Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-12-09


crosses. 1t took some little time to
make all these preparations. SO that 1t
was Just o'clock. the hour OF the morn
ing sacrifice, when. with heavy thud,
they dropped the cross of Jesus into the
hole. the weight of His body tearing
the flesh further as it dragged on the
nails Ii must have been when this ago
MIXING pain shot through Him that he
uttered the first OF those seven sayings
on the cross: Father. forgive them. Tor
they know not what they do" believe
IL was In answer to this prayer that so
many were converted through Peters
preaching on the day of Pentecost. What
marvellous love! A few moments later
He saw His mother and John standing
near. Poor mother, what agony was
hers! She was a widow now, and Jesus
commits her to Johns care.
Then the Jews. the chief priests, the
scribes. the elders, and the soldiers, went
about railing at him. If thou be the son
Of God come down from the cross ana
We will believe" they said. They woulo
not. however for they did not when they
were so sure that He had risen from
the dead that they had to invent a most
impossible lie to explain the fact. They
said truly, He saved others, Himself
He cannot save" II was the one thing
Jesus could not do; the Shepherd must
Law down His life that the sheep might
not lose theirs.
About an hour later, II was probably
between II and Il, one OF the thieves
repented. for both had Joined In the
railing. and rebuking the other, turned
10 the Central Sufferer. and said; Jesus
remember me when thou contest Into thy
kingdom He didn't know Him as
4hof TJA
He claimed TO be in the accusation above
His head, the King OF the Jews To him
Jesus smoke the third word. This day
shalt thou be with me In paradise.
Al noon a black darkness fell oyer the
earth: IL was as though God would draw
a veil over His suffering Son. rms CON
tinued until o'clock. and then was
lifted. shortly before out OF the dark
ness came a cry of the btttest agony the
world has ever heard Dropping PACK
IN the intensity of His suffering 10 hls
mother tongue, He cried, "Acloi' eiol' lama
sabachtanI'-'My Gods my Goo. why
80 ,hou ,forsaken me?" II was the cry
OF the only Man who has ever been COD
forsaken. Communion 9th His Father
vas the very essence Of His life; ana
now that communion is broken what
could II have been7 Sin lis the only
thing that separates from God Here the
strIess Son of God is separated from
Hsm God had placed on Him my sin;
and the burden OF 1t had brought Him
so low that He could no longer see hls
Father Ny sin had separated him irotn
God; because Of my sin, God had Ior-
sakeu Him. On, the marvel or his love
for me-, that He would be Wiling 70
endure that so that I might not DC 1ou-
forsakeni So"
In a moment He spoke again The
terrific strain of the night, His weak
ness. the suffering of the cross -tne
fever that had set in from the innam-
nation of His wrist, elbows and shoulder
Joints had parched His lips. Il thirst
He said: again showing that it was as
man He was suffering in my stead
Then the work was done; He had
gone TO the very bottom OF sin; Hs nao
been made sin itself that we might De
made the righteousness or GOD IN HIM.
With a loud voice (not quietly nor In
weakness), He cried out, ''It is finished!
II was the triumphant shout OF the VIC
tor. II Is finished; nothing else reSoatns
to be done except for you TO accept II.
, And then. having found His Father
again. having been made perfect cap
tain for us through suffering having
been bruised for our iniquities and nav
ing been wounded for our transgressions,
He said, Father into thy hands 1 com
mend my spirit" and went home. he
sIipuit ava, as the Scotch say. He
yielded up His spirit.
! II was Just o'clock. the hour or the
evening sacrifice. He had been lcrucihed
at the hour of the morning sacrifice,
. when the paschai- lamb was offered; He
I died at the hour of the evening sacrifice.
Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for
Us. -"-t
THE CENTRAL PERSONALITY OF
-----s go THE CROSS.
Do you know who was the central per-
\ sonaIfty Of the cross? 1t was not Jesus,
in one sense It was I; IL were you. AS
! I look on the central cross on Calvary $
; hill, I see Jesus, the only perfect Man,
the sinless Son of God. But / see my
self there. too; and If 1t had not been
for me, SHINING, shining, He would not
have been there. Therefore, / am the
central personality of the cross. You are
the central. personality OF the cross.
Oh! the wonder Of II! II had been
the only sinner in all the world, He
would have been there just the same.
, for nothing else could save me, and He
: loves me sufficiently to endure 1t all for
4 me.
: My friend, look there until you can
see yourself there identified with Him.
Then think You have no fear OF the
Judgment, for you were judged there.
Think again. Since He has done this
a. Ng-N.. 81.