Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1917-06-14
LESSON FOX JUNE II
THE RISEN LORD.

The death of Christ made deep
impression upon the beholders duke
% .4S, 49). Joseph, who seems to have
been a secret disciple, obtained the
body. and gave it burial Clark Is:
pad. 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. 70
!. Mary's Visit to the Tomb owl
10Y. The Sabbath ended at shutdown.
and the shops were then open, ami
Mary Magdalene was able to purchase
spices with which to anoint the dead
body of Jesus. There is strong proc
ability that the women paid a visit
to the tomb late on Saturday (Matt.
2S:1, r. w. Starting the next morn
ing, "while it was yet dark" ". y,
they came to the tomb to perform this
last service of love. Jesus had no
need of such service Matt. 6:27; 20:
receiving the first glimpse of the risen
Lord. There were five appearances on
this first day of the week: (1) to Mary
Magdalene, (2) to the "other women
(3) to Peter; az to those on the way
to Emmaus, and % to the ten dis
ciples, Thomas being absent.
None of these seemed to expect Je-
h. e.. 4.
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.
10 g, r. W. AS soon as Mary saw
the stone rolled away, she concluded
that the tomb had been rihed, and
fastened to report to the disciples
". ~. This report of the women to
the disciples was considered "as idle
tales" duke "a :11). With intense
eagerness Peter and John ran to tina
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 Ia
place by itself ". y. This appar-
emily insignificant detail is one which
Is really significant, inasmuch as Il
shows that the tomb had not been
rified, leaving disorder behind In.
OP +ol; I,
kin from his face and hurting II
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 veracity of this rec.
| ord.
II. Mary Weeping wv. 11-15). The
disciples returned to their own homes,
and doubtless to the other disciples
(v. 10Y, but the loving Mary remained
behind in this place made sacred as
having housed the body of the Lord
1t is natural for us to linger 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 il
Matt. 81 :63) and his friends not,
III. Mary Worshiping (.-v. 16-1S).
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 ia
say, master" ". 16), and would have
poured out her love and worship al
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 ms,
but go and make known the glad truth
that am risen again" The risen Lordl
must return to "My Father" and MN
God" whereas the one who would
gladly have remained at his feet musfa
go to the brethren, and make known
the facts of the fulfillment of prophecy
and the resurrection of our Lord
The bribed 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 win.
dication of his claim to being the Son
of God. We do well to emphasize his
birth, and to dwell much upon his
death, yet both of these have no es-
sential value apart from his resurrec-
ton.
Apart from this the cross is the end
of failure. The resurrection dem
onstrated that Jesus Christs 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 weak
band of disciples me brethrenv
Matt 28:10). He is our brother still.