The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-04-16
RESURRECTION
OF LORD JESUS
SPLEND|DLY TOLD
DR.. GiIroy Paints a Very
Beautiful Easter Time
Thought.
The international Uniform Sun
day School Lesson for April IL,
The Resurrection of the Lord Jesus.
Matt. @S:1-10.
BY VIM. e. GiIroy, ID. ID.
Editor Of The Congrernt'nnnIist

1t is an interesting experience to
take the four gospels or some good
harmony of them, and compare the
various accounts of the resurrection
after Jesus and eof his appearance
after his resurrection to some of the
disciples or to the whole company of
the inner circle.
Not until one makes such careful
study and comparison is he i'm
pressed with the extent to which
these different narratives vary both
in their statement concerning major
incidents and in matters of detail.
The cynic or skeptic may find in
these variations and apparent dis
crepancies the evidence of inaccu.
racy and lack of credibility in the
narratives. The more thoughtful
students, however, must be i'm
pressed in just the opposite way.
Proof of CredibiIity
Surely one of the greatest evi.
dences Of the integrity of the gospel
writer's and of the fact that the
story Of the resurrection did not
come through any spirit of inven.
ton or collision, is found in this
very circumstance of the discrepan.
cles III the narratives. Had there
pecn colusion, had the thing been
simply the invention of a few men.
how careful they would have been
10 nave told exactly the same story
IN exactly the same way, or al least
with not the slightest variation in
matters of fact.
Inc one great fact upon which
all the writer's are agreed is that
Jesus was seen by his disciples after
MS death on the cross and that the
power of his presence was revealed
TO them. The historic fact of tho
resurrection OF Jesus is beyond proof
IN the ordinary sense of the word
But the real proof of the resurrec.
ton OF Jesus is to be found rather ir
the spiritual experiences of the soII
we do not know how Christ rose
from the dead. We do not know how
he appeared again, or what was the
nature of his resurrected BODY. If we
Knew these things, we could explain
the miracle, and miracle that can
be explained ceases to be a miracle
Rallied by New Faith
ltere' however, is the clear and
undoubted fact. A company of the
disciples of Jesus who had seen hin,
led to be crucified, and some of
whom had been present at his death
agony going from that cross dis.
couraged and broken hearted, feeling
that all their highest hopes and aspi.
rations had been shattered, sudden.
~ were rallied by the performances
OIL new faith and conviction that
sent them forth to serve, and to suf.
Ter and to preach with glorious con.
vlctlon gospel that led to the
founding of the Christian church.
rms experience came to these dis.
clples through the strong conviction
that they had seen their Lord that
he was not dead but living, and that
ms spiritual presence had become
ior them a divine and persistent real
lty' strengthening them as they went
10 the uttermost parts of the earth
tellnS the story of his grace and
OF his power to save: persistentIv
present in the life of future gener.
ations through the power of the
eternal God.
This great experience REINFORCED
IN the experiences in the souls OF
CHRISTIAN people today is not lightly
10 be set aside. But rs the early
Christians believed in the resurrec.
uon because they had seen Christ
so 1alth in the resurrection TODAY
depends for its reality and power
upon the seeing of Jesus. Mere out
ward faith in the external fact would
IN itself mean little to the soul.
1t is only as we come in the shirt
OF Mary Magdalene, and Mary the
mother OF Jesus, reverentIy. de.
Voutly' eXpectantly, that we have
power to find the experience that
they found. Coming in that spirit in.
Vulnerable people declare that thew
nave really found the Christ. that
they have heard his voice speakin,,
10 them words of life and good cheer
The cynic may scott and the skentic
may prlng the power of his ration
allzing intellect to bear upon these
thlngs' but the man or woman who
has really felt the presence of Christ
knows the reality of this experience
mat came to the disciples.
Copyright, 1927, NEA Service. Incl