When He was betrayed, they forsook Him. When He was crucified, they were almost in despair. And when He rose again on the third day, they would not believe that it was true. They had heard of it frequently with the hearing of the ear, but it had never made any impres- sion on their hearts.
What an exact picture we have here of human na- ture ! How often we see the very same thing among professing Christians in the present day ! How many truths we read yearly in the Bible, and yet remember them no more than if we had never read them at all ! How many words of wisdom we hear in sermons heed- lessly and thoughtlessly, and live on as if we had never heard them ! The days of darkness and affliction come upon us by and bye, and then we prove unarmed and unprepared. On sick-beds, and in mourning, we see a meaning in texts and passages which we at one time heard listlessly and unconcerned. Things flash across our minds at such seasons, and make us feel ashamed that we had not noticed them before. We then remem- ber to have read them, and heard them, and seen them, but they made no impression upon us. Like Hagar's well in the wilderness, they were close at hand, but, like Hagar, we never saw them. (Gen. xxi. 19.)
Let us pray for a quick understanding in hearing and reading God's word. Let us search into every part of it, and not lose any precious truth in it for want of care. So doing, we shall lay up a good foundation against the time to come, and in sorrow and sickness be found armed.
Let us mark how little reason ministers have to be surprised, if the words that they preach in sermons are
315
often unnoticed and unheeded. They only drink of the same cup with their Master. Even He said many things which were not noticed when first spoken, And yet we know that "never man spake like this man/' "The disciple is not greater than his Master, nor the servant than his Lord." We have need of patience. Truths that seem neglected at first, often bear fruit after many days.
We see in the last place, in these verses, how much ignorant self-confidence may sometimes be found in the hearts of professing Christians. The apostle Peter could not think it possible that he could ever deny his Lord. " If I should die with thee/' he says, " I will not deny thee in any wise." And he did not stand alone in his confi- dence. The other disciples wTere of the same opinion. " Likewise also said they all."
Yet what did all this confident boasting come to ? Twelve hours did not pass away before all the disciples forsook our Lord and fled. Their loud professions were all forgotten. The present danger swept all their prom- ises of fidelity clean away. So little do we know how we shall act in any particular position until we are placed in it ! So much do present circumstances alter our feelings !
Let us learn to pray for humility. " Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." (Pro v. xvi. 19.) There is far more wickedness in all our hearts than we know. We never can tell how far we might fall, if once placed in temptation. There is no degree of sin into which the greatest saint may not run, if he is not held up by the grace of Grod, and if he does not watch and pray. The seeds of every wickedness lie
316