The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1938-04-02
Sunday School Lesson
,oosoeoeoes

-impelled by this spirit, he tram
pied down all doubts, and burst
out in enthusiastic confession OF
faith and loyalty.
Following Peters outspoken
recognition of his divinity, Jesus
then began to explaini to his. dis
ciples how it would be necessary
for him to die, also prophesying
his resurrection three days after
wards. The prophecy of SO
shameful a death was beyond the
understanding of the disciples
Peter, again the impulsive spokes-
man, probably encouraged to
speak by the recognition given
his confession of faith, took Jesus
aside and boldly rebuked him
Without realizing it, Peter was
bringing back to his master the
same temptation presented by the
devil during the forty days. Jesus
proceeded to rebuke Peter, init
mating that he was serving Satan
in such advice and was unmindful
of the things of God.
"The words of Jesus opened up
strange path, says Francis j.
Mcconnell. Peter was not ordi-
narily adverse to strange paths,
but this was too strange. If
George Washington had told the
assembled army at Cambridge in
ITS that it was necessary for him
to die on the ga1lows before the
American eadse could be won, the
establishment could hardly have
been greater than when Jesus said
that, he unjust fbe Yorucfied. OF
course, know that the situation
of Washington was not at all par
allel to that of Jesus, but / am
speaking of ideals of leaderership.
The Jews thought of the Messiah
as acting much like any national
leader. 1t was strange, strange
doctrine to hear that the Messiah
must suffer, and the disciples
were Mortified by the Masters
words. We may learn then from
this scene at Caesarea Philippi
that the instructive revulsion
against the new and strange may
be of that part of our nature
which fears the truth"
Following up his rebuke of
Peter, Jesus told his disciples the
demands of discipleship. He laid
down the doctrine of self-denial,
and following his example by
bearing the cross. Then, the par
adoxical observation that whose
ever would save his life would
lose it, whereas whatsoever should
lose his life for my sake and the
gospels" would save it. Then, Je&
sus asked the question which has
come down the various centuries,
presenting for each individual
person the most striking and i'm
portant interrogation any will
ever be called upon to answer;
For what doth it profit man,
to gain the whole world, and for
felt his life? For what should a
man give in exchange for his
life?"
Men are very prone in these
days to say it does not matter
very much what views we hold
about Jesus, as long as we accept
his teaching and obey it,, says j.
d. Jones. And they dismiss all
attempts at defining the Person OF
Christ as metaphysical and theo-
logical subtletieS which arc of no
Importance for daily life. That
is not what Jesus himself thought
He attached the most tremendous
Importance to the account people
gave of him: the whole future OF
the gospel depended in some vital
way @upon what men thought OF
liimtonHc regarded the future oil
GhFIstianity@asl bOIiheiI Etp with a
right understanding of has Person
Ifthere'is one thing theiNew Ties
lament makes abundantly clear
it isl thisrrthst the Christian Cos
pei is, not a. teaching merely, or a
philosophy merely, or a morality
merely; it is, as DR. Van Dyke
says, the gospel of Person. Il
centers not simply in what Jesu,
said. but in what he was and did"