Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-08-05
The Betrayal Of Jesus
Sermon by
REV. FLOYD w. TO1IKISS.
Texts ST. John xviii. 1-1s.

OF the Masters sufferings St. John
wrote long after the other gospel
writer's. Hence. he omits some things
which had become a part Of the lie
OF the Christians, such as the insti-
tuition of the Lords Supper. while he
supplements the other writer's. with
whose gospels he was doubtless ia
miiiar. by giving us some OF our Lords
most intimate messages The four
teenth. fifteenth. sixteenth and seven
teehth chapters are great treasures to
Inc Christian. and SO Is the twcnty-6rst
chapter. Without these We would miss
much OF the comfort OF our faith. In
the account OF the crucifxion he also
brings to us many facts which we
hitting OF Mary, our Lords mother,
10 the care OF himself. whom he al
ways calls the disciple whom Jesus
loved" We can we'll be grateful to
God Tor this wonderful gospel.
The betrayal of Christ by Judas and
the denial Of Christ by Peter give ue
inc saddest events of that last sor-
mat separates them. for the fall of
JUDAS was the result Of long CON
tihued insincerity. while the denial Of
refer was through momentary weak
ness. OF which he repented and for
when he was forgiven. The first Was
m.ltoi SIN: the second was sin through
rear. There Is great difference,
which. for our comfort. we may well
consider. II Is terrible thing 10
pretend to be what you know you arc
not. From little hints we can see
now Judas was mean. dishonest and
carried away by the love of money.
now he ever come to enter the little
company Of the Masters disciples we
cannot tell. Why the Master who
HhheW the hearts of all men, ever called
MN. we cannot tell. Some things are
n'uoeh from us now because we are
700 ignorant to understand But we
know enough to learn the warpinp
son. Inc impure in heart-that is.
lno insincere--cannot see Cod and.
uouotiess. Judas never Understood or
appreciated the dear Christ. evcn
.hough he was with Him for tire.
years IN Intimate relationship. II is
paa thinG to be- dishonest with our
~ ana with God. 1t is horrible
70 'nink OF oneself more highly hon
Justinable. or TO keep anything from
uoo. IL Is a great danger TO th,nk
oi material gain than of right.
'uDAs's DOUBT AS TO
THE MERCY OF CHRIST
fet the worst thing about Judas WA.
Iis douDt concerning Christ's mercy
n1o heard the gracious words spok
sn oy the Master. He had seen HIS
= ana marked His full pardon
s'ah.eo 10 sinners. Even at the last
ne must have noted how the Lord caIIcd
him friend" when he was in RI. 80.
&C. or betrayal est. Matt, XVI. SOY
let ne went and hanged himself in
.tcad or crying for pardon. Peter wen,
AFTER his denial The thief on Tia
Toss cried. Lord. remember me. Bur
9uoas oid not believe Christ could or
would forgive him. /, was his doubt-
I'll
hHtuteo ms chief ssh. Ana VIC. who
mink OF Judas so severely. should look
10 ourselves lest We TOO sin 4, M.
SAD particular. DO we believe in IN.
forgiveness Of sins SO absolutely that
When we come TO tho cross and CON
!ess 10 Jesus We go away glad In the
Parooh lie grants. or do we still re-
member our old sins and wonder
whethcr they can be forgiven? Do
we ooubt Chr!sis love when trouble
comes upon US and forget that trouble
Is proof OF Gods loving care? IIeb
XII. %. DO we trcmble even now when
the world ia seemingly falling to
pieces, and ask whether there can ever
DC peace again? Do we let questions
aoout me Bible distress us when we
know 1t is Gods inspired word? Alas
the sin OF Judas is not SO far away
from us after all! And the only way
we can be saved from IL is By being
absolutely sincere. coming TO Christ
with all our troubles and doubts and
fears and asking Him to forgive and
strengthen and bless.
We all love Peter. Impulsive. bold
almost to a fault {see st. Matt. xvi,
e2), he was withal SO honest that we
are drawn to him just because of our
own conscious weakness How dtd
he come to fall SO sadly. denying the
Lords warning and of his own glor,-
Gus confession? 1t was through fear
OF men. He was afraid of the serv-
ants VINO accused him. And this fear
resulted from thinking too much about
himself and not thinking enough about
Christ He stood and warmed him.
self by the Are. seeking comfort for
himself while his Master was suffer
Ing. He feared lest he (Peter) might
be seized by the soldiers and impris
oned. forgetting that Christ was a
prisoner.
think the same temptation often
attacks us. 1 am struck by the way
In which tho Bible warns us against
fear. BE not afraid" Is n cry uttered
many times in the Old Testament. and
Christ echoed 1t just few hours be-
fore Peter denied Him est John. xiv.
20. Those who love music will re-
sohn's Elijah" when these words are
brought SO pathetically and wonder
fully before us. I remember hearing
1t first when j was in college. and II
has helped me ever since. Perfect
love casteth out fear cries st. John
In another place.
II we know how God loves us and
never forgets US; IL we remember that
He knows all our sorrows and trials.
that He is with us wheS we are lone
ly and miserable; that He who notes
the fall OF sparrow is watching over
us with more than mothers care
then we can conquer fear Why should
we be afraid Of men? Who art thou
that thou shouldst he afraid of a man
that shall die and Of the son of man
that shall be made as grass?" isaiah.
II. 12) You can kill my body. but
you cannot catch my SOUL" cried
Socrates to his enemies. ON. in the
midst OF all our earthly experiences
we must look to Him who is with us
always, who will never leave us nor
forsake US: who has His angels about
us; who counts us as His own.
z Peter wept bitterly when he turned
and saw Christ looking at him. What
wonderful look that must have
been! Not an angry look. not an ac-
CuStnR look. hut a lppk 80 ,a..1.,,