The Jones County news., 1922-04-11

-Why We Observe Easter Day.
lOCNS PEOPLE AMI ADJLr TOPIC
-Ihe Lneet or Belief in tAe Res.rrsc-
!. Jesus Manifesss Himself 10 the
Disciples, fHcmas semg A1ssnt (yv.
1920.
lie appeared TO several OF Ills dis
ciples at several dinerent Times during
thar day. This is the nist appearance
10 the disciples as body lie fumors
OF Ills several appear unces un that day
CAUSED the disciples 10 ASSEMBLE 10
talk over the matter. FOR lear Of the
Jews, they met la "a private room and
barred the door While they were dis
cussing the strange happenings of the
day, the Lord myster kusly appeared
before them with the greeting OF good
cheer, Peace be unto you" lie did
not come with censure for their fall
ure and deserion. At His birth the
angels announced Peace" just be-
fore he took His departure, He said:
Peace l leave with you; my peace /
give unto you" (John IA :2T) LET not
your heart be troubled" (John 14.1) I;
ana now the first word after His resur-
rectlon 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 were the disciples glad when
they saw the Lord" Their doubts
needed to be scattered, and His peace
needed to be upon them. Consider:
1. The disciples commission ". 21).
"As my Father hath sent Me, even so
send you" This commission was not
simply TO a class, as the eleven, but is
to all Christians. In Luke "a :33 we
find that there were others there in
that meeting besides the eleven when
Jesus showed himself to them and
commissioned them, showing that the
commission is not confined to a class
or order. but Is wide as the Christian
body Itself. All Christians. therefore.
are ENJOYS and representatives Of
Christ The exercise of this great
function is not merely optional with
the individur, but is obligatory upon
him. The Lord placed ii upon a plane
with His own commission from the
Father-"As my Father hath sent me,
SO send YOU"
2. The disciples equipment ". 22).
"He breathed on them. and saith unto
them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost "
The mission of the disciple is a very
great one, but every one who goe:
forth in its execution He clothes with
the power of new life by the bestow-
ment of His spirit. No one who has
this equipment shall ever fail. The
Lords representatives have His life in
them. The barrenness of our efforts
is due to our failure to take by faith
our equipment.
3. The disciples authority ". 23).
"Whose soever sins We remit. they are
remitted unto them; and whose soever
sins We retain, they are retained" This
authority was not by virtue of office,
but by virtue of having the Holy
Ghost. This would give the spiritual
discernment to know who had or who
had not repented. and consequently,
to pronounce pardon or not.
n. Jesus Manfests Himself to the
Disciples, Thomas Being Present (vv
26-29).
Thomas was absent at the first ap.
pearance of Jesus. His absence de
prlved him Of vision Of the Lord. Alb
sence from the assembly Of believers
always occasions loss. The other dis
ciples 90 to Thomas at once with the
glad news Of the resurrection, but he
will not believe. His stubborn disbe
lief is such that he doggedly declares
that unless he sees the prints Of tht
nails, ETC., he will not believe. II 1:
I right TO demand evidence, but to pre-
scribe terms is rank unbelief Note:
/. The Lords kindness TO those whC
have difficulties. Thomas deserved re
buke. but the Lord kindly supplied th'
evidence which he demanded.
2. The revelation Of the Lord trans
forms doubter into possessor.
M. The Conclusion Of the Gospe
wv. 30-31).
In these verses Johns arguments arr
summarized, and an explanation f.
given as TO why he wrote this Gospel
Many other things could have beei
written, but these that he wrote h
judged adequate TO prove his point
To prove that ~ Jesus of Nazaretl
was the expected Messiah; (2) tina
He was divine--the very Son Of God
(3) that those who believe on Him a
Gods only Son--the Messiah-woulI
receive eternal life Eternal life is fl
Him and only as He is appropriated b.
faith can men be saved.