SUNDAY READING.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3942, 8 March 1884, Page 6 (Supplement)

SUNDAY READING.

SERMON BY THE REV. E. O. PERRY , John, 7 eh., 31 and 32 vei'3., " And many of ,the people . believed on him, and said, when Christ cometh, will ho do more miracles than these which this man hath done ? Tho Pharisees heard that tho people murmured such things concerning him ; and the Pharisees and chief priests sent officers to take him." You will find that tho two classes of men named in these two versos havo had their representatives in all ages and all times. The first, those who are called the people, including the masses, who have nothing to lose by any new teacher. The men who are the leaders of thought, the men who are teachers of the people, are all mostly on tho side of conservatism. Tho first were favorably disposed, "the second 'tho avowed enemies of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Now, it is' 6trango how those different people arc differently affected by tho_samo person. Christ has often been popular with the people, for we are told on several occasions that thoy heard Him gladly ; that they would' have taken Him nnd made him their king; they etrewed palm branches: in his path. - It is-very easy to get up the enthusiasm of the multitude, and not a difficult matter to get them to follow any new teacher, but it is another thing to, get them.tOibecomo the disciples of that new: teacher. While the multitude-was .on' Christ's side it did not follow that.thoy; were ready to; become his, disciples. • You will find, .as iv general rule, it -is. difficult <to..- move,, thoughtful. men, and. when once they.have bpen moved, .and; when once they havo-been ; led to, believe in? a teacher,; they' become; lastingly attached to ■hipi.'; Qu,tho:other hand:it isvery ettsy to move the-;multi(.ude, but tbey-ns easily . for«, getand turn aside frombim. ;'• Aβ a general ,ruIG;WO aromoved by luen who aro like ouiv. seivesj -•>-, The Pharisees saw nothing in Jesus , Christ thatiwos liko themselves; there was, .something-in Hitn which corresponded -with the feelings and wishes of tho multitude. Tbd.Pharisecs-sot themsolves against him becauso they,were.jealous of his influence,, and they feared their, system would <b]o overthrown. The first. yeree teaches * 113 • that Jesus Christ had tho respect of the multitude. When it is said that many of tho people believed on liiin it is evident that the •;, multitudp ,t r , who ; followed, ■ him i3i intended, ; evidently . : a large' .proportion of them were moved by his

