The Coolidge examiner., 1937-03-25

oedo' dno' penold, am alive for ever
more, Amen; and have the keys of
hell and OF death. Rev. 1:17.18.
PRIMARY TOPIC - Our Living Lord.
JUNIOR TOPIC-Eating Breakfast
With Jesus.
| INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOP
&c - Who Saw Jesus after His Resur-
rection?
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOP
IC-Christ's Resurrection a Glorious
Fact.
1.-THE best authenticated fact in
all history''-that is wha. competent
historians have called the resur-
rection of Christ. One of Americas
greatest legal authorities used it
as an illustration of how properly
to prove a fact in court If anyone
comes to this lesson with doubts
about the bodily resurrection of our
Lord, let him give himself to a study
of the evidence. He will find it over
whelmingly satisfying and complete.
That is as it should be, for the
resurrection is vital to the COM
pleteness of mans redemption Had
Jesus died and remained in the
grave, his claims would have been
nullified; we should indeed have
been "of all men most miserable"
q Cor. 1910. But Paul goes on in
triumphant faith, Now is Christ
risen from the dead" We have a
resurrection faith, living Saviour.
Our lesson brings before us our
Lord in his post-resurrection ap-
pearance to his disciples, and a
subsequent conversation with Peter.
These verses fittingly tie up the
resurrection of Christ with the life
and service of his followers. Those
who serve the risen Christ have an
inward peace and an outward an
thority and power. Their convictions
are based on the best of evidence
and carry them forward to life of
personal responsibility and service.
1. Peace GO: 0:192D.
Peace of soul is absolutely es-
sential to useful and satisfied living.
Only as we are "SteadfaSt, immov-
able" can we be Astounding in the
work of the Lord" q Cor 1883.
Steady at the center, active at the
circumference.
ii. Authority wv. 21-23)
Commissioned and sent by the
Son of God, clothed with Holy
Spirit power, the Church Of God
has his authority. While some have
read too much into verse %, others
have read out of it the real authority
that God has given.
III. Conviction (vv. 24-20
Thomas made the serious error
of being absent from the gathering
of the disciples when the Lord Jesus
stood in their midst Let those who
commonly absent themselves from
the place and hour of worship take
heed lest they miss blessing, and
coming later add nothing to the
spiritual life of the church, but rata-
er become troublers and doubters.
But God graciously turns the
doubt of Thomas into means of
blessing to all of us who since then
have read of his experience. Thom-
as was an honest doubter. God is
always ready to meet such with
satisfactory proof The trouble is
that there are so many in the world
who use professed doubts to cover
a life of sin.
Doubt may come to any man. In
itself it is no sin. But to cherish
it and hold to it in unbelief-that
is different matter. One wise spi-
ritual leader rightly counseled his
people, Believe your beliefs and
doubt your doubts. Never make the
mistake of doubling your beliefs or
believing your doubts
When Thomas saw the Lord,
doubt rapidly changed to strong per-
sonal conviction and abandonment
of himself to his Lord and Saviour.
~. Responsibility (21:2O-24.
This incident took place at later
appearance of Jesus to a smaller
group of the disciples. The ire
pressible Peter has, as usual a
question to ask, What shall this
man do?" 1t is a right thing to be
concerned about the welfare of 9TH
ers, to see to it that they live right
and do right. But there is in our
relationship to God a primary per-
sonal responsibility, our own lives.
The writer of the Song of Solomon
Q:6) spoke profound and deep
cutting word when he said, 'They
made me keeper of the vineyards;
but my own vineyard have / not
kept" Perhaps Jesus is saying to
me, or to you, the solemn words
that he spoke to Peter, What is
that to thee? follow thou me-"
Personal responsibility should be
one Of the most resultful factors in
the making of manhood, as in the
finding of salvation.