The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1921-01-22
!. Jesus ForetcIIs His Death and
Resurrection.

-Sreatness Through Service
|. Jesus ForetcIls His Death and
Resurrection.
Il The Ming on His way to Jerusa-
lem wv. i7-19). This is His last Jour
ney to the beloved city. lie took the
tWelNe disciples aside from the group
OF travelling pilgrims to make known
unto them what was before them. On
the journey He went ahead of the dis
clples. The courage thus shown by
the Lord amazed the disciples who
were following in fear MARK 10 :32) b..
Chrlst, the conscious and certain suf-
ierer, Is courageous. His followers
who had nothing to fear were afraid"
:. Betrayal and death foretold
wv. Is, 19). He went forward fully
conscious of the awful tragedy of the
cross. He for the third time since the
TRANSPORTATION tells the disciples of
HIS suffering and death, but they are
so hlled with their ambitious schemes
mat they do not understand Him. The
treachery of Judas IscariOt: the
nerce prosecutions of the chief priests
and scribes; the unjust judgment; the
delivery to Pontius PLATE; the mock
J ing; the scourging; the crown OF
thorns; the cross; the hanging be
tween two malefactors; the nails;
The spear; all were spread before His
mind like a picture. Though He knew
| all this He deliberately pressed on.
The joyous outlook upon the victory
which would be accomplished by the
shedding of His blood led Him for
ward. He went courageously, for He
knew the time had come for the &C
complishment of His Fathers will.
3. The resurrection foretold ". 19).
Truly this would have been a dark
picture had the resurrection not been
made known. The resurrection life
beyond is always seen as the issue OF
the cross. The blessedness of the life
beyond this vale of tears" should
urge us on. In this we have Christ
as the great example (Heb. - ~.
u. The Ambitious Request of James
and John (vv. 2O-23).
1. The request wv. 20, Ply. This re-
quest was made by their mother. The
request is for a place of prominence
in the kingdom. 1t is right for moth.
ers to be ambitious for their boys,
but they should know that earth's pin
nacles are exceedingly dangerous. 1t
Is very desirable that we get places
for our children near Jesus, but we
should keep out of our minds the van
ity of the world.
2. Jesus answer. wv. %, 23),
He spoke directly to the men, not to
their mother, declaring that they
knew not what they were asking. He
showed them that the way to this
position of glory was through suffer-
Ing. The cup Of which they were to
drink was that of great suffering and
agony. The positions which they
craved were attainable, but in a very
different way from what they appre-
hended. The way to the places Of
glory in the kingdom of Christ is
through the path of lowly and self
fOrgetful service, even great suffer-
ing.
8. How to Be Truly Exalted wv.
24-2S).
l. The angry disciples ". 24). When
the ten heard of the request of James
and John they were filed with indig-
nation against them. Their displeas-
ure did not arise from the fact that
ftAA h.
spirit, but that these two had thrust
themselves to the front; IL was an
admixture of Indignation and jealousy.
2. Greatness among the heather ".
25). The rule of the world has al |
ways been by the strong hand. The
standards have been not moral excel |
lence, but wealth, station and power.
Even today the reason one nation |
rules the other is that the one DOS |
sesses sharper swords and heavier
clubs than the other.
3. Greatness among Christ's dis. |
ciples wv. 20, 27). Here the stand.
ard is in sharp contrast. The way
to the places of prominence in Christs
kingdom is the way of establishment.
II is not wrong to be ambitious to
be great. but the basis OF true great
ness is that which human selfishness
seeks to avoid: There will be de-
grees Of rank in Christ's kingdom, but
this rank will be character, not posi-
ton or authority. The spirit of |
Christ substitutes "the greatness of
love for the love Of greatness" This
greatness is not won at the expense
Of others.
4. Christ is the supreme example
VI greatness ". 2S). All who would
be great should study and initiate
Christ. Let them forget self and
serve others. even to give their lives.
This will eliminate all scrambling for
place and power. The one grand test
oy which TO know whether Christ's
Spirit controls one is whether he is
serving or seeking to be served.