Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-03-29

them that that Cross was absolutely
necessary for the Christ. They had
never had such a wonderful insight
into the Scriptures-bCt they still
didn't believe in the resurrection.
BY this time they had reached
their homes, and He was about to
go on; but they wanted to hear Him
talk to them some more, so they
urged Him to come in; and He did.
1t was when He was saying grace
at the table that they recognized
their Guest as their risen and liv-
ing Lord, and believed for the first
time. Was it the print of the nails
in His uplifted hands that they saw?
or was it a peculiar tone that was
familiar 20 them as the way that He
said "Father?'' 1t matters not
which; they saw and believed.
AS He had Immediately disap-
peared before they had even had
time to speak a word of surprise
or faith, they sped back to Jeru-
salem. The unfinished supper was
forgotten, the eight miles return
Journey on foot after trying and
eXhausting day were not noticed;
faith and joy gave wings to their
feet, and they were soon in the
familiar upper room with the other
apostles. Thomas was absent. The
others were talking over the things
that had happened on that day.
John believed because of what he
had seen. Peter believed now be-
cause he had seen Jesus Himself;
but neither of them, nor BOTH
could convince the others of the
resurrection in spite of what the
women had told them, and in spite
of the fact that they all knew now
that the tomb wa sempty. Neither
could these two from Emmaeus con-
vince them even though they had
known it from having seen Him.
AS they were talking Jesus Him.
self stood in their midst-in spite
Of the barred windows and doors
with the old familiar form and voice
Peace unto you" And would you
believe it? They did not believe even
then, but thought that they had
seen ghost. He had to make them
touch Him, see the nail holes in
HIS hands and feet to convince
them that He was indeed alive And
then to doubly assure them He ate
piece of the broiled fish that they
had left from their evening meal,
and a piece of the honeycomb. His
body was real body of flesh and
bones-not of flesh and blood. The
blood was gOne-that was one of
the differences between it before
and after death and resurrection.
Then He gave them a Bible talk
ana showed them that the Cross
was necessary for the Christ.
Poor Thomas was another weed
in the unbelief. But when Jesus
made him put his hands into the
nail holes and in the spear hole,
he did do it, but answered, Ny Lord
and My God.
So every Cne of them had to be
conVinced-they We're all urbeliev-
ers at first. And among the many
invaluable proofs of the resurrec.
ton, this is one of the most DOW.
erful.
A Glimpse at the Cross
It might be profitable for us to,
take a look in the Old TestameuI--
the Scriptures that Jesus studied
and knew Well-to see in a small
way what He showed the disciples
in the Lords Day walk in the aft
ernoon and the disciples gathered
in the upper room. Here it can be
only superficial and suggestive, for
the lack OF space.
In Genesis we see the serpent
bruising the heel of the seed of the
woman; Isaac being offered as
sacrifice by his father; Joseph re-
iected by his brethren and sold to
be slain. In Exodus 1--we learn of
the passover lamb slain, whose blood
was the means Cf deliVerance In
Leviticus we see the types of sacri-
fices and offerings which foreshad
owed the Christ on the Cross. In
Numbers 81 we see the uplifted ser
pent of brass. In Deuteronomy 80
we read of the Rock, that was smit-
ten. In the historical books of the
rejected King; in the second psalm,
of the rejected Messiah; in Job the
suffering Of the righteous One type
fled In Isaiah the servant of Je-
hovah bruised for our iniquities and
wounded for cur transgressions, and
by those stripes we are healed.
In fact throughout every book
the scarlet thread of Gods plan of
redemption by means of the cross
is to be found by even the casual
reader.
The Resurrection Necessary
Yes, the Christ must needs have
suffered. But this is only half of
the truth-the Christ must needs
have risen from the dead is the
other half Had Jesus of Nazareth
only lived and died He would only
have been Jesus of Nazareth
and never anything more Did you
notice that this was the name given
to Him as the two disciples on the
way to Emmaeus spoke to the un
known stranger? But did you also
notice that when He answered them
it was with other title. Ought NOT
the Christ" etc. He asked. We
have seen that the cross was abso