The Holly chieftain., 1923-03-15
IMPROVED UNIFORM INTERNATIONAL
Si1nndaySchool q
' Lesson '
(By REV. p. B. FITZwATER. D. D..
Teacher of English Bible in the Moody
Bible '--.'. ..--7~--'-
u, 1923. Western Newspaper Union.j
LESSON FOR MARCH ls
JESUS cRUclEIeo

LESSON TExT-Luke 253s-sS.
GOLDEN TEXT-He was wounded for
our transgressions. He was bruised for
our iniquities; the chastisement of our
peace WAS upon Him, and with His
stripes We are healed.-Isaiah 53:5.
REFERENCE MATERIAL-Psa. nj
21: Cor. 1:23, "a: Gal. 6:N
| PRIMARY TOP1C-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 Christ's Death.
We now face the greatest tragedy Of
all time. No record in the annals of
history approaches 1t. 1t Is the very
climax Of all history. Though unique
In Its blackness. from 1t flows streams
of liberty and life for oil the world.
Let every teacher have the personal
experience of Christ's death for him.
and then get his pupils to see that
| Christ's death was instead Of their
own death.
!. Tho Place Of crucihxion ". 33).
They led Him away to Calvary, a
hill north of Jerusalem resembling
a skull Calvary Is the Latin word
and Golgotha is the Hebrew. This is
a significant name for the place where
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 cruel
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 fultllment of the Scriptures. He
was numbered with the transgressors,"
Isaiah 53:12).
III. His Forgiving 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. Tho World Revealed wv. 84-48.
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 ". 34). They
gambled for His seamless robe right
under the cross where He was dying.
This represents those whose primary
interest In Christ is means to get
gain.
2. The Indifferent ". 35l. The
people stood beholding. The great
mass of the world gaze upon the cruci-
fed Christ with stolid Indifference.
3. The Scoffers Wv. $500. ~
The rulers reviled Him for His claim
to being Savior. They wanted a
Savior. but not a crucified 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 1t was true. for by right of
the Davidic covenant He shall be King
over Israel Oh Samuel :S-16l. (3) The
Impenitent Thief ". 30). This brutal
man Joins In reviling the Savior even
when he was under condemnation
4. The Penitent wv. 40-43). The
cip hc thn
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
Ills sin as against God and cried to
| Jesus for salvation. He saw thpt the
dying man was the forglvlng God. The
fact that lie acknowledged his sin as
against God showed that he was peni-
tent. His request for Christ to remem-
ber 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,
"Today shalt thou be with me In
paradise
v. The Death of Christ wv. 40-i6).
So shocking was the crime that ma
ture threw around the Son of God
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 a loud voice
showing that He still had vitality
that His death was not through ex-
haustIon but by His sovereign Will.