Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1906-12-05
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
LESSON X. FOURTH QUARTER, INTER.
NATIONAL SERIES, DEC. 9.


Text of the Lesson, Luke xiii, 23-z0,
Memory Verses, az, 43-GoIden Text,
Luke xiii, 81 - Commentary Pre-
pared by Rev. ID. nj. stearns.
Copyright 1906, by American Press Association ]
Viewed from the human side, some
VI the words of the Spirit concerning
this fearful transaction are, I've &C.
nied the Holy One and the Just and
desired murderer to be granted unto
you and killed the Prince of Life"
Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye
cruei6ed," 1.-THE Just One, Of whom
ye have been now the betrayers
and murderers" (Acts III. IA. 10; Nv, 10;
v, 80; vii, 52) AS seen In the purpose
of God for US, we find the light In such
passages as He Is the Precipitation for
our sins and not for ours only, but also
for the sins of the whole world" God
hath made Him TO be sin for us who
knew no sin, 1.-The Son of God, who
loved me and gave Himself for me-"
Christ hath redeemed us from the
curse of the law. being made a curse
for. us" His own Self bare our sins in
His own body on the tree q John II,
2; ii Cor. v, 21; Gal ii, 20; Ill, 10; Pet.
II, 24). Turning to the actual events as
set forth in our lesson, we see the
Holy One Of God In the hands of sim
full men. delivered to their will, and
that will means all that the devil can
think of In the way of torture and
lingering death. Gods Darling at the
| mercy of bulls of Bashan, roaring
lions and dogs Cps xxi, II, 10, 1920! |
But how was 1t that they were able to !
treat Him so when just two words |
from Him sent the soldiers to the |
ground as they came to arrest Him In |
Gethsemane? The answer Is found in |
these words, "Of His own voluntary
will" LEV. /, 81, II lay down My life |
that l might take 1t again; no man
taketh 1t from Me, but lay it down
Of Myself" John x, II, 49,. See also
His own words to PLATE, "Thou couldst
have no power at ali against Me ex-
cept it were given thee from above"
John xix, III.
The Cyrenian who was compelled to
bear the cross of Jesus that day has
many time since praised God that IL
ever happened so, for, though It was
an unwilling and compulsory service at
the time, he has since seen that It was
a very great honor that was conferred
upon him. When In the providence OF
God we are turned about in our plans |
and Inundated also we may depend
upon II that what seems cruel and un.
just Is the best that His Infinite love
and wisdom can plan for us. See Him
and the two malefactors being led
forth TO be put TO death and can you
wonder that great company Of peo-
pie and of women followed Him, be-
wailing and lamentlng Him. but He.
seeing their future. as they could not,
tells them that they have more need TO
weep for themselves than for Him.
as II Is called by the other
three evangelIsts signifies the place OF
4 skull. Could anything be more sug-
5estive of emptiness than a skull, and I
70 this He came for me, and without
Him all that the world has to give 10
rs the emptiness and nothingness Of a !
skull. Do you see it so? 1
With pierced hands and feet He I
hangs between two thieves, crucifed
10 malefactor, numbered with trans
,reSsors. and Barabbas could say as
he looked upon Him: He Is there for .
ne, In my place l am free because
lie Is there" We hope that he did see :
so and say II from his heart and, like =
ne penltent thief, make Jesus glad !,
after He had been three hours on the II
ross the sun, which He had created,
ould no longer bear the sight, and y
here was darkness over all the earth =
or three hours, and the very earth, =
Thich He had created, quaked, and the y
ocks rent, and the graves of many of o.
ne righteous dead opened Matt. xvii, v
5-5Sj. All nature affected, and yet q
lany believers can read the record -
ithout tremor, and unbelevers =
eem harder than the very rocks. Tru-
the world knew Him not, and He
Ill has reason to say, ooh, righteous
ather, the world hath not known
bee" John xvii, 25). While His poor y"
'eaking heart found none to take pity ~
TO comfort (Ps Xix, 20) among the ~
Hers OF the Jews or among the scott :"
g crowd, He did find real comfort in Id
e man on the cross beside Him. who ne
ith true penitence believed on Him, Us
knowledged Him as King and went nc
18th Him to Paradise that day. 1t is al
truth that stands unchanged, There sn
Joy in the presence of the angels 90
er one sinner who repenteth" duke III
:, 1O). 1t Is also always true that IN
bis Man" who came to save sinners Dn'
ID died for sinners is ever waiting pr
r and expecting them to come to M
i'm, for such is the meaning of the
)rd ''receveth" in Luke Nv, 2.
t may be that just word upon the Il
ven sayings of Christ on the cross tno
~ lead some one to ponder them pos
IRE prayerfully and see something Of tne
Fir wondrOus significance In the or eve
r of their utterance they are found on
Luke xiii, "a. 40; John xix, 20. II; me
itt. XVII, At; JoDn XIX, ~, 80; Luke e"5
iii, 46, so that we have three Of them ne
our lesson portion for today The Whl
It three sayings were uttered before Der
, hours Of darkness and the last four III
the close of those awful hours. The min
It three tell of forgiveness and glory eve
] His special care OF us all the way add
ween the grace that saves and the c'ai
ry to be revealed. The last four
re uttered just before He died, the
nth and Hfth from the agony of His ~
'aking heart and the last two With Mis-
nething like cry Of victory be- e
lse all was at last ended and He re- som
ned home TO His Futher 1t il most y
tructive that His first and last re- II
ded utterances as the Son of Mary to