Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1914-11-27

LESSON TEXT-Mark 15:22-S9. nuke
2s:S9-43).
GOLDEN TEXT-Sureiy he hath borne
our grief and carried our sorrows: yet we
did esteem him stricken, smitten of God,
and affiicted.-Lsa. 53:4
Last Sunday we saw Jesus on trial
before Gentle power. Today's lesson
brings us to the central event Of his
saving mission to men We must
read all four accounts of this event
attentively, reverently, humbly, for it
cannot be treated even as other
events in the life of our Lord.
l. The Procession to Calvary, v. 81.
Twas a physically exhausted Christ
that left the judgment hall. A night
Of vigil, hooking, buffeting and with
out food since the previous evening
left him too weak to bear the cross.
Then it was that a son of Africa.
Simon Of Cyrene, was Impressed to
bear the burden. The Romans de-
manded that the victim bear his own
cross. He accepted the human help,
but refused the aid Of the drug, Matt.
27:34. Luke gives us at this point the
incident of the weeping woman Mark
1928 seems to indicate that Jesus had
to be assisted to the place of the
cross.
On the Cross.
u. The Place, Calvary, w. 22-27.
Here we g him, the brightness OF
Gods glory and the express image of
bis person, the incarnation of truth, in
whom dwelt the fullness of the God
head bodily-"crucifed." Sin has done
It's worst. The Scriptures are fulfilled,
Ps. 22:16, zech. 1910. 1t was neces-
sary for our salvation that he should
die exactly as he did, Gal. $40, 10;
John 3:14; Deut. 21:23. Even the
parting of his garments was prophe-
sled. Ps. 22:18. The presence of two
m~alefactors had also been foretold,
Isa- $3.50, IL.
III. The P~assers-by at Calvary, W..
2s-32. The people and the priests
joined in heaping scorn upon him.
Even those that were crucified with
him '~'reproached him" Yet he loved
them all. There seem to have been
no gibes for the two thieves, John
1919, II Tim. 3:12. The cry of the
mob now is save thyselr' ". S0).
Twas spoken In mockery, but they
spoke a truth, nevertheless: 1t was
necessary for the good shepherd to
give his life for the sheep. John i0:11,
and by no means to use his power in
saving himself. They did o believe
on him after the resurrection of Laza-
rus; is it to be believed that they
would have accepted him had he
saved HIMSELF" To have saved HIM
self would have been for him to take
himself out of the hands of God-an
act of d~isobedience, and we read that
Ahe was obedient unto death Phil.
2:8. He was obedient unto death, for
death had no hold upon him. He was
obedient to the passion and impulse
Of eternal love.
~. The Person on Calvary, Wv. So
90. In the midst Of this awful scene.
in the confusion of the mingled cry
OF the mob, there Is sounded one note
Of triumph. AS Jesus was thus lifted
up from the earth" (John 12:32), one
of those, his companions, ceased to
revile him, and cried out, @Art thou
the Christi and, to be literal, IF so,
save us" The other seems to have
had his vision cleared, for he rebukes
his fellow criminal by saying that
their condemnation was a Just reward
for their deeds. Turning to Jesus he
exclaims, Remember me in thy
kingdom" The answer was imme
date and significant, To-day shalt
thou be with me in paradise" This
is a graphic illustration of the whole
meaning and symbolism of the cross
In his undying hour the Savior of mer
loosed this sinner from his sins and
granted him the right to fellowship
with him in the life beyond.
Jesus hung upon the cross three
hours.
Bearing shame and soothing rude,
In my place condemned he stood
Sealed my pardon with his blood.
Hallelujah what a savior.
His Faith Triumphant.
Then God drew the curtain, for ever
he could not look upon that scene (I
Cor. 5:21; Heb. 1:13I. We do no
believe the eclipse theory, but ratheI
that God caused the darkness, anoth
er illustration of the ~closeness OF maj
and nature, Rom. $3.50, FL R. v. Tn,
dying cry, my God, my God, why has
thou forsaken me-" was uttered whel
Jesus sensed the full and complet,
realization of being separated from
the Father. Death is not humiliation
but separation, and Jesus was sepa
rated from God the Father because O
our sins, lisa. 1876. Yet in that terri
bic moment his faith does not waver
for he cries, my God" Conscious o
his personal innocence, but s~ufferinI
for the sins of others, his faith l
triumphant Other lives have a be
ginning and an end. this one is "fin
ished." His redemptive work is &C
complished and was later sealed b,
his resurrection. He gave up tn
ghost" not a common experience o
death, but a fulfillment of his owl
words, mo man taketh it This life
away from me, but l lay it. down o
myself" In deed and in truth Jesu
ave up his life. John 19:25-27 tell
of the faithful m and of the com
initial of Mary to the care OF ~the dis
ciple"-John. Immediately followin
his death the veil of the temple a
Jerusalem was rent from the top I
kbo kot4ou,O Not hv tho hand ~ mo,