Mexico Missouri message., 1917-06-14
INTERNATIONAL
SUNGYSOOOL.
LESSON
CBy Z. o. SELLERS, Acting Director Of
the Sunday School Course of the Moody
Bible Institute.)
Copyright, 1917. Western Newspaper Union.J
LESSON FOR JUNE II
THE RISEN LORD.
ON TEXT-John 2o:2-16.

The death of Christ made a deep
impression upon the beholders Uuke
% :48, 49). Joseph, who seems to have
been a secret disciple, obtained the
body, and gave it burial mark Is:
42-4O. In Marks record we have the
story Of the discovery of the resurrec-
ton by the women, and Matthew tells
us how his enemies dealt with that
fact. Be sure to use a good harmony
Of the four gospels in presenting all
of these lessons, else some important
detail will be overlooked.
!. Mary's Visit to the Tomb (vv.l-
10). The Sabbath ended at sundown,
and the shops were then open, and
Mary Magdalene was able to purchase
spices with which to anoint the dead
body of Jesus. There is strong prob
ability that the women paid q visit
to the tomb late on Saturday Matt.
2S:1, r. W. Starting the next morn
ing, "while 1t was yet dark" ". ~,
they came to the tomb to perform this
last service of love. Jesus had no
need of such service (Matt. 16 :27; 20:
19), but the women were rewarded by
receiving the first glimpse of the risen
Lord. There were five appearances on
this first day of the week: ~ to Mary
Magdalene, (2) to the "other women"
(3) to Peter; (4) to those on the way
to Emmaus, and (5) to the ten dis
ciples, Thomas being absent.
None of these seemed to expect Je-
sus to be risen, for they had each
failed to listen to and ponder his
words. The extent and genuineness of
the affection of the women Is found in
that they went to serve Jesus when
apparently all hope had failed Il Cor.
1873, r. W. AS soon as Mary saw
the stone rolled away, she concluded
that the tomb had been rifed, and
fastened to report to the disciples
". y. This report of the women to
the disciples was considered "as idle
tales" (Luke PAID. With intense
| eagerness Peter and John ran to the
tomb thus reported as being robbed
John, the younger, reached the tomb
| first, but in reverence did not enter
only STOPPING to look in wv. 4, 81.
Peter, the impetuous one, rushes in
side, and sees the linen clothes lying,
and the napkin that had been about
the head carefully folded and lying in
q place by itself ". y. This appar-
emily Insignificant detail is one which
is really significant, inasmuch as 1t
shows that the tomb had not been
rifled, leaving disorder behind. In
stead of eXcitedly snatching the nap
kin from his face, and hurllng It
whittier it might fall, he had quietly
taken it off, and in an orderly way
laid it aside. 1t is in such minute de-
tails as this that we see the greatest
evidence of the veraclty of this rec
ord.
II. Mary Weeping wv. 11-15). The
disciples returned to their own homes,
and doubtless to the other disciples
". 10Y, but the loving Mary remained
behind in this place made sacred as
having housed the body of the Lord
It is natural for US to llnger in silent
meditation in places of our greatest
revelation or of our deepest soul ex-
perience. Jesus had told his disciples
over and over again that he should rise
again, and it seems strange that his
enemies should have remembered 1t
(Matt. 81 :63) and his friends not.
III. Mary Worshiping wv. 1919.
There must have been an infection in
the voice of Jesus, for, upon the utter
ance of that one word, "Mary," she
recognized her risen Lord. Joyfully
she exclaimed, "Rabboni," that is to
say, "Master" ". 16), and would have
poured out her love and worship at
his feet. Jesus, however, does not suf-
fer her to hold him fast. Mary must
leave him, and tell the others. Liter
ally, he says, "Do not lay hold of me
but go and make known the glad truth
that am risen again" The risen Lord
must return to "My Father" and MY
God" whereas the one who would
gladly have remained at his feet must
go to the brethren, and make known
the facts of the fulfillment of prophecy
and the resurrection Of our Lord.
The brlbed soldiers spread abroad
the tale that the disciples had stolen
his body. The later lives of these dis
ciples, their heroism and martyrdom,
are evidence of the absurdity of any
such act on their part.
The resurrection Of Jesus Is vim
dication of his claim to being the Son
of God. We do we'll to emphasize his
birth, and to dwell much upon his
death, yet both of these have no es-
seDtial value apart from his resurrec-
ton.
Apart from this, the cross Is the end
of failure. The resurrection dem
onstrated that Jesus Christ's redemp'
ton was not completed upon the cross
The resurrection is better authenticat
ed than any other event in history.
The risen Lord called this veal
band of disciples "my brethren
Matt IS :10). He is our brother still
and we are to proclaim his work O
redemption. the proof of which Is thu
; | ,,nfn nfbarc xChn ENnuO 4