The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-12-14
II RESUR-
RECTION
Sunday School Lesson for Dec. Is, 1910
Specially Arranged for This Paper

LESSON TEXT-Matthew 2S:1-2o. Mem
Dry verses. >. 6.
GOLDEN TEXT-"Lo, I am with you
Away. even unto the end Of the world
Matt. 2S:20.
Jesus was in the grave three days. from
Friday, April 7, to Sunday, April 9, A. d.
80.
The Resurrection was early Sunday
morning, and was from a tomb in a gar
den near Calvary.
The home Of the disciples during the
forty days was in Jerusalem.
The appearances of Jesus were In the
vicinity Of Jerusalem, and in Galilee.
The Ascension was from Mount Olivet.
1t is hard to conceive of a greater
disappointment, or a deeper mental
and spiritual gloom than the Egyptian
midnight darkness, without a star OF
hope, which closed about the disciples
when Jesus their Lord was dead upon
the cross, and every precaution was
taken to make certain that he was
really, irrevocably dead.
The enemies of Jesus guarded
against every. possibility of mistake
as to the reality of his death. This
Is a very interesting example of the
Providence Of God. For if Jesus did
not die, he could not be raised from
the dead. Moreover if the proof that
Jesus really died came from his
friends, people would question Wheth-
er they did not in some way deceive,
But the enemies of Jesus were very
anxious that he should be really dead,
in order that he might neve trouble
them again. Hence they did every
thing possible to accomplish their
purpose. The soldiers pierced his
body with a spear, and blood and wa
ter flowed from the wound-a proof
of death John 10: "a. 35). The cen
turion, who was accustomed to exc
c%utions, was convinced that he was
dead, and so reported to PLATE. The
tomb in which he was buried was a
new one, in which no one had ever
been buried, and so there could be no
doubt as to the identity of the body
of Christ.
At the request of the chief priests,
the stone against the door of the Sc
pulcher was sealed, and a Roman
guard placed around the tomb, so that
no one could take away the body and
then pretend that Jesus had risen
Matt. 81: 62-66).
Jesus rose early on Sunday morn
ing. Of the method or circumstances
we know only what is stated here.
Behold, there was a great earthquake.
Early in the morning, before the ar
rival of the women at the tomb. For
the CAM angel OF the Lord descended
from heaven. A divine messenger, to
overawe the guards, and show that
Jesus rose, and was not aiken from
the tomb by human power, and that
the same body came forth that had
been buried. Rolled back the stone
from the door, and sat upon it, as a
guard waiting to give the needed in
formation to the disciples. His u
tenance (his appearance) was like
lightning, in vivid and intense bright
ness. And his raiment white as snow"
This was heavenly apparel, the visible
expression Of his heavenly nature.
1t seems that Mary Magdalene first
reached the tomb, and seeing the
stone rolled from the door, fastened
to tell the news to Peter. The others
then came, and entering into the tomb,
found not the body of the Lord Je-
sus' (Luke).
1t was fitting that the resurrection
should occur at the dawning of The
day. 1t was the dawning of the
worlds day of redemption. Mark adds,
land Peter" For he would be the
saddest of all. This message would
be q drop of Joy in his cup then, as
showing Christ's forgiveness.
The Ascension was the only fitting
close of the earthly life of Jesus.
When the disciples had been thorough
ly convinced by many infallible
proofs during forty days, that Jesus
was really alive, then he went home
to his throne and to his Father in the
only way that would enable them to
realize that he was their everything
Lord and Saviour. The last view Of
Jesus was not on the cross, but as.
cending in glory, a living Saviour.
The resurrection of Christ is the as
surance that the death of the body is
not the end of existence. For the soul
lives on without this mortal body, but
receives a body in the other world,
like Christ's glorious body.
The resurrection life removes all
fears and doubts with the assurance
of a continued life hereafter, all we
have gained in this life being but a
preparation for that eternal life.
The very soul Of u religion is
missionary, progressive, world embra.
cling; 1t would cease to exist if 1t
ceased to be missionary, if it disre.
garded the parting words Of its found.
er, Go We, therefore, and teach all ma
TONS etc. The spirit Of truth is the
life-spring Of all religion; and where
it exists, it must manifest itself, IT
must plead, it must persuade. 1t
must also convert. There may be
times when silence is gold, and speech
silver but there are times also when
silence is death, and speech IS life
the very life of Pentecost.