The Winslow mail., 1923-03-16
IMPROVED UNIFORM INTERNATIONAL
SunndoySchool
' Lesson
(By REV. P. B. FITZWATER, D. D.,
Ieacher of English Bible in the Moody
Bible Institute of Chicago.)
60, 1923, Western Newspaper Union.)
LESSON FOR MARCH 18
JESUS cRUcIFIED

our transgressions, He was bruised for
our lniquities; the chastisement of our
peace was upon Him, and with His
stripes we are healed.-Isaiah 53:5.
REFERENCE MATERIAL-Psa. 221-
21; 1 Cor. 1:23, "a GAL 6:14.
PRIMARY TOPIC-Jesus on the Cross
JUNIOR TOPIC-Jesus on the Cross.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
What Our Salvation Costs.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
The Meaning of Christs Death.
We now face the greatest tragedy of
all time. No record in the annals Of
history approaches it. 1t is the very
climax Of all history. Though unique
in its blackness, from it flows streams
of liberty and life for all the world.
Let every teacher have the personal
experience of Christs death for him,
and then get his pupils to see that
Christ's death was instead of their
own death.
!. The Place of Crucfixion (v. 33).
They led Him away to Calvary,
hill north of Jerusalem resembling
skull. Calvary is the Latin word
and Golgotha is the Hebrew. This is
mans redemption was accomplished.
The skull is an apt picture of mans
condition as the result Of sin-life
and intelligence are gone. leaving only
the dark empty cavern which once
contained them. Jesus was not cruci-
fed in the city for He was to suffer
without the gate (Heb. 1912.
II. His Companions on the Cross
". 33).
Two malefactors were crucified with
Him. Their names are not given. This
is fulfillment of the Scriptures. He
was numbered with the transgressors,"
Isaiah 50 :12).
Ill. His Forgivng Love ". 34).
He cried, Father, forgive them"
He doubtless had in mind not only the
soldiers who acted for the government,
but the Jews who in their blindness
were ignorant of the enormity of their
crime. He had no hatred in His heart
He yearned for their salvation.
w. The World Revealed (vv. 34-43.
Jesus Christ on the cross is the
supreme touchstone laying bare the
heart of the world. Take a cross
section of the world at any time since
Christ was crucified and representa-
tives of their classes were found
around Jesus on the cross. The cross
is the judgment of this world (John
12:3D.
l. The Covetous |v. 34). They
rop,hIod for HiS coapoIoCe roho ri rht
under the cross where He was dying.
This represents those whose primary
interest in Christ is a means to get
gain
2. The Indifferent (v. 35l. The
people stood beholding. The great
mass of the world gaze upon the cruci-
fed Christ with stolid Indifference.
8. The Scoffers wv. 35-39). .O
The rulers reviled Him for His claim
TO being a Savior. They wanted
Savior, but not a crucif1ed Savior.
Many today are religious, but have
only contempt for salvation which
centers in blood atonement. (2) The
soldiers reviled Him for claiming to be
king. The title, king of the Jews"
had been placed over him in bitter
irony, but it was true, for by right of
the Davidic covenant He shall be King
over Israel (II Samuel :8-16l. (3) The
Impenitent Thief ". 39). This brutal
man joins in reviling the Savior even
when he was under condemnation.
4. The Penitent (vv. 4043). The
conscious sinner who discerned the
heart of the Savior prayed for mercy.
The salvation of this penitent thief Is
remarkable picture of the saving
power of Christ. The man confessed
his sin as against God and cried to
Jesus for salvation: He saw that the
dying man was the forgiving God. The
fact that he acknowledged his sin as
against God showed that he was peni-
tent. His request for Christ to remem-
Der him when He came into His king
dom shows that he recognized that the
one who was dying on the cross was
making atonement for sin and that
he would come to reign as King. His
salvation was immediate Christ said,
To-day shalt thou be with me in
paradise
v. The Death of Christ (vv. 4O-46).
SO shocking was the crime that ma
ture threw around the Son Of God a
shroud to hide Him from the Goddess
crowd Darkness was upon the land
at MONDAY. When the price of sin
was paid He cried with loud voice
showing that He still had vitality
that His death was not through ex-
haustion but by His sovereign will.