The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1921-03-19
IMPROVED UkIfoRN INTERNATIONAL
.SJNlNS01O0L
LESSON
10y REV i. Is. FITZWATER. D. D.,
Teacher of English Bible in the Moody
Bible institute of Chicago)
tS 1921, Western Newspaper Union.)
LESSON FOR MARCH 20
JESUS ON THE CROSS.

y
sinners. Christ died for us.-Rom. SIS.
| REFERENCE MATERIAI-Matt.2 1851
N:52; John l2.2i-SS. l Cor. l:lS-25. 81: Gal
| STA
PRIMARY TOPIC-Jesus Dying for Us
JUNIOR TOPIC-Jesus Crucified.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
The Supreme Sacrifice.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
The Cross and Its Meaning Today.
The grand climax of the six months
lessons is reached in this one. If one
miss the significance of the crucifiXiOn
all the preceding lessons are value
less. 1t is not a matter of learning
the lessons taught by "A great teacher,
or Initiating the examples of a great
and good man, but of experimenting
the atonement made by the worlds
Redeemer.
The Place of crucifixion wv. SO,
34).
They led him away to GolgOtha, n
hill north of Jerusalem resembling n
skull. He was not crucified within the
city, for he was TO suffer without the
gate (lieb. 3:12). At first they com
PEELED him to bear his own cross, but
when physical weakness made il nee
essary that some other should bear ii
for Him, they compelled Simon the
Cyrenian TO bear ii. In order that He
might not Succumb to death before He
was nailed to the cross. the soldiers
i'm s-ffr, Ip Of IA
mixed with gall. He refused this, as
He would consciously drink the cup of
sin to its bitter dregs.
u. Gambling for the Clothing Of the
Lord wv. 80 36).
1t was the custom for the soldiers
who had charge of the crucifixion TO
receive the garments of the one cruel
fed. Here we have the fulfillment Of
Psalm 22:1S. They parted my gar
ments among them, and upon my YES
ture they did cast lots" If they had
but eyes to see they could have beheld
robe of Righteousness being provided
in His death to cover their sinful
nakedness.
III. The Accusation ". 80.
1t was customary to place over the
victim of the cross the name and
crime of the offender. This super
scriptiOn was placed over Jesus by
PLATE to veX the Jews. He was their
King. They had long looked for Him.
and now when He had come this is the
kind of treatment they gave Him.
Though they rejected Him and placed
a crown of thorns upon His Head, the
throne of His father David is His by
right of the unfailing covenant Of
God to David Gil Sam. 1870, and He
shall come again with crown Of
glory, and before Him shall Jews and
Gentiles bow.
w. Two Thieves crueifed With
Him ". 3S).
This was another fulfillment OF
Scripture lisa. 90 10y. HE was num-
bered with the transgressors." In
these three crosse we have set forth
a spiritual history of the whole
world.
v. The Dying Savior ReviIed wv.
3944).
This reviling was engaged in by
the passerby, the chief priests. scribes
and elders. and the thieves who were
crucified with him. In their mockery
they unwittingly spake great truths.
1. "He saved others, himself he cam
not save" ". 42). This jest was
meant to show the absurdity of Jesus
claims, but it demonstrated them
and showed the reason for His suffer-
ings. He could not save Himself and
others. so He chose to give Himself
to save others.
2. 'If he be the king Of Israel, let
hin now come down from the cross"
". 42). His refusal to abandon the
cross established His royal claims. The
very fact that Ee did not abandon the
Cross proves that He was what He
claimed to be for 1t was unto the cross
that He came.
8. "He trusted in God, let him de-
liver him now ". 43). His refusal
to abandon the cross proved Gods full
1elight and satisfaction in His Son. His
obedience unto death was the sacrifice
which met Gods full approval.
vi. The Death Of Christ wv. 45-5O).
So shocking was this crime that ma.
ture threw around the Son Of God a
shroud that the Goddess company
could not gaze upon Him. Darkness
was upon the land at MONDAY. Upon
the termination Of the darkness He
cried with loud voice, MY God, my
God, why hast thou forsaken me?"
This darkness was the outer sign Of
that which hung over the Lord. He
became sin for the world, and the sin
hid Gods face from Hin. God for
sock Him; turned from Him who had
taken the sinners place.
When the price was paid He cried
out with a loud voice, showing that
He still had vitality-that His death
was not from exhaustion, but by His
sovereign will. He yielded up the
ghost, sent His spirit away. He died
IF His sovereign will. He died like no
other man in all the worlds history. |