Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-03-12

eign, not a suffering savior.) When
Christ failed to realize his hopes,
the disappointment Of Judas was
greater than his devotion to Christ.
AS Christ drew nearer the cross 1t
became increasingly evident that
nothing but love and faith and de-
votion would hold men to him. A
cleavage was inevitable. His say
ings would offend; men would fol-
low Him no longer. When the new
teacher was popular, surrounded
by the throngs, Judas was attract
ed; no sacrifice was called for.
But when the Master met with
hostility, and the future seemed
uncertain, Judas hesitated. He
felt out of harmony with his sur
roundings. There was a wide gulf
between him and the other dis
ciples.
How long Judas remained in this
uncertain state we cannot tell. He
probably continued in the company
of Christ for some time. But he
did not remain the same. While
the others were learning to know
and love Christ better, Judas was
drifting farther and farther away,
getting more and more out of SYM
pathy with Christ and His follow
ers. He may have withdrawn from
their intimacy. But it does not
appear that the others suspected
him. When the Savior said on
that solemn occasion that one of
them should betray Him. each in
quired: Lord, is it I? 1t does not
seem to have occurred to them
that Judas was the guilty party.
They knew themselves too well for
that.
At last the crisis came. It was
at Bethany. our Lord had set His
face to go to Jerusalem. The city
was bitterly hostile. To go there
meant danger. perhaps death, to
Christ and His company. The dis
ciples knew this. Thomas admit
ted it when he said: Let us go to
Jerusalem that we may die with
Him. Judas heard Thomas say
that. He made no remark, But
that night he did not sleep. He
had question to answer How
long was he going to keep up this
farce of discipleship? He could
not maintain appearances forever.
He probably reasoned in this wise:
"Why should I so to Jerusalem
and die with Christ? What has
He done for me that I should i'm
peril my life? He has given me
nothing but disappointment. And
He has brought us all now to the
point where we are involved in a
way that endangers our very
lives" And Judas made up his
mind that he for one was not going
to put his foot in a trap for
Christ's sake. The others could
do as they pleased; but he was not
going to sacrifice himself in a dis
credited cause.
Why didn't Judas desert that
night? Because he was not only
disappointed but bitter. He want
ed revenge. There was a moral
reason for that bitterness. For
days and weeks Judas had been
living a false life in the presence
Of the personal purity of the Son
of God. No man could live near
Christ for any time and be the
same afterward; he would be bet
ter or he would be worse. From
the person OF Christ were con-
stantly pouring the most gracious
influences. Since Judas was not
accepting these, he must resist
them. And since he resisted he
came in time to hate Christ. What
a solemn lesson this suggests.
Either we are attracted by Christ,
or in time we are repealed by Him;
off hnfs l.. 70 l.. Z.
He repulses us. There is no great
er tragedy than that of constant
resistance to the loving appeals
and urgent claims of Christ upon
our lives. Continued resistance
leads in turn to hatred.
And Judas hated Christ. Satan
entered into him, and there is no
And Judas hated Christ. Satan en-
tered into him, and there is no tell.
ing to what depths men may sink
when the prince Of darkness reigns
within. Judas became the devils
tool; and Satan's purpose was tn
Illustrate Christ In His work Of re-
demption. With that devilish hate
in his heart Judas entered the city,
not a deserter merely, but the be-
trayer There he made his bar
gain with the priests. Secretly he
offered them his services. IT Is
the nature Of sin to be secretive:
It aims to keep up a fair show be-
fore the world, but It does its awful
deeds in the dark. For thirty
pieces of silver, the price Of a mere
slave, he agreed TO betray his gra-
cious Master into the hands of
those who thirsted for His blood.
And he hetrnved Him with a l,iss