Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-14
Sunday School Lesson
BY
Rev. Hugh T. Stevenson.

lay in executing Pilates orders. al
though they protested against the SUI
prescription that he decreed should be
placed upon the cross in three Ian
guages that represented religion, law
and culture.
Christ Crucified.
We can trace again and again the way
to the cross and the incidents connected
with Christ's crucifiXion without grasp
ing its meaning and personal message.
The Romans had introduced the death
upon the cross from the East and used
it only in the case Of slaves and crimi-
nails Although they crucified our Lord
upon the cross, He has transformed its
significance and meaning until today 1t
is a sacred symbol OF the worlds hope.
Jesus refused the narcotic that was Of
fered to Him and all others, who were
crucified. through the charitable con-
tributions of Jerusalem women VINO
sought to remove as far as possible the
horrors of death upon the cross. His
intense suffering fulfilled the Scripture
for the Psalmist told Of His pain and
prayers, His crying and tears, as well as
the malice of the people.
They crucified Him between two
thieves, one of whom accepted Him and
the other rejected the Lord. Looking
down from the cross, Jesus witnessed
the soldiers dividing His garments. They
were their perQuisiteS. When they came
to the seamless robe that He wore and
which may have been made by His own
mother they determined whose it would
be by casting lots for it. This remark
able fulfillment of prophecy testifles
to the divinity of Christs mission. The
same soldiers placed the placard upon
the cross above the Masters head by
command of PLATE. The charge. This
Is Jesus, the King of the Jews" was
placed there as a sheer and reproach to
those who had forced PLATE against his
own sense of justice to consent to
ChriSt'S crucifiXlon.
While hanging there and awaiting
death Jesus was Knocked by the pas
sersby and the irresponsible mob that
gathered about His cross. They fulfilled
the words of the Psalmist in their re.
wings and taunts. The dignitaries OF
his own nation sneered at Him and
challenged Him to demonstrate His Son.
ship by coming down from the cross. In
their taunts they spoke truths that time
has demonstrated to be true, which IT
would not have done had He revealed
His power along the lines that they
challenged Him to do.
The Perfect Sacrifice.
A Washington artist has recently
placed on canvas a remarkable paint
ing. the story of the crisis, when Jesus
in the darkness revealed the depths oil
His spiritual loneliness when He felt
that God had deserted Him. His dis
ciples had forsaken Him when He was
arrested. The words that He spoke from
the cross are not all found In our lesson
The first was a prayer that forgiveness
be granted those who had nailed Him
to the cross. Once He showed that He
was suffering physical agony, but none
showed the depths Of suffering so much
as His cry, MY strength, my strength
thou hast forsaken me" The darkness
of those three hours concealed His mys-
ferrous sufferingS, but His last Woro
was one of triumph. 1T is finished.
In a spirit of victory he said, Father
into thy hands I commit my spirit"
After the forward march OF HIS
church through the centuries, we see the
one hope of Transforming humanity,
facing the same forces OF intolerance
covetousness. politics, autocratic pow
ers. cynicism, mob rule and indifference
that seeks to cruelty the Lord today
We must take our stand with His enc
mics or His friends. We cannot assume
a neutral position. Each one of us faces
the question of the ages that forces us
to decide what we shall do with Lore
Jesus Let us recognize Him as oul
Lord and coming king. Let us trus
Him as our Savior who died for III
upon Calvary'S cross. and dedicate oul
all to Him and His service. Let us moi
be found among the number who are
crucfying Christ today.