The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-02-23
BY VIM. E. GILRoY, D. d.


Editor of The Congregationalist
0UR lesson deals not only with
~ the growth of the Christian
but with the growth of Christianity.
Christianity had its beginning in
Christians, in the reception of
Christian teaching into individual
hearts, and in the fellowship in
Christ, of those who believed.
True Christianity grows only in
this way. It's increase can be only
in accession into the Christian fel-
lowship of those who have come to
know the meaning and power of
Christ's salvation.
The story of the calling of the
early disciples in the first chapter
of John is a very simple and NOV
ing narrative. The fourth Gospel
has been the battle-ground of the
critics, and the evidences for its
authorship are not by any means as
clear as for the other three Gospels.
But the fourth Gospel has had
an authority of its own because of
its inherent nature, and the first
chapter, which reveals to us the
drawing of the first disciples and
the beginning of the Christian fell
lowship, bears the marks Of It's
genuineness.
1t Illustrates, also, great prin-
ciple amply exemplified in the
history of the church; namely, that
when one starts Christian influences
in operation one never knows what
they may accomplish or where they
may end.
Here was Andrew finding his
brother Peter and bringing Peter to
Christ. We do not know a great
deal about Andrew, but We do know
a great deal about Peter. We
should probably find that IL the
history of the church many great
servants of God have been brought
into the Christian life and have
begun their careers of devoted Serv-
ice as a result of influences and
agencies that seemed much less
than their own manifestations of
jealous service.
Our lesson deals with Christian
growth in its aspects in the prog
ress of Peter-a progress that was
not quite consistent and continuous,
but which led Peter to ultimate
heights of destiny through ways of
temptation and trial, of defeat and
Encouragement, as well as through
ways of triumph and hope.
The great secret of Peters
ultimate coming through was not
anything great or good in himself,
but the fact that Jesus under
stood him. He was a strange mix
ture of fiery impulse and weak
ness. Men of such passionate ma
ture are often the victims of al
ternating moods of discourage
ment and despair.
Men who are inherently weak
often profess high ideals OF
strength and manifest an ambition
that they are futile to attain. Jesus
described Peter as one whom Satan
had desired that he might sift as
wheat. There was plenty of chaff
in him, but there was good bit
of wheat besides, and Jesus prayed
for Peter that his faith should not
fail.
1t was in the very moment of
Peters great declaration that Jesus
was the Son of God that Jesus re-
minded him of his weakness, and
it was when Peter was protesting
that he was of different flesh and
blood from others and that though
all men might deny Christ he would
prove faithful, that Jesus foretold
Peters three-fold denial.
But all through this process of
aspiration and defeat Jesus prayed
for Peter Jesus loved him, and
our four-fold lesson tells the story
of Peters ultimate destiny in
Christian life and purpose.
The man who was combination
Of fiery passion and of cowardly
weakness became, through the grace
of God, shepherd of souls, gentle,
earnest, passionate, fitted to feed
the lambs of God, and yet with
all his tenderness made strong to
die the death of martyrdom which
the Lord predicted.
1t was thus that Peter grew, and
it was out of this experience that
he admonishes Christians to grow
in the grace and knowledge of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ"
Our lesson is an inculcation of
Christian growth by concrete ex-
ample of the way in which weak
man grew to be strong man.