The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1906-12-04
LIE SUNDAY SCHOOL
LESSON X, FOURTH QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, DEC. 9.

! Nrmnry Verses. ~. 4I-;Olden Text,
Luke N%Hi. 81 - Commentary Pre-
pared by Rev ID. VI Stearns.
| CoPyrgh:, E96 by An:cri' an Press Association
Viewed from the human side, some
VI the words OF the Spirit concerning
this fearful transaction are, "Ye &C.
niei the Holy one aad the Just and
desired II murderer to I've granted unto
You ana killed the t'rluce of Life"
Jesus Christ OF Nazareth. whom ye
cruC;icd," The lust One, Of whom
ye have been how the betrayers
and murderers'' (Acts lii, II. 10: iv, 10:
V, 10; vii, 52). As seen in the purpose
OF God for us. we lind the light in such
passages Us He Is the Precipitation for
our sins and hot for ours only, but also
Tor the sins Of the whole world" God
hath made Linn TO be sin for us who
knew no SIM" The Son Of God, who
loved me and gave Himself for me-"
Christ hath redeemed US from the
curse of the law. being made curse
Tor us Ills own Self bare our sins in
His OWN body On the tree" Il John ii,
>; III COR v. y: Gal II. ~: Iii, 10; | Pet.
Ii. "a. Turning TO the actual events as
set forth i'll our lesson. we see the
Holy nne Ut God ln the hands of sin
tul men. delivered to their will, and
that will means all that the devil can
think oil in the Way uf torture and a
lingering death. Gods Darling at the
mercy vi bulls VI Bashan. roaring
lions and DOGS us xxi. L., 10, 1920!
But how was it 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 Ills own voluntary
will" LEV. /. 81. II lay down My life
that | might take it again. no man
taketh it from Me. but lay 1t down
of Myself JOhn X. II. 49,. See also
His own words to Plate. Thou c0uldst
have no power at all against Me ex-
cept 1t were given thee from above"
John xix, IL.
The Cyrenian who was compelled to
bear the cross of Jesus that day has
/
many time since praised God that 1t
ever happened so. for. though it was
an unwilling and compulsory service ut
the time. he has since seen that ii waS
very great honor that was conferred
upon him. When In the providence Of
Gpl We are turned about ia our plans
and Inundated also we may depend
upon il that what seems cruel and un.
just is the est that His Infinite love
and wisdom can plan for us. See Him
and the two malefactOrs being led
forth 10 he put IN death and can you
wonder that Il great conn any Of pen.
pie and of women followed Him, be-.
wailing and lamentlug Him. but He.
seeing their future. rs they could not.
tells them that they have more need 10
weep for themselves than for Him.
GOl@Otha. as II Is called by the other
three uvangclists. signifies the place OF
skull. Could anything be more sug-
gestive Of emptiness than skull. aud
TO this lie came for me. and without
Hin all that the world has 81 give Is
as the emptiness aud nothingness Vt Y
skull. DO You see II sOt y
With pierced hands and feet He
hangs between two thieves, cruclfied
as a malefactOr, numbered with trans.
gressorS. aud Barabbas could say as
he looked UPON Hin: lie Is there for
me. In my place. am free because
lie Is there" We hope that he did see
II SO aud say IL from his heart and. like
the penitent thief, make Jesus glad.
After lie had been three hours on the
cross the sun. which lie had created,
could no longer bear the sight. and
there was darkness over all the earth
for three hours. and the very earth.
which lie had created. qtaked. and the
Rocks rent. and the graves Of many Of
the righteous dead opened Matt. xvii.
II-J3,. Al nature affected. and yet
many believers can read the record
without tremor. aud unhe;icVerS
seem harder than the very rocks. Tru.
u the world knew Him not. and lie
still has reason 10 say. "Oh. righteous
Father. the world hath not known
l.
breaking heart found none TO take pity
or 10 comfort IRA. xix. 2OD among the
rulers NJ the Jews or among the SCOT.
ing crowd. lie did find real comfort In
the man on the cross beside Him. who
with true pcnitence believed ON Him.
acknowledged Him as King and went
with Him 10 Paradise that day. II 10
a truth that stands unchanged. There
Is Joy In the presence Of the angels
over ole sinner who repentcth" Luke
~. I'm. II is also always true that
this Man" who came to save sinners
and died for sinners Is ever waiting
for aud expecting them To come to
Him. fur such Is the meaning Of the
word "reccivptI' in Like xv. .
II may he that Just word upon the
seven sayings Of Christ on the cross
may lead some one to PONDER them
more prayerfuIly and sec something u
their wundfOus significance In the or.
der Of their utteranCe they are found
In Luke x&iii. ~. -. John xjx. -. =:
Matt. xxvll. 10. John xix. IS W; Luke
xiii. ~. 80 that 80 have three " them
In our lesson portion for today. The
first three sayings were uttered before
the hours If darkness aud the last four
at the close "f Those awful 'Irs The
first three tell of forgiveness and glory