teaching, were ready to acknowledge titn and become attached to him. Is it not the glory of the Gospel mission that ifc is to elevate the' poor. Jesus taught that he came, for those, who arc poor in spirit, and the poor are always among the followers' of our blessed Lord and Saviour Jestis Christ. It may be that-they have most need of the comfort which-the Gospel can bring to them ; it may be that they arc more open to conviction ; it may be that the thoughtful among them have scon that it is adapted to theiv wants and needs ; at any rate, it lias always been tho glory of the Gospel, system that ifc was to elcrato the poor and raise up those j who arc oppressed by those in power and authority. But it is evident that the term here vised for belief is not used in tho same sense as that jn which we uso tho word as Christians. They believed on him only in tho popular sense. They heard him gladly when he went out to preach to them. There wa3 music in his voice, the matter was ■at- ; tractive, the subject drew the people about him. Ho preached about God, about man, ; about eternity, the great matters of life and death, and the cares of the individual. And while there was that in his matter which attracted tho people to him, there was that in His manner which drew them to Him. What a contrast was the manner of our Lord, to that of the men who were the acknowledged teachers of His own day. How simplo His manner of presenting the truth to them, how He taught them by parable, how lie talked about tho evcry-day life matters, and presented them in such a form that it was impossible for them to forget them. And while this belief docs not refer to more than a popular belief in Him, it is evident from what is said that they did not accept him as tho Messiah—" When Christ cometh will he do -more miracles." They simply asked when Christ made his appearance—■ ns they expected he shortly would —would he be greater and oxert a wider influence and accomplish more miracles than this man had done That belief was only a passing impression, and though it was only a respect which they had for him it must, have had somo foundation on which it wa3 built. What was that foundation ? First, tho. general belief that Christ was about to mako his appearance, a belief that was held ■by a great majority of the Jewish nation—they spoke of Him as Him who was to come ; they had stud etl the prophecies concerning him until tho conviction forced itsolf upon them that very soon Jesus Christ was about to make Hie appearance for the temporal and sph-it-nal salvation of their nation, and their respect was founded on the fact that when Ho did come, Ho would substantiate His work by miracles. Most of .all, mark you, their faith in Him rested in tho works -which he had already accomplished. There was no doubt about it, there was no questioning about the rcnlily of miracles cither on the part of tho people who bolievcd in Him or the high priests who opposed Him. Their respect and confidence were founded on facts —and facts which wero unassailable. They were obliged to confess that great miracles Had been wrought; there was no deriving it, it wns clear as tho noonday. The* great majority of the people spoke of. Him as a wonder worker, as a miraclo worker. The respect which the people had for Himonly stirred upHisencmics against Him; they strove to take Him, to overthrow Him, that was tho only answer to His teaching. And does it not generally happen that that is the only answer bad men have to give to good men ? They cannot undo their work —they strive to put them clown by force, just as the Pharisees strove, not by showing the falseness of His work,' but by putting Him on one side. While the confidence of the people was general in Christ, tho 42nd verso expresses the hatred of thcPhariseesand chief priests. Goodness and- purity always hayo their enemies, so wa3 it with Jesus " Christ, who was tho model of goodness and purity. ISTo sooner did Ho teach something that was to some extent contrary to what they had been accustomed to teach, in that it was nobler and grander, than any eystom they had given to the people—no sooner had He commenced to. teaoh than they set up opposition to Him. We might have supposed those men would have been on His side; they were the Pharisees who prided themselves on their righteousness, their vory name showing separation from the people. Men who wore set apart for a special work and a special office ; who were so careful to carry out tho details of the ceremonial law; who paid tithes on mint lest they should leave outonopoint. These were the peoplo who opposed themselves to Jesus Christ,-and tho high priests who wero occupying the highest position to which any man could bo called by God. These men, -who prided themselves on the purity and nobleness of their character, they joined' the Pharisees. They were the leaders of thought Ejmong tho men of their own timo; they were the men who occupied the highest places; they were the men who were the leaders of the people in every sense-. Has it not ever been true that the men of position and influence have boon the most difficult to win to anything now ? How true is it that wealth is on tho side of. conservatism, and very seldom' on the side of tho roformor. It is only in keeping with what wo find everywhere that the leaders of tho people should be on tho side of conservatism. But can we discover what it wasthafc caused their opposition ? Was it a prjvhtc motive or a public one ? AVas it that they were uhercly fearful that the now teacher would bring something detrimental to the spiritual and moral welfare of tho people ? It may be that they wero moved by both motives, that there was really a dread in their minds that Christ would teach something which would be to their disadvantage. Jn their opposition they thought they were doing God's service. Let us believe that, just as Paul thought ho wns accomplishing a good purpose when he persecuted the followers of Christ. They wore jealous of his influence ; they feared His growing power; they dreaded His increasing popularity ; they saw how the multitudes went out after Him, and listened to His teaching, while if tlvy taught there were only n, few to listen to them. Did they not believe that with the coming of Christ their own system was to fall, their position was to be taken from them? They droaded their own system was doomed to destruction, and so they sent officers to take the teacher, and so stop the teaching. In the following verses you will find tho judgment Christ pronounced on them because of the opposition. First Christ says they arc to be deprived of His own presence. Can there bo a greater calamity that can fall on a people than tho removal of a good man from their midst ? It was only six months after this that Christ was crucified — crucified by those very inon who ' set themselves up in opposition ; they put Him away from them, and shut themselves away from' His meroy and goodness. There is only a littlo- while wo have Christ with us. This is true concerning us all. There is a time coming when they shall seek Him and : shall not find Him. Their nation was to be overthrown, the Boman legions wore tocotno down on them, and destroy tho very nation which prided itself on its goodness. Ye shall seek Him and shall not find Him. Is it not true concerning us to-day,- that there will bo a time of tribulation -when wo shall need Christ, and can thorb be any sadder thoughtthan that wo have put away our best friend from us, and shut ourselves out from His goodness , and love in common with those who opposed Christ then. Genei'ally they.-misunderstood His teaching—they materialised His words. " Whither shall ho go:?". That is, wilL Ho go away from Jerusalem to the regions round about, where the Jews are scattered among tho Gentiles. •Will Ho remove Himself from us,'the people of God, and go -■■ out: into: : the Bcattered portions of the earth ? tit is so always with those;who judge after the fleebj- and' not after. the : itipirit; -they misunderstand -and matorialiße.tho words.of. our -Lord, instead of applying and taking them to i themselves. To.which of these classes do-we belong this morning ?; ■'. ■• To , • those -who respected Christ's wora.who heard -Him gladly,- and havo believed on Him in the common sense :of belief, : or' : among .those' who hate and despise Him, and who,- if it lay in their power, would destroy the influonce of His work, or among-those who lovo Ilim, who servo Him,: among those who devote their lives to Him ?' Beit ours always to bo found oh the side -of those fwlio lore Him and follow Him, for as we are ,on<the side of Christ shall.we bo on.the side of: all that;is true and noblo and good-; .As we love Him ahall'wo lbvo;that which is best and highest in the universe., Lotus be foitnd, not upon bhdjsido of.those.wlid .-. merely bcliovb: in the jommon sense, orofthosowho hateybuttho'so svho lovo with nil their hearts.