The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1914-10-23

| the slaughter, and as a sheep before Its
! shearers IL dumb, so he opened not his
mouth.-Isa. 55:7 r. v.
The golden text selected for this
lesson is apt TO convey to US wrong
idea Of the closing days Of our Lords
life. Jesus did not die as sheep in
| the shambles. His was not the death
Of one slaughtered In weakness. He
was led" that is true; he was
slaughtered" but not until his hour
had arrived and he permitted 1t to be
so. His death was a victory, not a
defeat.
In Gethsemane Jesus made his final
dedication of himself to his victorious
work Of redemption.
|. The BetrayIng Judas, w. Al.
80. In this hour of conservation Judas
enters, guiding the mob into the sa-
cred precincts of our Lords retreat.
1t has been suggested that perhaps
this act of betrayal was in order to
precipitate the Messianic claims of
Jesus and compel him to assume an
earthly triumph. If so, was not the
motive of Judas selfish one, that he
might profit thereby? The baseness
Of his unholy compact is soon to be
revealed to Judas and to the world.
! The kiss of Judas delivered Jesus into
the hands of lawless men according
to the determinate counsel and fore
knowledge of God, Acts 1928. This
furnishes us the background, the at
mosphere, in which to consider this,
the first of his several trials.
WIckedness of Judas.
u. The Blundering Peter, w. 51-5e.
| ~ Peter and the sword, Wv. 51-55.
Peter had knowledge and zeal, but
used his zeal not according to knowl-
edge. Jesus had warned him, only to
receive the assurance that he was
mistaken. The words of Jesus here
recorded are a calm assurance of the
fact that these events are not being
controlled by man but by God. The
wickedness of Judas is being worked
out In the plan of redemption. II
fighting were the program, what would
L
the asking Jesus could command IL
legions of angels, yet even such a
force could not be used in human re-
demption. One man, the Goldman,
must die, Rom. Sis. Notice the Mas
ter's acceptance of the Scriptures, v.
81. If by the sword he were to es-
cape, how could these be fulfilled?
Matthew adds ". 55) that all of this
come to pass" that the words Of the
prophets be fulfilled. (2) Peter and
the maid, w. 1888. That Peter should
follow "afar" or at all, is evidence of
his affection for Jesus and of his de-
termination to see the end. There
was perhaps an element of pride also
In his going, for the others had for
sock him and fed" They seem to
have realized that his enemies would
now surely destroy Jesus and further
that he was determined not to accept
any deliverance.
III. The Biased, Brutal Judges, w.
1858. This is one of earth's most
irregular and illegal trials. The
priests and the council had one single
determination, which was to find
Jesus guilty. They did not seek to
discover the truth, but rather to car
ny out the sentence of death previ-
ously determined upon.
False Testimony.
A careful reading Of what Christ
really did say and what these wit
nesses swore that he said. reveals the
falseness OF their testimony, v. 81,
see also John 2:9. II am able to de-
stroy the temple of God, and to rebuild
It in three days we're not his words.
What he did say was, Destroy this
temple and l will raise 1t up" He
spoke these words of himself about
those who should destroy him-his
body-and claimed the power to raise
that body again within three days.
Al this point the high priest did
another illegal thing In administering
the legal oath, II adjure thee" ". 63).
Not alone was the time and place of
this trial Illegal, but so was this act
on the part Of the high priest. But,
that all might once more know the
truth, Jesus replied Thou hast said"
and adds. "Henceforth we shall see
the son of man sitting at the right
hand of power and coming on the
clouds of heaven" ". 64). This addi-
ton augmented the high priests an
ger and gave him argument for the
definite accusation of blasphemy, and
upon this charge he makes his appeal
to the council. They readily voted a
verdict of guilty ". 66D. Once de-
clared guilty Jesus is heaped with the
basest of indignities wv. 81, 68).
Judas with his baseness and treach-
cry; Peter and his laundering devo-
ton; the disciples and their blind fear
as they fled away; and at the end of
1t all, this revelation of the supreme
depravity of the rulers what an ap-
palling combination, see lisa. 81.
With all of this dark background
there is, however, an evidence of the
grace of God. Jesus voluntarily and
with determination, submission and
patience, endured these indignities for