Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-07-15
The Purpose Of
the Gospel Of John
Sermon by
REV. FLOYD w. rOMKINS.
Text, st. John XXI. 1926.

1t Is a wonderful Gospel written
ander the Holy Spirits guidance by a
nan who loved Christ with his whole
neart. and being written long after the
other writer's had finished their work
It reflects che faith and love OF the
early Christians. ] think We may
safely say that st. John not only gives
as history of the life and work and
words OF Jesus Christ. but that he
shows us how the Church. already
irmly established. and the early Chris
uans' believed in Christ as the Re-
1ecmer and King Of men and tried to
follow His will In their lives. And the
purpose OF His Gospel was to strength
EN- men In their faith and hold them
TO the love which should never grow
gold. 1t Is certainly significant that
he closes his book with that thrilling
account OF the risen Christ. on the
shores Of Galilee in the early morning.
asking Peter for his love. Lowest
thou Me?" is the question still COM
ing TO us as we read st. Johns Gospel.
and the answer give to the ques-
ton measures our religious life.
John evidently wished to have the
people to whom his book came know
Christ as the loving Friend and Savior
OF all. He begins by telling Of His
divine and eternal nature: I'm the be-
ginning was the Word, and the Word
was with God. and the Word was God"
So we know that He who came TO
earth was the everlasting Creator of
men even as He was the Redeemer
OF men. And then. lest His divine
power might brighten men and keep
them away from Him. John tells us of
Christ's familiar participa ton in all
our joys and sorro~s
HUMAN FELLOWSHIP AND
SACREDNESS OF HOME LIFE
1t Is surely significant that He in
vites Andrew and tprobably) John to
stay with Him overnight est. John 1.
39). What night that must have
been for the two men! And 1t Is equal
~ significant that we have at the very
beginning of the gospel tchapter .
an account of Christ at a marriage
feast. entering into human fellowship
and the sacredness of home life. So
later John gives us the account of His
sorrowing with Mary and Martha when
their brother died. Oh, II only we could
realize how the dear Lord Is with us
and wants us to know that He Is with
US In all our joys and sorrows. in cur
work. our home. our friendships. how
real our Christianity would become!
And 1t Is his fellowship with Christ
that John presses upon us. even as II liz
hopeless when we simply try to do
right with no knowledge OF Gods sym
pathy and help. In the varied expert
ences OF life. with its burden and
loneliness. II is hard to go on in our
own strength. How we long for a
word OF cheer! How when we suffer
we long for some one to understand
and sympathize! How in our prayers
we long to feel that Christ is near
and that hears our petitions. And
all this, John tolls us again and again
In the words of the Master. Jesus does
for U.S.
Notice again how wonderfully John
tells us OF Christfs teaching concern
ing prayer. lie gives us the story of
NathahieL and so declares that, how
ever we may be hidden from men as
we pray. the Master sees us when
thou vast under the igtrcc saw
thee" o blessed words. He is in my
room when all alone | kneel and pour
OUT my heart before Him. He knows
"hen mt up my hungry soul even
III the busy crowd or when am at my
work. ''
Thou knowest. not alone as God. ALL
knowing:
AS man our mortal weakness Thou
hast proved.
On earth. with purcst spmna,bi.s 90.
flowing.
Q Savior. Thou hast wept and Thou
hast loved!
And love and sorrow still to Thee
And find hiding place a rest, a homo
'hereIore come, Thy gentle call obey-
ing,
And lay my sins and sorrows az 1,,y
On everlasting strength my weakness
staying.
Clothed In Thy robe OF righteousness
complete:
Then rising and refreshed, leave Tbv
throne
And follow on to know as am known.
ARE ASSURED OF AN
ANSWER TO OUR PRAYERS
AND then we are assured OF an
answer to our prayers. Again and
again in those wonderful CHAPTERS
txiv-xvD we are told that whatsoever
we ask we shall receive We are not
told when or how; God knows best.
and we can leave time and method to
Him; but some time and somehow and
somewhere the answer will come And
.nen 1ohh gives us SO many wonderful
prayers OF Christ Himself He prays
at Lazarus's grave He orays when
the Greeks come to see Him (xii.. 90
30). And in the seventeenth charter
he prays that great prayer which is
30 holy, 80 comforting. so full OF as
surance. No one can read ST. Johns
Gospel and doubt concerning the bless.
edness and value Of prayer
We have in the tenth chapter-that
Good Shepherd chapter. which brings
to our mind the Twenty third Psalm
the teaching concerning Christ's watch
full care OF US: the same message IL
brought in the fourteenth chapter.
and, indeed. we ind it all through the
Gospel. even at the end, when Christ
provides a meal for the hungry and
weary fishermen xxi, 9-13). / am not
living and working and striving all
by myself; the Good Shepherd is with
me; He feeds and clothes me. He seeks
me when l wander, He brings me back
to the fold. All the little things of
life. the plays of children, the books
men read. the flowers growing and the
birds singing are part OF His interest
and care. He pitied the sick man
lying by Bethesda's pool and healed
him.
He saw the lad with his few Ioaves
and fishes. and honored him by using
his supply 10 feed the multitude He |
marked the blind man. and, having
opened his eyes. He revealed Himself
to him. when he was cast out by the
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