Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1940-03-07

Surrender brings victory.
The world would say that OUR
statement is not true; surrender is
the mark of defeat. It is the final
chapter In a story OF struggle
against impossible circumstances
against stronger power, and final.
ly Of giving up to accept the bitter
sorrow Of subsection and sometimes
destruction. But again we say, the
way Of strength is through surren.
der, for we speak of the spiritual
realm and Of our relationship to
God. Here there is no victory until
there Is surrender. In fact, the
measure Of victory is the degree of
surrender. Full submission to
Christ means complete triumph for
the Christian. The Lord Jesus does
not ask His disciples to walk a way
which He has not trod Himself. He
went the way Of full surrender to
the will Of God in the garden Of
Gethsemane. We observe five
things about this way Of triumph
through surrender" It was
I. A Way Of Sorrow wv. 81, S0.
He was exceedingly sorrowtul
unto death. It was not an easy thing
that the Saviour did as He fulfilled
the win Of God the Father in the
garden. We know that no man ever
sorrowed as He did on that day, for
only He bore the sins of the world.
There is, however. a lesson here
for US who are His disciples. II
this Is the road the Master trod,
should not His servants tread 1t still?
The way Of victory for US is through
surrender.
II. A Way Of Sef-Denial wv. 80,
AZ, AZ.
Self-denial does not consist In de.
priving ones self of some little cher
ished luxury. It means the denial
Of self, namely, that self-wil is
put aside and Gods will is supreme.
1t was no "easy thing for Jesus
to carry out the Fathers will and
to go to the cross. He was sub
missive to that will; yet in this hour
Of anguish in the garden, when the
unspeakable horror Of what lay
ahead almost overwhelmed His soul,
it means much to say, Not as
will but as thou wilt CDR. B. L.
Olmstead. 1t may be q hard thing
to do, but by His grace we too
may say, 'Thy will be DONE"
III. A Way Of Loneliness wv. SO,
81, 40, Al, 43).
There were three disciples with
Him as He entered the garden. and
their very presence reminds us how
very much alone Jesus actually was.
There were twelve with Him in the
upper room, but one went out into
the darkness to betray Him. Eleven
came with Him to the gate Of the
garden, but only three came into
the garden with Him. Even they
could not 60 all the way with Him.
He prayed and agonized alone, and
the three who were near at hand
failed Him and slept through the
dark hour when He most needed
their fellowship in sympathy and
prayer.
Alone? II the Master had to walk
the way Of surrender alone, let no
Christian expect that 1t win be
otherwise for him. Let us thank
God for every blessing of true fell
lowship. but let us not be surprised
II we are often called to walk alone
with God.
Nv. A Way Of Betrayal wv. As, 46).
HE is at hand who doth betray
me" into the hands Of sinners"
One feels that the cup Of the Master
IL already overfull without adding
betrayal by one Of His own, but
there 1t Is, dark and tragic reality.
Note with what peace and assurance
Jesus goes to meet It. The victory
has already been won in prayer,
In communion with the Father, and
in submission to His will.
No one Of us will ever know such
q betrayal as that of our Lord, but
we do face similar crises as we go
on in a life of devotion to Gods
will. We do well to remember the
experience Of Christ that we be not
overwhelmed by the treachery OF
men and that we prepare ourselves
to meet it with the power and grace
Of our God.
v. A Way Of Divine Fellowship
and Blessing wv. 80, ~.
The way Of surrender Is a glorious
and delightful way to 60. But,
some one may ask. have we not
been talking Of sorrow. self-denial,
loneliness and betrayal? Yes, but
even these things may become the
means Of blessing II God is In them.
Though no man stood by our Lord
in His experience in Gethsemane,
the Father was there. Jesus talked
with Him, prayed to Him, trusted
Him, yielded fully to His will, and
the result was peace and blessing.
We read In Luke 22:43 that an angel
also came and strengthened Him.