The citizen., 1919-08-28

Aud iiurnbhus u the nume by which
every reflector Of Christ Is known. for
it means "son Of his father" Son Of
his faiherl Born hut once. Twice
dead therefore. In trespasses and sins
Earrhbas is the name Of every mar
VIII. h1s not been born again, proclaim
Ing what he Is as sinner lost and uu
done. 'le must be born again." But
Bainhhas escapes the cross that has
been prepared for him and another
Barnbhas. Son of his Father, Only Be
gotten and wcll-bcloved, goes to that
cross In his stead, and In yours and
mine. And legend has n that, as the
darkness gathered round. Barabbas ran
to the foot Of Il and. shifting his
breast. cried, "Oh thou Jesus Of NaZ-
arcth know not who thou art. but
one thing do know thou art hanging
there in my place"
oh. soul. have you said that TO HimI
That Is the faith that savesl That Is
what Is means tO "helieve on his name.
II Is but saying again with the apostle,
THE Son Of God loved me and gave
himself for me-"
But see the other two crosses. Hang
I ing there are two men sunk far down
In sin. Not only condemned by the
Roman government to die an ignO-
minious death because Of their crimes
but while gtandlng at deaths door. they
revile and blaspheme the Lord OF life
aud glory: the thieves also which
were crucified with him cast the same
In his teeth"
But ray OF divine light enters the
soul Of one. and by IL he Is led to see
the glory OF that Person hanging at
his side. From the depths Of his sim
ful heart there rises cry, Lord, re-
member me when thou comest in thy
kingdom" lie has seen all the truth
Has seen that this Is the Compromised
Messiah. Sees that though he is dying
n shameful death, he must come back
again In his kingdom. according to all
the prophets and make good the title
nailed above his head: "rhe King of
the Jews" But the Lord Jesus, with.
out an upbralding word, with no sylla-
BILE OF reproach. without a question or
condition Of any kind. goes far beyond
his request. as He always does. and
says: You do not have to walt until
come in my kingdom: will do better
for you" "Verily, ! say unto thee. to-
day shalt thou be with me In paradise" :"
Saved In the twinkling OF an eye
Saved Snatched from the very jaws
OF death A man who is not fit TO live
on earth made III To be with Christ In
paradise! What a mlraclel And he is
the same wonder-working Savior to-
day. II has been said. There was one
such case that none might despair, but
only one that none might presume"
Let us rather say that here is pat
tern case of salvation, clearly and full
ly revealed, so that wherever the story
Of the cross should be told. this story
of the saved thief must be tod in con-
nectiOn with IL.
Look now at those three crosses. on
the right hangs the saved sinner; on
the left the lost one in the middle the
Savior. This man on the right has
sin In him still, and so has every saved
man. But there is no sin on him. I'm
seen hands have lifted the sin that was
on him and have laid II upon the One
who hangs AT his side, and he dies
beneath the awful load. This Man on
the middle cross has no sin in him /:
"holy, harmless, undeflled and separate
from sinners" must He be TO die I'm
your place and mine. The sin-offering
In Israel must be without blemlsh
This man on the left has sin in him,
hut alas II Is stlll on him, and he
dies and goes tO hell.
Look againl This man on the right
Is dying to sin, I'm the death of his
Substitute on the middle cross. That
is what the Lord meant by losing
ones life In order TO find II. | must,
at the cross, lose the life with which
| was born, 10 find there new life In
the Cruciiied. This Man on the middle
cross Is dying "for" sin. The man on
the left Is dying'"in" sin.
Oh, soul. these three little prepOsi-
tlons tell all the story that our God
Is 81 eager 20 tell. and that men are
so slow 10 hear. DO not die In sin, die
to II by receiving ms your personal
Savior that Blessed One who died for
II in your place once for all, and phys
ical death shall then, at the very worst
OF its doing. but tdIe you TO be with