The Williamson enterprise. [volume] (Williamson, W. Va.) 1907-1911, 1911-02-09
A Sermon
By s. w. MOORE.


Text-John XII: 10: Behold the
world is gone after Him.
I'm almost every calling in life a
man must work his way into pop
ular favor, and it often takes
years to doit. But hereis man
who in less than three short
years had so won popular favor
that already he is hailed as king.
And even his enemies admitted
that the world was going after
him.
How do. you account for the
secret of Christ's success? There
was nothing unusual in his con-
duct in early life, so far as the
Word goes, that would indicate
such coming popularity in such
a short time. Except for the
one brilliant flash before the pub
lie eve, when at twelve years of
age, he appeared in the temple
and astonished all who heard him
with his understanding and an
swers, he seems to have lived
quietly at Nazareth, growing in
favor with God and man.
There was little about the be-
ginning Of his public ministry to
startle the people and draw at
tention to himself. There was
the descent of the Spirit upon
him in the shape of a dove, and
the voice from heaven saying:
This is my beloved son in whom
/ am well pleased" BUT imme-
diately after this manifestation
of divine favor he was led of the
Spirit into the wilderness to be
tempted of the devil forty days
and nights, 80 that probably this
manifestation of divine favor was
soon forgotten by most of those
who witnessed his baptism, if
indeed they heard the voice from
heaven declaring him Gods well
beloved Son.
There was nothing about his
early disciples to attract unusual
attention. Simon, Peter and An
drew, James and John, fisher
men; Matthew, the publican, a
taxgatherer And yet in the face
of this quiet early life, in face of
the fact that. his first disciples
were comparatively unknown
men, fishermen on the sea of Gal
lice, yet>in the space of three
short yeats he rides into the city
of Jerusalem, a triumphal entry
hailed by the people as lions
promised king, their garments
and branches from the way car.
peting the path along which he
rides! And so the question again
arises: How do you account for
this success, this seeming popu.
larity with the multitude, and all
lin the space of three short years!
/ We think the answer is three
| fold one.
| His personality.
| What he had for the people.
The fact that he brought it te
the people.
/ His personality. He was the
Son of God, with divine power
In no other way can you finally
account for the permanent re
suits Of Christ in the lives Of
men. He was wonderful man
i Indeed, the most remarkable the
world has ever seen. With his
remarkab bic personality he drew
men to himself, and then turning
upon them, with a single sen.
| tence, he scattered them AS
| with blast from the furnace o.
lGod.' He was constantly draw
ing men to himself, then testing
them, sitting them as whea
upon the threshing floor. AND
notice the result. The tendrils
of his tender love seemed to vino
themselves about the hearts o.
his disciples. AS time went or
these tendrils seemed to tougher
and harden until they became
cords Of love, grapples of stee
with which he lifted his disciples
above the fear of the world o.
men. And they we're ready II
| die for him! They endured hard
ships and prosecutions with re
| joicing and went on preaching
/ his gospel until death overlook
them.
/ The personality of Christ
People saw it, felt it, knew it
| And they followed him.
What he had for the people
4 Light concerning the mysteries
of the life that now is and tina
/ whichsis to come. The sages ant
philosophers of former ages hat
spoken as best they could; ant
some of them had come won
drousiy near the truth, as will
the mind they felt after the solu
| ton of these questions of lif,
here and hereafter. But none o
them felt sure of their ground
There is more or less hesitancy
uncertainty or doubt in their an
swers. But Christ said, wv
speak that we do know and ties
/ q 4 A 1.