Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1922-04-13

LESSON TEXT-John 20:19-31.
GOLDEN TEXT-The Lord is risen in
oeeo.-Luke A:34
PRIMARY AND JUNIOR TOPIC-The
FIRST Easter.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
-Why We Observe Easter Day.
1OUNG PEOPLE AMI ADULr TOPIC
-4he kftect OF Belief in the Resurrec-
ton.
!. Jesus Manifests Himself to the
D'~-'r.--. Thomas Beina Absent wv.
IS--uJ.
he appeared to several of His dis
cipies at several different times during
lhat day. This is the first appearance
~ the disciples as body. The rumors
VI Ills several appearances on that day
caused the disciples to assemble to
talk over the matter. For fear of the
Jews, they met ill d private room and
Darred tile door. While they were dis
cusslng the strange happenings of the
Gay, the Lord mysteriously appeared
before them with the greeting of good
cneer, Peace be unto you" He did
mol come with censure for their fail
ure and desertion. At His birth the
angels announced Peace" Just be-
lore he took His departure, He said: !:
Peace leave with you; my peace l
give unto you" (John IA :2O; LET not
your heart be troubled" (John 14:D !;
and now the first wore after His resur-
rection is "Peace." Having calmed
their fears, He gave them an unmis-
taxable evidence of His resurrection.
And when He had so said, He showed
unto them His hands and His side.
Then we're the disciples glad when
they saw the Lord" Their doubts
needed to be scattered, and His peace
needed to be UPON them. Consider:
l. The disciples commission ". 21.
"As my Father hath sent Me, even SO
send you" This commission was not
simply to class, as the eleven, but is
to all Christians. In Luke "a :33 we
ind that there were others there il
that meeting besides the eleven wher
Jesus showed himself to them ant
commissioned them, showing that tht
commission is not confined to a clas:
or order, but is wide as the Christian
body itself All Christians, therefore
are ENJOYS and representatives o
Christ. The exercise of this grea
function is not merely optional will
the individuG, but is obligatory upol
him. The Lord placed it upon PLAN
with His own commission from til
Father-"As my Father hath sent me
so send / you"
2. The disciples equipment (v. 22)
'He breathed on them, and saith unit
them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost.
The mission of the disciple is a yer
great one, but every one who goe
forth in its execution He clothes wit
the power of new life by the bestov
ment of His spirit. No one who ha
this equipment shall ever fail. TIL
Lords representatives have His life /
them. The barrenness of our effort
is due to our failure to take by fait
our equipment.
8. The disciples authority ". %
'Wrose soever sins We remit, they al
remitted unto them and whose soevt
sins We retain, they are retained" TIL
authority was not by virtue of offic
: but by virtue of having the Hol
Ghost. This would give the spiritu'
Ifiscernment to know who had or WI
had not repented. and consequent
to pronounce pardon or not.
II. Jesus Manifests Himself to ii
Disciples, Thomas Being Present "
26-29).
Thomas was absent at the first a
L pearance of Jesus His absence d
prived him of vision of the Lord. A
= sence from the assembly of believe
always occasions loss. The other di
ciples go to Thomas at once with Il
glad news of the resurrection, but
will not believe. His stubborn dish
J, i:ef is such that he doggedly declar,
Z that unless he sees the prints of tt
O nails, etc, he will not believe. 1t
a right to demand evidence, but to pr
e scribe terms is rank unbelief. Note
s 1. THE Lords kindness to those WI
have difficulties. Thomas deserved r
; buke, but the Lord kindly supplied Il
evidence which he demanded.
2. The revelation of the Lord tran
forms a doubter into possessor.
J. III. The Conclusion of the Gosp
I (vv. 30-31).
'l In these verses Johns arguments a
l. summarized, and an explanation
s. given as to why he wrote this Gospt
Il Many other things could have be,
written, but these that he wrote
{ judged adequate to prove his poin
To prove that G) Jesus of Nazare
y was the expected Messiah; (2) tn
= He was divine-the very Son of Coz
(3) that those who believe on Him
q Gods only Son-the Messiah-wou
receive eternal life. Eternal life is
Him and only as He is appropriated
faith can men be saved.