Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1922-04-14
LESSON FOR APRIL is
EASTER LESSON

LESSON TENT-John sV'l5-3l
GOLDEN TEXT-The Lord Is risen IN
deed.-Luke 24:A
PRIMARY AND JUNIOR ToPIC-The
First Easter.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
Why We observe Easter Day.
YOUNG PEOPLE AMI Adult TOPIC
The Inject OF Belief In the Resurrec-
ton.
|. Jesus Manifests Himself to the
Disciples, Thomas Being Absent wv.
1870.
lie appeared to several Of His dis
clpIes al several different times during
that day This is the lirst appearance
70 the disciples us body. The rumors
VI His several appearances on that uay
caused the disciples to assemble 10
,ulk over the matter. For fear Of the
lewS, they met in private room and
barred the door, While they were dis
:ussing the strange happenings OF the
day, the Lord nIySterlously appeared
Ntloit AiNIu WIN 'i't bl'ttIib VI b''N
cheer, Peace be unto you" He did
not come with censure for their fail.
IRE and desertion. At His birth the
angels announced Peace" just be-
lore he took His departure, He said:
Peace ! leave with you; my peace |
give unto you" (John l4:2O LET not
your heart be troubled" (John 14:D /;
ana now the first word after His resur-
,cclim is Peace" Having Gained
heir fears, lie gave them IN unlnis-
taxable evidence Of His resurrection.
And when He had 50 SAID, He showed
unto them His hands and His side.
Then were the disciples glad when
they saw the Lord" Their doubts
leeded 10 be scattered, and His peace
needed to be UPON them. Consider:
|. The disciples commission ". 2D.
"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
hnd that there were others there In
that meeting besides the eleven when
Jesus showed himself 10 them and
commissioned them, showing that the
commission is not confined to Il class
Or order but is wide rs 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 inaiyidu;t, 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
.. The disciples equipment ". 22).
"He breathed on them, and saith unto
them. Receive We the Holy Ghost"
The mission of the disciple is very
great one, but every one who goes
forth in its execution He clothes with
the power of a 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 10 our failure to take by faith
our equipment.
3. The disciples authority ". 23).
"Whose Soever sins We remit, they are
RENTED 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
dlscernment to know who had or who
had not repented, and consequently,
to pronounce pardon or not
II. Jesus Manifests Himself to the
Disciples, Thomas Being Present wv.
26-229).
Thomas was absent at the first APP
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 dlsbe-
lief Ia such that he doggedly declares
that unless he sees the prints Of the
nails, etc, he will not believe. II Is
right 10 demand evidence, but to pre-
scribe terms is rank unbelef. Note:
/. The Lords kindness to those who
have difficulties. Thomas deserved re-
buke, but the Lord kindly supplied the
evidence which he demanded
.. The revelation Of the Lord trans
forms a'doubter into possessor.
III. The Conclusion Of the Gospel
wv. 30-3D.
In these verses Johns arguments are
summarized, and an explanation is
given as to why he wrote this Gospel.
Many other things could have been
written, but these that he wrote he
Judged adequate to prove his point :
To prove that ~ Jesus of Nazareth
was the expected Messiah; t2) that
He was divine-the very Son OF God :
GAY that those who believe on Him as
Gods only Son-the Messiah--woud
receive eternal life. Eternal life Is In
Him and only as He Is appropriated by
faith can men be saved.