And now, I put it to you—this is the principal thing, that I have to say to you this morning—is not the most reasonable explanation of the fact, that there is no idea of a sinless man anywhere except where Jesus Christ has been preached, that Jesus Christ actually was sinless? The simplest explanation of this unique belief of Christendom is surely, that Christendom knows a unique, that is, a sinless Saviour, Jesus Christ. That is why Christians hold this belief. The apostles taught it and we believe it because we do know such a) man, the "man Christi Jesus." We have seen that no one on earth had ever even dreamt of such a possibility; that the nation from which He sprang scouted the idea, why then should Christians have invented this character for their Lord? His first: disciples were Jews. As we have seen, they had nothing in their religion to lead them to think of a sinless Saviour. They had, indeed, everything to make them think otherwise. They had no precedent to guide them, yet one and all, they echo these words, "tempted like as we are, yet without sin." And we say, the only decent, reasonable explanation of this astonishing testimony is, that they had known such a. one to their great amazement, no doubt, tut they had actually known one in Jesus Christ. their loved Lord and Master. We say that it is not our business, but the business of the people who deny it, te find a more reasonable explanation. I have never seen one, Tf we are asked, why we believe this statement of the nature of Jesus Christ to be true. we may well be content to reply in the vein of the reasoning of this sermon. We can ask why these men should have felt like this about the Lord? But we may give a few reasons, always taking for granted. that this is a matter not for the naked rea-sen only, but also, for the heart and moral consciousness.
First, we take this impression He made on those who knew Him best, his friends. They all agree. Petdr says, We are redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb, without blemish and without—spot." That is pretty strong. And John says, "Ye know He was manifested to take away our sins: and in Him is no sin." And; made him to be slain for us. who knew no sin.' Now you may search - through all literature. and you will be hard put to it to find the friends of any great and good man, talking of him
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.