Gilpin observer., 1912-01-18
SUNDAYS SERMON
Following is the sermon of Rev.
S. A. Webber at the M. e. church,
last Sunday evening:

We are mere or less familiar with
the setting OF this text. Jesus has
been arrested, and has been before
plate, who, learning that he was a
Calilean and knowing that Herod
was in the city, had sent him to
Herod after examining him and find
ing no fault in him. He has now been
brought back to PLATE, the Roman
governor. PLATE has always been
blamed for the crucifixion OF Jesus,
because he had power to protect him,
and the Jews could not cruelty him
without Pilates concent. When the
Jews demanded the crucifixion OF
the Savior, PLATE said, Il find no
fault in him." This it would seem
should have been enough for him to
give to him the protection of the
law. But at that feast, for it was
.he time of the Passover, he always
released unto them one prisoner,
whomsoever they would. This Gus
tom was not unlike the custom
among governors in our own land
and time, of releasing, or pardonlng
one prisoner from our penitentiaries
at Christmas time.
At this time they had in the pris-
on a notable prisoner, who had made
insurrection and had committed muir
Jesus and so he placed before these
people the choice of having him re
leased unto them the worst criminal
they had or releasing to them the
christ, hoping that they would choose
Jesus to be released. When he Of
fered them the choice OF the best
man that ever lived, CT one OF the
worst men that ever lived, they said,
Give us Barrabas." 1t was when
this choice had been made that Pi-
late said to that company, What
shall l do then with Jesus that is
called Christi" The mob cried out,
Let him be crucified,' and when
PLATE could make no impression up
on them, he took water and washed
his hands before the multitude, and
said. Il am innocent of the blood
of this just person." When Jesus
had been scouraged he delivered him
20 them to be crucified. l have
placed before you this picture as
briefly as l could, that it might be
fresh in your memories. Now l want
to turn your thoughts for little
while from this most momentous
event in the worlds history when the
choice of a people condemned the
Son of God to the cross; to the great
est event in the life of the individual
nan.
This question of what shall / do
then with Jesus" has come to more
men in the last nineteen hundred
years than any other that has been
asked in all this time, | think. The
day is to come when it will come
TO every person on this old planet.
1t came to the shepherds while
they watched their flocks on the
f,;ll nf ~ Lob urh hn
brought to them the message, Unto
you is born this day in the city of
David, Savior which is Christ the
Lord" They answered it by leaving
their flocks and taking their way to
Bethleham, where they found the in
fant savior and worshipped at his
feet. 1t came to the wise men of the
East when they saw his star. They |
East when they saw his star. They
answered by carrying to him the rich |
est treasurer OF gold and franklin |
cense and myrrh and laying it at his |
teet and worshipping him. 1t came
to Herod, the king, and he said to
the wise men, when We have found
him bring me word again, that / may
come and worship him" 1t was Her
od's purpose to destroy him and to
garry out that purpose he murdered
because of this question that Herod
so6sht the Savior.
When the years slipped away, and
he began his ministry, he went over
Nazareth, his old home, and when
he had gone into the synagogue, and
the roll of the prophecy of Isaiah
had been given him; he turned to
this passage and read: The Spirit
of the Lord God is upon ME, be-
cause the Lord hath appointed me to
rr-each good tidings to the meek;
he hath sent ne TO bind up the
brokenhearted, TO proclaim liberty to
the capt!ves, and the opening Of the
prison to them that are bound" And J
Shcn he began to say to them, This
day is this prophecy fulfilled in your
ears" they began to say one to the
other. What shall we do with him?"
And they took him away to cliff
and would have cast him down to
destruction, but he slipped through
their midst and went his way. This
is the most familiar question that
know in connection with Jesus. The
scribes and the Pharisees, the Jews
through all his public life We're ask.
ing, what shall We do with him?"
This was the question on everybody's .
lips. They plotted against him and |
said if We can only get our hands ,
rpon him we will destroy him. At |
last they found the traitor, and they |
said, He has evaded us, what will |
you do with him?" and he replied, |
I'll sell him." For how much?"And |
they bargained with him for thirty |
pieces of silver. But it was in an |
swer to this question OF What will
you do with him." that Judas sold !
fiim into the hands of those who de-
sired his life. At last they got him
10 the judgment seat of PLATE, and
he asked of them the question that
they themselves had been asking for
years, "What shall / do with Jesus?"
and they answered. Let him be cru