and justly so; but
have We never been guIIty OF the same
offense? Have we always been true to
our Master? For we can deny Him
just as truly as Peter did by failing
to stand for Him when we should
which is always. here are at least
three ways that 1 would suggest here
by means of which we deny Christ to-
day. One is by not showing our colors
when the enemy's are Wanted Often
in a crowd the devil is very active ana
il is not hard to see whose are his;
but il is not always so easy to detect
the followers of Jesus man who
stands boldly for Christ in quiet con-
versation will keep his mouth shut as
tight as a CLAIMS when there is sneer
in the crowd. Have you ever denied
Jesus that way?
Another is by following afar Off. Peter
followed affair off and went in to see the
end. Instead of being active in his Mas
ter's service he was curious to see what
His enemies would do with Him. Curios-
ity instead of activity led to his denial.
Now there are not a few who are more
curious to know what will be the end OF
a matter than they are active in bring
ing II to successful termination They
follow afar off, and 1t is not great
while before they are warming them :
selves about the enemy's fire.
The third way that we deny Him, or
that leads to that, is fellowship with
darkness In the first Psalm David sings
of the blessedness of the man who walk
eth not in the way of the ungodiy nor
standeth in the way Of sinners, nor sit
teth in the seat of scoffers. Paul speaks
of the necessity of coming out from
among the ungodly and being separate.
and warns US against having any fellow
ship with the untruthful works Of dark
ness Peters bad company led him 70
deny his Lord. We are not unlike Peter.
We have no business associating with
Christ's enemies except for the purpose
of winning them for Him. Our presence
with them without this ultimate end Is
denial of Him.
The devil is very much smarter. strong
err and more watchful than we are. 1t
behooves us to be stepping upward al
ways, for otherwise he makes II all too
easy TO step downward. ~ therefore, lei
him that thinketh he standeth take heed
lest he fall; for there hath no tempta-
lion befallen you but such as Is common
to man: and God will with every temp
tation make way Of escape that re may
be able TO stand