The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-03-27
THE SUNDAY 81 OIL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COM
MENTS FOR MARCH 81 By
THE REV. L. W. HENDERSON.
Subject: Easter Lesson, 1 Cor. Is:
1921, 55-5S-Golden Text, 1
Cor. 15-20-Memory Verse, 81


Cor. 15-2O-Memory Verse, 81
Commentary. .
The resurrection is an historic
fact; it is the inspiration of the Chris
tian company of believers; It is
ground of the Christians hope for
eternal life; it is the reason for our
steadfastness, our immutability in
Christian service. If it is not a fact,
if 1t be a fraud, then are we truly Of
all men most miserable.
The crucihXion of Jesus was the
supreme test of His disciples. His
death left them downcast, overborne
with grief, in a measure scattered.
His resurrection was the signal for
their re-congregation, the inspiration
of their dropping spirits, their
ground for undying hope. The cruci-
6xion was necessary, in the scheme
| Of God, to their individual salvation.
The resurrection was necessary that
their faith should be strengthened,
that the church should be launched,
that to-day we might have courage
to fight the good fight and to finish
the curse that God hath prepared
before US.
The resurrection is a fact. Few &C.
c%urrences in history are better sub
stantiated. There may, of course,
be differences of opinion as to what
was the exact content of the appear
ance of Jesus. to His disciples after
the resurrection. But however we
may differ as to the form of His res
direction, on this we are all agreed,
to this history a~ttests, to this the
presence of the church is evidence,
that Jesus actually rose from the
dead, that He appeared to His dis
ciples, that His temperance among
them was so real as to be sensed by
them. The resurrection of Jesus Is
q fact. Whatever may be our dispu-
tations, let US hold to that, for it is
our religious life.
The resurrection is the inspiration
of the Christian company of believers.
In it we find strength. 1t is the
source of our power as it was Of the
happiness of that earliest company
of the followers of u Lord who,
when they met Him face to face after
the resurrection, could not believe
that it was indeed He "for JOY"
The resurrection is the ground of
the Christians hope Of eternal life.
Christ promised to His disciples that
though He should be slain and re-
main in the tomb until the third day,
yet would He come forth again unto
them, triumphant over the grave and
death. He further gave them to un-
lnr-torl that IN utc rfntnru nyh~ Gin
and death the certainty of their own
victory over these selfsame forces
was assured. His fulfllment of His
promises and prophecies to them in
creased their confidence in Him and
gave them hope for everlasting life
in bliss within God through Him.
"If Christ be not risen, them" as
Paul says, sis our preaching vain,"
then Is the faith and the hope Of the
multitudes who followed Him and in
whose footsteps we tread, vanity,
then are we bereft Of hope. But by
the grace of God the t~ranscendant
truth is that Christ is risen from the
dead. And our faith is we'll founded.
The resurrection of the Lord Jesus
Christ is the reason for our stead
fastness, our immutability in Chris
tian service. Because His resurrec-
ton is a fact, attested in history and
evidenced in the life of His church:
because it is our inspiration and the
ground of our hope of eternal life;
therefore we stand fast in His service
and lend our energies gladly to the
accomplishment of His most glorious
purposes and designs for the regener-
alton and sanctification Of the world.
The hope of a larger and .nobler, a
freer and fuller life hereafter is the
inspiration of the best in human en-
deavor in this earthly pilgrimage.
We strive to bring Heaven to pass
here in the lives Of individuals and
of nations because we recognize that
if we are to live within the presence
Of God in the future life we a do
nothing better than to become accus-
toned to His presence here and prac-
tice the principles which control in
His kingdom, in this life.
We cannot lay too much emphasis
upon the importance Of the resurrec-
ton. It is at the very centre of all
Christian life and thought. A Chris
tian church without a risen Christ
is almost beyond our imagination.
The disciples were a disheartened
band of men when Jesus was cruel
fed. They would have been utterly
| COMPOUNDED had not Jesus risen from
the dead. His resurrection was es-
sential to the certiication of His
power for this life and for the life
hereafter.
The resurrection is the consumma-
ton Of the love of God in Christ. 1t
is the finest flower of the Divine self
revelation. It takes hold, Is does
nothing else, in all u Christian
knowledge and experience, upon the
very heart-strings of humanity. 1t
affords us reason for unquenchable,
everlasting hopefulness. And to be
made hopeful is to be inspired, it is
to be supremely blessed.
VS.. IA. Vain" Empty.
in Ok. meaning "fruitless."
VS.. SIS. Sting" THE image is
that of a beast with a sting; not
death with a goad, driving men"
VS.. 81. Give thy" Present par
ticiple. Marks both the daily victory
here and the certainty of the con-
Quering hereafter.
Read Rev. Samuel Coxe's hook,
s'The Resurrection"
Proper Proportion.
The more precious the word, the
greater the value of your works.